This tip was printed from the MalekTips Computer and Technology Help and Tips website at http://malektips.com.

Buying a Digital Camera - Don't Get Caught Up in Megapixels

SUMMARY: Megapixels are not everything when it comes to buying a digital camera.

It's very easy when buying a digital camera to get caught up in the megapixel race. Fast-talking digital camera salesmen don't help as they usually tout that more megapixels are better, no matter what. Surely if a digital camera contains more megapixels, it must take better and clearer images than other digital cameras, right?

Here are two reasons why you should not get caught up in the megapixel race:

1. More megapixels do not always equal clearer photos. Not just the number of megapixels, but the quality of the megapixels matter as well. For example, most digital camera image sensor pixels can only detect just a particular area's redness, blueness, or greenness, but not all three. This is why you sometimes get a mosaic effect, and why you may often have to adjust the warmth of a photo - not enough redness may be captured. However, new technologies have emerged, such as the Foveon X3 three-layer sensor array where each pixel can detect redness, blueness, AND greenness, supposedly resulting in sharper, warmer, and more pleasing photos.

2. You should consider other digital camera features besides just its megapixels. How fast or slow you can set the camera shutter speed can determine the type of sports and night photography you can take. Does the camera support a manual white-balance control to aid photography in homes, offices, and museums? Does it have pre-programmed modes to aid in difficult lighting situations?

If you are interested in the Foveon X3 technology, here is a link to their website:

Foveon - http://www.foveon.com/