A resolution of 640x480 might be all you need if you're only planning to use and view your images online, but demand at least 1,024x768 pixels if you also want to print your images at a fairly high quality. A resolution of 1,024x768 should enable reasonably good 5x7-inch prints. Choose a model capable of about 1,280x1,024 pixels for satisfactory quality at sizes as large as 8x10 inches.
Some manufacturers identify their cameras by resolutions available only through interpolation.
For instance, a camera with an optical resolution of 1,024x768 will provide at least 786,432 sensors. In practice the number should be at least 800,000, because most digital cameras use some of their sensors for metering and other purposes. Manufacturers use the term megapixel to denote the ability to capture about 1 million pixels of information. ZDNet and ZDNet logo are registered trademarks of ZD Inc. Content originally published in Ziff Davis Media publications is the copyrighted property of Ziff Davis Media. Ziff Davis Media.