Information on Megapixels
In digital imaging, a pixel is considered the basic unit of forming an image. A million of these comprises what is known as a megapixel.
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History
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Frederic Billingsley (1921-2002), an engineer who helped develop computerized image processing, published the term "pixel" in 1965. He took the word from another engineer who had no idea where the word originated.
Etymology
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"Pixel" is a combination of the words "picture" and "element." An early incarnation of "pixel" is the word "pix," which was used as an abbreviation for movies as early as 1932.
Association
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Megapixels are commonly associated with digital cameras. The more megapixels a digital camera has, the better the image resolution. Buying a camera with too few megapixels causes pixelation, which happens when pixels are rendered as small, single-colored, square display elements visible to the eye.
Combination With Other Factors
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Although megapixels are related to the quality of a camera's pictures and printouts, this is not the only factor. Good lighting, proper focus and the optical quality of the lens are other elements that make a difference.
Determining Megapixels
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Deciding on the number of a camera's megapixels can depend on the print size you plan to make for your pictures as well as the amount of editing you plan to do.
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