Megapixel Count
Calculator

Megapixels equal the image's width in pixels multiplied by its height in pixels, divided by one million. A 6000x4000 pixel image has 24 million total pixels, or 24 megapixels.

Not necessarily. Megapixel count only measures resolution (detail capacity), while image quality also depends heavily on sensor size, individual pixel size, lens quality, and processing, so a 12MP full-frame sensor often outperforms a 48MP smartphone sensor in low light and dynamic range despite having fewer total pixels.

Cramming more megapixels onto a small sensor means each individual pixel (photosite) is physically smaller and captures less light, which increases noise and reduces dynamic range in dim conditions compared to a sensor with fewer, larger pixels covering the same physical area. This tradeoff is why megapixel count alone is a poor proxy for overall image quality.

It depends on output: roughly 2 megapixels is enough for a sharp 4x6 inch print at 300 DPI, about 8-12 megapixels comfortably covers most web use and moderate prints, and 24+ megapixels becomes useful mainly for large prints, heavy cropping, or professional commercial work. Most casual photography needs are met well below a camera's maximum megapixel spec.

Cropping removes pixels from the original image, directly reducing the remaining width x height pixel count and therefore the effective resolution, which is why heavily cropped photos can look softer or pixelated at large print or display sizes even if the original file was high resolution.