[benn11]

What is the maximum pixels I can get from a digital camera?

[iAMfromHuntersBar]

I read a while back that Hasselblad had made a 39 megapixel camera... but looking at that article it's $32,000... so you may not want to buy that!

What do you use your camera for? I've got a 3mp camera that I never switch above 1mp because the photos are so good on that setting!

Canon do a great range at about 8mp (the EOS) but it all depends on what you're photographing and how much you want to pay!

[benn11]

How much would a 8mp cost?

[iAMfromHuntersBar]

Again, it all depends. If you want a body with detachable lenses for really professional photography you're looking at about £700 for the body and just as much for good lenses!

You should look at this the other way around though, what are you wanting to do with the camera and what's your budget?

*edit*
(£700 is about US$1400 at today's exchange rate)

[ScottGem]

Why would you need one? Mega pixels matter mostly when trying to blow up a picture. They also have a bearing on the quality of photos taken with digital zoom.

A 5+ maga pixel camera will plow up fine to 8x10. Six mega pixels will do great at 11x17.

[alkalineangel]

I bought a 7.2 for 250 dollars... you shouldn't need much more than that unless you are a professional photographer.

[benn11]

That sounds good like a good price for 7.2 mp, What make is it?

[alkalineangel]

Casio Exilim Z75 - I should mention that was the price when it first came out and with a 50 dollar memory card as well... it is probably much cheaper now, but I love this camera. It keeps up with my son. :) if you get the high powered memory cards, it will take pictures so quickly.

Casio Exilim Z75 Digital Camera - 7.2 Megapixel

[ScottGem]

in my opinion Zoom is more important that pixels. Many of the new slim camers have an 3x optical zoom which is insufficient for getting shots from any distance.

[iAMfromHuntersBar]

I've read in more than one place to totally forget optical zoom on low-priced digital cameras, than if you have a good pixel-rate, just take your photo without any zoom, then use photo-editing software to zoom in! Lol!

I've used it on a few occasions, and I've got to say it does work much better than my crappy zoom!

[alkalineangel]

This is my everyday camera, I tend to do my magic in PhotoShop. I have a higher end camera for real photography.

[iAMfromHuntersBar]

I have a battered old Sony DSCP100 that I take out on nights out and... well... everywhere to be honest! It's great for simple point and click photos and I don't care if I break it! It's been going strong for about 3 years now!

At work we use a Canon EOS30D with a whole variety of lenses, beautiful bit of kit, ridiculously expensive, but hey - I'd hate to lug it around everywhere with me - I'd look stupid!

I like the term 'real photography' by the way! Do you mean your 'arty farty' shots? He he!

[alkalineangel]

Hehe... yes. I have a pentax K1000 SLR I use for the "real" artsy fartsy stuff and a Nikon D80 for everything else... I have my eye on the new Nikon D3 Digital SLR camera with a 3.0" LCD and 12.1 megapixel FX -format CMOS sensor with a DK-17M magnifying eyepiece...

[iAMfromHuntersBar]

Ooooh, keep talking dirty to me! Ha ha ha!

On the opposite end of the scale, I've always wanted an old Rolleiflex TLR... I don't think any amount of digital trickery can beat a photo from one of those!

*Daydreams about old photos*

[alkalineangel]

LOL! That is one of the reasons I still use my old pentax. It takes beautiful photos... everyone always looks at it all funny though... my cousin actually asked if I just couldn't afford a digital... LOL.

[iAMfromHuntersBar]

Ha ha, that's crazy!

I hardly ever print out digital photos! I've got thousands as well... think I've printed out 3 or 4 of them recently! I kind of takes the magic out of it all! When I was a lot younger (back when steam trains were around!) I did a couple of days learning how to develop photos in a dark room... there's something really special about watching your photos appear amongst the smell of those chemicals!

[alkalineangel]

I love that... with the exception of rolling the film on the reel

[michealb]

Largest I was able to find was 13 gigapixels
13 Gigapixel image of Harlem - Time Waster - Download Squad

[iAMfromHuntersBar]

I love that...with the exception of rolling the film on the reel

Aah, that's the beauty of the Rollieflex - single sheet rear loading! Woop! :D

[benn11]

I think the Casio exilim z75 will do just fine for the price tag on it:)