HOW MANY MEGAPIXELS DO YOU NEED? YOU MAY BE SURPRISED!

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My name is Simon d'Entremont and I'm a professional wildlife and nature photographer from Eastern Canada.
Are you struggling trying to understand all the advice about the differences between high and low megapixel cameras? Not sure which you should buy? In this video I'll walk you through the differences, and clear up some common misunderstandings about them.
I use Topaz Labs software for noise reduction, sharpening and upscaling:
topazlabs.com/ref/1943/
My equipment:
Canon R5 body amzn.to/3UQeROc
Canon R6 body amzn.to/3RpYqVX
Canon R5 battery grip amzn.to/3dUrHKF
Canon 100-400 EF II amzn.to/3UQi4gJ
Canon 17-40 L lens amzn.to/3y71MGt
Canon RF 16mm f2.8 amzn.to/3EmPNJ1
FLM Tripod (CP 34 L4 II) and Levelling Head (HB 75) www.flmcanada.com?aff=sdentrem
Sigma Art 50mm f1.4 lens amzn.to/3fkRjAC
Sigma Art 20mm f1.4 lens amzn.to/3CjKto2
Rokinon 135mm f2 lens amzn.to/3SoB3x3
Sirui x-k40 ball head amzn.to/3E7Z5sc
Sirui lightweight Traveler 7C tripod with head amzn.to/3dS9Bca
Manfrotto Video Head amzn.to/3RlZie5
Wimberley Gimbal Head amzn.to/3flhya8
Jackery portable 240 lithium-ion battery amzn.to/3rCzX5r
ProGrade Gold 128 GB CF Express amzn.to/3fyx1nh
ProGrade Cobalt 325 GB CF Express amzn.to/3y3Ywf1
ProGrade Gold 256 GB SD amzn.to/3y0Xssg
Zoom H1n field recorder amzn.to/3Sozob9
Comica shotgun mic amzn.to/3REWN73
Rode Videomic NTG shotgun mic amzn.to/3BRlcQK
Rode Wireless GO II mic set amzn.to/3BUfIoh
Lenscoat neoprene camera bags amzn.to/3SNiqmz
Lencoat rain cover for 500mm F4 amzn.to/3SGtyl2
Falconeyes F7 LCD panel amzn.to/3y75z6F
Lowepro 450 AW large backpack amzn.to/3xZOHyL
Lowepro Flipside 300 small backpack amzn.to/3SOTWt7
Mindshift 36L (closest available) backpack amzn.to/3C0fagy
DJI Mavic Air 2S drone (flymore combo) amzn.to/3M9TuDL
B&W circular polarizer, 77mm amzn.to/3SKc6Mx
B&W 2 stop ND Filter amzn.to/3URyIN6
B&W 6 stop ND filter amzn.to/3y6gs8G
B&W 10 stop ND filter amzn.to/3fwRIjs
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 binoculars amzn.to/3URprEz
Blackrapid retro-classic shoulder strap amzn.to/3y0wUHt
FjallRaven trekking pants amzn.to/3y77DeV
Heat 3 gloves (shell only) www.theheatcompany.com/en-us/...
Heat Company Merino Wool liners www.theheatcompany.com/en-us/...
HP Omen 17.3" performance laptop amzn.to/3BZ7w69
Synology NAS storage amzn.to/3BXfcWF
16 TB hard drives for NAS amzn.to/3LTdrOW
Music in intro: "Nicer", by Houses on the Hill. Find that, and other sound effects at Epidemic Sounds
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Website www.simondentremont.com/

[@simon_dentremont]

What’s the largest print you’ve ever made and how many megapixels was the original? I’d love to know!

[@BigBadLoneWolf]

A2,45megapixels no cropping, no upsizing, shot with Nikon D850

[@robertleeimages]

The Milky way like in my profile photo printed as 24x16 inch from a little canon 200d. It's a blend of 3 truck light painted foregrounds with a 10 image stacked sky but only know it was 23.2mb

[@peteanddrake4242]

This week, I printed a TIF from a 20MP 5DMII to 30x50 gallery wrap on canvas. The printer did use Topaz Gigapixel--so not sure how much that helped. There is no noticeable pixilation or noise on the final print which is of a freight train coming out of the fog. That's my largest print so far and will hang at Norfolk Southern office in Atlanta. Years ago I did a series of lily pad flower pictures that all got printed for a hotel chain (the boring pictures that hang in your hotel room:). Those were all shot on a 6MP original Canon Rebel and were enlarged to 16x20. I just looked at those files this morning and noticed they were all shot with a 100mm 2.8 Macro---lens makes a huge difference too:)

[@cidercreekranch]

24x20 of a deep crop taken with a D7100 with a 300mm f4 that was up-sampled. From me usual sitting position, 18=24" away, the hummingbird's is sharp enough.

[@shovelrocker7102]

40x28 inch lake landscape, very little editing on lightroom nothing more. Olympus E-M1mk3 with 12-40mm f2,8 lens.

[@NSA.Monitored.Device]

I love how Simon beats technical gibberish with logic.🥰

[@Boss80gb]

Yes 😂 😂 I agree,I inherited 2 really nice in excellent condition Nikon D-300 AND a Nikon D-90 Dslr's from after my Father passed away last year& I love them.Simon just saved me alot of money 😆 Because I was going to trade them in& get higher megapixel cam,BUT I did the same test Simon talks about& Me& a couple of friends an my lady don't see noticeable difference blur etc.As long as your not"breathing hot breath" 🤭all up close,its NOT huge difference! The average photographer doesn't need super megapixel cams.UNLESS they're really making massive posters etc* 12+mp is enough from both my cams and we've printed out poster sized pics an they're great looking.....Simon you are absolutely awesome,witty and very intelligent sir!Stay creative an we LOVE YOUR CHANNEL& YOUR ENTHUSIASTIC ENERGY!Thank you for all you do ✌🙏

[@jnielsen1956]

14 minutes long?? I've seen this answered in 30 seconds on Kelby One.

[@NSA.Monitored.Device]

@@jnielsen1956 Still you had to watch a 14 min vid.

[@jnielsen1956]

@@NSA.Monitored.Device Ha, ha. No, I moved on after a minute and a half.

[@NSA.Monitored.Device]

@@jnielsen1956Funny how you devaluate your "point" one way or another.^^

[@cathedralirish820]

I just found Simon’s video collection on YT. He speaks clearly, with some pace, and doesn’t include content that’s unrelated to the subject(s) of the video(s), staying “on task.” He provides tremendous clarity to what are generally pretty confusing topics. His videos are really, really well done, and his captured images, used in the videos, are quite impressive. I’m subscribing so I don’t miss future content. Thank you, Simon. 😊

[@simon_dentremont]

Too kind! Thanks!

[@nigerianway]

The old man's not madly chasing views one of the best in the niche

[@bza2356]

When creating a billboard as a graphic designer, I was so nervous to see the outcome when learning it was 15dpi. They gave me a test cropped section of the picture bc I wanted to check colours and it looked like a blur.... When viewing it from across the street it was sharp as anything and so happy as it cost a lot to put up. I've never worked that big

[@bza2356]

Hey Simon, Just found your channel and you're a great presenter. I go on a trip tomorrow in the Kimberleys (aus)... For landscapes is there any use for a 50mm prime lens or just go with a 18-85... I thought it would be fun to take a nice camera...

[@jonfreeman9682]

I do professional work and handle large format print and can say high DPI isn't needed. It also costs more to print and you'll never notice it.

[@DanaPushie]

I had to watch to this video again, some months later, to reassure myself that my Canon APS-C 24MP camera would meet my needs for the foreseeable future. I knew I would get clear, concise information; info I could trust. Thank you Simon. Best wishes to you and yours for 2024, from a fellow Bluenoser.

[@simon_dentremont]

Go for it neighbor!

[@aerialfilm1]

I recently visited the offices of a company I used to work for, and they still have several 18x24 photos hanging that I took in 2001 on a 3.1mp Canon D30. Back then I couldn’t imagine it how it could get any better.

[@MicskiDK]

I still have my D30. It takes brilliant photos with that 50 mm.

[@USGrant21st]

I had Canon D30 somewhere around 2000, the image quality was dismal compared to modern cameras. In fact the image quality was improving by leaps and bounds at that time, so every year the resolution was doubling and noise was reduced. I think in 5 years I had it, its price went down from $3000 to $300.

[@alicevioleta3184]

until recently i was shooting on a nikon D50, which is "only" 6 megapixels. the photos it took were gorgeous, and it's a shame i had to replace it. i'm happy with my olympus om-d em10, of course, but "only" 6 megapixels is good enough in 2023.

[@thothheartmaat2833]

i actually want that camera because it has the lowest noise of almost any camera..

[@nadermansour7487]

Sony Mavica was my first camera. 0.6Mp. Great for candids because no one recognized it as a camera. People thought I was watching TV.

[@kevincozens6837]

It was interesting to see the upscaled duck eye at 9:57 looking sharper than either the 18MP or 3MP image.

[@jupitereye4322]

I don't need megapixels, client needs them.

[@antonroland]

Clients THINK they need them😉

[@jonfreeman9682]

If clients want them then give it to them. It depends on the job.

[@nethbt]

In this day and age of 45 and 60 megapixels, the SWEET SPOT is still 24MP in my opinion....just the right file size, plenty of details, fast enough for slower cards, plenty of cropping headroom and won't degrade high ISO IQ that much

[@mawavoy]

Simon, this is another high value video. Like all of your work, is comprehensive, accurate and presented in an easy to comprehend delivery. Thanks for both the information and the comprehensible presentation.

[@jaakkotahtela123]

Would have been a high value video if it had been under 5 minutes. Now it was unnecessarily long

[@mawavoy]

@@jaakkotahtela123 , your comment is easy to make and even easier to think is correct only if you understand the concepts involved. If you knew the concepts before seeing the video then for you any length of time was wasted once you saw the complete video. On the other hand, if you knew nothing about the subject and only saw the conclusion you would know the answer but could never explain it to anybody, and thus would justifiably have little confidence in the answer. How do I know this? I have seen several presentations and only watched this one to the end precisely because I recognized and appreciated its value.

[@simon_dentremont]

Many thanks!

[@doptimist]

@@jaakkotahtela123🙄

[@mawavoy]

@@iridium8341 , the comments in the remainder of the thread says you are in the minority.

[@charliehubbard4073]

In 2009, my wife and I took our honeymoon in Victoria, B.C. While there, I just happened to get a photo out over the water of a lighthouse on an island with a tall masted ship going by in the background. Truthfully, it's not a great photo, but we liked it, and it reminds us of our time there. The image was taken with a Canon 40D, which had, as I recall, a 10 MP sensor. Now I cropped the original image by about a factor of two in both axes, which means the end result only had 2.5 MP. We had that printed on canvas at 36 inches on the diagonal and it hangs on the wall of my wife's home office above a day bed. You don't view it closer than about 6 feet away. To my untrained amateur eye, it looks great!

[@jonfreeman9682]

Beautiful island and always enjoyed my visit there. It would be even more awesome if a humpback whale 🐳 graced the lighthouse background. But yeah even 10 MP photos are good enough for large prints. I worked for a large format printer and we'd print all sizes and generally the larger the print the lower the DPI needed. We've done prints from 20 years ago that's only 2 MP and with a bit of enhancements they still look great.

[@NoNeNoNeNoNe134]

I did a shoot in 2013 with 18 megapixel camera and it was on 80 feet wide billboard..... It was looking tremendously sharp..... I used the viewing distance calculations and applied output sharpening technique in a very effective manner..... I'm glad that you made this vide as many many people are extreamly confused in megapixel war... Keep up great work

[@johnvandusen567]

I took up photography in 1970 when I joined the US Navy. I travelled all over the Mediterranean, Caribbean, etc. Even spent Christmas 1972 in Rome! I enjoyed your video very much.

[@staceyhunt6769]

My son (6) is autistic, and he takes photos of things to help him handle transitions or having to put away/eat things he isn't ready to part with. Currently he has to use his tablet but that has quite a lot of problems to it. We're hoping to get him a good, budget, older digital camera he can use instead. We brought one of those kid cameras a couple years back and it's so awful you can hardly tell what it is. 🙄 This video is really helping me understand what we need to get for him to get nice photos and hopefully grow his love for photography. :)

[@badger67]

Great advice Simon. As a 12 MP shooter on my old Nikon D300s, I couldn't be happier.

[@Adrian_Finn]

Same here, also shooting Nikon D300s, great camera.

[@johnhoward5248]

Same here, I love both of mine, one with the grip and one without. Love the controls on the outside. John

[@markkeohane9850]

D300s is a terrific camera. A delight to shoot with and still turns out great images.

[@dobrofool]

I’m still shooting with the D300, D700, and FujiS5Pro (which was marketed as 12MP, but technically 1/2 that because of the pixel design of the sensor). All of these bodies continue to produce beautiful warm photos, with a color pallet seemingly lost as newer and “better” cameras made them extinct. Guys are swarming back to their digital roots in the D700, and are all saying the same thing: color, color, color! These old bodies deliver a film like feel with their images. We have printed 16x23 photos that look crazy beautiful. Most of my work is portraits, so these bodies will continue to be work horses until they give up the ghost.

[@MaddyBee]

@@dobrofool I have been loving using the s5 pro, I’ve been shooting the canon 5d classic for years and am enjoying the fun little Fuji.

[@OscarGomez-oo7im]

Mr. d'Entremont, you are exactly the best communicator that I have ever listened to. Making all the controls in the camera, concepts about resolution, focus, real need of pixels, etc. something easy to understand goes a long way. Simple language is the secret of instruction and you are probably the best I have found in my life in possession of this art. Thank you for these videos that demystify the "bumba-bumba and yada-yada I hava found in books and classrooms...

[@boxingproff7627]

Damn! This channel is very informative. No fluff, just straight to the point. Good work.

[@TriggerTravels]

This man is an absolute genius!

[@brunocastelowildlifephotog5674]

Best video on this subject I've ever seen on the internet.

[@justinoff1]

I'm a commercial photographer who uses 100-200mp digital backs. The thing most people don't touch on is having the ability to make deep crops for the purpose of maintaining depth of field. I've shot automotive campaigns in studio for major manufacturers. When shooting a 3/4 angle it's necessary to pull the camera further away to have the car sharp bumper to bumper. You can only stop down so far until diffraction starts working against you. For professional commercial work more megapixels is always better. But you need to know how to use them correctly.

[@BenAndrews]

I guess this will depend on whats available for your system but tilt shift lenses are made exactly for that purpose.

[@casualcoffeeshooter]

@@BenAndrews tilt-shift lenses were made not for commercial photography, tbh. I'm sure that you can use them in that way, buy ususally they're less sharp and made for FF or cropped cameras. 100-200mp digital backs that were mentioned are Phase One, Hasselblad or Pentax ones and medium format only. There are no tilt-shift lenses for such big sensors on the market as far as I can remember

[@BenAndrews]

​@@casualcoffeeshooter of course there are tilt-shift lenses for medium format. I've used 2 of them. Not sure what brand, since I used them 15 years ago in the studio where I was studying photography. There are quite a few options. A number of bellows based options that are around, some are mated to a lens and some allow you to put on any lens you like in whatever system its designed for. A quick search on google shows Hasselblad make a tilt shit adapter. I suspect thats similar to one I used, since we shot our product photos on a Hass. Theres also the Fotodiox Pro ROKR adapters, and a bunch of bellows options. I own a Samyang tilt for canon and have adapted to fuji. Fujifilm GFX also has tilt shift options. Thats not cheap tilt shift and it covers the larger sensors and is adapted to some digital backs. Not a professional option though.

[@ericmuetterties1984]

​@@casualcoffeeshootersure there are. Hasselblad has an adapter or you put the back on a view camera

[@luke-alex]

Wouldn't a longer focal length lens achieve the same effect without cropping? Or is your point that the higher pixel count saves you from needing another lens? In that case, it's a matter of redundancy; you have more pixels than you need, so that you can afford to lose some. I don't think the video is making the case that fewer pixels is better, just the the benefits of more pixels is more limited and specific than often assumed.

[@evgenipoptoshev4112]

Some of my best A3 prints were made from a 16 MP m4/3 bodies, paired with good quality Olympus primes, like the 45/1.2 Pro. Stunningly sharp.

[@keithspillett5298]

Great video. As a, theoretically, retired professional photographer, I now use the micro four thirds system of cameras. The two bodies I currently own are by Olympus, and are 16mp. I've happily printed images up to 40 inches by 30 inches, and the results look fabulous, completely supporting your comments regarding print sizes. In actual fact, they still stand up well, even under much closer viewing conditions 🙂

[@GeorgeStar]

Same here. I "upgraded" from the E-M1 to the MkII because I felt I "had to" even tho I was perfectly happy with the original. Now I may upgrade to the E-M5 III simply for the lighter weight.

[@USGrant21st]

How many MP do you need? A very easy question to answer, as many pixels as make you happy. What makes one person happy is not the same what makes another person happy. And frankly, everybody is only concerned with their own happiness not somebody else. I know that I'm happy with 42MP from my Sony and not happy with 24MP from the other cameras I used, which includes Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fuji.

[@guyplay]

Can you recommend a professional printing company that you use for large prints? Thanks!

[@tommynikon2283]

Similar, 67 here; been using 16MP bodies for years; 99.99% of my stuff is never printed- monitor viewed,....so no worries.

[@dj1NM3]

I'm pretty sure that most people have an "over inflated" idea as to how many megapixels are required for a good looking page (A4 or letter) sized photo print and thoroughly outlandish expectation for a quart-page newspaper image. Up until very recently, billboard posters had "rosette" pixels which were almost 1/4" across, so even the resolution required for "the side of a building" sized prints is far lower than most people would expect. Of course, this is all presuming that most of the captured image is used, without much cropping and trying to blow up much fewer pixels into an acceptable printed image.

[@selianboy8508]

16'x8' print from a slightly cropped D3 Nikon. It was hung on my Studio wall and people walked past at about 4 to 10 foot away. In about 10 years of customers and fellow professionals walking past and viewing it, not one ever questioned its quality. It was printed straight out of Photoshop without much work done on it bar contrast and exposure control. In fact I actually ADDED digital grain to it which is something I do to pretty much every image I ever take! I gain quite a few commissions because of that one image.

[@user-kc9fx1qb1m]

Most knowledgeable KZbinr I've seen. Thankyou for handling complicated topics and making them make sense!!!

[@manchestercity23511]

This is very helpful! Love your videos!

[@simon_dentremont]

I'm so glad!

[@jimmylovesbikes]

do you teach because you would make an awesome teacher. ❤

[@dadgum5648]

glad to see your channel blow up so much. I feel lucky to be getting into bird photography right after you started posting videos. I've learned so much in the last couple of months, and your videos are the perfect length to go back and rewatch when I feel like I need to understand a specific thing better

[@Guitar6ty]

Excellent presentation.

[@simon_dentremont]

Thank you kindly!

[@thomasdipalma4769]

This is exactly the info I needed. You just saved me at least a grand.

[@petermclennan6781]

In 2005 or so, I made a full bleed, 16X20 print of a cheetah sleeping in a tree for my dentist, shot in the wild in Africa, not in a zoo. His image was effectively 1600 pixels on the long side. It's been hanging in his office since then. We were both astonished at the quality, admittedly from an excellent printer - my (long dead) Epson 9800.

[@jefife750]

Upon running across your YT channel, I immediately subscribed. Your ability to present complex topics in a brief and concise way without becoming boring, is a gift that’s hard to find. You have become one of my few “go to “ sources for pro level photography knowledge. You have taught me a lot and I thank you. Please continue the great work. Your photos are predictably amazing!

[@simon_dentremont]

Wow, thank you

[@miket2120]

An issue rarely mentioned in the megapixel wars: framing. No, not framing for composition. I mean framing the photographic print you made. The more megapixels the larger the print you can have made the larger the frame will need to be to show off your great image. Frame, mat, glazing, backing, labor all go higher nearly exponentially as your print size increases.

[@stevemuzak8526]

I print poster size photos and proper framing cost me at least $200 or more.

[@alansach8437]

A reason why canvas and acrylic prints are so popular in larger sizes. Framing large prints can be prohibitively expensive. Canvas and acrylic fit better into modern decor.

[@DmitriNesteruk]

Canvas and acrylic is not to everyone's taste. If you're decorating in neoclassic style you're bound to use frames and passepartout.

[@PowellGuide]

Thanks Simon. Great video. I've been shooting with Nikon D750 for years, both day and night and it's just fine at 24mp. A 30x40" print looks great

[@OldGirlPhotography]

Not only the voice of reason, but with the ability to explain it in a meaningful way. Thank you Simon.

[@ZenoOkapi]

Always the calm voice of well informed reasoning. Thank you

[@chrisb2129]

I used to be eager to upgrade to higher mp cameras back in the day, because I thought there was a benefit of going from an 8 mp Canon 20D to 10 mp 40D to a 15 mp 50D, but that cooled off once I got to 18-20 mp in the 7D bodies. It seemed like diminishing returns at that point. A change in perspective also came when I printed heavily cropped photo I took of a Lapland Longspur on ice. I wasn't very close and couldn't get any closer. It was a fantastic photo opportunity, but I had to crop it down to around 2.0 mp to get the composition I wanted in the end. I upscaled it to print at 11x17@360ppi (my printer prints at 360dpi). The detail on the print was perfectly good when hung on a gallery wall I had set up at my workplace. I was astounded that it turned out as it did. That was years ago with software that didn't upscale as good as present day software.

[@789juggernaut]

This video could not possibly be any better. Very clear explanations that make a complex topic understandable to almost anyone. Thank you.

[@weiyeliu1968]

I decided to give you a LIKE right at this moment 04:26 "who looks at an image this large..from this close???" LOL

[@richardberke4539]

If I was going through college again I'd seek out any courses you teach. Great clarity of information, presented with an amount of detail and comparisons that makes so much sense. A great match with how I enjoy learning.

[@BGTuyau]

One of the internet's best explainers sheds some light on the megapixel measure mystery ... . Thanks / Merci ...

[@simon_dentremont]

Wow, thank you!

[@michaelganey6469]

Simon, your explanations are so clear and easy to follow! Thanks for the work you put into them.

[@debtoralive4693]

After watching your videos I sometimes have to admit to myself that I had originally learned or understood certain aspects of photography incorrectly. And I realize I've been wrong because of how you make these somerimes complicated subjects so easy to grasp. Also I like the more advanced photographer approach. I've seen too many videos going over stuff I've known for years. Tnanks and please keep making these informative videos because I can not learn too much about photography.

[@HowardDavies8]

I have a lovely framed print of one of my children. It measures 19 inches by 11 inches and was taken on my original Galaxy Note phone, with a camera sensor of just 2 megapixels. It is adequately sharp for the style of print and looks good. I see little appreciable difference between prints made with my Canon 40d, 5d mkiii, and my r5 when printed for hanging, mounted in a frame, for home use

[@deepgeny1]

Original galaxy note n7000 had 8 mp camera

[@HowardDavies8]

@@deepgeny1 You are right. The front facing camera was 2 megapixels. My mistake....the print still looks good though

[@myprovideo7852]

FINALLY !!!!!!!!!!!! I have been looking for this information for decades ( since the year 2000 ) THANK YOU !!!!!!!

[@simon_dentremont]

You are welcome!

[@InukRyu]

what a great instructions! amazing!

[@indefinitelyserge547]

I appreciate the break down of what our eye sees vs what we need. Very informative for someone new into all of the photography jargon like myself.

[@bradmiller9993]

I once (early digital days) made an 11x14 from a 3MP point and shoot that was fantastic. The other great thing about DXO's database relates to age: when evaluating sensors, they also supply the year the sensor was manufactured, which is significant since - as time goes on - these sensors get better and better. Thanks for the video.

[@ianlang6058]

Enjoyed this bloke because he understands what he is talking about.

[@simon_dentremont]

Very kind

[@janetdoherty9911]

I like that you just get straight into the details and you don't waste my time. Your explanations always give me an epiphony moment!! You are a great instructor!!!!

[@PhilChavanne]

Absolutely awesome video. You clarified a major hang-up I had for years. The « pixel-peeping » part is sooooo on point! And the matter of lens resolution (never thought of it before) brings a whole lot of clarity to the issue. Thank you for the time, care, and expertise you put into this video. Subscribed!

[@kerc]

Great video. Megapixels is definitely not the most important thing on digital. I absolutely love shooting with my old Sony A100, not only because of how good it feels to use, but because I simply love the results I get from its "measly" 10 megapixel CCD sensor and its very pleasing, natural look. With some final refinements using Affinity Photo, I get really beautiful results!

[@Ninja-th2to]

One of the best videos I have seen - rather than the usual sale pitches an honest assessment of real world needs. Thank You for a refreshing view.

[@simon_dentremont]

Wow, thanks!

[@anlangms4208]

Thank you so much for all your videos. I have learned so much . My husband got me a Camera for Christmas. I was always using my cell phone for my photography. I love photography. I have loved it since I was in high school I loved photography class going in the dark room and developing my own photos. So my husband got me the canon EOS T7. It’s a great beginner camera and I didn’t think I was ever going to get off the auto mode but just six months later I’m ready to upgrade my camera. And have a Canon telephoto lens 100 to 400 mm on order and arriving soon. Last week I practiced on shooting birds in flight from all the tips that you have given. Thank you again you are my favorite to watch on photography and have learned so much.

[@tobiasyoder]

It’s always nice to hear accurate information

[@travel734]

Thanks Simon for a well reasoned explanation. I used to do sports photography for a local newspaper. I was using a 6MP sensor and sometimes cropping. The editors never had an issue with the resolution of my images. Even when players and teams asked for prints there were no issues. I find that with a good lens, a 15MP camera can be printed, with some work, up to 17" by 22", but life is a lot easier with a 24 to 26MP camera. My personal record was a 1 MP image (Kodak) printed at 12" by 16". It took a lot of work and filters to change the image to a watercolour effect. Cheating? Maybe, but it is art not reporting.

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

It's worth noting that 6MP is enough for most purposes. However, if you move from that to say 24mp, you can downsize that 24mp image to 6MP and get a massive reduction in noise as you'd then have 4 pixels being averaged to give one pixel that's far less likely to be influenced by noise and possibly dust particles on the sensor. A photographer with exemplary skills can blow up a low MP image to staggering dimensions and still have something that looks good. But, the bigger you want to go with a smaller number of MP, the better your technique and processing needs to be. The only real upper limit is on storage space, data transmission time and processing.

[@JasonJaggersphtoography]

This video is refreshing. I am so tired of gear pushers with GAS . I just watched a video where a kid said 16 mp is enough for social media if that's all you want to do. People need to get real 5 mp is enough for social media. But then again I'm old and come from 120 film my first digital camera for work was a 5d and I made a lot of money with that 12mp camera. I have had GAS a few times before I remembered that cameras do not take better pictures for you. Sorry this is my weekly rant.

[@YuutaShinjou113]

I love how empirical this video is. It's helpful especially for photographers.

[@pauljansen6650]

I haven't even bought a camera yet but learning all I can until I get mine next month. Living in South Africa hoping to get into wildlife photography. Thank you Simon, you are a breathe of fresh air compared to most info channels. Honest and sincere....

[@simon_dentremont]

I’m off to Africa in June! Can’t wait!

[@BigBadLoneWolf]

Invest in the glass, not the body

[@akbarkamdar4906]

Hey Paul, fellow South African here, be sure to take a good look at the lenses you want to start with as well as the lenses you want down the road, especially if pricing is a concern. a lot of brands are heavily overpriced here compared to overseas, especially Canon, I ended up going for Sony because of the pricing of third-party lenses, but there's a lot of others to choose from too

[@pauljansen6650]

@akbarkamdar4906 thanks man. My plan is to understand exactly what I want/need in the next month and then compare prices on Amazon. I ship quite a bit of stuff from USA because even with shipping/duties its cheaper.

[@DannyB-cs9vx]

If you have a budget to work within, consider Micro Four Thirds. The lenses are much smaller, lighter, and less costly, and have an effective focal length twice that as a full frame. This means if you are shooting wildlife at a distance using a 200mm MFT lens, the subject will look like you shot it with a 400mm full frame lens. I used to go to national parks and compare my photos with those for sale at the gift shop. Very disappointing. A hobbyist will never have the time or money to get the same shot as a pro. A pro may wait a year for the right conditions, and take a thousand shots to pick out the best one. they will then enhance the picture with software. My camera is for memories, and just about any camera will take that sort of picture. Even a smart phone is plenty. If you need a lot of zoom and wide angle, Many bridge cameras do well. I bought a used one with a 42x zoom. I will often use it instead of my high dollar rigs.

[@bmeclipse]

So glad you covered this. Digital resolution is definitely a hot topic right now. I taught the ad department at a firm I used to work photoshop and indesign. The most requested topic was DPI and digital resolution. The cameras we had back then were around 12mp. That was 2000. Social media has caused some pros to stop thinking about DPI and optical resolution. Very nicely done!

[@simon_dentremont]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@constantinosschinas4503]

12Mpixels in 2000? Which camera. Highly doubt. Maybe a Leaf digital back? Not even prior to 2003. But it was not a camera, it was a scanner. Nikon D1 was 2.7Mp and D2X was in 2004.

[@USGrant21st]

I know a person who's happily driving 15 yo Fiat 500. It doesn't make it a good car though.

[@4Kandlez]

@@USGrant21st Why is it not a good car?

[@sriver2205]

Simon your video was exactly what I was looking for! Straight to the point with the details that were missing from other tips and a remarkable analysis from a professional photographer. Thanks a lot!

[@kisbiflos]

Sometimes I forget to pay attention to what you are saying, because im lost starting at your background. Awesome setup Simon. Thanks for the videos!

[@JeffreyNewman-ub5dh]

This is a great video. I've been taking photos for over 40 years. Starting with film, going through all of the megapixel resolutions with Canon and little Nikon. Simon has captured and presented the hard lessons I've learned very well. Old pros will know I'm right. Everybody else you may want to take this info to heart.

[@niner_six_echo]

I hear ya. I learned this when I started printing large(r) images.

[@SFxAce]

Great explanation on when more megapixels matter and when they don’t. Love your style of teaching with your videos Simon. Always worth viewing. Greetings from 🇦🇺

[@gregfeeler6910]

Clarity, brevity, and veracity. Wonderful video!

[@AngryMetabee]

A4 sized picture with 10 MP Canon 1000D. Looks gorgious!

[@Fahrenheit353]

Being very new to photography, I wanted to add something I learned from coming over from astrophotography. One thing I did, wrong or right, I went pixel chasing with my astro camera (specially cooled cameras). The thing that really stuck out to me more than the importance of resolution, MP, or whatever, is really the pixel size. The smaller the pixel, the lower the noise (kind of, has to do with the electron well), and the crisper the pictures. That was really important to me and can really help make you images pop. One one to "figure out" the pixel size and kind of why people go down these rabbit holes to get the highest pixel is that they are somewhat related. The higher the pixel count on a the same sensor, the smaller the pixel, and the sharper it looks. With that being said, I recently bought an a7r IV, which takes amazing pictures, and have a dedicated astro camera that is only 9MP, BUT both have the same pixel size. Thinking about it, I could go the route of a crop sensor and a cheaper camera than the a7R IV, and create mosaics with Photoshop (what I did with the astro camera), but I have to admit the larger field of view I get with the a7R IV is just so nice.

[@Axel_Andersen]

That is interesting, I would have thought the smaller the pixel the less signal. When you get to photon level (like I think astrophotography goes) the noise in the signa (not camera or ccd) is quantum noise limited which is sqrt(N) so from that point of view signal to noise ratio is N/sqrt(N). If you have 100 photons you S/N is 100/sqrt(10) = 10:1 , but if you double the pixel size you collect 400 photons and your S/N is 400/sqrt(400) = 20:1. Also electronics noise is independent of signal so more signal better S/N which also points to the benefit of a larger pixels size. But what do I know, I'm probably wrong.

[@davep6603]

I was recently discussing this video with a friend of mine who had shared it. After watching, I told him: “That’s the best explanation I have ever heard. This guy is a amazing teacher.” His reply, which I wholeheartedly agree with: “Simon is by far the best at providing and explaining photography related information.” Keep up the great work, Simon!

[@simon_dentremont]

Too kind!

[@fredeso7844]

Sounds well-informed, logical, and sane. The mark of a professional. Your photos are great!

[@SidneyPratt]

Glad I found your site. I'm older than dirt and I love shooting my 4X5 with a digital or scanning back. People often say " I can do the same with my phone" and I say than that is what you should be doing and continue doing what (I love. Thanks, Sid

[@falxonPSN]

Another great video Simon! This is a point that a lot of people seem to overlook around the printing resolution versus the viewing distance. On a slightly different note I've got a Canon R3 that is a relatively low megapixel body but what I have been finding is that the high ISO performance is very, very clean allowing me to shoot very close to sunset at high ISOs and still get good images after doing some noise recovery in DXO.

[@erikmortensen1091]

Thanks Simon. You are just the best to explain the meaning between censor and lenses. Short and clear!! I subscribe to your channel.

[@adamfreemotion8849]

I started to really love your videos. They are very informitive and expressed in very understandable way. Great job. And also, your tone is very nice too.

[@danielbell7855]

I'm a beginner and I bought an older Sony a200 10 megapixel and I liked the images until I tried to crop the photos on my laptop. I'm in the market now for something a little bit higher than 10 this video is very very helpful for me.

[@iflyplanes4MC]

I'm into aviation photography and after weeks of consulting your content, I bought my first DSLR yesterday and I'm absolutely thrilled to see what I can do with all of the tips I have picked up from the channel. Thank you Simon!

[@andresgonzalezcerda7635]

And what was your findings?. Wich dsrl did you choose?

[@martinj9251]

Are you shooting moving planes? What is your mp?

[@iflyplanes4MC]

@@martinj9251 Yes I was also on a budget. I’m on the 18mp 7D.

[@martinj9251]

@@iflyplanes4MC Are u getting good moving shots with that mp

[@ianbrowne9304]

I printed a 40 inch morning sunrise /back lit photo from a 12mp Lumix Fz300 with a 25 -600 consistent f2.8 lens . The senor was the size of my little finger nail . I was totally amazed to how good it was . Way back in film days , I printed a 30 inch photo from a throw away fuji camera/film in box . To get the best photo I used a light meter to take the photo when the light was 250 at F11 --- either 400 or 800 asa film !. I used that photo at our mini lab to sell fuji throw away cameras . On another wall I had a similar 30 inch photo printed from a 645 120 negative . It was only when people had a comparison that they could see the and understand the difference --- nothing has really changed. There is so much BS out there ; mostly from the very early days of digital about file size/print size Today I'm totally happy with Olympus cameras between 16 and 20 px --- I think lol What gives me a laugh "best viewed FULL SCREEN" .

[@CalvinHindal-el2rg]

Totally true one of my best pictures was with a 12 megapixel canon xsi

[@richardleslie9609]

This is a great video. Thank you, Simon.

[@Mike-126]

Absolutely the best explanation of pixel vs dpi I’ve heard. Excellent instruction!

[@christophhoppe2947]

I absolutely agree! Never before got any kind of clear explanation and, even more importantly, Tipps on what to choose according to the application. Thanks a lot!

[@mattdavis5058]

Great video! One point I would note is that the DxOMark score in P-Mpix is best considered as a ratio to the sensor resolution that it was tested on. When I was shopping for pro quality Micro 4/3 lenses, I was crestfallen to find that the sharpest lens is only 16 P-Mpix, compared to over 30 for the best Canon and Nikon lenses! But they are actually about the same in optical quality.

[@user-qo9gi2rc6w]

Very well explained and illustrated--Simon's contributions are very helpful. Cutting through the complexity, and getting through to what really matters is a " boost" for bewildered beginners like me. My thanks to him for the high quality of information he shares... Excellent!

[@jamesr5564]

Great video, thank you. Good information presented in a solid format, understandable.

[@ronwise3069]

Simon, you're spot on. Two of my favorite cameras are my 18-year-old Canon 5D Classic (12.8MP) and a Fuji X-Pro1. And I produce wonderful prints with both. I have a client who is a classic race car collector and I often make prints for him that are 7-9 feet wide from 35mm Kodachrome scans. Once I got the viewing distance idea through his head, he's been over the moon with the prints I've made for his garage.

[@robertgiguere875]

Your videos are always exceptionally well done with great info, but this one is phenomenal! I am an amateur living in New England, with an a7iii Sony. Just upgraded glass from Tamron 28-200 to Tamron 70-180. ( glass is far more important then the body) Years back, I had a 10 megapixel Canon with a entry level zoom from Canon. I photographed a friends wedding with it and I put the pics in a wedding album for them. The bride & groom later told me that they never bought the professional photographer’s work, because mine looked better to them.

[@ixamedia6572]

Excellent Explanation! Thank you!

[@eyeperture]

the photos and vids of wildlife are truly amazing. Great presentation each and every episode, one of the best photography channels on YT

[@simon_dentremont]

Thank you very much!

[@yourdiytechlife]

I love your common sense approach to explaining photography. its so easy to get wrapped around the axle over the wrong things when purchasing tech that its really valuable to get that real world experience that you share.

[@simon_dentremont]

Thanks 👍

[@MartianCitizen]

Awesome...Your a very good teacher. Thanks for the information.

[@simon_dentremont]

Glad to help

[@andersonboy620]

Very valuable information, thanks Simon!

[@Brommear]

Great video. My first digital SLR was a Nikon D40 with 6Mp. Using it with the kit zoom I have printed a 500X900mm (20X36") landscape and it is great. It is framed an hanging in my lounge. Viewing distance is the key. Even at reading distance it is still sharper than most cell phones will get at a quarter of that size.

[@michaelmorris1124]

You're a legend Simon. Thanks for sharing some of your incredible knowledge on your channel!!

[@jnparesa]

While working at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Sacramento/Mather we purchased a Canon D30 in 2003 it was a 2.1megapixel. I made a 24 x36 inch print of one of my staff and it worked perfectly using photoshop CS

[@deejones1291]

Thank you for this invaluable information! You are really helping those with any type of gear. To understand what you have first and the value before upgrading and saying your gear isn't capable.

[@adam.foster]

Great advice Simon, I have an R5 and love it but this is an even better argument to grab a Rt6 Mark II for my backup rig. Love your work!

[@CalTek]

Your knowledge is absolutely insane and absolutely appreciated. Thanks so much for sharing with the rest of us photogs and I look forward to more content from you :)

[@simon_dentremont]

My pleasure!

[@simon_dentremont]

Hey Caltek, I’m working on a video course for wildlife photography. Can I use your comment in promotional material, with attribution? Thanks

[@CalTek]

@@simon_dentremont certainly. Thanks for asking.

[@PhAtALTheKollector]

My friend, this video has gained you a new subscriber! Your explanation has helped me make a decision on my next camera. I do t think anyone has explained megapixels any better than you have. Thank You 🙏

[@aashishkanji8051]

Very informative, thanks Simon!

[@jobkneppers]

Simon, I binge watched your videos the last 10 days and you are a great help in understanding photography. Condensed information on all of the itchy subjects of photography. Easy to understand and easy to look up when you want to refresh your knowledge for a subject ahead. I watched a lot of other channels on the subject but I advise everyone with similar interest for photography to go see your channel. Brilliant. You made me shoot manual with auto ISO and programm the rescue button for fast moving surprises. In the beginning it felt a little weird or not used to but now I'm a believer and left the holy 100 ISO church with better photo's. Thank you! All the best, Job

[@simon_dentremont]

Haha awesome.

[@simon_dentremont]

Job, I’m working on a video course for wildlife photography. Can I use your comment in promotional material, with attribution?

[@jobkneppers]

@@simon_dentremont Off course! I'm for real. Just like you. Thank you. Best, Job

[@NicConstitution]

Thank you, Simon. This was great information - very helpful as I consider my next camera. I'm mostly interested in wildlife at this point, but I dabble in astro, landscape, and a little macro. I'm too new to be really good at any, but your videos are helping me learn. I appreciate it very much.

[@simon_dentremont]

Glad it was helpful!

[@theotterspotters]

I am relatively new to photography and was looking to invest in a nice mirrorless camera. Your video saved me a lot of money! More megapixels are stressed by sellers when, as you explained, for a lot of us, more megapixels doesn’t mean better. So instead of a 4$k Sony A7R5 I went with an older RIII and it suits my needs perfectly! Thanks for your clear and concise videos! I’ve been binging watching them all since buying my new camera.

[@johnmatejcik2379]

Great info! Thanks for making this video!!

[@simon_dentremont]

Any time!