Digital image resolution is the size of your image, measured in pixels, or "picture elements." A high-resolution image (such as 1600 x 1200 pixels) will result in a better printed photo than a low-resolution image (such as 320 x 240 pixels), if all other factors are equal. If the resolution is too low for the print size you choose, the photo will look fuzzy and indistinct. We recommend that you always use the highest resolution setting on your camera to ensure the best prints.

What is a pixel?

Pixels are the basic building blocks of every digital image. The more pixels in your photos, the better the prints will look.

What is a megapixel?

You're probably used to thinking of digital photos in terms of megapixels. A megapixel means a million pixels. It's the unit of image-sensing capacity in a digital camera--or the amount of information the camera can capture.

Generally, the more megapixels a camera has, the better the resolution will be when printing an image taken with that camera. For example, a 5 x 7" (13 x 18 cm) Print from a 6-megapixel camera will have more information--and therefore more detail--than the same print from a 2-megapixel camera.

Recommended Resolutions

To get high-quality prints no matter what the size, your photos should meet the following minimum recommended image resolution requirements. If your photo has a resolution below our recommendations, your prints may be low-quality.