Megapixels for Print Size Calculator
Resolution scales with area, not width.
Megapixels required
28.8 MP
you have 24.0 MP
The camera is short by 17%. Print smaller, accept lower DPI, or shoot at higher resolution: resolution requirements scale with the area, so a modest size increase demands a large megapixel increase.
How the Megapixels for Print Size Calculator works
Resolution requirements scale with area, so a modest increase in print size demands a large increase in megapixels. Doubling both dimensions quadruples the pixels needed, which is why cropping is so expensive in resolution terms.
Also known as: megapixels needed for print · camera resolution for enlargement · MP to print size chart
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Frequently asked questions
How many megapixels do I need?
Print width times DPI, times print height times DPI, divided by a million. A 20 × 16 inch print at 300 DPI needs 28.8 megapixels.
Is my camera good enough?
For most print sizes, modern cameras have more than enough, 24 megapixels covers a 20 × 13 inch print at 300 DPI. The constraint appears when you crop heavily.
Why does cropping cost so much?
Because it removes pixels from both dimensions. Cropping to half the frame width and height leaves a quarter of the megapixels.
Do more megapixels always help?
Only up to the print size you actually produce. Beyond that they cost storage and processing time and change nothing visible.