Definition of Resolution

Resolution can be defined as the number of pixels that, constellated together, form an image or a photograph. Pixels are small points on the image that can have various colors. Digital photography uses pixels to create photos. Image sizes in photography are measured by the number of pixels in width and depth. The measurement is generally determined as resolution. Computer screens use the same measurements as digital photography. Most typical are sizes such as 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 960, 1280 x 1024, and so on.

The general thing about digital photography is the number of pixels. Different resolution makes for different images. The more pixels an image has, the more elaborate it is. Details depend on the number of pixels. But bigger resolution also means bigger image file size and larger print size. This may cause some difficulties if you are trying to print the image by yourself. Larger file formats also cause trouble when sending files via email: some email accounts have specific space and your attached files are too large to be received. Despite this, people prefer resolution with greater number of pixels. The picture looks much more realistic when more pixels construct it. It is the same as in the puzzle game: the more pieces a puzzle has, the more complex it looks. Pixels give additional shades and nuances because they can take different colors, so the image looks as real as possible.

Let's discuss the difficulties of file and print size. Using a 3 megapixel camera, you have no trouble printing 8x10 or smaller photographs and get satisfying results. If you want to print something bigger, you will get into trouble. You'd better go to a printing shop. For prints of larger size, you may need special paper and a professional, who can do it for you. Another thing to remember is changing of size. You can change the print size without making defects on the resolution. But this can only be done when making an existing photo smaller. If you decided to enlarge a small image using a program, you'd better give it up. Smaller images are made of different resolution formats and when you enlarge them, the number of pixels stays the same and is no longer compatible with the larger copy, so the quality of the photo is lost.

Resolution defines the file size as well. You may try to convert larger files into smaller ones, before sending them through email. Before re-sizing an image, you should better save it in its original resolution quality. Save it in its larger and pixel-rich size and then make it smaller in the editing program for emailing. In that case you will always have a copy of the original if you like to print it. Remember that once resized, an image cannot be brought back to its previous size, as it is larger and resolution would be changed for the worse. This effect is called pixelation: when you try to enlarge an existing copy. It always results in worse printing image quality.

There are three points you should remember about resolution.

1) The higher the resolution, the better printed image quality.

2) The higher the resolution, the larger the file size and the larger the print size.

3) Do not confuse pixels with dots. They are not the same. Pixels per inch (PPI) and dots per inch (DPI) are variables completely different from one another.