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Polaroid Cameras I User Manual

Page 6

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Remember: while you can always decrease resolution using editing software, you can
never increase it.

A rough rule of thumb is that the memory required per picture is one half of the
megapixel rating of the camera. Thus a 4 megapixel camera will require 2 Mbytes of
storage per picture.

Professionals put the resolution required for parity with film at about 250-300 pixels per
inch. Thus for an 8x10” print, a 6 megapixel camera would be required.

This rule is somewhat subjective. Most find that 8x10s are satisfactorily produced with 4,
3 or even 2 megapixel cameras, although most notice some degradation and tiling at 2
megapixels and below.

In the following example, I have reproduced several images on the page in resolutions
that represent the resolution produced by cameras printing an 8x10” print in 6, 4, 2 and 1
megapixel resolution.


300 pixels per inch, same as a 6 megapixel camera printing

an 8x10

225 pixels per inch, same as a 4 megapixel camera

printing an 8x10

160 pixels per inch, same as a 2 megapixel camera printing

an 8x10

100 pixels per inch, same as a 1 megapixel camera

printing an 8x10