Megapixels Explained: How Many MP Do You Need?
Megapixels (MP) tell you how many million pixels a photo has. More megapixels means more detail for big prints and cropping, but sensor size, lens and light matter more for picture quality.
Updated 10 November 2026
How many megapixels is good for a camera?
- 12–16 MP: enough for social media and normal prints.
- 20–26 MP: the sweet spot for most cameras (Canon EOS R50 Mirrorless Camera, Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Camera, Nikon D5600 DSLR Camera).
- 33–45 MP: weddings, landscapes and heavy cropping (Sony Alpha a7 IV Full Frame Mirrorless Camera, Nikon D850 Full Frame DSLR Camera).
- 60–100 MP: studio and landscape specialists (Sony Alpha a7R V Full Frame Mirrorless Camera, Fujifilm GFX100S II Medium Format Camera).
Megapixels and print size
At 300 dpi photo quality, a 12 MP photo (4000 × 3000 pixels) prints at about 13 × 10 inches, a 24 MP photo at about 20 × 13 inches. For posters you can print at lower dpi because people look from further away.
Megapixels in CCTV cameras
- 2 MP = 1920 × 1080 (Full HD): basic coverage.
- 4 MP = 2560 × 1440: clearer faces, the best value for most homes and shops.
- 5 MP and 8 MP (4K = 3840 × 2160): read number plates and cover wide areas.
See 4K security cameras and the CCTV camera price list.
Why sensor size matters more
A 24 MP full frame sensor has bigger pixels than a 24 MP small sensor, so it is cleaner in low light. Read full frame vs crop sensor.
