Why the hell do we need 400 megapixels? We don’t even need 100 megapixels, and I’ll prove it

Hasselblad announced a new version of their medium format camera that is capable of producing 400 megapixel images. Generally the first reaction to this kind of thing is of course, “oh wow, that’s wild!” But for me, it was a resounding, “Why?” Off and on over the course of digital photography, the industry has engaged in what many affectionally call the “resolution wars” or “megapixel wars.” Any increased emphasis on resolution in marketing materials from one manufacturer is quickly met with the same from rivals, and the megapixel rating becomes the main selling point of everyone’s cameras. Never mind that these cameras likely have many other more impressive features to those paying attention. The megapixels always win out in marketing materials.

This is likely because the average consumer has no idea how or why sensitivity matters, the difference between on-sensor stabilization and digital stabilization, the tech behind autofocus engines, or how any number of other features that a camera has work the way they do. They just take those for granted or ignore them in favor of something they do understand: Photo size. Megapixels.

Read full post here:
https://www.imaging-resource.com/articles/why-the-hell-do-we-need-400mp-we-dont-even-need-100mp-and-ill-prove-it