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More megapixels won't fix your photos

By Lewis Whitter, wedding & events photographer (11+ years) · How we pick

More megapixels does not mean better photos. It's the biggest myth in budget camera shopping.

Megapixels only tell you how big you can print or crop. What actually decides image quality is sensor size and the glass in front of it.

A twenty-four megapixel camera with a bigger sensor will beat a fifty megapixel phone in low light almost every time, because each pixel gathers more light. So if you're on a budget, don't chase the number on the box.

Buy a body with an APS-C or full-frame sensor, then spend the savings on a decent lens. A cheap fifty millimetre f one point eight is the best value upgrade in photography.

Spec for spec, the lens matters more than the megapixels.

More megapixels won't fix your photos
Photo: Carlos Valenzuela Montuy, CC BY 4.0. Credits

The picks

50mm f1.8 prime lensesBest for: Best first upgrade: portraits and low lightCheck price →ADBudget vlogging camerasCheck price →AD
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