Why can two smartphones with the same megapixel count produce different image quality?
Asked 6/3/2015
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Two smartphones can both have the same megapixel rating, yet produce noticeably different photos. Why does this happen? And why do DSLR cameras with similar megapixel counts usually deliver better image quality than phones?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
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There are a lot more to image quality than resolution (i.e. number of megapixel).
First of the light from the subject has to be gathered to the image sensor. This is done by one or several optical elements that together constitutes the lens. These elements can differ in quality and a low quality lens will not produce a high quality image no matter the megapixel count.
The next part to consider is the image sensor itself. They come in different sizes and technologies and this of course affects quality of the image too.
The software plays a big part in it too. Different manufacturers interpret the data gathered from the sensor in different ways and different adjustments are made in post to produce a final image. Some are likely bound to fit your taste better than others.
The reason smartphones can't compete with DSLRs is a combination of all of the above. Also the megapixel count tend to be very bloated in smartphones compared to DSLRs (even though manufacturers run a megapixel race here too). Megapixels are necessary and more of them is not worse but they are not the only determining factor to image quality.
Originally by user21986. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user21986
11y ago
0
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Megapixels only describe how many light-sensitive pixels are on the sensor. They do not tell you how good the final image will be.
Image quality also depends on:
- lens quality
- sensor size and sensor technology
- pixel size and light-gathering ability
- noise performance and sensor readout quality
- maximum aperture and exposure control
- image processing, including demosaicing, noise reduction, sharpening, and JPEG compression
So two phones with the same megapixel count can look very different because their lenses, sensors, and software are different.
The same is true for DSLRs: equal megapixels do not guarantee equal quality there either. DSLRs usually look better mainly because they typically have much larger sensors and better lenses, which collect more light and produce less noise and more detail. Their image processing and exposure control are also generally more capable.
In short, megapixels are a poor stand-alone measure of camera quality. They tell you image size, not overall image quality.
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