Resolution 101
Most high-resolution digital cameras can shoot at least five different levels of resolution, and some can shoot 10 or more levels. You control the resolution and image quality of your photos through the camera’s menu system. Typical choices include width-to-length ratios, such as 4:3, 1:1, 3:2, or 16:9 ratios. Each offers a different resolution count.
When to Shoot Low Resolution
Although high resolutions are usually preferable, certain situations lend themselves to lower-resolution photography.
Space Is at a Premium
High-resolution photos require more storage space on memory cards and on your hard drive than low-resolution photos do; they’re simply bigger. If you rarely print photos, shooting at a medium-quality setting can conserve storage space. If you store your photos in the cloud using services such as Google Photos, check to see what the per-photo limits are. For example, Google Photos allows free storage of an unlimited number of photos with up to 16 megapixels each.
Shooting in Burst Mode
When shooting in burst mode, you can shoot faster and longer when shooting at a lower resolution.
When Sharing on the Internet or Social Media
If you’re planning to use your photos online or send them via email, they don’t need as high a resolution to show good detail. Besides, lower-resolution photos download faster and require less time to send by email. In fact, services such as Facebook typically compress the images you upload to save space and load time.
When to Shoot High Resolution
In most situations, shooting at your camera’s highest resolution is your best option. After all, you can crop and shrink, but you can’t go back and add pixels. As long as you have the space, high-resolution photography preserves your options.
Making Prints
If you plan to make prints of a given subject, shoot at your camera’s highest resolution. Even if you plan to make small prints, shooting at a high resolution is smart. Printing a high-resolution photo in a small print size allows you to crop the photo, giving you a result similar to that obtained with a high-quality zoom lens. In fact, shooting at the highest possible resolution is recommended in most situations because of the ability to crop the photo while maintaining a usable pixel count.
