Resolution
Measurement of the image detail (dots per inch/ centimetre) that a device can capture or reproduce. With a monitor or printer, the resolution describes the number of pixels that can be shown. When used with devices for image capture, such as digital cameras or scanners, the resolution refers to the number of pixels that record the image. The result is given in dpi (“dots per inch” 1 inch = 2.54 cm), the horizontal and vertical total of pixels (e.g. 2,288 x 1,712 ) or in lpmm (line pairs per millimetre, which describes the highest number of thin black and white lines that can be displayed per millimetre). A good small image film has, for example, a resolution of approximately 150 lpmm (300 dpi rounded out to 118 dots per centimetre). In general, it can be said that the higher the resolution, the better the quality.
The more pixels there are in an image, the sharper the image will be. This is the resolution of the picture, and is usually expressed as two numbers representing the height and width of the image in pixels, such as 1,200 X 1,800. Well that used to be true when digital cameras first arrive on the photography scene. Now even the average entry level compact has plenty of pixels for a pin sharp image. Now the number of megapixels really related the the largest printable size. The more megapixels the bigger the maximum printable size. Now what akes the sharpness, clarity and tonality of an image is really down to the quality of lens and processor.
