what does the megapixel in dslr cameras?

I am wondering what the megapixel ratings on digital cameras mean, and how important is it, does it have something about size of your picture and how easy it is to get automatic focus with camera. also just how good are the pop up flashes, and how far will you be able to shoot a good picture, say at night if able to focus with camera. need help please.

Answer by Frumpy@YA!
megapixels is how many dots make up a picture, some say if you have alot more of it, the picture is clearer when you blow it up.

Answer by ScσττRΛSC³
Megapixels are the amount of pixels in a digital picture. A way of seeing is the resolution of the pic. For example 1600×1200 = 1 920 000 which is approximately 2 000 000 pixels. Mega means million, therefore 2MP.

The more megapixels, the bigger the picture & in most cases the better the quality.

Answer by Dr. Iblis
unless you need more megapixels, you can basically ignore the mp rating.

megapixels only determine how large the picture is. If you are doing massive prints, or doing a lot of cropping, then you can look at cameras with more mp. MP does not measure quality, only size. Quality lies with the sensor and the lens.

as for the popup flashes, they are good for a quick snapshot of people who want their photo taken, but it stops there. For sports, it is practically useless.

Give your answer to this question below!

My niece would like a good digital camera for Christmans this year. She has been through 2, one broke just from her dropping it, so I would like it to be somewhat shatter-proof & the other is a low quality in general that is very slow taking pics in low light, even with the flash. She has said she would prefer a rechargable battery.
The catch is I am limited to $ 150.00 to spend.
Does anyone have a camera they would recommend? Know of a good source to buy cheap & not compromise quality? Know of a non-bias site to get some ratings on digital cameras?
Thanks for your help.

Answer by Jessica
Buy a canon or sony. They are both really good, please answer this question
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvyysXkUY8YKrER9sdRgTGLsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071208053507AAJqAZl

Answer by Elvis
canon a570

my suggestion
go to yahoo shopping
digital cameras
digital camera GUIDE
be sure to check titles on the left side
the guide should answer your questions

Answer by anthony h
There are no inexpensive cameras that are drop-proof. Pretty much your niece is just going to have to learn to hold onto the camera and not drop it.

So, with a budget of $ 150 and a requirement for recharging…you have a few options.

Option 1: Nikon L10, about $ 100 at online stores. Add a set of rechargeable AAs and charger for about $ 25.
Link to charger / batteries: http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/alltek-at1268-pro-aaaaa-battery-charger-combobrwith-four-delkin-2500-aa-batteries-p-947.html?SP_id=&osCsid=a7rngvmoi17i11vjqv3qpr72d2

You’ll have to buy them at separate stores

Option 2: Canon PowerShot A460. And then get the rechargeable AA’s just like in option 1.

Option 3: Slightly above your budget, the Canon A570 IS. This camera offers image stabilization, so photos will be less blurry. It’s the least expensive camera to offer image stabilization. It’s 154.75 at Amazon (it was just a few days ago, when I bought one for my dad, that’s how much I like this camera!), but you’ll have to spend another 20-25 more for the rechargeable AAs with charger.

My suggestions: if you don’t need the image stabilization, the A460 is stylish looking and is sure to please. If you need the image stabilization, the A570 is your best bet. In all cases, you’ll still need to get a set of rechargeable NiMH batteries and a charger.

Answer by VINTAGE MUSIC
Drop any camera at wrong angle, it will break. No un-breakable cameras. Two of your answerers picked out 2 good cameras. Although the Canon A570 IS I feel is a good camera, it might be too much money for what you need. Can be bought for $ 155+shipping. Also the Canon A460; this one is cheaper and probably the one I would choose only because she’s a bit careless in handling cameras.
PS I saw the Nikon Coolpix L10 about a week ago for $ 95-

Add your own answer in the comments!
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Canon Powershot A3300 16 MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom (Black)

• 16.0 megapixels, with a 5x wide-angle optical zoom (28mm wide) with optical image stabilizer
• Record movies with 720p HD video
• Large, clear 3.0-inch LCD
• Smart Auto intelligently selects settings from 32 predefined shooting situations
• Discreet Mode disables the sound, flash and AF beam for use in quiet areas
• 16.0 effective megapixels, 1/2.3-inch CCD image sensor; 5x wide angle optical zoom and 4x digital zoom
• 3.0 in. TFT LCD display with wide angle viewing; Built-in flash; 720p HD video recording
• Optical Image Stabilizer; DIGIC 4 Image Processor; Discreet Mode; Creative Filters
• Smart AUTO (32 scenes); Face Detection; Red-eye correction
• USB 2.0 Hi-Speed; SD card slot (card not included)

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS 16.0 MP Digital Still Camera with 5x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom (Black)

List Price: $ 179.99

Price: $ 152.98

The Nikon Coolpix s3000 Digital Camera features a 4-way VR optical image stabilization system, which ensures sharp, the ability to boost ISO ratings up to 3200, usable pictures under any and all lighting conditions, and Nikon’s Best Shot Selector (BSS) that quickly captures 10 exposures and automatically edits and saves the sharpest of the batch.
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