Megapixels & Resolution
What megapixels actually mean, how Mavica resolution evolved from 0.3 MP to 5 MP, and why pixel count is only part of the image-quality story.
What is a megapixel?
One megapixel equals one million pixels. A camera's megapixel count is calculated by multiplying the horizontal pixel count by the vertical pixel count:
- 640 × 480 = 307,200 pixels ≈ 0.3 MP
- 1600 × 1200 = 1,920,000 pixels ≈ 1.9 MP
- 2592 × 1944 = 5,038,848 pixels ≈ 5.0 MP
Mavica resolution timeline
| Generation | Resolution | Megapixels | Models |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st gen (1997) | 640 × 480 | 0.3 MP | FD5, FD7 |
| 2nd gen (1998) | 640 × 480 – 1024 × 768 | 0.3 – 0.8 MP | FD51, FD71, FD81, FD91 |
| 3rd gen (1999) | 640 × 480 – 1280 × 960 | 0.3 – 1.2 MP | FD73, FD83, FD88 |
| 4th gen (2000–01) | 1280 × 960 – 2048 × 1536 | 1.2 – 3.1 MP | FD85–FD97, CD200–CD300 |
| Final gen (2002–03) | 1280 × 960 – 2592 × 1944 | 1.2 – 5.0 MP | FD100, FD200, CD250–CD500 |
Why megapixels aren't everything
Sensor size matters more
A 1.9 MP sensor on a 1/1.8" chip (FD95) produces noticeably cleaner images than a 1.9 MP sensor on a 1/2.7" chip would, because each pixel is physically larger and captures more light.
Lens quality is the bottleneck
On many Mavica models, the lens cannot resolve enough detail to fully exploit the sensor resolution. The FD200 has 1.9 MP but uses a modest 3× zoom lens — the actual resolving power may be closer to 1.5 MP of real detail.
JPEG compression discards detail
At the "Fine" quality setting, Mavica JPEG compression is aggressive by modern standards. Even on a 3 MP+ CD-series model, compression artifacts soften fine detail. The true information content of the image is lower than the raw pixel count suggests.
Print sizes
| Resolution | Max Print Size (150 DPI) | Max Print Size (300 DPI) |
|---|---|---|
| 640 × 480 (0.3 MP) | 4.3 × 3.2" | 2.1 × 1.6" |
| 1024 × 768 (0.8 MP) | 6.8 × 5.1" | 3.4 × 2.6" |
| 1280 × 960 (1.2 MP) | 8.5 × 6.4" | 4.3 × 3.2" |
| 1600 × 1200 (1.9 MP) | 10.7 × 8.0" | 5.3 × 4.0" |
| 2048 × 1536 (3.1 MP) | 13.7 × 10.2" | 6.8 × 5.1" |
| 2592 × 1944 (5.0 MP) | 17.3 × 13.0" | 8.6 × 6.5" |
For the lo-fi Mavica aesthetic, printing at 150 DPI or lower can actually enhance the vintage look — visible pixels and JPEG artifacts become part of the art.
Effective vs interpolated megapixels
Some camera specifications list "interpolated" resolution — a software-upscaled number that sounds impressive but adds no real detail. The Gearbase always lists effective megapixels: the actual number of light-sensing pixels on the CCD chip.
Related Knowledge
Sensor Sizes Explained
A guide to the fractional-inch sensor size notation (1/4", 1/3", 1/2.7", 1/1.8") used across the Mavica lineup and how it affects image quality.
Camera TechnologyJPEG Compression on Mavica
How the Mavica's aggressive JPEG compression shapes its distinctive image character — artifacts as aesthetic.
Storage & MediaFocal Length & 35 mm Equivalent
What 35 mm equivalent focal length means, why it exists, and how to interpret the numbers shown for every Mavica in the Gearbase.
Camera TechnologyScanning with a Mavica: Using DKC Cameras as Digitisers
Sony's DKC industrial cameras were designed to act as high-quality digitisers — mounted on copy stands to capture documents, artwork, and flat media. This guide covers the technique, equipment, and workflow.
TechniquesStitching & Panoramas: Working Around Low Resolution
Mavica cameras top out at 5 megapixels — and most shoot at well under 2 MP. Image stitching lets you combine multiple overlapping frames into a single high-resolution panorama, dramatically exceeding a single frame's detail.
Techniques
