Some interesting articles on MegaPixels & what they mean.

David Pogue's Deconstructing the MegaPixel Myth

Ken Rockwell's MegaPixel Myth

TechLounge on MegaPixels

I just bought a Kodak EasyShare V1253 digicam that boasts 12 megapixels. This is higher than the vaunted Nikon D200 in the 10 megapixel range, one of the standard bearers of professionals in above and below water imaging.

But let's take a look at the actual size of the image capture device between the two cameras.

The Kodak V1253 lists the imager as 1/1.72. This is gobblegook for .172" Canon does the same thing and has about the same specs for their 12 mp pocket digicams. Nikons pocket digicams use the same bizarre sizing method.

.172" means if you divide an inch into a thousand parts, it is 172 of those. Expressed as a fraction, this is about 3/16" of an inch.

BUT, this figure is most likely on the diagonal, just like when they measure TV screens.

Pro camera specs don't use such bizarre spec listing protocols, so Nikon lists their Pro D200 imager size as .930" wide x .622" tall once converted from metric.

Expressed as a fraction of an inch, this is close to 1" wide x 5/8th" tall. This is HUGE compared to the .172" CCD imager, yet the D200 is about 2 megapixels less in production.

So, my friends, do not be fooled and buy a digicam solely on the basis of megapixels, check those imager sizes amongst all your other specification homework.