DB Labs
What Is a Megapixel?
A megapixel (MP) equals one million pixels. It describes the total resolution of a digital image or the maximum image resolution a camera sensor can capture. A 12-megapixel iPhone photo contains roughly 12 million pixels in a grid of 4032×3024 pixels.
How Megapixels Work
A digital photo is made of tiny dots called pixels arranged in a rectangular grid. To find the megapixel count, multiply the width by the height in pixels and divide by one million. For example, a 4032×3024 image equals 12,192,768 pixels, or about 12 megapixels.
More megapixels mean more detail and the ability to crop more aggressively without losing quality. They also mean larger file sizes: a 48 MP photo is roughly four times larger on disk than a 12 MP photo.
Megapixels Aren't Everything
Marketing makes megapixels sound like the most important camera spec, but image quality depends on much more:
- Sensor size: Larger sensors capture more light per pixel, producing cleaner low-light photos
- Pixel size: Bigger individual pixels gather more light than tiny ones
- Lens quality: Sharp optics and wide apertures matter more than pixel count
- Image processing: Apple's computational photography turns raw sensor data into the final image
- Color science: How a camera reproduces colors and skin tones
Megapixels on iPhone
- iPhone 6s – iPhone 13: 12 MP main camera
- iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max: 48 MP main camera (outputs binned 24 MP HEIC by default)
- iPhone 15 lineup: 48 MP main camera, all models
- iPhone 16 / 17 lineup: 48 MP main, with 48 MP ultrawide and telephoto on Pro
The 48 MP sensors use a technique called pixel binning to combine four small pixels into one large pixel for better low-light performance. The result is a 12 MP image with the brightness of a much larger sensor.
How Much Storage Do Megapixels Use?
- 12 MP HEIC: ~1–2 MB
- 12 MP JPEG: ~2–4 MB
- 24 MP HEIC: ~3–5 MB
- 48 MP HEIC: ~5–8 MB
- 48 MP ProRAW: ~75–100 MB
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What does megapixel mean?
A megapixel equals one million pixels. A 12 MP photo contains about 12 million pixels.
Are more megapixels always better?
No. Sensor size, pixel quality, lens optics, and computational processing matter more than raw count.
How many megapixels does iPhone shoot?
12 MP from iPhone 6s through 13. iPhone 14 Pro and later have 48 MP sensors that output 24 MP HEIC by default.
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