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PrintFit

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Megapixel print chart

Megapixels count photosites, not magic. This chart turns a sensor size into an uncropped print at a chosen DPI.

Quality target

Long-side print width at 300 DPI, uncropped.

MegapixelsPixelsPrint at 300 DPIBand
8 MP3,464×2,30911.5×7.7 inExcellent
12 MP4,243×2,82814.1×9.4 inExcellent
16 MP4,899×3,26616.3×10.9 inExcellent
20 MP5,477×3,65118.3×12.2 inExcellent
24 MP6,000×4,00020.0×13.3 inExcellent
26 MP6,245×4,16320.8×13.9 inExcellent
33 MP7,036×4,69023.5×15.6 inExcellent
45 MP8,216×5,47727.4×18.3 inExcellent
48 MP8,485×5,65728.3×18.9 inExcellent
50 MP8,660×5,77428.9×19.2 inExcellent
61 MP9,566×6,37731.9×21.3 inExcellent
100 MP12,247×8,16540.8×27.2 inExcellent

Typical cameras

  • 12 MP phone (4:3)

    4032×3024 · 13.4×10.1 in at 300 DPI

    Common iPhone / Android still

  • 12 MP camera (3:2)

    4240×2832 · 14.1×9.4 in at 300 DPI

    Typical APS-C 12 MP

  • 16 MP (3:2)

    4928×3264 · 16.4×10.9 in at 300 DPI

    Older APS-C bodies

  • 20 MP (3:2)

    5472×3648 · 18.2×12.2 in at 300 DPI

    1-inch and Micro Four Thirds

  • 24 MP camera (3:2)

    6000×4000 · 20.0×13.3 in at 300 DPI

    Very common APS-C / full-frame

  • 24 MP phone (4:3)

    5712×4284 · 19.0×14.3 in at 300 DPI

    Typical 24 MP phone still

  • 26 MP (3:2)

    6240×4160 · 20.8×13.9 in at 300 DPI

    Recent APS-C

  • 33 MP (3:2)

    6960×4640 · 23.2×15.5 in at 300 DPI

    Full-frame 33 MP

  • 45 MP (3:2)

    8192×5464 · 27.3×18.2 in at 300 DPI

    High-resolution full-frame

  • 48 MP phone (4:3)

    8064×6048 · 26.9×20.2 in at 300 DPI

    Quad-Bayer 48 MP mode

  • 50 MP (3:2)

    8688×5792 · 29.0×19.3 in at 300 DPI

    Medium-format / high-res 35 mm

  • 61 MP (3:2)

    9504×6336 · 31.7×21.1 in at 300 DPI

    61 MP full-frame

What megapixels actually buy you

Print area scales with the square root of megapixels. Doubling megapixels does not double the print. A 12 MP 3:2 file is about 4243×2828 pixels, 14.1×9.4 inches at 300 DPI. A 48 MP file at the same shape is twice as long on each side: 28.3×18.9 inches. That is why a jump from 24 MP to 45 MP is visible on large wall prints and almost irrelevant on 4×6.

Phone “48 MP” modes are often quad-Bayer sensors that default to 12 MP. If you did not enable the full-resolution still, use the 12 MP row. The print checker reads the file you actually have.

Crop eats megapixels first

An 8×10 from a 3:2 24 MP body keeps roughly 12.8 MP after the 4:5 crop. Always judge the cropped rectangle, not the sensor brochure. Lens sharpness, camera shake, and noise matter as much as pixel count once you leave the center of the frame.

Questions people actually ask

What size can a 24 MP camera print?
Uncropped 3:2 at 300 DPI is 20×13.3 inches. At 150 DPI it is 40×26.7 inches. After an 8×10 crop you still have 400 DPI on that paper from 6000×4000.
Do I need 45 MP for a 16×20?
No. 16×20 at 300 DPI is 4800×6000 (28.8 MP) in 4:5. A 24 MP 3:2 file already exceeds that on the short side after crop (4000 px on 20 in = 200 DPI), which is very good on a wall.

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