Case 1
- Width in pixels
- 4000px
- Height in pixels
- 3000px
12.00MP
Open with these valuesMegapixels Calculator
12.00MP
Result: 12.00 MPA megapixel is one million pixels, so multiply the width by the height and divide by 1,000,000. A 4000 × 3000 photo is 12 MP; a 4K video frame is only 8.29 MP. The million here is the decimal million — the 1,048,576 of a mebibyte belongs to file sizes, never to a pixel count.
The numbers at a glance
Held fixed: Width in pixels 4,000 px.
| Height in pixels (px) | Result (MP) |
|---|---|
| 1,000 | 4.00 |
| 2,000 | 8.00 |
| 3,000Your value | 12.00 |
| 4,000 | 16.00 |
| 5,000 | 20.00 |
| 6,000 | 24.00 |
Worked examples
Case 2
- Width in pixels
- 1920px
- Height in pixels
- 1080px
2.07MP
Open with these valuesCase 3
- Width in pixels
- 3840px
- Height in pixels
- 2160px
8.29MP
Open with these valuesHow it's calculated
MP = width × height ÷ 1,000,000
- StepRead the pixel width and height off the image or the spec sheet.
- StepMultiply them to get the total pixel count.
- ResultDivide by one million — that is the megapixel figure.
What this number means
More megapixels is not a better photo
Sensor size, lens quality, dynamic range and noise all weigh as much as the pixel count. A small sensor packed with pixels can be noisier than a larger one holding fewer, bigger ones.
The count grows with the square of the edge
Doubling the resolution on each side gives four times as many pixels. A 1920 × 1080 frame is 2.07 MP; 3840 × 2160 is 8.29 MP.
The decimal million, not 1,048,576
A megapixel is a million pixels counted in thousands. The 1,048,576 of a mebibyte belongs to file sizes and never to a pixel count.
Commonly misread
An 8K frame must hold an enormous number of megapixels.
7680 × 4320 works out at 33.18 MP, below a current stills sensor. Video resolutions stay well under camera ones.
Twice the resolution means twice the megapixels.
It quadruples them, because both edges grow. 1080p at 2.07 MP becomes 8.29 MP at 4K.
A print always wants as many megapixels as possible.
At the usual 300 pixels per inch a 4 × 6 inch print needs about 2 MP and an 8 × 10 around 6 to 8 MP. Only a large poster asks for roughly 24 MP.
Reference table
| Width, height (px) | Common name | Megapixels |
|---|---|---|
| 1920, 1080 | Full HD / 1080p frame | 2.07 |
| 3840, 2160 | 4K UHD frame | 8.29 |
| 7680, 4320 | 8K UHD frame | 33.18 |
| 4000, 3000 | 12 MP camera | 12.00 |
| 12000, 8000 | 96 MP camera | 96.00 |
Questions
How do I calculate megapixels?
Multiply the width in pixels by the height in pixels and divide by 1,000,000. A 4000 × 3000 photo holds 12,000,000 pixels, which is 12 MP.
What is a megapixel?
One million pixels, and the decimal million at that — not the 1,048,576 that a mebibyte uses. A sensor recording 12 million pixels is a 12-megapixel sensor.
How many megapixels is a 4K or 1080p frame?
A 1080p frame is 1920 × 1080 = 2,073,600 pixels, about 2.07 MP. A 4K frame at 3840 × 2160 is 8,294,400 pixels, roughly 8.29 MP. Even an 8K frame reaches only about 33 MP, far below a modern stills sensor.
Do more megapixels mean better image quality?
Not on their own. Sensor size, lens quality, dynamic range and noise matter just as much, and a small sensor packed with pixels can be noisier than a larger one with fewer, bigger pixels.
How many megapixels do I need for printing?
At the usual 300 pixels per inch, a 4 × 6 inch print needs about 2 MP, an 8 × 10 around 6 to 8 MP, and a large poster roughly 24 MP. Prints viewed from further away get by with less.
Sources and last check
Information, not professional advice.