Giz Explains: Why More Megapixels Isn't Always More Better
http://i.gizmodo.com/5155942/giz-explains-why-more-megapixels-isnt-always-more-better

Some good info on megapixels from Gizmodo

Why More Megapixels Isn't Always More Better

Explanation of why a digital camera with more megapixels isn't necessarily better.

Between all the new digital cameras pooped out b4 the upcoming PMA show & the crazy cameras buried inside cellphones @ MWC, it's a good time to see why more megapixels isn't necessarily better. So, the nutshell explanation of how a digital camera works is that light lands on a sensor, which converts the light into electrical charges. Depending on the camera, how the light reaches the sensor may seem different; digital SLRs house a complicated pentaprism & mirror system that swings out of the way, while the inside of a compact point & shoot is mechanically far simpler. The sensor fundamentals stay the same = where most of the MP machismo comes from. When U squeeze the shutter button, the sensor is exposed to light for however long you have the exposure time set for. Common metaphor » sensor works » like an array of buckets ( pixels) that collect light, & the amount collected is turned in2 an electrical charge, which is converted in2 data. 2 two major types of sensors, CCD & APS (CMOS).