Most digital cameras allow you to pick from at least 2 other resolution settings below the maximum resolution. Terminology can become confusing with digital cameras because manufacturers don’t always use standard digital imaging terminology when they are explaining the operation and features of their product. As an example, one camera manufacturer might just say small, medium or large for its available image resolution choices. Another camera manufacturer may actually give the resolution choices in pixel dimensions. However, most current digital cameras give the resolution numbers along with the actual image resolution in the camera operation manual. The resolution numbers may not be displayed in the 'in camera' settings menu.

Don't confuse the resolution setting in your camera with the image quality setting. The quality setting relates to your choices when saving your photo to a file in your camera's memory card. The quality choices may allow you to save as RAW for highest image quality and/or allow you to set the amount of JPEG compression to control image quality when you save your photos as JPEG. Camera JPEG quality choices are usually something like good, fine and best. We'll discuss RAW format and JPEG compression and other image file types in more detail later.