Which resolution/pixels should i set to get high quality pics?

Question

My pics always come out in 4 x 6. Manuel book said set it to 1600 x 1800 for that size. Would going higher harm the quality?

Answer 1

To make fantastic 4 x 6 inch prints, you only need 1200 x 1800 pixels. If you set the camera to a higher resolution, the extra pixels are pretty much ignored. Extra pixels won't hurt the final print... they just don't add any extra quality.

I personally always shoot at the highest quality setting my camera allows. If you paid extra for an 8 or 10 megapixel sensor, you might as well use all of those megapixels. It makes the file sizes a bit bigger but so what - storage space is cheap. By using the highest quality setting, you have some wiggle room in case you decide to crop pictures, and in case you want to make a 5 x 7 inch prints or an occasional 8 x 10 inch print. (For a great 8 x 10 inch print, you need 2400 x 3000 pixels.)

Answer 2

Going higher never harms quality.