How to Increase Camera Megapixels in Android — Detailed Answer

The camera that comes with most Android devices cannot rival a digital camera, but the megapixels can be increased by carrying out a few hacks. In this article, we will show you how to increase camera megapixels in android all by yourself. So, keep on reading!

Image by William Iven from Pixabay

What are the Tips for Improving a Smartphone’s Camera?

To improve a smartphone’s camera, follow these tips:

i. Know the Phone’s camera settings

ii. Increase the resolution

iii. Focus on rear camera and not the front camera

iv. Use lenses

v. Use monopods and tripods

Know the Phone’s Camera Settings

Most people rely on their smartphone’s default settings while taking pictures. Although using the automatic settings and tapping on the subject you need your camera to focus on automatically gives a better focus, the general quality of the images can be better.

Some factors like light, exposure, ISO and exposure must be taken into consideration. So, even though the android settings for each phone differ, most of them allow you to make corrections on the factors mentioned above.

Understanding when to add and blend lighting is also essential. Some lighting settings are more useful for outdoor shoots than indoor photoshoots. For instance, if you need better light for outdoor photos, daylight and cloudy are suitable.

On the other hand, incandescent and fluorescent are more befitting for indoor shoots. You can decide to mix and blend them to create a unique effect and tone. Regarding white balance, it is advisable to match the settings in correspondence to the environment.


Increase the Resolution

Although high-resolution pictures occupy more space, they are so far some of the best images you see on your phone. They have better quality and still maintain that quality even when they are cropped. So, before taking a photo, make a mental note to move in on the subject without zooming in on the subject.

Regarding storage, you may need to purchase an external storage device to transfer and store all your photos. There are various cloud storage software or photo-sharing app that allow you to store and back up your files.

You can also consider getting a memory or SD card with automatic photo-sharing settings that can quickly transfer files.


Focus on Rear Camera and Not the Front Camera

Front cameras usually have lesser resolution specs because they are equipped with smaller megapixels since they are meant to be for live video streaming and conferencing. Back cameras are, however, better equipped than the front cameras since they have more megapixels and are meant to be for pictures.

Nevertheless, some applications like Frontback and MixCam allow you to use both front and back cameras simultaneously. This makes it easy for the photographer to participate alongside everybody.


Use Lenses

Your phone’s lens is an integral part of the picture-taking process. The state of your lens determines whether the images will be clear, balanced and with some extra effect.

No doubt, when the phones are kept in places like pockets, backpack or handbags, there is bound to be some dirt on them.

So, before you take a picture, make sure to wipe off the dust and fingerprint stains on them. Do not underestimate the power of a good wipe.

You can also use attachable lenses that can give you unique effects like fish-eye or macro shots. This will change your smartphone photography game.


Use Monopods and Tripods

Tripods and monopods are stabilizing accessories for digital photography. While a tripod is more stable and less mobile, the monopod is less stable and more portable.

As the name implies, a tripod is characterized by its three-legged mount system, while the monopod has a single leg.

Tripods are not only great for shooting long exposures and macro photos, but they also come in handy when shots are needed to stitch images together like in panorama and  HDR (High dynamic range) photography. The perks of using a monopod mainly stem from its smaller size. 

First, tripods occupy more floor space compared to the monopod. So, if you are taking a trip to a crowded area, the monopod will be the best option. Second, it takes a shorter time to set up a monopod. All that is needed to do is take down the mount, adjust it to the desired height and you are ready to shoot.

While there is no shortage of monopods in the market, tripods have a broader market and models you can choose.

How to Enhance the Megapixel Rating of a Camera?

To enhance the megapixel count of a camera, do the following:

i. Select a group of identical photos and import them into Lightroom.

ii. Right-click the tab “edit in Photoshop as layers.”

iii. Next, set the image sizes to two hundred percent or more.

iv. Select all the layers.

v. Align the layers automatically.

vi. Check for alignment.

vii. Select all the layers again and right-click the tab “convert to smart object.”

viii. Sharpen the images again and then crop to your desire.

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Conclusion

Increasing the megapixel rating of your Android device is something you would most likely have to do if you are a photo lover and don’t have the means of getting a digital camera. By simply following the tips and step-by-step guide we mentioned above, you can turn your smartphone’s camera into a digital camera.


How to Increase Camera Megapixels in Android – Related FAQs


Which MP Camera is Best in Phone?

48 MP camera is one of the best available for smartphones. This large megapixel in an android device means an equally large resolution. But for a 48 MP camera to maintain its low light performance, it needs to have a large sensor, which accounts for the big humps or massive weight of the smartphone.

The major drawback of most 48 MP cameras is that they do not support secondary cameras and chipsets. Only the MediaTek Helio P90, Snapdragon 675, and Snapdragon 855 support chipsets.


How Many Megapixels Do You Need to Enlarge a Photo?

To have a good photo enlargement, the photo must be at least 3 megapixels. So, an image having a resolution of 200 x 300 pixels is not good for enlargement because it will result in a 0.6 megapixel print size, which is still poor in terms of printing quality. But knowing the best resolution an image can be enlarged to requires calculating the DPI of that image with respect to the desired print size.

The great thing about photo enlargement is that most cameras available are above 3 megapixels, so enlargement or even reduction won’t are an issue.


How Many Megapixels Do I Need for Landscape Photography?

To take a high-quality landscape photograph, the megapixel count of a camera needs to be at least 16. A2 prints will have to best quality if the megapixel of the camera used in taking the shot is not less than 16. Only professional photographers usually go beyond A2 print size.

For landscape images that are not going to be printed, but rather uploaded on the internet or transferred from one computer to another, the megapixel count of the camera does not really matter, as far as the quality is good enough.


Is 16 Megapixels Better than 12?

A 16 megapixels camera is designed to create larger and better images than a 12 megapixels camera. The sensor is what makes the difference between a 16 and 12 MP camera. So, going for the lesser megapixels does not necessarily mean missing out on a lot of great features. Megapixels is not a measurement of the quality of an image, but how big an image can be.

The higher the pixel, the wider the image can be stretched. The pixel size of an image shrinks if a large sensor is forced on a small smartphone.


How Many Megapixels is a Good Camera?

The camera of a smartphone phone is considered to be good if it has above 3 megapixels. However, for sophisticated photography works like cropping, printing, sharpening, toning and contrasting, more megapixels are needed. The higher the pixel rating of a camera, the higher the print size and the sharper the image.

Even though image processing software like Photoshop and Canva allows photographers to increase the pixel rating of an image, the quality cannot be compared to that of a smartphone that comes with a high pixel rating.


How Many Megapixels is 1080p?

1080p is the equivalent of a 4-megapixel camera. An image with a resolution of 1080p has about 3.6 million pixels that are merged together to create a grid, which ends up as a picture. A 4-megapixel camera can deliver a video resolution of about 2560 X 1440 pixels, which is slightly higher than what an HD camera can offer.

A 4 MP camera can be used in face recognition and plate number detection because it usually comes with a 3.6mm lens. This lens has an angle of view of 84 degrees, which provides enough detail from an image.


How Many Megapixels is Full HD?

A Full HD camera has 2.1 megapixels. It is the equivalent of BT.709, FHD and 2K. Full HD videos are created by the joining of 1920 pixels, whether horizontally or vertically on a screen. Full HD cameras are different from 720p resolution screens, even though they are quite similar.

Full HD has an aspect ratio of 2:1 and its signal is backed by DVB standards in Europe and ATSC standards in the United States. This display mode is usually applied in not only smartphones but also Blu-ray Discs, television broadcasts, TV shows, video game consoles and camcorders.