How to Choose a Camera (2026): Sensors, Megapixels, Terms

Takeaway: Shooting a lot in low light? Get at least APS-C. Full frame is better.

Camera Size

Bigger sensors mean bigger cameras. This isn't universally true, but most of the time, the smaller the sensor, the smaller the camera. The exceptions are some of the videocentric Panasonic GH cameras, which are sometimes larger than full-frame cameras because of the video processing that's happening behind the scenes. Most of the time though, if you're looking for a camera that's lightweight and maybe even fits in your pocket, Micro Four Thirds is your friend.

This also applies to lenses. Because the sensor is smaller, the lens can be smaller and often lighter. Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds pancake lenses are tiny, weigh almost nothing, and in the case of my favorite, the 20-mm f/1.7, still have that semimagical quality that's rare in any format.

Takeaway: Want a lightweight rig? Micro Four Thirds is better.

Crop Factor

This is a term you'll probably run across. The crop factor is how much of the outer edge of the image you lose relative to a full-frame 35-mm sensor viewing the same scene. The name comes from the fact that you're effectively cutting in, or "cropping," the full-frame view of the same scene. The math is done in terms of the sensor's diagonal size, again relative to a full-frame sensor. So a crop factor of 1.4, which is APS-C, means that what you see through a 50-mm lens on an APS-C camera is a 1.4 smaller field of view than what you'd see through a 50-mm lens on a full-frame.

What does this mean in terms of making actual images? Nothing. The main thing it affects is the focal length for lenses to get the same field of view as if shooting in 35 mm. For instance, if you get a Fujifilm X-T5 and want the field of view you're used to from 35-mm film, you would want something like the Fujinon XF35mm f/1.4 lens because 35 X 1.4 = 50 mm. If you end up with a Micro Four Thirds camera and want the same field of view, you'd want a 25-mm lens (25 X 2 = 50 mm).

Beyond that, there are too many other factors to consider; that is, sensor size alone doesn't determine image quality. In the end, it's not that sensor size doesn't matter; it's that there are too many other factors to make your decision based on this alone.

Megapixels

For a long time, the megapixel count was a favorite marketing term of camera makers. Then manufacturers began to hit the upper limits of megapixels for each sensor size and started to focus on other things like low-light noise performance, autofocus speed, computational photography improvements, and so on. Megapixels have largely fallen by the wayside.

Here's a good rule of thumb to help—aim for roughly these megapixel counts by sensor size:

• Micro Four Thirds sensors: Anything in the 18 to 24 megapixel range will be sufficient. In my testing, the 20-megapixel sensor in the GX85, GX9, and Olympus Pen F is fantastic.
• APS-C sensors: For a long time, 24-megapixel sensors set the bar here, but then Fujifilm moved to the 40-MP X-Trans sensor. Both are great, but the higher-megapixel sensor does offer more cropping capability. That said, I am continually amazed by the image quality from my Fujifilm X70, which only has a 16-MP sensor.
• Full Frame: This is the widest range of options, with everything from 24 to 60 and a wide range in between. I find 42 MP to be a good midrange option, though I still regularly shoot with a camera that has only 24 MP, and it's great too. This is one place where I am happy to say there are no bad sensors.
• Medium Format: There are two options here, 50 MP or 100 MP. Impossible to go wrong here.