Interpolation - how effective in digital cameras

[Kelvin]

I'm looking at a digital camera with a 3.1Megapixel sensor but the blurb reads that is effectively 12 Megapixel thanks to hardware interpolation! How comparable is this with a 12 Megapixel camera, or is it just a 3.1 megapixel camera with some worthless marketing jargon?

[ACtheTROLL]

it's all down to interpretation ...
don't you wish you'd said which make/model?

'cause I do

[Kelvin]

The make and model are irrelevant, I was simply looking for an answer to a genuine question. If you're not prepared to answer but simply make glib unhelpful comments It would be better for you not to post at all, as genuine answerbankers who want to help may see that there is a reply and assume that the question has been answered in good faith.

[Huderon]

AC was trying to be helpful because different makes and models of camera might well use different methods, giving you variable results.

Have a look at http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/ima ge-interpolation.htm and/or http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=interpolat ion for explanations of what interpolation is and examples of how it can affect the photos you take.

[VHG]

If the camera is 3 megapixel then anyting else it adds to the picture is "made up".

Basically if the surrounding pixels are all blue it sticks extra blue pixels in there and so on.

But do you really think a camera is clever enough to uprate a 3mp picture to 12mp?

To be honest you probably dont need a 12mp camera, so go for something in between, say 6mp.

(btw I realise ACtheTroll knows more about photography than I do so he may well give a great technical answer why it will work)

[ACtheTROLL]

hud is right

one particular manufacturer uses a specially etched ccd, each pixel interlocks with an adjacent cell - the firmware uses the overlap info to interpolate
it's the equivalent of overclocking... and the results are excellent

cheaper om models use it to compensate for inferior hardware ... and the results are abysmal
just like digital zoom

3 to 12 probably isn't going to work unless it's one of two manufacurers (which is why I asked) but due to your arrogance ... we'll never know