Gigapixel image

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Gigapixel image of Balboa Park (saved for web) from Gigapxl Project. Taken in 2003.

A gigapixel image is a digital image bitmap composed of one billion (10⁹) pixels (picture elements), 250 times the image captured by a mid-range (4 megapixel) digital camera. Current technology for creating such very high-resolution images involves making mosaics of a large number of high-resolution digital photographs, or using World War II spycam technology to create a film negative as large as 9"×12" (23 cm×30 cm), which is then scanned with a high-end film scanner. Recent developments have demonstrated the practicality of developing scanning cameras capable of creating a gigapixel image in a single sweep of a scene.

Gigapixel images are of particular interest to the following:

Physicists viewing the results of supercomputer simulations
Viewers of satellite composite images for various purposes, including agricultural planning, land use planning, and military intelligence
Artists
Health care providers, such as pathologists, for virtual microscopy utilizing whole slide images (digitally scanned glass microscope slides)

Gigapixel cameras:

"[Gigapxl Project]"
"[R1 Gigapixel Camera]"

Gigapixel image

See also