High-resolution cameras aren't the only answer—revisiting 20-30 megapixel cameras in an era of soaring storage costs

When choosing a camera, it's easy to think that "more megapixels is always better."

45 megapixels, 60 megapixels, or even more.
It is true that high-resolution cameras offer overwhelming detail. They are a powerful weapon for landscape, commercial, architectural, and fine art photography, as well as for shots intended for cropping.

However, as of 2026, another issue that cannot be ignored has emerged.

That issue is storage costs.

SD cards, CFexpress cards, external SSDs, internal SSDs, HDDs, and NAS.
The recording media and storage devices needed after taking photos are no longer at a price point where they can be increased as casually as before.

In fact, the rise in memory and NAND Flash prices is quite significant, with TrendForce predicting that NAND Flash contract prices for the second quarter of 2026 will rise by 70-75% compared to the previous quarter. This is partly due to strong demand from AI servers and data centers, which is diverting NAND capacity toward enterprise SSDs.

The rise in memory prices could spill over into consumer electronics such as PCs, smartphones, wearables, and game consoles. In other words, this is not someone else's problem for camera users either.

High-resolution cameras are a burden "after the shot"

The problem with high-resolution cameras is not just the price of the camera body itself.

What really hits you is what happens after you shoot.

RAW files are heavy.
Continuous shooting eats up cards.
Offloading to SSDs increases.
Lightroom and Capture One catalogs become heavy.
Backup HDDs and SSDs fill up quickly.

And the more seriously you try to preserve your photos, the more storage locations you need.

Internal SSD.
External SSD.
Backup HDD.
Cloud.
NAS in some cases.

In other words, high-resolution cameras are not only increasing the amount of information per photo, but also cameras that increase the overall burden of photo management.

20-30 megapixels is reasonable again now

That is why I want to re-evaluate cameras in the 20-30 megapixel class.

This pixel range is by no means old or a compromise.
Rather, it is very well-balanced for current photo workflows.

For example, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II has approximately 24.2 megapixels, the Nikon Z6III has an effective 24.5 megapixels, and the LUMIX S5II is equipped with a 24.2-megapixel full-frame sensor.

Looking at APS-C, the FUJIFILM X-H2S is equipped with a 26.16MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HS, boasting 40fps blackout-free continuous shooting and high-speed AF performance.

Furthermore, the Sony α7 IV has an effective resolution of approximately 33 megapixels; while strictly speaking it is slightly over 30 megapixels, it is easy to handle as a "moderate high resolution" that does not lean too heavily toward the weight of high-resolution cameras.

Cameras in this range offer an excellent balance of photographic resolution, AF performance, burst shooting, video capabilities, low-light performance, and editing latitude.

24 megapixels is quite powerful for practical use.

Around 24 megapixels might feel modest if you only look at the numbers.

However, in reality, it can cover a very wide range of applications.

Social media posts.
Blog photos.
YouTube thumbnails.
A4 prints.
Portraits.
Live event photography.
Travel photos.
Product reviews.
Daily snapshots.

For these purposes, there are very few situations where 24 megapixels would be a problem.

In fact, the more photos you take, the more you will appreciate this pixel count.

Taking thousands of shots at a live event.
Shooting all day while traveling.
Keeping a large number of variations in facial expressions during portraits.
Taking detailed shots from various angles for product reviews.

When you shoot like this, the file size of high-resolution cameras starts to take its toll.

Even if you don't notice it in a single shoot, the difference in storage capacity becomes quite significant as it piles up over six months, a year, or two years.

For many types of photography, 'yield' is more important than high resolution.

The satisfaction of a photo is not determined solely by the pixel count.

In fact, for moving subjects, live events, portraits, children, pets, and travel snapshots, there are things more important than pixel count.

AF that doesn't hunt.
Light processing after burst shooting.
Low noise in dark environments.
Reliability for capturing the decisive moment.
PC not slowing down during editing.
Storage and backups not becoming a hassle.

In other words, when it comes to continuing photography, there are times when the headroom of high resolution is less effective than the ease of operation.

This is quite important.

Buying a camera is not the end.
You shoot, select, develop, save, look back, and re-edit if necessary.

Considering all of that as 'camera operation,' the balance of 20-30 megapixel cameras is quite strong.

A good camera is one that you can continue to use without strain.

High-resolution cameras are wonderful.

However, you need the right environment to make the most of them.

High-speed cards.
Large-capacity SSDs.
A powerful PC.
Ample backup space.
A manageable workflow.

If you have all of that, high-resolution cameras are powerful.
However, not everyone wants to manage that level of complexity.

In fact, for many people,
“taking photos that are clean enough, with files that aren't too heavy, and without struggling with editing or storage”
is more important for long-term use.

With that in mind, 20-30 megapixel class cameras are something that should be re-evaluated now.

You won't get tired of high pixel counts.
You won't be chased by storage capacity limits.
You won't hesitate to take more shots.
Editing and backups are realistic.

This is a significant value.

From now on, choose by "operational pixel count" rather than just "pixel count"

When choosing a camera from now on, the concept ofoperational pixel countwill be just as important as the raw pixel count.

How much do you shoot?
Do you shoot in RAW?
Do you use burst mode?
Do you shoot video as well?
How many layers of backups do you maintain?
Is your PC's processing power sufficient?
How much are you willing to spend on additional SSDs or HDDs?

From this perspective, 20-30 megapixel cameras are highly practical, rational, and easy to live with for a long time.

It's not that high-resolution cameras are bad.

It's just that in this day and age,
the luxury of high resolutionis just as valuable as
the rationality of easy operation.

Photos only last if you keep taking them.

In that sense, I believe good 20-30 megapixel cameras deserve to be reconsidered.

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