Gigapixel image

A gigapixel image is a digital image bitmap composed of one billion (10⁹) pixels (picture elements), 1000 times the information captured by a 1 megapixel digital camera. Current technology for creating such very high-resolution images usually involves either making mosaics of a large number of high-resolution digital photographs or using a film negative as large as 12" × 9" (30 cm × 23 cm) up to 18" × 9" (46 cm × 23 cm), which is then scanned with a high-end large-format film scanner with at least 3000 dpi resolution. Only a few cameras are capable of creating a gigapixel image in a single sweep of a scene, such as the Pan-STARRS PS1 and the Gigapxl Camera.

Gigapixel images may be of particular interest to the following:

• Artists
• Astronomers
• Curators and art historians, to better study artworks
• Genealogists
• Health care providers, such as pathologists, for virtual microscopy utilizing whole slide images (digitally scanned glass microscope slides, also called virtual slides)
• Physicists viewing the results of supercomputer simulations
• Viewers of satellite composite images for various purposes, including agricultural policy, land use planning, and military intelligence
• Visual effects industry, where gigapixel images can enable the creation of immersive digital environments

See also

• Gigapixel Tour - Gigapixels From France
• GigaLinc - Immersive interaction with gigapixel images
• Largest photographs in the world
• Powerwall - Computer technology for interactive gigapixel displays
• HD View - Microsoft's high resolution image viewer plug-in (Windows only - IE & Firefox)
• Gigapan - A Google/NASA/CMU spinout technology that includes a commercially available robotic imager, free stitcher, and web-based viewer
• Gigapxl Project
• GigaPixel360