When capturing images with a digital camera, the pixel size you choose relates to resolution of your final image. If you do not choose enough pixels you will not be able to capture enough of the data to accurately see the features you are interested in and artifacts such as aliasing can distort your image.

To work out the pixel size you need to achieve a given degree of resolution, Harry Nyquist calculated that you need at least 2.3 pixels for each unit of resolution that you need. For example, if you need to see a resolution of 1µm, then you need 2.3 pixels/µm to optimally capture an image of your sample.

Microscopy can be extremely useful for object tracking over time and observing dynamic processes. When capturing a time course, it is important to select the number of time points that provide experimentally meaningful information, but not so many that you risk damaging your sample through beam–sample interactions or end up collecting vast quantities of unnecessary data that requires processing and storage.