Confocal microscopes collect digital images and in modern day confocal microscopes we can vary the number of pixels and the scan area over a wide range. Therefore, for the rest of this discussion we will be comparing a 512 x 512 pixel scan versus a 1024 x 1024 pixel scan. Note that the scan area and pixel size will be dependent on the particular confocal microscope you are using as all microscopes will likely have slightly different configurations. Each microscope needs to be calibrated.

As can be seen from the above table, scanning your image onto a 512 x 512 image or 1024 x1024 image, the scan area does not change. However the resolution per pixel does. For publication purposes it is usually important to have higher resolution scans.