What's now the highest number of megapixels a digicam could have?

a compact digital cameras can have more than 10 megapixels. But this resolution are more likely to be use for a dslr than a compact camera. For a dslr, it can have more than 20 megapixel, like the 24.6 megapixel Sony A900.

Who knows how high the might go eventually? Canon pushes the limits with 25 megapixls (and puts 18Mp into the new 7D) while Nikon seems to have decided to hold the line at 12 Mp. There is a Seitz 6 x 17 camera that shoots at 160 megapixels. and a one off research camera produced for a "dark energy" project designed to be mounted on a telescope that shoots at 500 MP. Big enough for ou?

It depends on the camera you get. They have way higher mp's but mostly the higher ones are the professional slrs. I have a canon Powershot g9, it is 12.1 mp. I also have a canon xsi, which I use for photography it has 12.2 mps, it gets the job done. It is a good idea to get a higher mp if you plan on enlarging prints but just to take regular pictures a 7 mp should be just fine.

I know of cameras that have as high as 25 megapixels resolution. But personally I have one 4 megapixel and one 10 megapixel camera. I do not see a need for me now to get higher resolution cameras.