24 MP from an entry level DSLR

You cited an oversimplified formula trying to show how 12mp reduced to 8mp only loses 406,272 pixels. I showed where that answer came from, how it was calculated and why it is WRONG - and illustrated how the actual number IS calculated. You don't even need to do the math yourself to see that your answer was wrong, and way off base.

You choose to say that I "over-complicate" things. I'm sorry, the actual way of calculating comparative areas is not as simple as what you posted which is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

Wrong.

I wish you'd have uploaded some images of yours that we can see.

Yes, you can upscale 12mp into 24mp. But there is not more image data in the 24mp, only the same image spread over 2x as many pixels.

Post some images to illustrate your point and then we can talk more. For now, have a nice day.

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Do people really spend $700 on a camera so they can take a picture of a squirrel or a duck?