Gigapixels

Talking of high resolutions, there is already a few techniques developed allowing capture of images at incredibly high resolutions - billions of pixels (GigaPixel). First such images became to appear in 2003-2004: enthusiasts or even institutes were capturing multiple megapixel images and when stitching them on computer. Remember, where was the famous 2.5 Gpixel panorama image from Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO?
Later, inventors began to capture images on big size film using home-made optical systems and then scanning negatives with great resolution, taking barriers of gigapixel or even four gigapixels at one camera shot.
Largest size I could see now is 8.6 Gpixel image viewable through flash application. I must say - all those gigapixel images look fantastic - they have a great detail - you could zoom in, and zoom in and zoom in and still get the surprisingly sharp image and see smaller details.