Compact Digital Cameras – Is Digital or Optical Zoom a Better Choice ?
The best compact digital cameras are generally equipped with both digital and optical zoom so how do they work and which one should you be using? We will look at both these alternatives and establish which is the best one to use for the different types of images you will be producing.
The optical zoom in a compact digital camera is similar to that of a 35mm film camera. The focal length of the lens is altered so that the subject appears much closer. The picture quality is kept. On the other hand if you use a digital zoom the quality of the image is affected as the image is cropped and expanded in a similar way to computer software for editing images. The quality of the picture is seriously affected, more so for larger images.
By using digital zoom the photograph becomes out of focus with detail degradation. Obviously optical zoom is considerably better and is the recommended choice. You can usually turn of the digital zoom in most cameras and it’s preferable to do this to stop it being used automatically if you were to zoom in close to your subject. To capture the very best photo endeavor to get closer to the subject. A further tip is to change the camera settings to make use of the maximum available file size so that you can edit the image afterwards without losing any of the detail.
While you are using the images online, or emailing them digital zoom may be usable however for printing it is important to always use optical zoom. Try to choose a compact digital camera that has the maximum available optical zoom you can afford and turn off the digital zoom. Nearly all Canon compact cameras for instance can be purchased with both optical and digital zoom, often with systems to stabilise the image for superior closeups.