Digital Photography Technology

What is a zoom camera? A zoom camera has the capability to increase or decrease the size of an image in a camera: by changing the focal length of the lens to fit the picture or by electronically changing the image size.

For the average person, both types of zoom cameras do the same thing, but there is a huge difference between the two.

Digital zoom magnifies the image electronically, the same thing you do by using a magnifying glass. There are “x” number of pixels in an image and they can not be changed. When an image is electronically magnified, it becomes grainy looking, as the pixels are now farther apart. The same effect can be done in imaging software. It is built in to the lower end cameras and used strictly as a selling point.

An optical zoom camera lens is a true zoom. It magnifies your image before it gets to the camera. But with no loss of image quality.

The next difference between the two is cost. Digital zoom comes with the camera, it is done electronically, and with no additional charge. The optical zoom is extra and comes in a wide variety of focal lengths. The higher the multiplication, the more expensive the lens.

This like anything else, you get what you pay for.