Digital Zoom vs Optical Zoom

Another popular term for marketing digital cameras is "zoom". Zoom gives you flexibility by allowing you to get closer to a subject without physically moving. This works best when you want a close up shot but do not want to interfere with the subject.

What are some picture taking opportunities when zooming comes in handy? Seeing a lioness in the zoo interact with her cubs, watching a loved one accept a diploma at graduation, seeing your favorite music star on stage, or being inconspicuous and not letting someone know they are being photographed. The possibilities are endless!

Benefits of Optical Zoom

Manufacturers will advertise something like "4x Optical Zoom" but what does this really mean? Most digital camera lenses are the equivalent to 35mm. If a camera has 4x zoom, the lens is the equivalent to 140 mm( 4 multiplied by 35mm) which is good in most situations. I own equipment with 8x zoom and it works great at concerts, car shows, family functions, and more. I love the option of seeing more with the same lens.

You want to know the secret to the most powerful zoom ever? Five steps forward and it won't cost a penny! That's right... always choose to move your feet until you can't move any further then activate the zoom lens.

Digital Zoom Isn't Zoom At All

"Digital zoom" is commonly used but a very deceiving term. If you use this feature the camera simply crops or cuts the image to get a closer view. This degrades the image by making it look grainy and fuzzy with a distortion of colors. In fact, digital zoom isn't zoom at all but digital cropping. I tried this feature on my Nikon Coolpix 5700 and found it to be a complete waste. It's a feature with little benefits. You can crop a photo yourself with any free image editing software.

Personally, I hardly use digital zoom on my digital cameras and opt for an editing tool like Adobe Photoshop. Check out these photo editing software.

What's the benefit of digital zoom? It can prove to be quick and convenient. If image quality isn't important then you can quickly get a close-up and get a good shot without having to download to a computer and make manual edits. It comes down to time and preference.