Optical zoom vs. digital zoom – know the difference
The optical is the “real” zoom you should go for. The optical zoom range is how many times bigger the maximal focal length of the zoom lens is compared to the minimum focal length. This is expressed as example 4x. In this case a 18-70 mm lens has 4x zoom range. When zooming optically you will get closer to the subject and maximum of details are stored on the sensor. The digital zoom is in a way a “false” zoom. When zooming digitally, the picture is cropped and enlarged inside the camera electronically. You can compare this with what you are doing with your photo software when cropping out a part of the picture. Most cameras in such a cased will upsample the photo to the cameras max resolution. The result is a picture containing fewer details. When printing such a photo you might see it is more blurry and in worst case you can even see the pixels. I recommend not to zoom digitally as the same effect can be achieved later with your photo editing software. Check which type of zoom the camera has Before buying a camera you should make sure, if the manufacturer market a “large zoom” range, make sure this is the “real” optical zoom. In most compact cameras the digital zoom can be disabled in the software menu.
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