This question always gets asked, do you place greater importance on optical or digital zoom when looking for a digital camera?, is it better to buy a 3.0 zoom optical or a 4.0 zoom digital type, no question about it at all, buy the optical one, done job.
Digital zoom is all about magic digital manipulation of an image, it does not add "quality", it will not add pixels, the smallest particles that make up a digital image, and so if the picture is printed out on larger size photo paper, the image will not look as good as its optical equivalent in zoom magnification. The optical lens magnifies the original image in a purer way, dare I say it, organic way , and more digital pixels are required to store that image, but in a good way. Any prints and blow-ups will look sharper and have more detail, all these being "good things".
The only disadvantage is the slight increase in cost of the digital camera due to the extra complexity of the mechanical lens mechanics as it has to house the precise optic system that emerges from the camera housing. A digital zoom does not need all this traditioanal palava, and suffers because of it. There is no question at all, the optical zoom wins the day, every day.
Sunday, 10 August 2008
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