Optical vs Digital zoom???

[mtbbrian]

I am looking at a digital point and shoot camera, but am confused about "optical zoom" and "digital zoom".
What do those terms means in regards to these type of cameras?
Why is the optical zoom the bigger number?
Thanks!
Brian

[Lara]

Brian, when I bought my Canon S60, I had many questions because I knew next to nothing about many features of a digital camera. Basically they suggested I didn't uses Digital zoom if I wanted a sharp photo.

This is an explanation, much better than I could give, from "how stuff works" of the difference between optical and digital zoom.



An optical zoom actually changes the focal length of your lens. As a result, the image is magnified by the lens (sometimes called the optics, hence "optical" zoom). With greater magnification, the light is spread across the entire CCD sensor and all of the pixels can be used. You can think of an optical zoom as a true zoom that will improve the quality of your pictures.

A digital zoom is a computer trick that magnifies a portion of the information that hits the sensor. Let's say you are shooting a picture with a 2X digital zoom. The camera will use half of the pixels at the center of the CCD sensor and ignore all the other pixels. Then it will use interpolation techniques to add detail to the photo. Although it may look like you are shooting a picture with twice the magnification, you can get the same results by shooting the photo without a zoom and blowing up the picture using your computer software.

[Chunk]

I am looking at a digital point and shoot camera, but am confused about "optical zoom" and "digital zoom".
What do those terms means in regards to these type of cameras?
Why is the optical zoom the bigger number?
Thanks!
Brian

Lara is right. Turn off the digital zoom and never use it.