what is the difference btween digital and optical zoom?

[cindyfan]

Looking to get a digital for DD.... she takes lots of pics of my grandsons, etc.
Plus she is planning WDW in June and Myrtle Beach in Aug....
So she is looking for what is best for her.
She most likely won't print anything bigger than 5x7's but once in a while would do an 8x10 if it is a great shot.

So..... with all the sales, etc...... here is what I am wondering...
Is it better to have more MP? 5 vs. 6.2 vs. 7 ??
or more optical zoom? 3x vs. 5x ??
What about modes? and movies with sound option?

Here are some choices for this week.....
Target has ... 2 choices....
Samsung 7mp w/3x optical $188 (not sure about Samsung brand?)
or
HP 5mp w/5x optical $299 w/ free $30 gift card
Both have 2" screen and movie mode w/sound

Circuit City has......
HP 6.2mp w/3x optical $269 w/ free 256mb memory card ($40 savings) (don't think this has movie mode w/sound?)

Can't decide if it's more important to have more MP or Optical Zoom??
Your help would be appreciated!!!

 

[nowellsl]

I wouldn't worry about MP if she won't be enlarging past 8 X 10. Even a 3MP would work fine for that. Optical zoom is much more important to me - the larger the better!! I don't know anything about the cameras in the ads you mentioned. I have a Nikon Coolpix and I love it!! If I had to pick another brand it would be Canon!

 

[Charade]

The answer is simple. More optical zoom. You'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between a 5.2, 6 or 7 megapixel image printed at 5x7 but depending on how much software zoom you use (enlarging the image with your PC, not in the camera), you might see the difference between a 3x zoomed image and a 5x zoomed image in the print.

The only problem with more optical zoom is that under lower light conditions (stage shows like Beauty and the Beast) camera shake might cause blurry pictures. For that reason, I would suggest looking at cameras with longer optical zooms that have IMAGE STABILIZATION. That really helps prevent camera shake from ruining your pics. I like is the Canon PowerShot S2 IS or the Sony DSC-H1.

There's an old saying in photography. "If you don't like your pictures, you're not close enough".

 

[Charade]

And another thing...

Think of the LCD screen on the back of the camera as a 5x7 print. If the main subject looks teeny weeny on the screen, it will look teeny weeny in a 5x7 print. That is unless you do a digital enlargement in your PC. Any time you manipulate an image by enlarging it (adding more information to the image that wasn't there in the first place), you degrade the image. If you can get the main subject to fill the LCD screen more to your liking by using optical zoom (or moving closer to the subject if possible), you'll be much happier with the prints.

 

[Geoff_M]

The only thing that more mega pixels get you is the ability to crop an image tighter (in effect this is the same as "optical zoom"). I have an 8 x 10 photo hanging in my office that I took with a 2.74 MP camera and you can't tell it's digital. Anything 4 MP or higher should work fine. Remember that you need to quandruple the megapixels of a camera before you'll double the resolution.

However, don't forget that the camera needs to have good glass in it to make good images... don't fixate too much on the sensor size. A 4 MP camera with a great lens can out shine a 6 MP camera with poorer glass.

 

[cindyfan]

WOW..... thanks for all the answers!!
I think I know what I need now.
More optical... and a good glass lens.

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

Above all else, go to a camera or department store and play with the cameras. Find one that feels comfortable to you and is laid out in such a way that you can find the features that you need. A camera can have all the bells and whistles in the world but if you can't get it to do what you want it will just sit. Even different models within the same manufacturer have widely different user interfaces and layouts so your best bet is to research and find a handful of cameras that seem to have the features you are looking for the find a store that carries as many of these models as possible and go and look at each one. Pick it up, zoom the lens in and out, ask to load a memory card and format it, take a few pictures in the store and see which one feels the best to you.


Jeff

 

[torinsmom]

Sorry, but I am not an expert in digital photography. I do pretty well with my Kodak Easyshare CX7300, but it leaves a lot to be desired. One thing I don't understand is the difference between optical and digital zoom? And how much zoom should you look for (3x,5x, etc)? I am looking for a 5 mp camera that can zoom in and not be blurry or pixelated. There are so many choices at overstock.com and I don't know what I am looking for! I would love to stay under $250, under $200 would be even better. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

For example, is this camera any good?

Overstock camera

Marsha

 

[Kelly Grannell]

optical zoom: the lens actually 'enlarge' the picture
digital zoom: the camera crops the picture to 'enlarge' the picture making it look pixelated and blurry.

The cmaera you linked... I've never even heard of it (well, I know Fuji, but I've never even played with it, must be somewhat old or not sold in Canada)

 

[torinsmom]

So I need an optical zoom? How much do I need? Say I want to zoom in on my son playing soccer from the bleachers, 3x, 5x? And when the camera has both, do you get to choose which it uses, digital or optical? Also, what kind of feature will help in a setting such as a concert, where the stage is lit, but the seating is dark? I never can take good pictures in that type of situation.

Sorry, I am so camera illiterate!

Marsha

 

[Kelly Grannell]

1. **x zoom doesn't say much. 18-75mm = 5x zoom, but it won't be enough for real close up work from far away. My 70-200 = 3x zoonm but it's enough to take from 100' away. where does it start and where does it end that matters, not the number of magnification.

2. Never use digital zoom.

3. Concert setting? Wow, I don't know a point and shoot that can do it properly. Maybe I'm wrong, take my info with a grain of salt, but I've never succeeded in taking concert pictures using point and shoot. The only acceptable concert pictures I took were taken with camera + lenses that weigh about 10 lbs.

 

[torinsmom]

So, bottom line, what should I be looking for as far as optical zoom in a camera $200-$250? I want to get the most for my $, and a good camera to last a few years....

Marsha

 

[Kelly Grannell]

You should be looking at Canon S2 IS. 12x optical zoom, image stabilizer, low high-ISO noise. Far better than Fuji, Kodak or Olympus at the same price range.

 

[boBQuincy]

To me digital zoom is a cruel joke, camera manufacturers use it in a misleading way to sell zoom that the camera does not really have.
Ok, off the soapbox for now...

Optical zoom is what really counts. If we consider 50mm (or equivalent) as "normal" then 100mm (or equivalent) would be 2x, 200 mm ~ 4x, etc. Most camera makers equate their lenses to this system so *if* the manufacturer is reasonably honest about the lens you could roughly infer the zoom magnification of a camera and it's lens from these numbers.

Some cameras automatically switch from optical zoom to digital zoom as you reach the limits of optical zoom. Some cameras allow you to shut the digital zoom off, some don't give the option.

Unless the lighting is really bright and you are very close to the stage I doubt a P&S will do a good job of photographing a concert. This may change as some P&S cameras use higher ISO but there is only so much light that can be gathered with the smaller sensors and lenses.


boB

 

[torinsmom]

Looks like those are around $350 on the sites I am looking at. Any advice for something in the $200-$250 range? Obviously, I won't find one as good as the one you suggested, but maybe something between that and my Kodak Easyshare?

Marsha

 

[tigger795]

This may be a little off topic but I would also suggest that if it is possible that you visit a local camera shop or electronics store to get your hands around several cameras. Check out size and control placement as well as menu navigation and build quality. Then, when you find one you like try to hunt for the lowest price online. I can't imagine anything much more frustrating than spending a couple hundred dollars for a camera online and hating it once you finally get it.

Just my $0.02.

--
Randy

 

[geetey]

Marsha,

If you aren't in a big hurry to buy, the price on the Canon S2-IS should be coming down. The S3 is due out any day now, which is the upgrade to the S2. In fact, the S2 was just available from Dell for $285 plus tax (free shipping) on 4/27.

I agree with going into a store and holding/playing with the cameras so you can get a good feel for the one you want and one that will last you several years.

Good luck! Selecting the right camera can be a lot of research, and rather confusing (at least for me!) but it is worth it in the end.

 

[torinsmom]

Thanks so much for the info! I am just looking for a camera before our beach trip July 16-23, so maybe the price will go down before then. I have been to a few stores and looked at the cameras, but it was like looking at something alien, since I wasn't sure what to be looking for. I am actually pretty good with a computer, so I am sure when I get one and read the manual, I will be fine.

Marsha

 

[bunnymkc]

I need some help understanding the differance between having a 3x or a 10x optical zoom. what is the differance? also is it better to have a higher optical zoom or more pixiels? TIA Marianne

 

[Charade]

3x and 10x refers to the magnification (how much closer an object will appear to you) from the widest setting (1X) to the most zoomed setting(10X). If you've ever used a pair of zoom binoculars, it's the same thing. Most consumer lever cameras have both OPTICAL (perfered) and DIGITAL (mostly marking hype and NOT prefered) zoom. Pretty much ignore DIGITAL zoom when shopping.

More megapixels help but they are not the end all to good image quality. The lens is probably more critical. Think of looking through a clean glass window and then the bottom of a GLASS coke bottle. Both allow you too see through, but obviously the glass window would allow for MUCH better images than the coke bottle.

Personlly, I would prefer more optical zoom over more megapixels. The difference between 5 and 6 megapixels is hardly noticable. But if you've got very little (or no) optical zoom, you will have to live with teeny weeny subjects in your images OR learn to move closer to your subject (if possible).

With more optical zoom comes the problem of blurry images from camera shake. There are a few cameras that have an "anti-shake" feature that works well and helps reduce (but not eliminate) blurry pics from camera shake.