What is the difference?

[tolookaa5]

between optical zoom and digital zoom??
I know this has probably been asked before but I can't get the search to work so please any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[fitzperry]

Someone else will no doubt be able to explain it better than I, but optical zoom is "true" zoom--i.e. the lens glass is bringing the subject closer. Digital zoom is not really zoom but rather enlarging and cropping a portion of the image, which degrades image quality.

 

[Anewman]

Optical = LENS
Digital = Computer

Most will disable the digital zoom in the camera and only shoot with optical zoom, you could always zoom digitaly later(with photo editing software) if needed.

 

[Amy]

The way it was explained to me:

Optical zoom uses the lens to bring the subject closer, using all the pixels in your camera (for example, a 5.2 mp camera will have 5.2 mp no matter how much optical zoom you use).

Digital zoom just takes a portion of the picture and enlarges the pixels in that portion. If you use the digital zoom, your pictures will get fuzzy as the pixels get larger.

My Canon A70 (yes, I know it's ancient, can't afford a new camera right now) was set with a default of digital zoom off. I turned it on and tried a few pictures to see the difference, and you can really tell. There's a little "notch" when zooming where the optical zoom stops and digital zoom starts.

 

[tolookaa5]

First, thanks for all your help to everyone.
How do you turn off the digital zoom? I have a Sony DSC-V1.
I do notice when I am zoomed all the way in it is blurry. Could this be the digital zooming in action??
As you can see, I am a novice at this stuff.
Thanks

 

[Anewman]

First, thanks for all your help to everyone.
How do you turn off the digital zoom? I have a Sony DSC-V1.
I do notice when I am zoomed all the way in it is blurry. Could this be the digital zooming in action??
As you can see, I am a novice at this stuff.
Thanks

I would not use the word "blurry" to describe digital zoom in action, I would describe it more as "blocky" or "Pixelated".

Not sure about how to disable it on that model.