Hi,can anyone tell me the use of optical zoom?

Question

Is optical zoom only used at the instant while taking the photos??.For example, I'm standing quite afar from the object which I want to capture on my digital camera.Then I can use the optical zoom to get closer to the object i want to capture right ???
Tell me if I'm wrong.I don't know much about it.Now Suppose I dont use any optical zoom while taking the photo.Will there be any use of it after I have taken my photo i.e when I'm viewing the photo on my computer?? Please tell me if I'm wrong.Another thing.Does optical zoom make my picture quality better even if I don't use it while taking the photo i.e when I'm viewing it.Therefore do I need a 10x optical zoom digital camera, if it is only used at the instant when I'm taking the photo??.I mean, I could simply go closer to the object(if possible) when I'm taking the photo.Please let me understand.I need detailed answers please.I'm a student & I take a lot of interest in photography

Answer 1

Go ahead and use the optical zoom on your camera and try to avoid using "digital" zoom on your camera. You can zoom "digitally" on your computer with MUCH better results.



Why use the optical zoom? It lets you seem to get closer to your subhect than you really are. At times, it really is best to "zoom with your feet" by moving closer. At times, though, this is not possible. There are other reasons for zooming in, but take a look at my example comparing various zooms. Besides seeing the differences in the various focal lengths, you will understand that it is not always possible to get closer to your subject - unless you have a boat or an airplane!



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Here is a mini-tutorial I made myself to compare focal lengths. This is NOT a lens test or a camera test! It is merely intended to show the difference between various focal lengths. The lens was the Nikon 18-200 VR lens, which is (by definition) an 11X lens, but that 11X does not tell you what the final image will look like. I added one more frame taken with a 300 mm lens. The camera was a Nikon D200 so there is a 1.5X "crop factor," "lens factor," or "focal length multiplier." There is further explanation on the image itself. It would help if you click on "All Sizes" above the image.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/476181737/



This was done with two different lenses: the Nikon 17-55 and 70-300:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/1245831147/

Answer 2

Optical zoom increases or decreases the focal length of the lens, varying the magnification of the subject.



In general, it's the same as moving closer or farther away from the subject.



But -- and this is a large but -- lenses introduce a whole bunch of other effects such as distortion, altered perspective and depth of field, which may radically affect the image.



Optical zoom only operates at the time the image is made. Anything else is digital.

Answer 3

Optical zoom works by manipulating the optics of the camera. Once you've taken the picture, the picture has been taken.



Electronic zoom is just cropping. It just throws away pixels and resolution in order to concentrate on the center of the image. You can do the same thing, after the picture has been taken, with a program like IrfanView.

Answer 4

yes exactly the moment you take photo the right, or the required optical zoom focussing should be selected.optical zoom is most important.digital zoom doesnt matter a lot /nomatter you are closer to subject or not.(to have sharp photos without grains and blurrness use safe shutter speed -125 and fully compose the subject as much as you can in the frame/ viewfinder of the camera, so that you dont have to crop the image later) rest you are aware of the basics of both the zooms. good shooting

Answer 5

every digicam has a optical zoom and digital zoom.optical zoom uses the focal power of lenses in your camera and in a way you are always using it.by manipulating aperture you can move closer to the object in view.a digital zoom is alteration of photo using digital methods.this can be done on camera itself or using software on computer.using digital zoom reduces clarity of picture.

so get a good camera with 'lots' of optical zoom.they get costly as the optical zoom power increases.

Answer 6

Hi!

Optical zoom didn't disturb the pixel, thus the picture remains clear whereas in digital zoom it changes the pixels and the picture become blurred when we zoom in.