Pixels, Digital zoom, Crop

[jhnel]

What is the relationship between number of pixels, digital zoom and cropping a picture?

I one were to take a picture of an object in the distance and you run out of Optical zoom one could:


Use digital zoom i.e. loosing quality
Only use the maximum Optical zoom, and then crop the picture to make it appear to have been taken closer


Question 1: Which is the better option?

Question 2: Would more mega pixels result in better quality when cropping?

[tim]

Digital zoom and crop are effectively the same thing, and ruin the quality of a photo. Don't use digital zoom, and if you crop you'll not have as much detail as if you'd used optical zoom. Optical is the best way to go, no doubt about it..

[Big_B]

Tim has answered the first question. The answer to the second is generally yes - although this becomes less important on the higher end cameras with 6/12mp.

[jhnel]

much appreciated!

[Avalonthas]

Concentrate on Megapixels for resolution and research the censor, for quality. If u need a zoom then look at optical.

Some believe that higher megapixels makes the camera better. False! Censor is what its all about. Ive seen 3 or 4MP cameras with an awesome censor, beat any image created with an 8MP camera which had a cheap censor. So thats something u gotta research. Some good camera reviews is on www.dpreviews.com

[robertwgross]

I think he meant digital sensors, not digital censors.

Odd spelling makes it tough for the Search Engine to find the posting.

---Bob Gross---

[Hellashot]

Digital zoom and crop are effectively the same thing, and ruin the quality of a photo. Don't use digital zoom, and if you crop you'll not have as much detail as if you'd used optical zoom. Optical is the best way to go, no doubt about it..

Digital zoom and crops are not the same thing. If you use a digital zoom on a camera it gets recorded in that manner and there's no way you can go back to the zoom as if it were optical only. I've heard and read and agree that digital zoom functions should be turned off whenever you buy a camera with said digital zoom.

You can get programs that will enlarge images with no or very little image quality loss such as Genuine Fractals.

[jhnel]

thanks for the information. Any recommendations for a Genuine Fractals program?

[Jon]

Genuine Fractals, from LizardTech (formerly the Altamira Group) is the program's name.

[jhnel]

thanks! Much appreciated...;)