Digital zoom & Resolution

[jhnel]

If one is forced to make use of ‘digital’ zoom, having run out of ‘optical’ zoom, resulting in a loss of quality and sharpness, WHY would it often be recommended that one then, only use Digital zoom with LOWER resolutions i.e. 1600x1200 and not 2592x1944 pixels? If this is so, by how much does one drop the resolution? I would have thought it would be better to use a higher resolution because one is already compromising so much…

[Bodryn]

Where did you read that? Makes no sense to me. Use the highest resolution possible and then if you use zoom, use the optical as far as it will go. If necessary, there are situations where the digital zoom can be useful. For example, I have used digital zoom in order to force the autofocus to focus better on the subject when otherwise it would be confused as to what to focus on. However, the resolution is the same as if you just used optical zoom and cropped the picture smaller. Generally speaking, digital zoom is of little or no value except to sell cameras to the unwary. The more resolution you have, the more the picture can be enlarged, and cropped if necessary, which maybe can make up for the lack of zoom when the pic was taken.

[jhnel]

I read this on one or two forums, but I think these respondends were refering to something new called 'smart zoom'?? Not sure.
You have answered my question very well. Much appreciated.

[Skip Souza]

Generally speaking, digital zoom is of little or no value except to sell cameras to the unwary. The more resolution you have, the more the picture can be enlarged, and cropped if necessary, which maybe can make up for the lack of zoom when the pic was taken.
The man knows whereof he speaks.
1. Turn off the digital zoom, I did.
2. Get longer glass.
3. Get a DSLR. I like my A70 and other non DSLRs but when it comes time to reach out nothing compares to glass. Start with a used DREB if necessary, you will be hooked. Keep your P&S I did and I'm not giving it back.

Have fun!!!

[plop]

you can use the maximum digital zoom at 640x480 without any degradation of the picture...the digital zoom is a crop from the max resolution picture,and if not blowup, is ok

[Jon]

If all digital zoom at low resolution does is crop the original high resolution shot, why use it? why not get a more flexible crop in post-processing? Just turn digital zoom off as soon as you get your camera, and leave it that way.

[plop]

you occupe little space on memory card...if you have monitor 1024x768 you don't need make pics greather than 1024x768....if you have 3.2 megapix. you can make pics at 2x digital zoom, at 1024x768...with good quality.

[Skip Souza]

If all digital zoom at low resolution does is crop the original high resolution shot, why use it? why not get a more flexible crop in post-processing? Just turn digital zoom off as soon as you get your camera, and leave it that way.
You hit it right on the button, Jon. Of course there is a significant number of photographers that do not do any post-processing so they essentially use the digital zoom as the crop. If you think digital zoom image quality is bad, just try to crop and enlarge. Not enough pixels to work with.

Quote plop;
"you occupe little space on memory card...if you have monitor 1024x768 you don't need make pics greather than 1024x768....if you have 3.2 megapix. you can make pics at 2x digital zoom, at 1024x768...with good quality."

Doesn't exactly work that way. Remember when you printed pictures? Digital zoom doesn't print enlargements well at all.