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Focusing on the zoom function

Focusing on the zoom function

The zoom function on your compact camera is the essential feature that gets you closer to the action. Enjoy!

Top 5 zoom tips

  • For a fantastic close-up shot choose a camera with good built in image stabilisation
  • Make sure you always get as close to the subjects as possible
  • Use a good tripod to help reduce camera shake
  • Choose a higher ISO setting to make your lens more sensitive to light
  • Use the timer before taking a close-up shot to avoid camera shake

Digital vs Optical zoom
There are two types of zoom to look out for - optical zoom and digital zoom.

Optical zoom uses the optics (lens) of the camera to get closer to the subject. It does this by magnifying the lens, zooming in without affecting qulaity.

Digital zoom isn't really a zoom but a feature that crops a portion of the image and then enlarges it back to size, imitating optical zoom.

What's best?
Because optical zoom doesn't lose image quality it should always be your first choice for magnification. Digital zoom does have its benefits though, as it can be used as a simple way to alter images without using image-editing software.

Zoom performance is measured in even numbers followed by an 'x' - 2x, 4x 8x and so on. The higher this number the better the optical zoom and the closer you can get to the action.