Whats the difference between optical zoom and Digital zoom?

Question

Whats the difference between optical zoom and Digital zoom?

Answer 1

one zoom is optical and the other zoom is digital

Answer 2

optical zoom - while taking the picture the lens moves, and the picture isn't distorted.

digital zoom- your distorting the image, more and more when you zoom. because the lens are stationary.

optical > digital

Answer 3

Optical zoom uses lenses that move back and forward which is the true way of zooming in and out. Digit zoom is a bit of a con because all it does is cuts out the center of the picture and increase the size the picture to fit the screen therefore you get a reduced quality picture. Always spend more on a optical zoom if you are interested in quality.

Answer 4

Moose with empty tummy is right. Digital zoom in a camera doesn't add any benefit to the user. If you have software, you can  zoom digitally all you want. Optical zoom is the important thing for quality. There is a lot more detail on Diffen.com at http://diffen.com/difference/Digital_Zoo...

Answer 5

Optical zooms with the lens itself. Digital zoom zooms digitally(horrible quality)

Answer 6

Digital zoom is the same as selecting a small part in paint, then stretching it out. The camera only uses a small part of its sensors. Optical zoom doesn't lose any quality like digital zoom does. Optical zoom actually uses different lenses, or changes how the lenses are arranged to change how much the image is zoomed in. Many cameras zoom in using optical zoom, then zoom in more with digital zoom. Go for optical zoom, because you can essentially make a digital zoomed picture from an optical zoomed photo.

zoomed... is that a word?