Digital Zoom, What's it all about??

nakomass · Post by **nakomass** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:37 pm

I don't see the point at all, my camera's good because you can switch it off, but if I didn't it would be able to stretch the picure 400x.

Is there any pratical reason for digital zoom except for getting a big blurry image?

Ornsack · Post by **Ornsack** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 4:50 pm

No, it's for amature users who think they're getting a good deal when they buy a camera with 500000x zoom!

nakomass · Post by **nakomass** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 5:07 pm

It's the same with camcorders that have an intergrated digital camera. They offer a 1.3 Megapixel picture but cut down on other options like optical zoom etc. RIP OFF!!

BrownCowStudios · Post by **BrownCowStudios** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 6:48 pm

Indeed. It's just a gimmick for more sales.

Raptor · Post by **Raptor** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 6:50 pm

Digital zoom DOES have a use, definitely not for film making, but I've shot a couple of news stories where I was unable to get within a reasonable distance of an incident, couldn't resolve much detail with the optical zoom, but was able to run up to like 48x digital zoom and get the shot. <ost recently was a fire in a paper storage facility at a local paper mill, no media was allowed on the property, and the buyilding was only visible from one side of the palnt, across the parking lot and a river. Set up across the river, cranked up the D-ZOom, and got reasonable shots ( NOT Great by any means!!) of fireground operations. ANother case that comes to mind where high D-Zoom can be useful is in nature videography, an eagle's nest across a lake, other spooky animals you need to stand off from...

foxwood · Post by **foxwood** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 8:29 pm

In most cases you want to avoid Dig zoom like the plage, but I keep my cam set with the 28x dig zoom on, just incase my 12x optical is not enough, and at that low dig number you don't pick much bad up, granted I would never use it in making a movie, but in low numbers it is fine for home movies and such.

Jass Films · Post by **Jass Films** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:02 pm

The only use is if you don't have any binoculars handy. Then you can use tha cam as binoculars.

U.S.Amateurfilmaker · Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:36 pm

I always keep my digital zoom off. Plus, for filmaking, why would you need a 300x zoom?

nakomass · Post by **nakomass** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 10:37 pm

Jass Films wrote:The only use is if you don't have any binoculars handy. Then you can use tha cam as binoculars.

good thinking

El Brenty · Post by **El Brenty** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 3:28 pm

U.S.Amateurfilmaker wrote:I always keep my digital zoom off. Plus, for filmaking, why would you need a 300x zoom?

Would be handy if you were making a "dodgy" film of your neighbours through their bedroom window!

BrownCowStudios · Post by **BrownCowStudios** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 3:53 pm

CamClub... *puts hand to forehead* Ugh...

El Brenty · Post by **El Brenty** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 6:02 pm

LOL! Well, if you had like 2 hot married lesbians living next door... Oh never mind! LOL!

U.S.Amateurfilmaker · Post by **U.S.Amateurfilmaker** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 7:24 pm

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 8:31 am

...typical CamClub...

Digital zoom: avoid it. All it does is enlarge the pixel size. I would do that in post if you really wanted that pixelated effect. Definately prioritize on optical zoom. Digital zoom costs practically nothing more to make. It is pretty much a marketing sceme to make their product seem better. Most Professional camcorders don't have the digital zoom option.

But I have used it as binoculars before, on a cruise trip to see another ship some 40-50 miles off.

Raptor · Post by **Raptor** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 2:56 pm

Epsilon wrote: ...typical CamClub...

Digital zoom: avoid it. All it does is enlarge the pixel size. I would do that in post if you really wanted that pixelated effect. Definately prioritize on optical zoom. Digital zoom costs practically nothing more to make. It is pretty much a marketing sceme to make their product seem better. Most Professional camcorders don't have the digital zoom option.

But I have used it as binoculars before, on a cruise trip to see another ship some 40-50 miles off.

A lot of broadcast cams have the digital zoom option.. do you use it?? Rarely, but it is still there as an option for those times when authorities won't let you on the scene for news. While D-Zoom has little to no use in film making, it does in other venues of videography...

Epsilon · Post by **Epsilon** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:56 am

Hmm... perhaps professional camcorders was the wrong phrasing!

I3lade203 · Post by **I3lade203** » Tue Feb 17, 2004 5:58 am

lol i dont use it either at all