Optical Zoom or Pixels??

[Str8Down]

I am looking for a camera with at least a 10x zoom, but I also want it small. I know it doesn't work that way and the C770 seems to be the smallest. So I am wondering, will the pic quality on a 5x optical zoom on a 7mp camera at 2x digital zoom (equaling 10x), be the same or near the sane as a 4mp camera with a 10x optical?

[Billiam]

This has been answered at length, but the basic answer is no. 2x zoom = 1/4 the pixels, not 1/2.

[Newbie]

Answer is always optical zoom!

[John_Reed]

Answer is always optical zoom!Not always. If you look at the 8MP Nikon 8800, whose zoom reaches to 350mm, you'll find that it can slightly "outzoom" the 5MP FZ20, even though the latter's zoom reach is 432mm. That is to say, a full-zoom image on the FZ20, 2560 pixels wide on the FZ20, would be captured at 2644 pixels wide on the 8800, for slightly more image pixels than the FZ20 could produce for the same image.

[Thon]

I am looking for a camera with at least a 10x zoom, but I also want it small. I know it doesn't work that way and the C770 seems to be the smallest. So I am wondering, will the pic quality on a 5x optical zoom on a 7mp camera at 2x digital zoom (equaling 10x), be the same or near the sane as a 4mp camera with a 10x optical?

Looks like you're comparing the Oly C7000Z and the C770UZ. A similar problem I had a few months ago. In the end I picked the C770UZ for the 10X zoom and smaller 4MP which means I get a much smaller file size (needs less memory) and I don't normally print big sizes (A4 or bigger). We normally do not consider the "digital zoom" zoom. And a better comparison would be the area cover or amount of detail available from a 10x 4MP photo vs a 4MP crop of a 5x 7MP photo.

I think this calls for an extensive comparative test, probably by review sites (Jeff?) for the users/potential buyers to view. Probably a full zoom (5x vs 10x) photo from the same spot and subject/chart/??? needs to be taken with both cameras and a crop of the same size to the smaller photo taken off the larger one and both compared. I'd say there would be some difference in terms of depth of field,..., but only a test can tell us conclusively.

[Str8Down]

Looks like you're comparing the Oly C7000Z and the C770UZ. A similar problem I had a few months ago. In the end I picked the C770UZ for the 10X zoom and smaller 4MP which means I get a much smaller file size (needs less memory) and I don't normally print big sizes (A4 or bigger). We normally do not consider the "digital zoom" zoom. And a better comparison would be the area cover or amount of detail available from a 10x 4MP photo vs a 4MP crop of a 5x 7MP photo.

I think this calls for an extensive comparative test, probably by review sites (Jeff?) for the users/potential buyers to view. Probably a full zoom (5x vs 10x) photo from the same spot and subject/chart/??? needs to be taken with both cameras and a crop of the same size to the smaller photo taken off the larger one and both compared. I'd say there would be some difference in terms of depth of field,..., but only a test can tell us conclusively.


You are correct, and if the image quality is even close, I can think of numerous reason to go with the 7mp C7000.
1. The size of the camera
2. No need for IS, since the picture is actually taken at 5X and the extra digital zoom can be added after the picture is taken.
3. Non-zoom pictures will be much more sharp
4. The size of the camera
5. No lense cap to keep track of
6. The 7000 has a spot beam for night time AF
7. The size of the camera

So, I think that if the quailty difference will not be too distinguishable, I would much rather have the 7000. And that is, even if the image is worse, as long as it will still print a nice 8x10, then who cares, I'm not a pro, I usually just look at them on my PC anyway. So, does anyone think the pic will bee jaggy and no good if I do this with a 7mp camera? Does anyone here have a 7mp camera that they can take a picture at 2x digital zoom, so I can see what it would look like. I know on my Sony 3.2mp caera, a 2x digital zoom is unacceptable, but that is basically 1.5mp, which is worthless.