How to Choose a Camera with the Right Amount of Zoom

Choosing a digital camera is a hard decision and can be costly, so choosing one that will work best for you will save you money and give you a camera that you will be happy with for years.

The first things you should know about zoom is that on today's digital cameras you have both digital zoom and optical zoom. Optical zoom physically extends the lens to make the subject appear closer. The optical zoom also moves the lens between wide angle and telephoto. Digital zoom does not move the lens or any parts of the camera. Digital zoom will continue zooming in as far as it can on the object you are trying to take a picture of. Keep in mind that when you use the digital zoom feature on your digital camera you may end up with what is called 'camera shake'. This occurs when the slightest movements of the camera cause the picture to be blurry. You can try holding your camera close to your body, lean on a steady object, or set the camera up on a tripod or other stable surface. This will help you to take a steady picture at the digital zoom depth you desire. The optical zoom feature is most like the 35mm camera that you probably used for years.

Digital cameras can be confusing they each have a different amount of both optical and digital zoom. What does it all mean and how are you supposed to choose? There are no real rules to how much zoom you need. The greatest determination as to how much zoom your digital camera will have will be your pocketbook. For most people they want to take pictures of family, children and vacation spots. A camera that has a decent amount of both digital and optical zoom is going to work just fine. In this situation you could probably buy a digital camera with lesser zoom power, somewhere in the range of 2x's or 3x's zoom is plenty. If you need more detail in a photo just be sure to get up closer then employ your zoom from there. On the other hand if you want to take photos that are scenery shots, outdoors, or if you are interested in architectural elements (such as a cityscape), then you will want a digital camera with a zoom of at least 5x zoom capabilities. If you are interested in taking pictures of wildlife you will want a zoom of at least 7x to ensure that you can stand at a safe distance and not scare the animals.

If you follow these suggestions you should be able to find a digital camera that will fit your lifestyle and desires.