Re: [Paddlewise] Zoom (was: New Waterproof Digital Camera)

From: Tord Eriksson <tord_at_tord.nu>
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 2005 12:49:35 +0200
On Saturday 16 April 2005 02.24, you wrote:
> What is the difference from a photographers perspective?

Digital zoom enlarges the pixels in the camera, in the same
way as in Photoshop you can enlarge a photo, so while
size increases, resolution goes down. 

Optical zoom works by increasing the magnification
of the optics, thus the resolution stays the same,
but, say, the beauty, takes up more of the frame,
much like when you creep up close (the perspectives
differ between close-ups and zoom pictures, of course).

So there is never any need for using digital zoom. If
you want to enlarge part of a scenery more than
the optical zoom can handle you do it afterwards
in Photoshop, or similar program.

Actually, there are three things one should learn
using Photoshop, or similar program. That's all -
the rest is for creative photographic editing!

1. Learn to crop a photo, cutting away parts
of the photo that distract.

2. Learn to re-size a photo, so that its size
and resolution is adapted to the medium
your going to use. A somewhat dizzy photo,
that you want to keep as a memory, or
other reason, never gains anything to be saved
in full size, often the reverse. A crisp photo,
on the other hand, should be kept in as
big format as possible - who knows, one day
it might be published, and printed!

A slightly blurred photo looks better if
decreased in size a bit, due to the way
our eyes work, so that's why pictures
should be taken in as big size as possible,
till you checked them in your computer.

3. Learn to use Levels - a much better
tool than Brightness and Contrast,
which only occasionally can be helpful!

Now you're all experts and can work
as photoeditors at any newspaper!

Greetings,

Tord S Eriksson,
ex-editor-in-chief
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Received on Sat Apr 16 2005 - 03:49:46 PDT

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