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In digital zoom, data from the camera’s image sensor are processed digitally, enlarging the center por-
tion of the image to fill the frame. Unlike optical zoom, digital zoom does not increase the amount of
detail visible in the photograph. Instead, details visible at maximum optical zoom are enlarged, produc-
ing a slightly “grainy” image. Digital zoom also differs from optical zoom in that the effects of digital
zoom are visible only in the monitor, not in the viewfinder, meaning that the monitor must be on before
digital zoom can be used.
Optical vs. Digital Zoom
Beyond Point and Shoot
Shooting Controls for All Modes
This chapter covers operations that can be performed in AUTO and SCENE modes. In these modes,
the majority of camera settings are made automatically by the camera to produce the best results. By
means of the buttons on the back of the camera, the user controls the following settings directly
(restrictions may apply in SCENE mode depending on the scene selected):
• optical and digital zoom
• flash settings
• focus-mode and self-timer settings
• exposure compensation
• focus-area selection (
Portrait
,
Close Up
, P,
A, M, and CSM modes only)
Framing Photographs: Optical and Digital Zoom
The COOLPIX 880 is equipped with two kinds of zoom:
optical zoom
, in which the camera’s telescoping
lens can be used to enlarge the subject by up to 2.5
×
, and
digital zoom
, in which images are processed
digitally to further enlarge the image by up to 4.0
×
.
