How much does 10x vs 16x optical zoom matter when choosing a travel compact camera?
Asked 12/15/2011
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I'm comparing three compact cameras with built-in GPS and similar overall specs: Canon PowerShot SX230 HS, Sony DSC-HX7V, and Panasonic Lumix TZ20. As a beginner, the main difference I notice is the optical zoom range. Is optical zoom the most important difference here, or should I pay more attention to other features? Also, in real use, how noticeable is the difference between 10x and 16x zoom on a small snapshot camera?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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Specifically speaking to optical zoom, I would say it is very important and a great benefit to have optical zoom over no optical zoom. Practically speaking to the three cameras you noted though, the difference between 10x and 16x is not very important.
At 10x you are going to be zoomed to a 35mm equivalent of 250mm, which is quite a lot of zoom. At that distance, with a small camera, you are going to have trouble holding the camera still enough to even see the subject, let alone get a clear picture unless it is very bright sunlight.
You will see a difference between 10x and 16x, but in actual usefulness, I wouldn't worry much about this as a differentiator in a purchase. Other things are probably more important, such as the menu, the size of the camera, the features like image stabilization, maximum aperture, high ISO performance, etc.
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
14y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Optical zoom matters, but between these specific cameras, 10x vs 16x is probably not the biggest deciding factor.
A 10x compact already reaches roughly a 250mm equivalent view, which is a lot for a small camera. Going to 16x does give you more reach, so yes, you will notice a difference. But at those long focal lengths, handholding a small camera gets harder, and blur from camera shake becomes a real issue unless the light is good and stabilization works well.
For most buyers, other differences may matter more: how wide the lens goes at the short end, image stabilization, camera size and handling, and how much you like the menus and controls. The wide-angle end can be especially important, because a wider lens is often more useful for travel, interiors, and group shots, and you cannot always "zoom with your feet."
Also, don’t put much weight on digital zoom; optical zoom is the meaningful spec.
So: yes, 16x gives more reach, but in practice 10x is already substantial, and the better choice may come down to wide-angle coverage, usability, and stabilization rather than zoom ratio alone.
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