Good images will never be out of reach with a strong and powerful zoom. Guinevere Sofer demonstrates
Whether you’re at Arab Street or the Grand Canyon, quite often the most interesting object is far away.
That’s why, I always carry a Compact Digital Camera that can go the distance.
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
Almost all phone cams can zoom but the magnification is weak and the image is grainy. With a Compact Digital Camera, it’s different. Here’s why.
Compact Digital Cameras have superior optical zoom compared to phone cams. This means that a glass lens does the magnification. The results are sharper and higher definition.
However, in a phone cam, the sensor (the electronic component that catches the light) “digitally” zooms. This means that the sensor selects the area you want and artificially enlarges it.
It’s like how MSG boosts the flavour in food – with unhealthy effects.
Likewise, digital zooming has bad side effects. The images come out coarse, they’re duller, and they look fuzzy. So, why lose the magnificence of breath-taking scenery, when you simply need to bring your Compact Digital Camera along?
Series A: At widest angle for both formats – phone cam (left), Compact Digital Camera (right)
Series B: At the phone cam’s maximum zoom (left) and matching intermediate zoom of the Compact Digital Camera (right).
How They Compare
In the photo examples, Series A is shot with a phone cam and a Compact Digital Camera. The one taken with a Compact Digital Camera (right) exhibits better shadow clarity.
Series B represents the maximum magnification that a very high-end, popular phone’s cam (left) can muster, versus a Compact Digital Camera (right). The phone cam’s image has degraded, with the palm fronds being blurry, while the Compact Digital Camera’s photo retains its resolution.
In Series C, there is only one picture, because the Compact Digital Camera’s magnification is significantly more powerful than the phone cam’s. Moreover, note how the fronds and the crescent on top of the mosque remain sharp.
So, don’t lose out on all the beauty and details in your travel photos. Take a Compact Digital Camera with you, and come back with great photos!
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