Digital Zoom Function on the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W200

The sales blurb about the Sony DSC-W200 says that you get "3x optical zoom
and 6x precision digital zoom for superb clarity". Because this camera has
only a 3x zoom function (35mm to 105mm), I thought that, for stills, if you
use the precision digital zoom, you would get superb clarity at 6x within
the range 35mm to 210mm when the camera's image size is set to 12
megapixels. However, this does not seem to be the case.

If you set the camera to "precision digital zoom", on page 70 of the manual
it says that this will enlarge all image sizes up to a maximum of 6x, but
the image quality deteriorates. So the "superb clarity" only seems to apply
if you work within the 3x optical zoom range when the image size is set to
12 megapixels. This point seems to be reinforced by the camera's default
setting being on "smart zoom" which "enlarges the image digitally within the
range where the image will NOT be distorted, according to the image size".

Now with the camera's image size set on 12 megapixels, the smart zoom
function won't let you go beyond 3x. At 8mp you can go to 3.7x, at 5mp you
can go to 4.6x, and at 3mp you can go to 5.9x. So it's only when the camera
is set to 3mp that you can get close to 6x zoom without "distorting" the
image.

So do you think that, if you want to print a photograph which is the
equivalent of a 210mm zoom, it would be best to take the picture using the
12 megapixel size and a 3x zoom, and then digitally enlarge from 105mm to
210mm in Photoshop or a similar imaging program?

Or do you think you would you get as good a result if you set the camera to
3 megapixels and used the 5.9x zoom, and thus not need to digitally enlarge
the picture any further in Photoshop?

Intuitively, I think it would be better to always take your pictures with
the camera set at 12mp and enlarge beyond 3x in Photoshop, but I would be
interested to hear your views on this.

Regards, MM

On Jun 26, 3:37 pm, "Moviemaker" <M...@moma.org> wrote:
> The sales blurb about the Sony DSC-W200 says that you get "3x optical zoom
> and 6x precision digital zoom for superb clarity". Because this camera has
> only a 3x zoom function (35mm to 105mm), I thought that, for stills, if you
> use the precision digital zoom, you would get superb clarity at 6x within
> the range 35mm to 210mm when the camera's image size is set to 12
> megapixels. However, this does not seem to be the case.
>
> If you set the camera to "precision digital zoom", on page 70 of the manual
> it says that this will enlarge all image sizes up to a maximum of 6x, but
> the image quality deteriorates. So the "superb clarity" only seems to apply
> if you work within the 3x optical zoom range when the image size is set to
> 12 megapixels. This point seems to be reinforced by the camera's default
> setting being on "smart zoom" which "enlarges the image digitally within the
> range where the image will NOT be distorted, according to the image size".
>
> Now with the camera's image size set on 12 megapixels, the smart zoom
> function won't let you go beyond 3x. At 8mp you can go to 3.7x, at 5mp you
> can go to 4.6x, and at 3mp you can go to 5.9x. So it's only when the camera
> is set to 3mp that you can get close to 6x zoom without "distorting" the
> image.
>
> So do you think that, if you want to print a photograph which is the
> equivalent of a 210mm zoom, it would be best to take the picture using the
> 12 megapixel size and a 3x zoom, and then digitally enlarge from 105mm to
> 210mm in Photoshop or a similar imaging program?
>
> Or do you think you would you get as good a result if you set the camera to
> 3 megapixels and used the 5.9x zoom, and thus not need to digitally enlarge
> the picture any further in Photoshop?
>
> Intuitively, I think it would be better to always take your pictures with
> the camera set at 12mp and enlarge beyond 3x in Photoshop, but I would be
> interested to hear your views on this.
>
> Regards, MM

I use the smart zoom then you can compose and expose for that shot.
You are not adding optical zoom in your figure, at 8 mp it should be
6.7x optical equivilant or 234.5mm, smart zoom works well