The Truth About the Digital Zoom On A Canon SX40
Aug 14, 2012 13:59:35 #
On one of my SD cards, I run CHDK for the SX40. I took three shots of the moon (hand held) using the JPEG and RAW option. See the first three photos. All three of the RAW files showed the moon as in photo 1. Look at photo 4 which is from the RAW format of photo 2.
What does this show? What I already knew about the digital zoom- the camera is just taking the center image off the sensor and interpolating the pixels to make the picture the correct size. Digital zoom is just a marketing thing. You would be better off not using it. If you want to make the image larger, take it into Photoshop and make it larger there.
Photoshop has better tools to do this than the camera. When I need to enlarge a photo, I usually use the AlienSkin Blow-Up plug-in for Photoshop.
What does this show? What I already knew about the digital zoom- the camera is just taking the center image off the sensor and interpolating the pixels to make the picture the correct size. Digital zoom is just a marketing thing. You would be better off not using it. If you want to make the image larger, take it into Photoshop and make it larger there.
Photoshop has better tools to do this than the camera. When I need to enlarge a photo, I usually use the AlienSkin Blow-Up plug-in for Photoshop.
1- Full Zoom
2- Full Zoom 2x Tele-Converter
3- Full Zoom with full digital
4- RAW photo of photo 2
Aug 14, 2012 14:10:17 #
donrent
Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl
I have NEVER used digital zoom on ANY camera I've ever owned because of its distortion....
Aug 14, 2012 14:47:21 #
donrent wrote:
I have NEVER used digital zoom on ANY camera I've ever owned because of its distortion....
I never did either until the SX40. I avoid it when I can, but with the SX40 it is definitely more than adequate.
The examples above are too small to be much good for comparison and proof of quality.
Aug 14, 2012 14:50:30 #
Aug 14, 2012 15:07:31 #
Wahawk wrote:
I never did either until the SX40. I avoid it when I can, but with the SX40 it is definitely more than adequate.
The examples above are too small to be much good for comparison and proof of quality.
donrent wrote:
I have NEVER used digital zoom on ANY camera I've ever owned because of its distortion....
I never did either until the SX40. I avoid it when I can, but with the SX40 it is definitely more than adequate.
The examples above are too small to be much good for comparison and proof of quality.
I didn't post the pictures for the sake of quality, but to show that the RAW files showed the full zoom but no digital zoom. I have to admit that the built-in tele-converter does a fair job of interpolating the pixels on the fly. The pictures I posted under another thread show the quality of the full zoom, tele-converter full zoom, and full digital zoom.
Aug 14, 2012 15:13:59 #
Aug 14, 2012 15:18:17 #
haroldross wrote:
On one of my SD cards, I run CHDK for the SX40. I ... (show quote)
Yep! But at least they tell you that it's digital zoom, as opposed to optical zoom.
Aug 14, 2012 15:23:25 #
Very interesting, but the SX 70 does not support RAW. Are you using some kind of hack that allows this capability?
Aug 14, 2012 15:27:11 #
photoninja1 wrote:
Very interesting, but the SX 70 does not support RAW. Are you using some kind of hack that allows this capability?
There is a "hack" which is a program that runs from the SD card, called CHDK, that allows you to save in RAW, adds remote release capability, and a number of other items such as changing time exposure capabilities. I don't use it but there are a number of people that do. It does NOT affect the internal programming of the camera.
Aug 14, 2012 15:32:48 #
bday7846071 wrote:
How do you take photos in "raw" with the SX40?
I installed CHDK (Canon Hack Development Kit) http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK on to one of my SD cards. The program boots off the SD card and adds many additional features to the camera's firmware.
Aug 14, 2012 15:36:01 #
donrent
Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl
[quote=Wahawk]
I never did either until the SX40. I avoid it when I can, but with the SX40 it is definitely more than adequate.
The examples above are too small to be much good for comparison and proo
=====================================
To be perfectly honest, I have not tried using it on my new 40....
donrent wrote:
I have NEVER used digital zoom on ANY camera I've ever owned because of its distortion....
I never did either until the SX40. I avoid it when I can, but with the SX40 it is definitely more than adequate.
The examples above are too small to be much good for comparison and proo
=====================================
To be perfectly honest, I have not tried using it on my new 40....
Aug 14, 2012 15:36:16 #
donrent
Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl
[quote=Wahawk]
I never did either until the SX40. I avoid it when I can, but with the SX40 it is definitely more than adequate.
The examples above are too small to be much good for comparison and proo
=====================================
To be perfectly honest, I have not tried using it on my new 40....
donrent wrote:
I have NEVER used digital zoom on ANY camera I've ever owned because of its distortion....
I never did either until the SX40. I avoid it when I can, but with the SX40 it is definitely more than adequate.
The examples above are too small to be much good for comparison and proo
=====================================
To be perfectly honest, I have not tried using it on my new 40....
Aug 14, 2012 16:01:06 #
If you want your pics to look good while useing zoom, only use optical zoom not digital.
Aug 14, 2012 16:08:09 #
In my earlier Lumix FZ3 -FZ5 & FZ7 - I avoided the digital zoom like the pleage - but with my FZ18 I find it quite usable and now what I see being posted from the FZ150 & the SX40 I sure can say it has come a long ways - Stay in the lower ISO and noise is not a poblem & quality is still high.
Aug 15, 2012 05:43:12 #
Nice pictures of the moon.
Did you know, it's so big that you can even see it from the Great Wall of China ?
Did you know, it's so big that you can even see it from the Great Wall of China ?
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