Help me make sense of this technical jargon - optical, digital, intelli-zoom etc.

[fatw41]

Is anyone willing to explain what some of these things mean? I am especially interested to know what Still Image mode refers to and what those subsequent numbers and words mean. Thank you!

SAMSUNG LENS 18x Zoom Lens f = 4.0 ~ 72mm (35mm film equivalent : 24 ~ 432mm)

F No.: 3.2 (W) ~ 5.8 (T)

18X Optical Zoom

Still Image mode: 1.0X ~ 5.0X (Optical * Digital : 90.0x), Intelli-Zoom : 2.0X (Optical * itelli :36.0X)

 

[ronintexas]

18X Optical Zoom refers to the actual lens magnification. This magnification is true magnification at 100% resolution.

5X Digital Zoom is a digitally enhanced zoom. You lose image quality using the digital zoom, where with the optical, you don't lose the quality.

Intelli-Zoom is a technology used that loses very little image quality - so if you use Intelli-Zoom with the 18X optical zoom - you get 36X zoom with very little image quality loss (there still is some - but it is minimized).

 

[fatw41]

Thanks for the explanations; great job.