Help please

[Canonjunkie]

If possible could anybody tell me about point and shoot cameras please. Somebody has asked my opinion about two Panasonic Lumix cameras and to be honest I don`t have much idea as I use DSLR`s myself.
The cameras involved are the FX100EBK and the FX12EB-K. The thing I cannot get my head round is the zoom feature. In one breath it says the lens is equivalent to 28-100 and in the next claims a Max. 27.9x combined with extra Optical Zoom.
Any help would be very much appreciated.
Thank you.

[andy153]

Hi there I hope this helps you explain things to your friend - Optical zoom refers to an actual change in the lens in order to get closer to the thing you want to take a photo of. That's why the camera lens moves when you are using optical zoom. Digital zoom is basically like when you have an image on the computer, and you just zoom in with the cursor. It doesn't get a clearer, better image. Thus, optical zoom is more important than digital zoom.The Optical zoom ratio of a digital camera measures how much the lens can actually zoom in to make subjects appear closer. Be careful to not confuse Optical Zoom with Digital Zoom. Optical zoom actually enlarges a picture while keeping the resolution and sharpness of the picture high.
Always go for a higher optical zoom than digital zoom.
Real simple...
Optical uses a LENS to accomplish the zoom... (and is the superior method)
Digital... works on the image there... and "blows up" pixels... and with each digital zoom, you lose quality.

I hope this helps

[Canonjunkie]

Thank you very much Andy. A lot clearer now.

My opinion about the Panas (having run FZ7 for some months) is to get a Nikon swivel Coolpix S10. Although it does not have manual options of old E4500, for P&S its versatility and slim size must make it a great one. Many of my old E4500 pix (4mp) are better than FZ7 6MP apart from flowers. Landscapes nearly all better.