Back in the past, the old-fashioned projectors are all featured with optical zoom function. They all got a dial or knob on them allowing users to zoom in or out images.
Nowadays, most smart projectors adopt digital zoom technology instead of optical zoom function. However, to a degree, this does not mean that digital zoom is more advanced than optical zoom, at least when it comes to image quality output, for images quality would degrade after being dealt with by digital zoom.
How dose optical zoom work
Optical zoom functions exactly the same as our eyeballs, so resolution reduction won’t happen. To put it simply, when you compare two pictures respectively blown out by optical zoom technology and digital zoom technology, you’ll find out that the former image is shaper than the latter one.
How dose digital zoom work
How dose digital zoom work? It recreates the effect of zooming in and out by scaling and compression the image itself. This naturally results in decreased resolution and damaged image quality.
This resolution reduction is kind of slight, most people won’t feel uncomfortable about it. But the biggest advantage digital zoom brings is that the size of projectors is shrinking down. More and more portable projectors hit the market and get popular. Because the average consumers are not so sensitive to the distinction between digital zoom and optical zoom.
On the other hand, projectors with digital zoom technology are less expensive. When I am on a budget, and need a smaller projector easy to carry and storage, why don’t I choose a projector with digital zoom function?
Optical zoom vs. digital zoom
In a word, optical zoom projectors cost more, with larger size, won’t reduce resolution while zooming in or out images, digital zoom projectors cost less, with smaller size, will reduce resolution while zooming in or out images.
If you are a crazy fan of high-quality image output, can easily notice the resolution decrease and feel that your viewing experience are impacted to a degree by this, also you don’t mind that optical zoom projectors are more cumbersome than portable projectors, there are plenty of excellent optical zoom projector on market for your option as well. Afterall, optical zoom technology can bring us the perfect image output, and this is always one of the most important things both consumers and projector industry pursue for.
