'Extra Optical Zoom Function' on Panasonic.

[Just call me Al]

Can anyone explain what the 'Extra Optical Zoom Function' is on the Panasonic digital cameras? For instance the TZ1 has 10X optical zoom but the 'Extra Optical Zoom Function' makes it a maximum of 12.5 times. I've read on line & in magazines but can't just grasp it. As it says Optical It seems it's not digital, how is it done & does it really work. I would always have the setting on the Best quality & fine, so would I really get another X2.5 extra, or X12.5 total? Does this apply to other makes? Thanks for any help.

[kavster]

Just trying to remember off the top of my head, I think it just drops the image down a MP or 2 at the center.

K.

[richard plumb]

It lowers the actual image size to 3mp or something, then effectively uses the excess sensor to give you more zoom.

So its really doing a digital zoom, but not interpolating the results. You'd get the same result by shooting full resolution at full (normal) zoom and then cropping the centre out.

[Just call me Al]

Thanks for the answers, as it said optical I was hoping it was really another X2.5
optical, but I thought it was really digital from the way it read.

[richard plumb]

Originally Posted by D2V2D

Thanks for the answers, as it said optical I was hoping it was really another X2.5
optical, but I thought it was really digital from the way it read.

you do get 'proper' zoom though, not like with digital zoom where you are scaling up the image and not getting any extra detail.

So if you're shooting in lower res anyway it is proper zoom. But if you shoot all the time in full res, you won't gain anything

[Just call me Al]

No problem, as I will be using the higest quality anyway. It has X10 zoom, it would have been nice to have the extra on highest quality but I'm still happy. Thanks for your help.