We are providing CCTV installation and services in Dubai.

Digital vs. Optical Zoom for CCTV Cameras

Digital Zoom

For the most part, there are two different types of zoom. The most basic type is digital zoom. With digital zoom, the camera will essentially crop out the outer edges of an image and enlarge the image by stretching it. This results in a closer view, but the downside is that the image will usually appear blurry and in low quality because the pixels are being stretched. If you’re wanting to use digital zoom, it’s better to use it on a camera with a higher resolution. The higher pixel count on high resolution cameras will make the image look more clear and detailed.

Optical Zoom

The next type of zoom is optical zoom. Optical zoom involves adjusting the actual lens of the camera. When you rotate the lens on a camera, the lens moves further or closer to the optical sensor. When the lens is closer to the optical sensor, things will appear zoomed out. When it’s further, the image will look zoomed in. Unlike digital zoom, using optical zoom will keep the image clear and detailed.