The zoom of smartphone cameras is a feature that is increasingly valued and stands out in the mobile market. In fact, there are many brands that pay attention to this aspect. With it you can take more distant photos, such as distant buildings, certain scenes or even photos of the moon.
If you are a photography lover or you are looking for high quality images, surely you are interested in what is the best option when buying a mobile, beyond knowing the resolution of each of the cameras on your mobile.
Types of mobile zoom and what they consist of
In mobiles we can find 3 types of zoom , which are optical, digital and hybrid. All of them allow us to take pictures so that they look closer or farther depending on how we configure them, although the final result is not the same.
Optical zoom is one that is used using a series of lens elements. The glass can be moved to zoom in or out. Content can be enlarged by manipulating light for lossless results. Therefore, it offers a more realistic image enlargement. The final result will depend on the quality of the lens and the type.
This type of zoom uses an additional objective-type lens or parts inside the lens to achieve a closer image. In current mobiles, above all, a telephoto lens is used. An example of mobiles that use this technology is Xiaomi 12.
Digital zoom is one that can offer similar effects to the previous one, although without mechanical or lens processing. Its operation is very simple, since it cuts some areas around the scene to create a feeling of closeness, while the rest of the image is enlarged through algorithms.
The digital zoom causes loss of information, which does not happen in the optical. In addition, some of the information is discarded. The algorithm adds pixels to preserve details by zooming in and giving a better sense of quality. Despite that, resolution is lost in the process. It is the most common in mid-range and low-end mobiles until now.
The hybrid is newer than the previous ones and is used in some newer mobile models. This combines digital, optical and software zoom for the best results.
A clear example of phones that get great photos in the distance are the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, the Huawei P50 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S21 or the OPPO Find X2 Pro, phones that have a high-quality zoom thanks to their optical and hybrid zoom .
Which is better for mobile?
Although it is best not to use the zoom because in all cases some quality is lost , less or more, the most recommended is the optical or hybrid.
Mobile phones with optical zoom have lenses that allow up to 3x or 5x , despite the fact that mobile phones today offer much more. Even without reaching the real, it is much more powerful than digital and can help us preserve details of the photos. It is possible thanks to the fact that the mobile has several integrated cameras with several sensors and different focal lengths to be able to capture the same details simultaneously.
One of the main drawbacks of optical zoom is that it is too expensive , so it can only be expected in high-end and high-priced mobiles . In addition, these cameras can be more expensive than the main ones even if the sensor of these is better. Mobile phones under 500 or 600 euros rarely have optical zoom.
Mid-range mobiles offer good image quality and do their best when it comes to zoom, although there is always image loss. Although the best is the optical zoom, if you are not looking for professional images and you do not want to pay a lot for your phone, you will see great advantages in the digital that you will find in these mobiles.
There are more and more models that have an optical zoom that is perfectly complemented by technology and artificial intelligence to further improve photos at any distance and situation, although the quality of the optical part is limited.
