Clear Image Zoom vs Precision Digital Zoom, what's the difference?

[Snerkler]

What is the difference between the clear image zoom of the HX300 and HX50 I'm considering buying compared to the Precision Digital zoom of my current HX9v? Is it just a marketing term or is there a genuine difference? If there's a difference what is it, and does it translate into better picture quality?

TIA

[GoNz0-]

clear image zoom lets you double the optical zoom with a half decent quality while the digital zoom lets you go to 4x but the image will not be as sharp. better off with clear image if that is the only option. My RX100 has both but I only use clear image.

[Snerkler]

Thanks for the reply. Do you know what the technology is that makes clear zoom different to precision digital?

[jan2011]

Clear Image is an optical zoom (better)

...This is a continuously variable function and achieved by changing the focal length of the lens…

Zoom with close to the original image quality.

Clear Image Zoom is not available while recording movies

Precision Digital Zoom, is a software zoom (about the same as when zooming images in PC).

Less than the original image quality

More info here DSC-HX300 - Zoom

Anyway, I use just only optical zoom and never Digital zoom (Cameras or camcorders).

You can see the difference between digital-optical zoom, even here: Wikipedia Digital zoom

[Snerkler · Accepted solution]

I don't know who marked GoNzO's reply as the solution (guessing a mod) but I've found an answer on the American site that answers my question perfectly. Here's what was said.

Below are the definitions of optical zoom, clear image digital zoom and Precision Digital zoom. In short for the best image quality Clear Image digital zoom has a database of patterns it can refer back to and create new pixels for a better quality image than Precision Digital zoom which is basically just crops in.

Optical zoom: true zoom, by using optical zoom quality remains the same and the full resolution of the camera can be used on the zoomed image.

Clear Image Digital Zoom: the processor compares patterns found in adjacent pixels and creates new pixels to match selected patterns, resulting in more realistic, higher quality images

Precision Digital zoom: Enlarges all the image sizes by the total zoom scale of approximately 64x, including the optical 16x. However, note that the image quality deteriorates when the optical zoom scale is exceeded.