Zoom
Zoom may refer to any of the following:
1. With an image, graphic, or document, zoom describes the function of focusing on a section of an image and increasing its overall size for greater detail. Zoom can also refer to magnifying the image on a screen. The image at right is zoomed in 1600% of its original size.
As seen in the image, as you zoom in, each pixel grows in size and makes the image appear pixelated or jaggy. Unfortunately, unlike in the movies, you cannot "enhance" the image to make a zoomed image clearer.
Many graphics programs and Internet browsers support the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+- (minus key) to zoom out and Ctrl++ (plus key) to zoom in on a picture or web page. Also, Ctrl+0 (the number zero) resets the zoom to the default zoom level if you zoomed in too far.
In Microsoft Windows, you can use the Windows Magnifier to zoom in on everything shown on the screen. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows key++ to zoom in and Windows key+- to zoom out.
2. Zoom is a shortened version of the Zoom Video Communications company specializing in easy-to-use teleconferencing and chat software. Their Zoom teleconferencing system and software allow users to conduct conference calls over the Internet and use webcams to see others on the calls.
3. With a window in a GUI (graphical user interface), zoom is another name for maximize. On Apple computers, the box on a window title bar to increase the size of a window is called a zoom box.
4. Alternatively called optical zoom, zoom is a camera and digital camera feature that uses optics in the lens to enlarge an object without moving closer. A digital camera may include a digital zoom, which uses digital technology to get closer to an object beyond the capabilities of the camera lens.
Digital zoom is what allows the camera to have a 300x zoom capability. It works by cropping a portion of the image and then enlarging that section. A digital zoom gives the appearance of getting closer to an object, but it also decreases the quality of the image and often makes it more pixelated.
5. When discussing a company, Zoom Telephonics was the name of a company now known as Minim.
6. Zoom is the name of a transition.
Camera terms, Collaboration, Maximize, Photoshop terms, Pinch-to-zoom, Pixel, Scale, Slider, Video terms, Zoom slider