22Basic PhotographyDigital Zoom• In digital zoom, data from the camera's image sensor are processed digitally, enlarging the cen-ter area of the picture to fill the frame. Unlike optical zoom, digital zoom does not increase theamount of detail visible in the picture. Instead, details visible at maximum optical zoom are simplyenlarged, producing a slightly “grainy” image. Note that the effects of digital zoom are not vis-ible in the viewfinder - use the monitor when framing pictures with digital zoom. Digital zoomis not available when the monitor is off or when an assist mode (except for SPORTS and SPORTSSPECTATOR) is selected, or when 5 shot buffer ( 89) is set in the Shooting menu.• When digital zoom is working, the focus area is fixed in the center of the frame ( 98).• When digital zoom is working, Metering is set to just like Center-weighted ( 88).When Lighting Is PoorWhen lighting is poor, sensitivity is raised to compensate and the image in the monitormay be slightly mottled. This is normal and does not indicate a malfunction.Monitor or Viewfinder?• Use the monitor to confirm camera settings at a glance while at the same time viewing an imagethat shows how the final picture will appear. This is particularly useful when the image in theviewfinder does not accurately reflect what will appear in the final picture, for example when:– your subject is less than 1.5 meters (4'11") from the camera– digital zoom is in effect• Use the viewfinder when you want to save power by turning the monitor off ( 122), or whenbright ambient lighting makes it difficult to see the display in the monitor.• When taking pictures continuously using the sports assist or continuous option, etc., they aredisplayed on the monitor later than actual shooting. We recommend you to take pictures con-tinuously using the viewfinder.