Some camcorders may also offer an infrared capability for nightvision - capable of capturing a video image in total darkness. All camcorders include an integrated lens and a zoom capability to help bring distant objects closer. This is also known as Optical Zoom because the magnification is associated with the properties of the lens. Some lenses may allow the addition of optional filters and adapters for other optical effects. In virtually all cases, the lens that is included with your camcorder is not interchangeable with another lens.
Many camcorders also have the ability to digitally amplify the optical image.
This is known as Digital Zoom. Many cameras have digital zoom magnifications that range from 50x up to 400x. While it offers optimal magnification performance, there is a degradation of optical quality as the digital zoom enhancement increases. Hands normally have a certain degree of shaking and this can jar the recorded image. Several camcorders have integrated systems to automatically compensate for these movements.