Many digital cameras now offer zoom lenses, which take you from wide-angle to telephoto. In addition to this optical zoom capability, some cameras provide digital zoom, which is nothing more than software in the camera that crops the edges off of your image and blows up the remaining information to the size of the original. While digital zoom adds extra close-up power, this comes at the expense of resolution. Focus and exposure Fixed-focus digital cameras have a nonmoving lens that is preset to focus at a certain range. Higher-end digital cameras usually have autofocus instead, which automatically focuses the camera at your subject's distance.
Most cameras automatically determine the correct exposure for the lighting conditions.
Sometimes, however, the scene will appear too dark or too washed-out. In these cases, it's handy to have a digital camera that offers manual exposure compensation, allowing you to set the exposure a few stops brighter or darker. Higher ISO ratings mean the camera is more sensitive to light and can take pictures in darker settings. The LCD screen is especially useful because you can see what your picture will look like before you take it. It also allows you to look at the photos you've already taken.