Zoom vs. Pan — What's the Difference?

A feature in optics to enhance image size.

In photography, to create a feeling of motion and space.

Magnification of an image aspect without changing physical position.

In video, to keep a moving subject within the frame.

In film, a technique to close on a subject while filming.

A technique to smoothly transition across scenes.

Enlarging the image to bring parts closer visually.

Moving the camera horizontally or vertically to capture more area.

In digital media, to increase the size of a view on a screen.

Shifting the viewer's perspective without moving the position.

To make a continuous low-pitched buzzing or humming sound

A god of flocks and herds, typically represented with the horns, ears, and legs of a goat on a man's body. His sudden appearance was supposed to cause terror similar to that of a frightened and stampeding herd, and the word panic is derived from his name.

To move while making such a sound

Criticize severely

To move rapidly

Wash gravel in a pan to separate out (gold)

To increase suddenly and dramatically

Swing (a video or film camera) in a horizontal or vertical plane, typically to give a panoramic effect or follow a subject

To act or proceed swiftly and energetically

A shallow, wide, open container, usually of metal and without a lid, used for holding liquids, cooking, and other domestic purposes.

To simulate movement rapidly away from or toward a subject using a zoom lens or other optical device.

An open metal dish used to separate gold, other precious metals, or gemstones from gravel or waste by washing.

(Computers) To cause text or other graphics in a window or frame to appear larger on the screen.

Either of the receptacles on a balance or pair of scales.

To cause to zoom.

A vessel used for boiling and evaporating liquids.

The act or sound of zooming.

A basin or depression in the earth, often containing mud or water.

A zoom lens.

A natural or artificial basin used to obtain salt by evaporating brine.

A humming noise from something moving very fast.

Hardpan.

(figurative) A quick ascent.

A freely floating piece of ice that has broken off a larger floe.

(figurative) A big increase.

The small cavity in the lock of a flintlock used to hold powder.

An augmentation of a view, by varying the focal length of a lens, or digitally.

(Music) A steel drum.

A video teleconferencing call.

(Slang) The face.

To move fast with a humming noise.

(Informal) Severe criticism, especially a negative review

(aviation) To zoom climb.

Variant of paan.

To move rapidly.

A pivoting movement of a movie camera.

To go up sharply.

Peroxyacetyl nitrate

(photography) To change the focal length of a zoom lens.

Greek Mythology The god of woods, fields, and flocks, having a human torso and head with a goat's legs, horns, and ears.

To manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it.

To wash (gravel, for example) in a pan to separate out gold, other precious metals, or gemstones.

To participate in a video teleconferencing call.

To cook (food) in a pan

Representing a humming sound

(Informal) To criticize or review harshly.

Suggesting something moving quickly

To wash gravel, sand, or other sediment in a pan.

Suggesting a sudden change, especially an improvement or an increase

To yield gold as a result of washing in a pan.

A rapid rise

To pivot a movie camera along a horizontal plane in order to follow an object or create a panoramic effect.

The act of rising upward into the air

To pivot (a movie camera) in a specified direction.

Move along very quickly

A wide, flat receptacle used around the house, especially for cooking.

Move with a low humming noise

The contents of such a receptacle.

Rise rapidly;

A cylindrical receptacle about as tall as it is wide, with one long handle, usually made of metal, used for cooking in the home.

(Ireland) A deep plastic receptacle, used for washing or food preparation; a basin.

A wide receptacle in which gold grains are separated from gravel by washing the contents with water.

An expanse of level land located in a depression, especially

A pond or lake, considered as the expanse of land upon which the water sits.

A dry lake or playa, especially a salt flat.

(South Africa) playa lake: a temporary pond or lake in a playa.

: a flat artificial pond used for collecting minerals from evaporated water.

(geology) nodot=a: a hard substrate such as is formed in pans.

Syn of pipe: a channel for lava within a volcano; the cylindrical remains of such channels.

Strong adverse criticism.

A loaf of bread.

The chamber pot in a close stool; the base of a toilet, consisting of the bowl and its support.

(slang) A human face, a mug.

(roofing) The bottom flat part of a roofing panel that is between the ribs of the panel.

A closed vessel for boiling or evaporating as part of manufacture; a vacuum pan.

(firearms) The part of a flintlock that holds the priming.

The skull, considered as a vessel containing the brain; the brainpan.

(figurative) The brain, seen as one's intellect.

(carpentry) A recess, or bed, for the leaf of a hinge.

(musical instrument) steelpan

A part; a portion.

(fortifications) The distance comprised between the angle of the epaule and the flanked angle.

A leaf of gold or silver.

(transitive) To wash in a pan (of earth, sand etc. when searching for gold).

(transitive) To disparage; to belittle; to put down; to harshly criticize, especially a work (book, movie, etc.)

To turn out well; to be successful.

To beat one's opposition convincingly.

To turn horizontally.

To move the camera lens angle while continuing to expose the film, enabling a contiguous view and enrichment of context. In still-photography large-group portraits the film usually remains on a horizontal fixed plane as the lens and/or the film holder moves to expose the film laterally. The resulting image may extend a short distance laterally or as great as 360 degrees from the point where the film first began to be exposed.

To shift an image relative to the display window without changing the viewing scale.

(audio) To spread a sound signal into a new stereo or multichannel sound field, typically giving the impression that it is moving across the sound stage.

To join or fit together; to unite.

A part; a portion.

The distance comprised between the angle of the epaule and the flanked angle.

A leaf of gold or silver.

The betel leaf; also, the masticatory made of the betel leaf, etc. See Betel.

A shallow, open dish or vessel, usually of metal, employed for many domestic uses, as for setting milk for cream, for frying or baking food, etc.; also employed for various uses in manufacturing.

A closed vessel for boiling or evaporating. See Vacuum pan, under Vacuum.

The part of a flintlock which holds the priming.

The skull, considered as a vessel containing the brain; the upper part of the head; the brainpan; the cranium.

A recess, or bed, for the leaf of a hinge.

The hard stratum of earth that lies below the soil. See Hard pan, under Hard.

A natural basin, containing salt or fresh water, or mud.

To join or fit together; to unite.

To separate, as gold, from dirt or sand, by washing in a kind of pan.

To criticise (a drama or literary work) harshly.

To yield gold in, or as in, the process of panning; - usually with out; as, the gravel panned out richly.

To turn out (profitably or unprofitably); to result; to develop; as, the investigation, or the speculation, panned out poorly.

To scan (a movie camera), usu. in a horizontal direction, to obtain a panoramic effect; also, to move the camera so as to keep the subject in view.

The god of shepherds, guardian of bees, and patron of fishing and hunting. He is usually represented as having the head and trunk of a man, with the legs, horns, and tail of a goat, and as playing on the shepherd's pipe (also called the pipes of Pan), which he is said to have invented.

Cooking utensil consisting of a wide metal vessel

(Greek mythology) god of fields and woods and shepherds and flocks; represented as a man with goat's legs and horns and ears; identified with Roman Sylvanus or Faunus

Shallow container made of metal

Chimpanzees; more closely related to Australopithecus than to other pongids

Make a sweeping movement;

Wash dirt in a pan to separate out the precious minerals

Express a totally negative opinion of;

It’s the process of making the subject appear closer or larger, usually with a camera's zoom lens.

Yes, especially digital zoom, which can degrade image quality as it enlarges the image digitally.

It helps in smoothly transitioning across scenes or following a moving subject.

It is used in various applications like smartphones, video conferencing tools, and surveillance cameras.

Yes, many modern cameras include an auto-pan function for smoother motion effects.

While not necessary, equipment like a tripod with a panning head can enhance the smoothness of the motion.

It allows capturing a wider area, adding context and depth to the scene.

Optical zoom uses the camera’s lens mechanics for magnification, maintaining quality, whereas digital zoom enlarges the image digitally, often reducing quality.

In still photography, it's mainly for magnifying details, while in video, it can also be used to enhance narrative techniques.

It’s a cinematic technique combining zooming and camera movement to create a disorienting effect.

Professional filmmakers prefer optical zoom for its ability to preserve image quality.

No, it can also be vertical, commonly called tilting.

It can dramatically alter perception by isolating and enlarging the subject, drawing the viewer’s focus.

It provides a real-time feel and continuity in scenes, making the viewer feel like part of the action.

Good timing and control over camera movement are crucial to keep the subject in frame and maintain focus.