There are a lot of reasons to use the Pan and Zoom effect available in AVS Video Editor. For example, zooming in is a great way to improve the entire video record that has been shot from a long distance. If your video contains a wealth of fine details, you can easily zoom in a certain scene to make a close-up of one person or object. The Zoom effect can also be useful if you use still photographs as a part of your movie or want to make your slideshow more dynamic.

After you import your video into the application and add it to the timeline, please follow the steps below to zoom in your movie.

Step 1: Select the Pan and Zoom effect and add it to the timeline

To enlarge your video image just apply the Pan and Zoom effect. It allows you to apply smooth zooming and panning to your video.

Press the Video Effects central button within the main window of AVS Video Editor. All of the available effects will be displayed within the Files and Effects Area. To find the necessary video effect more easily, select the Special group from the effects groups displayed on the left.

To add the Pan and Zoom effect to the timeline, right-click it and choose the only available option of the express menu - Add or Replace Video Effect. After doing this, the effect will be displayed on the timeline.

Alternatively, you can simply drag-and-drop the effect to the Video Effects line of the timeline.

Step 2: Set the effect application area

The Pan and Zoom effect is now placed at the current cursor position on the timeline and occupies the standard room within the video effects line.

Whether you want to apply the effect to the entire video or to its certain part only, you might need to change the effect duration. To do that quickly and easily, just drag the effect boundaries.

Hover the mouse pointer over the left effect edge until it turns into the bidirectional black arrow and drag it to the left or right without releasing the mouse button to find the beginning of the scene you want to apply the effect to. While moving the arrow, have a look at the Preview Area. As soon as you find this certain moment, release the mouse button. Then do the same with the right effect edge to find the moment, when the necessary scene ends.

You can use the Zoom slider to zoom in the video on the timeline in order to find the exact moments easily.

Step 3: Adjust the effect properties if necessary

If you want to change the effect parameters, click the Edit Effect button above the timeline to open the Video Effects window.

The Custom zoom preset is applied by default. Two rectangles are displayed in the Preview Area: the start zoom area is specified as a green rectangle and the end area is shown as a red rectangle. They designate the parts of the video image that will be displayed at the effect start and end, i.e. the video image will be cropped to the specified frame size and slowly panned from the start zoom area towards the end area.

A cross within each rectangle corresponds to the center of a cropped frame and the yellow arrow shows the panning direction.

In the left part of the Video Effects window, you can select another available zoom Preset from the corresponding dropdown list:

  • Diorama - to imitate zooming with the horizontal camera movement from left to right,
  • Zoom In Left/Right - to imitate zooming from a full-frame image to a specified small frame on the left/right,
  • Zoom Out Left/Right - to imitate zooming from a specified small frame on the left/right to a full-frame image.

When the Diorama preset is selected, you can adjust both the start and end zoom areas. If you selected the Zoom In Left/Right preset, the end zoom area is only available for adjustments. For the Zoom Out Left/Right effect, the start zoom area can be changed. You can make the following modifications:

  • Change the zoom area position on the screen. Hover the mouse pointer over the area you want to move until it turns into a cross with arrows , hold the mouse button and drag the rectangle to a new position.
  • Adjust the zoom area size by dragging one of the resize handles in the corners of the rectangle.

The Reverse button allows to change the zoom direction. Checking the Smooth motion box you can make the zoom smooth.

To make the effect gradually appear and disappear in the video, click with the mouse within the blue bar shown in the figure below and press the button. Therefore the Fade-in area will be marked. To set the Fade-out area, click with the mouse in another place and press the button.

Step 4: Playback the file to make sure the desired result is achieved

Now you can preview your video with the applied effect to make sure you got the necessary result. Please, press the button within the Preview Area of the same window to start playback.

If you are completely satisfied with the result, click the OK button to accept all the changes and close the Video Effects window. Then you can save the current project, as well as the edited video file into one of the supported formats. To learn more about it, read the How to save the project and the video in AVS Video Editor? guide.

That's all. You have successfully zoomed in your video. It's time to demonstrate the resulting movie to your friends.