How to decide between radius and zoom for a static map - Amazon Location Service

How to decide between radius and zoom for a static map

In this topic, you will learn how to choose between using radius or zoom when generating static maps with Amazon Location Service. The radius parameter provides more precise control over the area of coverage, making it ideal for customer-facing applications where you know the exact coverage area. The zoom parameter is better suited for geospatial analysis when you want to adjust the level of detail displayed.

With radius

In this example, you will create a map image of Sri Lanka using the radius parameter with a center location.

Request URL
https://maps.geo.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/v2/static/map?style=Satellite&width=700&height=700&center=80.60596,7.76671&radius=235000&scale-unit=KilometersMiles&key=API_KEY
Response image
Satellite view of Sri Lanka, showing the teardrop-shaped island nation surrounded by ocean.

With zoom

In this example, you will create a map image of Sri Lanka using the zoom parameter with a center location.

Request URL
https://maps.geo.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/v2/static/map?style=Satellite&width=700&height=700&zoom=8&center=80.60596,7.76671&scale-unit=KilometersMiles&key=API_KEY
Response image
Satellite view of Sri Lanka, showing the teardrop-shaped island nation surrounded by ocean.