diff --git a/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomAnimation.test.ts b/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomAnimation.test.ts
index e57f1322..9ebc9f2a 100644
--- a/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomAnimation.test.ts
+++ b/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomAnimation.test.ts
@@ -326,9 +326,9 @@ describe("computeRegionStrength", () => {
 	});
 
 	it("falls smoothly during zoom-out", () => {
-		// Sample the original zoom-out ramp shifted 300ms earlier.
+		// Sample the zoom-out ramp after the animation delay.
 		const zoomOutStart = region.endMs - 150;
-		const s = computeRegionStrength(region, zoomOutStart + 700 - 300);
+		const s = computeRegionStrength(region, zoomOutStart + 700);
 		expect(s).toBeGreaterThan(0);
 		expect(s).toBeLessThan(1);
 	});
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ describe("findDominantRegion", () => {
 			{ id: "b", startMs: 3500, endMs: 6000, depth: 3, focus: { cx: 0.8, cy: 0.8 } },
 		];
 
-		const result = findDominantRegion(regions, 2800, { connectZooms: true });
+		const result = findDominantRegion(regions, 3100, { connectZooms: true });
 		expect(result.transition).toBeNull();
 		expect(result.region?.id).toBe("a");
 		expect(result.strength).toBeGreaterThan(0);
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ describe("findDominantRegion", () => {
 			{ id: "b", startMs: 4300, endMs: 7000, depth: 3, focus: { cx: 0.7, cy: 0.7 } },
 		];
 
-		// After transition end (3000-100+1000=3900) but before b starts (4300)
+		// After transition end (3000+200+1000=4200) but before b starts (4300)
 		const result = findDominantRegion(regions, 4250, { connectZooms: true });
 		expect(result.strength).toBe(1);
 		expect(result.region).not.toBeNull();
diff --git a/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomRegionUtils.ts b/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomRegionUtils.ts
index 9076b383..f0bfd18d 100644
--- a/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomRegionUtils.ts
+++ b/src/components/video-editor/videoPlayback/zoomRegionUtils.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ import { clamp01, easeOutZoom } from "./mathUtils";
 const CHAINED_ZOOM_PAN_GAP_MS = 1350;
 const CONNECTED_ZOOM_PAN_DURATION_MS = 1000;
 const ZOOM_IN_OVERLAP_MS = 1000;
-// Shift the original animation timing 300ms earlier without changing its motion.
-const ZOOM_ANIMATION_LEAD_MS = -100;
+// Positive offsets delay the animation; this is 300ms later than the previous -100ms offset.
+const ZOOM_ANIMATION_DELAY_MS = 200;
 
 type DominantRegionOptions = {
 	connectZooms?: boolean;
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export function computeRegionStrength(
 ) {
 	const zoomInDurationMs = Math.max(1, options.zoomInDurationMs ?? ZOOM_IN_TRANSITION_WINDOW_MS);
 	const zoomOutDurationMs = Math.max(1, options.zoomOutDurationMs ?? TRANSITION_WINDOW_MS);
-	const adjustedTimeMs = timeMs - ZOOM_ANIMATION_LEAD_MS;
+	const adjustedTimeMs = timeMs - ZOOM_ANIMATION_DELAY_MS;
 	const leadInStart = region.startMs + ZOOM_IN_OVERLAP_MS - ZOOM_IN_TRANSITION_WINDOW_MS;
 	let zoomOutStart = region.endMs - ZOOM_OUT_EARLY_START_MS;
 	let zoomInEnd = leadInStart + zoomInDurationMs;
@@ -92,9 +92,9 @@ function getConnectedRegionPairs(regions: ZoomRegion[]) {
 		pairs.push({
 			currentRegion,
 			nextRegion,
-			transitionStart: currentRegion.endMs + ZOOM_ANIMATION_LEAD_MS,
+			transitionStart: currentRegion.endMs + ZOOM_ANIMATION_DELAY_MS,
 			transitionEnd:
-				currentRegion.endMs + ZOOM_ANIMATION_LEAD_MS + CONNECTED_ZOOM_PAN_DURATION_MS,
+				currentRegion.endMs + ZOOM_ANIMATION_DELAY_MS + CONNECTED_ZOOM_PAN_DURATION_MS,
 		});
 	}
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ function getActiveRegion(
 				const zoomOutStart =
 					outgoingPair.currentRegion.endMs -
 					ZOOM_OUT_EARLY_START_MS +
-					ZOOM_ANIMATION_LEAD_MS;
+					ZOOM_ANIMATION_DELAY_MS;
 				if (timeMs >= zoomOutStart) {
 					return { region, strength: 1 };
 				}
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ function getActiveRegion(
 				const nextRegionZoomOutStart =
 					incomingPair.nextRegion.endMs -
 					ZOOM_OUT_EARLY_START_MS +
-					ZOOM_ANIMATION_LEAD_MS;
+					ZOOM_ANIMATION_DELAY_MS;
 				if (timeMs < nextRegionZoomOutStart) {
 					return { region, strength: 1 };
 				}