How to listen for user generated zoom in Google Maps?

Question

I want to know when a Google Maps zoom_changed event is fired specifically by a user interaction with the +/- zoom buttons. If I use a general event listener for zoom_changed,

Answer 1

I solved this issue by creating Custom Zoom buttons for my Map.

Here is the code from my project:
Edit: Removed unnecessary and self explanatory common code

your zoomControl function:

function zoomControl(map, div) {

  var controlDiv = div,
      control = this;

  // Set styles to your own pa DIV
  controlDiv.style.padding = '5px';

  // Set CSS for the zoom in div.
  var zoomIncrease = document.createElement('div');
  zoomIncrease.title = 'Click to zoom in';
  // etc.

  // Set CSS for the zoom in interior.
  var zoomIncreaseText = document.createElement('div');
  // Use custom image
  zoomIncreaseText.innerHTML = '';
  zoomIncrease.appendChild(zoomIncreaseText);

  // Set CSS for the zoom out div, in asimilar way
  var zoomDecreaseText = document.createElement('div');
  // .. Code .. Similar to above

  // Set CSS for the zoom out interior.
  // .. Code ..

  // Setup the click event listener for Zoom Increase:
  google.maps.event.addDomListener(zoomIncrease, 'click', function() {
      zoom = MainMap.getZoom();
      MainMap.setZoom(zoom+1);
      // Other Code parts
  });

  // Setup the click event listener for Zoom decrease:
  google.maps.event.addDomListener(zoomDecrease, 'click', function() {
      zoom = MainMap.getZoom();
      MainMap.setZoom(zoom-1);
  });
}

your initialize function:

function initializeMap() {

    var latlng = new google.maps.LatLng(38.6, -98);
    var options = {
        zoom : 5,
        center : latlng,
        mapTypeId : google.maps.MapTypeId.ROADMAP,  
        // Other Options
    };
    MainMap = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("google-map-canvas"),
            options);

    // The main part - Create your own Custom Zoom Buttons
    // Create the DIV to hold the control and call the zoomControl()
    var zoomControlDiv = document.createElement('div'), 
        zoomLevelControl = new zoomControl(MainMap, zoomControlDiv);

    zoomControlDiv.index = 1;
    MainMap.controls[google.maps.ControlPosition.RIGHT_TOP].push(zoomControlDiv);
}

Hope it helps