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Old June 23rd 04, 11:15 PM
David Dyer-Bennet
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Default Zoom Question

"Gareth Slee" writes:

Bay Area Dave wrote:

the 8 to 80.



So the higher the second number, the nearer the image will appear to be?


Yes, that's exactly the point. The maximum focal length the lens
reaches will give you the biggest image. So the lens with the largest
maximum focal length will give you the biggest image at its longest
setting.

The "x" number given sometimes for zoom lenses, x12 or x10 in your
example, is simply the ratio of the longest to the shortest focal
length. That tells you how much variation there is from one end to
the other -- but nothing about how wide the wide end is, or how long
the long end is. (I'm used to seeing it as "12x" rather than "x12",
by the way).
--
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