DS Forums

 
 

Why do new camcorders have such a low optical zoom?


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 13-08-2008, 21:09
Izak
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Stockport, Cheshire
Posts: 3,416

A friend has just bought a new HD camcorder and he says it has 12x optical zoom, I've also looked at other new camcorders on the internet and they all seem to be around 10-15x optical zoom.

My camcorder is 6 years old now yet has a massive 25x optical zoom and 700x digital zoom.

What has happened with the technology, usually it improves not go backwards. I would have thought camcorders should have 30x or even 40x optical zoom nowadays if my 6 year old camcorder could do 25x.
Izak is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 13-08-2008, 22:22
russellelly
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 10,720
I've always assumed (willing to be corrected) that it's because the whole body of camcorder has shrunk (with the transition from 8mm/VHSC to MiniDV et al) that there's less space for a lens. I guess a bigger zoom = bigger lens (focal lengths must come into play).
russellelly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-08-2008, 23:23
Izak
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Stockport, Cheshire
Posts: 3,416
I've always assumed (willing to be corrected) that it's because the whole body of camcorder has shrunk (with the transition from 8mm/VHSC to MiniDV et al) that there's less space for a lens. I guess a bigger zoom = bigger lens (focal lengths must come into play).
My camcorder is actually very similar in size to my friend's new HD camcorder. Mine is slightly longer (only millimetres though) but narrower.

EDIT: My camcorder uses Digital8 tapes, my friend's new camcorder (with 12x optical zoom) uses an internal Hard Drive).
Izak is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 16:44.