Zoom Comparison (Between Point & Shoot and SLR Lens)

[mrodgers]

large zoom on P&S cameras just turns out noisy. It never looks good when you zoom all the way on a P&S, but, with a dSLR the photos always look amazing, no matter what zoom you use!

Comparing a dSLR to a P&S is like comparing a Ferarri to a Ford Explorer. It's just a ridiculous comparison when talking about quality/performance. Of course a dSLR is going to produce better photos than a P&S, just as a Ferarri is going to post better acceleration and handling than an Explorer.

But, I can put my P&S in my pocket and carry everywhere I want without lugging around a cumbersome camera bag. Just as one can cross a creakbed to get to their fishing spot in the Explorer over the Ferarri.

The question presented in the OP wasn't asking about a dSLR/P&S quality debate, but rather how to decifer the numbers and the differences between camera types.

 

[BoblyBill]

Basically what they mean for 3x a zoom for excample is that the longest mm on the lens is 3x that of the shortest mm of that lens. So to convert DSLR lens to this system would be to take the longest part of the lens and divide it by the shortest part. My 17-40 would then be a 2.35x zoom, and a 70-200mm would be a 2.85x. So they somewhat fool you into thinking that the higher that number the farther you can "zoom" which is mostly true except say the lens was a 10-120mm which would be a 12x zoom but not nessecarily a very long lens. Where as a 600mm prime is 1x zoom but would be able to see 5 times farther than the 10-120mm which is a 12x... That is why reg said they can't be compared because you are dividing the long by the short and it makes the value very relative. Make sense?

 

[prodigy2k7]

There is no actual mm for a lets say 3x zoom because 3x is just how much the zoom changed from in and out.
Such as a 100-300mm is a 3x lens.
Also a 10-30mm is a 3x lens.
Or a 50-150mm is a 3x lens.

Edit: Most cameras also tell their mm equiv in their specs, so you know the mm also.

 

[reg]

There is no actual mm for a lets say 3x zoom because 3x is just how much the zoom changed from in and out.

THANK YOU!!