Zoom Super Wide Angle ?

crowl31 · Jan 9, 2008

In researching lenses, what does "Zoom Super Wide Angle" do for you and how does it differ from a regular zoom lens.

nicfargo · Jan 9, 2008

Zoom super wide angle is probably referring to a zoom lens that will go to a focal length that is generally considered super wide angle. My Canon 16-35mm f/2.8 L would probably be considered a zoom super wide angle lens.

Mav · Jan 9, 2008

Just look at the focal length range of the lens. Generally "super" means a high zoom ratio. The Nikon (and 3rd party) 18-200mm lenses are "super" zooms, with an 11.1x zoom ratio. nicfargo's 16-35mm only has a 2.2x zoom ratio. It's "ultra" wide (on a full-frame), but not a "super" zoom.

There's no clear definition, and marketing dweebs can do whatever they want anyways :lol:

so I'd pay less attention to the fluff terminology and more to the actual numbers.

Sideburns · Jan 9, 2008

it means that the lens is super wide angle...but it zooms.

ie) 10-20mm

nicfargo · Jan 9, 2008

I think if it were like the Nikon 18-200 it would say super zoom, but because it says zoom super wide, that makes me believe that the wide is the part that is super. See why this terminology is so stupid Crowl? Like Mav said, just take a look at the numbers...ignore the hype!

frXnz kafka · Jan 9, 2008

Mav said:
Just look at the focal length range of the lens. Generally "super" means a high zoom ratio. The Nikon (and 3rd party) 18-200mm lenses are "super" zooms, with an 11.1x zoom ratio. nicfargo's 16-35mm only has a 2.2x zoom ratio. It's "ultra" wide (on a full-frame), but not a "super" zoom.

There's no clear definition, and marketing dweebs can do whatever they want anyways so I'd pay less attention to the fluff terminology and more to the actual numbers.

You've got it a bit backwards, he said "zoom super wide angle" not "super zoom wide angle"

A super wide angle lens is one with a very short focal length, say 10mm. A ZOOM super wide angle lens is a lens that zooms between two very short focal lengths, say 12mm and 24mm. The lens Mav is talking about would probably be considered a "zoom super wide to telephoto."