In old 35MM terms of lens length, what is the equvalent of a 10x zoom on a digital camera?

Question

Ok...I see I might not be clear. I am used to my old film camera. Well, my film camera is now long gone and I now have a digital camera. My 1st digital camera had a 3x optical zoom, which I found very lacking, being used to my 100-300 and the 500mm lenses on my old film camera. I am looking at a digital camera with a 10x optical zoom. WHen I use that camera at 10X, what would be the appoximate eqivalent zoom length of a 35mm lens? Would it be close to the 300mm that I had? Would it be closer to the 500mm?

Answer 1

To get the "x" measurement in a zoom, you need a starting point and an end point. For example, a 35-70mm zoom would be 2x, based on 70mm/35mm = 2.

Likewise, a new 50-150mm lens would be a 3 x lens, based on 150/50= 3.

Thus, to give you a meaningful comparison, we'd need the wide angle starting point of your camera, in 35mm terms.

However, most point and shoot digital cameras start at either 38mm or some wider ones at 28mm, in 35mm equivalent terms. Thus, in the 28mm scenario, you'd get 280mm (almost 300mm), and in the 38mm scenario, 380mm.

So let's look at some 10x cameras; maybe yours is in there:
Panasonic DMC-TZ3: 28mm-280mm

Sony Cybershot DSC-H3: 38mm-380mm

Nikon Coolpix S10: 38mm-380mm

Kodak Easyshare ZD710: 38mm-380mm

Fujifilm S700: 38mm-380mm

Olympus SP-510: 38mm-380mm

Canon Powershot SX1000: 36mm-360mm

Canon Powershot TX1: 39mm-390mm

Answer 2

10x optical zoom only tells us that the range of the camera from wide angle to tele.
E.g. the Canon PowerShot SX100 IS has a 10x optical zoom which equals a 36 to 360mm 35mm film camera lens.
So without a starting value 10x really says nothing.
Most digital camera manufacturers state the 35mm equivalent in their data.
The reason why a shorter lens on most digi cams equals a longer lens on a 35mm camera is that the light sensitive material on a digi (CCD sensor) is smaller than on 35mm film.
So the absolut focal lenght of a lens has nothing to with what is actually on the picture.
E.g. with old 6x9 cm cameras a 105mm length gets you the same frame as a 45 - 50mm lens on a 35mm camera.

Answer 3

It's simple math. It depends on your widest angle, for instance, 24-240, 35-350, 50-500, etc. Just multiply your widest angle by 10.