zoom lens

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zoom lens

a lens system that allows the focal length of a camera lens to be varied continuously without altering the sharpness of the image

Zoom Lens

a combination of a telescopic attachment and an objective lens, forming an optical system with a variable focal length. The mechanical motions of the individual elements of the telescopic attachment ensure that the image scale of an object varies smoothly within a specified range. The focal length of a zoom lens is varied, but the sharpness of focus of the objective and the relative aperture remain unchanged.

Zoom lenses are used most often on motion-picture cameras for creating the illusion that the camera is approaching or receding in cases where it is not desirable to move the camera relative to the object being filmed. Because the aberrations of the telescopic attachment and the objective lens are usually calculated separately, the same attachment may be used with different objective lenses.

L. A. RIVKIN

zoom lens

[′züm ¦lenz]

(optics)

A system of lenses in which two or more parts are moved with respect to each other to obtain a continuously variable focal length and hence magnification, while the image is kept in the same image plane. Also known as variable-focal-length lens; varifocal lens.

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References in periodicals archive ?

The NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S (released in April 2019) is a fast, professional standard zoom lens for the Nikon Z mount system.

The Nikon Z 6 mirrorless camera and the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S high-performance standard zoom lens recipients of EISA Awards

Winner of the Best Expert DSLR Zoom Lens award, the Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM was designed for full-frame SLR cameras, but is equally beneficial for APS-C digital SLR camera users who want to gain even more zoom range.

Canon products selected for Technical Image Press Association Awards

The GH700 camera boasts three cutting-edge features: high performance optical zoom lens, BSI CMOS sensor and a high-speed digital signal processor (DSP).

BenQ Launches First Bridge-Type Digital Camera Range to the Middle East

Built-in zoom lens with 3.4 mm - 122.4 mm focal range provides 36x optical zoom, while 1/4 Sony SuperHAD CCD allows PTZ camera to generate clear detailed images with 530 TVL resolution.

Smartec Premiere: Vandalproof PTZ Camera with 36x Zoom Lens and Unique Rotation Gear

When considering digital cameras with a zoom lens, what's important is the optical zoom distance and not the digital zoom distance.

READER PICTURE TIPS How to choose ?a good camera

The Digital IXUS 110 IS offers the ultimate in wide shooting via a wide-angle zoom lens, wide-aspect LCD and widescreen HD movie shooting, while the Digital IXUS 990 IS delivers superior telephoto reach via a 5.0x optical zoom, and detailed image review with a 3.0" PureColor LCD II.

From wide imaging to telephoto power: the new, smarter generation of Digital IXUS

Incorporating a 2.4X optical zoom lens with 4X digital zoom, the camera has an autofocus system that keeps most of the camera's image plane in sharp focus.

Network camera

It offers 7.1 mega-pixels, 3x optical zoom lens, 2.5-inch LCD, Bright Capture Technology and digital image stabilization mode.

Stylus 720SW, FE-180: Olympus America

Tokyo, Japan, Nov 22, 2006 - (JCN) - Fujinon Corporation, a subsidiary of Fuji Film Corporation announced its release of DIGI POWER 88, HD zoom lens with a focal length of 8.8mm, along with DIGI POWER 88 PF equipped with a better precision focus lens.

Fujinon to Release High-Power HD Zoom Lens of 88 Fold

It has adjustable frame rates, two built-in digital still cameras, total image control of more than 23 variables of the video image (all independently adjustable), and a Canon 20X zoom Lens with optical image stabilization.

HD camcorder

The VB-C50i/VB-C50iR Pan/Tilt/Zoom Network Camera features an advanced 26X optical zoom lens and a 12X digital zoom to enable users to capture fine detail from far distances and crisp 640 x 480-pixel resolution video with up to 30-frames-per-second quality.

IP-enabled camera

For my second example (opposite, top left), I used a telephoto zoom lens set at about 200mm to flatten perspective in this photograph of a row of tombs in a Buddhist cemetery in Pakxe, Laos.