60mm 24mm


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mikeeeey

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what are all these actually? typically used when talking about lens, zoom?
 

what are all these actually? typically used when talking about lens, zoom?

Please read the newbies guides to photography. They are the big, highlighted, very obvious stickies at the very top of the newbies corner.
 

Yup, its focal length. Now go google about it for answers.
 

I see.

Didn't know the official term for it. Cos keep seeing them when people talking about lenses

Thanks for all info. :)
 

Please read the newbies guides to photography. They are the big, highlighted, very obvious stickies at the very top of the newbies corner.

Thanks for the reply. I read the thread. But it didn't talk about focal lengh (or did i missed it).

cos all i see is Aperture, ISO, shutter speed, metering etc...

Thanks for your help. :)
 

another newbie question.

been googling and read that.

on a LX3, the pictures taken will be between 5.1mm to 12.8mm
and in the 35mm equilvalent, its 24mm-60mm

why the difference? i mean, technically which is correct? I understand that the 35mm eq refers to the old analouge days but is it still important in digital compact cam? why cant they just use the read 5.1 and 12.8?
 

sorry for the chain of qns.

one last qn before i head to bed.

they always say the safer shutter speed is 1/focal length.

in the case of my LX3, when taking a pic at 5.1mm (35mm eq 24mm), whats the safer shutter speed?

thanks all ~
 

A flawed analogy would be currency, sort of converting to a common standard that most people would understand..

5.1mm is quite hard to visualise how wide it is, whereas 24mm (35mm eq) gives people a better idea..
 

another newbie question.

been googling and read that.

on a LX3, the pictures taken will be between 5.1mm to 12.8mm
and in the 35mm equilvalent, its 24mm-60mm

why the difference? i mean, technically which is correct? I understand that the 35mm eq refers to the old analouge days but is it still important in digital compact cam? why cant they just use the read 5.1 and 12.8?

Read up on "crop factor" and you'll understand. Though the lens is officially 5.1 to 12.8, due to the tiny sensor on the LX3, it has a 35mm full-frame field of view equivalent of 24-60.
 

Thanks for the reply. I read the thread. But it didn't talk about focal lengh (or did i missed it).
cos all i see is Aperture, ISO, shutter speed, metering etc...
Thanks for your help. :)

There is more than one thread. Try this one: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=461948
Post no. 4 deals with focal length .. in length :)
 

they always say the safer shutter speed is 1/focal length.
in the case of my LX3, when taking a pic at 5.1mm (35mm eq 24mm), whats the safer shutter speed?

Is it a guideline for handheld shooting. It's neither 'safe' nor a natural law, just a guideline based on experiences of many people. Some people have more shaky hands, others have more stable hands.
Beside the normal holding techniques (not at arm's length, "chicken Wing" posture) keep it simple. Use the 35mm equivalent focal length and follow the guideline. You want to focus on photography, not on Maths, don't you? :)
 

on a LX3, the pictures taken will be between 5.1mm to 12.8mm
and in the 35mm equilvalent, its 24mm-60mm
why the difference? i mean, technically which is correct? I understand that the 35mm eq refers to the old analouge days but is it still important in digital compact cam? why cant they just use the read 5.1 and 12.8?

The 35mm format was the standard format for many many years and camera and lenses, and films .. and even more people. They have developed an understanding and feeling for the meaning of the numbers. There is a visual context: 50mm = what you see with naked eye.
Similar: measuring distances in cm. If somebody tells you that a certain distance is '2.50m' then you have an image in your mind, you can relate the number to something known in your life. Of course, technically you can express the same distance in inches, micrometer or even light years - but you wouldn't be able to relate to these numbers and units.
Secondly, the focal length alone doesn't say much without knowing the size of the sensor. Both details together give the necessary context. See "crop factor".
 

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VERY informative. Thanks for the help, especially Octarine :)
 

another newbie question.

been googling and read that.

on a LX3, the pictures taken will be between 5.1mm to 12.8mm
and in the 35mm equilvalent, its 24mm-60mm

why the difference? i mean, technically which is correct? I understand that the 35mm eq refers to the old analouge days but is it still important in digital compact cam? why cant they just use the read 5.1 and 12.8?

Octarine has already answered your question very well, but I still explain anyway... :)

The 5.1mm is the actual physical focal length of the lens system in the LX3, when it is giving you the widest possible view.
See the image below, which I've stolen from images.trustedreviews.com
3973-FocalLength_diag.gif


The reason why they say "5.1mm (35mm equiv: 24mm)" is that the 5.1mm focal length optical system in the LX3 will give you the same field of view as a 24mm lens would when it is fixed onto a 35mm-format film camera.

Octarine has already explained why 35mm system is used as the basis of comparison.
Well, hope that helps...!
 

Wow. Thanks for the additional and useful info!


You guys are great! :)
 

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