- Jun 21, 2001
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I'll ask the question first, does an 18mm digital camera lens (like the Nikon DX series) only provide a field of view equal to a 28mm on a 35mm camera?
Considering the 1.x conversion when using older lenses on a digital camera, that makes sense - a 50mm for medium format isn't the same as a 50mm on 35mm film. However, I've been assuming the focal lengths on the new lenses were adjusted to equate with a 35mm film lens.
If I'm right then I'm a bit disappointed because that means there are no really wide angle lenses for digital yet.
I'm asking because I've been reading things like this:
"Digital SLRs have a sensor only 67% as big as film, so any lens used on digital gives a smaller field of view similar to a lens of 1.5 times the focal length. Take the focal length you use on your film camera and divide by 1.5 to get the focal length you need on a digital camera for the same effect. For instance, a 28-105 mm lens is about perfect on a film camera, which means for a digital camera you want an 18-70 mm lens."
and this:
"This 18-70 zoom is similar to a 27-105 mm on a 35 mm film camera. "
and this:
"Zooms starting at 17 or 18 mm give the same results as a zoom starting at 26 mm on a film camera."
Have I just proven the rule about assuming?
Considering the 1.x conversion when using older lenses on a digital camera, that makes sense - a 50mm for medium format isn't the same as a 50mm on 35mm film. However, I've been assuming the focal lengths on the new lenses were adjusted to equate with a 35mm film lens.
If I'm right then I'm a bit disappointed because that means there are no really wide angle lenses for digital yet.
I'm asking because I've been reading things like this:
"Digital SLRs have a sensor only 67% as big as film, so any lens used on digital gives a smaller field of view similar to a lens of 1.5 times the focal length. Take the focal length you use on your film camera and divide by 1.5 to get the focal length you need on a digital camera for the same effect. For instance, a 28-105 mm lens is about perfect on a film camera, which means for a digital camera you want an 18-70 mm lens."
and this:
"This 18-70 zoom is similar to a 27-105 mm on a 35 mm film camera. "
and this:
"Zooms starting at 17 or 18 mm give the same results as a zoom starting at 26 mm on a film camera."
Have I just proven the rule about assuming?
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