What does the small mark next to the widest focal length on a zoom lens mean?
Asked 12/29/2017
4 views
2 answers
0
On some zoom lenses, there’s a small line or bracket-like mark between the two widest focal length numbers on the zoom ring. What does that symbol indicate?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
41
I've always thought that it's just to indicate the position that the widest focal length (in the example pictured that would be 18) refers to, to prevent it being too close to the next widest value - e.g. 18 & 24 appearing as '1824'.
In effect the line is saying "we've written the widest focal length over here but actually it should be written here!"
I don't have any reference for this, but on all of the zooms i have used the vertical part of the symbol lines up with the focus ring's position line when the lens is zoomed out to the widest focal length (as it appears to in your picture above).
Originally by user15770. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15770
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
It’s simply an alignment mark for the widest focal length.
On some zoom lenses, there isn’t enough room to print the first two focal length numbers clearly without them looking crowded together, so the widest value is printed slightly off to the side. The small mark shows the exact ring position that corresponds to that widest focal length.
So in an 18–55mm example, the mark indicates where 18mm is. When the zoom index lines up with that mark, the lens is at its widest setting, and you won’t be able to zoom wider than that.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What does the image plane indicator on a camera mean?
What is the red “R” mark on older manual-focus lenses, and how do you use it?
What do the millimeter numbers on camera lenses mean?
Why can some focus rings turn endlessly, and how is that different from zooming?
What does the θ-like mark near the flash on a camera mean?