Why can bridge cameras offer huge zoom ranges so cheaply compared with DSLR lenses?
Asked 8/30/2012
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Bridge cameras often advertise very large zoom ranges, such as 24-840mm equivalent, yet the whole camera can cost less than a single DSLR telephoto lens. I understand that sensor size is a big factor, but what is different about the lens itself? What tradeoffs let bridge-camera lenses cover such a huge range while staying compact and inexpensive?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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The reason the lens in bridge cameras have massive zoom and still cheaper is because it is small compared to a DSLR lens.
The main reason behind this is the sensor size(i.e. crop factor)
The sensor size is a sensor of 6x crop factor. That implies that the image in the P&S sensor is cropped 6 times the image in Full frame sensor. This also can be said as the zoom in the P&S camera can be 6x at a given focal length compared to a Full frame camera.
The Specification 24-840 mm focal length of P&S is Full frame equivalent of the P&S lens.
So, the real focal length of the given P&S lens is 3-140 mm lens. Now you can anticipate how small really the 35x zoom on a P&S shoot compared to the DSLR lens.
This smaller focal length of lens can produce that much magnification in a P&S camera. This is the reason for the Cheap price.
Also P&S lens are not for professional purpose and hence there may be some compromise in quality to bring it to the cheaper price.
Originally by user7079. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7079
13y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The key difference is that bridge-camera zooms are much smaller in real focal length than the advertised “35mm equivalent” numbers suggest. A camera like the SX40 uses a very small sensor, so its 24-840mm equivalent lens is actually roughly 3-140mm in real focal length. Designing a 3-140mm lens is far easier, smaller, and cheaper than designing a true 24-840mm lens for a DSLR.
Because the sensor is small, the lens only needs to project a small image circle. Smaller glass elements mean lower size, weight, and cost.
The tradeoffs are mostly image-quality related:
- smaller sensors gather less light
- more noise, especially at higher ISO
- less dynamic range
- less ability to blur backgrounds
- lens quality may be less consistent across such a wide zoom range
So the “huge zoom” is largely a crop-factor effect, not magic lens engineering. Bridge cameras achieve impressive equivalent reach because a short actual focal length appears much more telephoto on a tiny sensor.
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