Digital cameras 101

[Wojciech]

I'm wondering how it is with digital camera lenses?

For one camera 5,9 -59mm is 38-380 mm equivalent in 35 mm photografy (for Olympus C-730 UZ).

For another, 6,3 - 63 mm is  also 38 - 380 mm equivalent in 35 mm photografy (Olympus C-760 UZ)

It shouldn't be 6,3 - 63 mm is 42 - 420 mm equivalent in 35 mm.?

How do they count this?

Wojciech


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[ShutterbugGail]

Hi,

Thanks so much for contacting us! The focal lengths of digital cameras can indeed be confusing.

Digital camera manufacturers describe focal lengths in terms of the lens length of a 35mm camera, which would produce a similar area of view. As you pointed out, you can have two digital cameras with two different focal lengths, yet they both have the same 35mm equivalent lens.

Focal lengths on 35mm cameras are consistent because the 35mm film size is the same for each. But digital cameras have different focal lengths because their image sensor size (CCD) vary from digicam to digicam.

For example, the Olympus C-765 has a sensor size of 1/2.5." The Olympus C-730 has a sensor size of 1/2.7."

If you do an internet search you can find quite a bit of information on 35mm lens equivalent. Some of it gets quite technical. We have some non-technical information about it here:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/what-is-35mm-equivalent/

[Wojciech]

thanks for the answer,
despite the fact, that I made mistake (C-760 UZ realy is 42-420 mm equivalent in 35 mm) your answer explain my problem.
However I made a simple calculation:
420/63 is 6,66 (C-760)
380/59 is 6,44 (C-730)
and the sensor size is the same 1/2,7"
I needed that because I read a specifications all  Olympus UZ models and I was thinking that something is wrong with this. But now I am sure that all data are correct.
wojciech