Alright, so I’ve been thinking about getting a new camera recently. In the past, I’ve used multiple kinds of webcams, a handheld video camera that couldn’t take pictures (but that was a long time ago…) a Sony Handycam (new when I first got it) and a Canon Powershot SX170 IS.

Out of all the cameras that I’ve used in the past, the Powershot and the Handycam seemed to be the most reliable. If I’m not mistaken, the majority of films I’ve made were filmed on one of those two. However, they both share one common downside – neither can remote capture. (This being the main culprit behind the shakyness in my THAC XIII entry)

I’d just rediscovered the Handycam the other day and was messing around with it just for old times sake when I realized that I could manually focus it. (I wish I’d known that back when I used it more-so prolifically) And, not only could I manually focus it, there didn’t seem to be a stop to how far I could pull focus independent of zooming.

Naturally, I tested the same thing out on the Powershot (which shoots in 4k, by the way) when I realized that zooming on it seems to raise a “cap” of how closely one can pull focus. – Basically, fully zoomed out, I can focus in really closely. But after zooming in, I can only focus so far…

Here’s a quick comparison chart I made showing this off…

I hadn’t really messed around with zooming and focusing too drastically until that Alfred Hitchcock inspired brickfilm I attempted for the Sight & Sound contest… So, I’m definitely a novice in this area.

What I’d like to know is: What is the focus to zoom “cap” called/what spec should I be on the look for when looking for another camera?

Is this optical zoom? Digital zoom? Or another technical spec altogether? – I assume it has a lot to do with lens type, although, I’m not exactly sure what ratio or feature explains this situation…

Thanks.

Edit: Updated title since there hadn't been a response since posting last week...]

Last edited by Dyland (March 18, 2017 (01:38pm))