Definition

Noun: A zoom lens is a type of camera lens with a variable focal length. This allows the photographer or videographer to change the magnification of the subject, making it appear closer (zooming in) or farther away (zooming out) without physically moving the camera.

Usage

A zoom lens is used to adjust the field of view and composition of a photograph or video shot from a fixed position. It provides flexibility by covering a range of focal lengths in one lens.

Examples

• Noun:
  • For wildlife photography, a telephoto zoom lens is essential to capture distant animals.
  • She adjusted the zoom lens to get a tight shot of the speaker's face.
  • This camera kit includes a standard 18-55mm zoom lens.

Advanced Usage

• "To zoom in/out": While "zoom lens" is a noun, the related verb phrase "to zoom in" (to adjust the lens to make the subject appear closer) and "to zoom out" (to adjust the lens to make the subject appear farther away) are common actions performed with such a lens.
  • He zoomed in to read the text on the sign.

Variants and Related Words

• Zoom (verb): To change the focal length of a zoom lens rapidly.
  • The documentary filmmaker zoomed smoothly onto the subject.
• Prime lens (noun): A camera lens with a fixed focal length, which is the opposite of a zoom lens.
• Telephoto lens (noun): A lens with a long focal length, often but not always part of a zoom lens's range, used for magnifying distant subjects.

Synonyms

• Variable-focal-length lens: A more technical term for a zoom lens.
• Varifocal lens: Another term, though it can have slightly different technical implications in optics.

Related Phrases

• Optical zoom: The magnification achieved by a zoom lens using its optics, as opposed to digital zoom which is software-based.
  • For the best quality, use the camera's optical zoom rather than digital zoom.

Noun

1. a camera lens that magnifies the image