slightly OT - lenses and closeup

Hi all,

I recently attempted to assist a friend to buy a new camera of the analogue
variety. I was surprised to observe how close the (telephoto) lenses could
focus. The marketing info never even mentioned any macro facilities,
nevertheless it seemed that the zoom lenses it came with (a Canon) could
focus closer than my old special purpose Nikon macro lens. Similarly it
seems that digital camera lenses are able to take extreme close-ups.
Something seems to have happened to lens technology and so I was wondering
if someone could fill me in on how and why lenses are now able to focus much
closer than the c.3 feet which has been standard (for a 50mm lens, for
example) for so long.

Many thanks
Catherine
Received on Sun Dec 7 19:22:25 2003