Another Idiot qn from me- Telephoto lens in digital camera w

[maisatomai]

Sorry it me again asking another dumb question. I am hoping to know why the longer the focal length, the longer the telephoto lens. Why issn't it true for digital camcorder which can acheive 35~1000mm with such a compact size?

[Sintares]

Could it be due to the tiny sensors compared to normal digital cameras?

Ie a typical superzoom with a 1/2.5 sensor has a small lens typically with a focal length of 6-72, capable of 432mm in 35mm film terms

The only reason that is possible in such a small lens is the Focal Length Multiplier ofusually around 6 cropping the field of view as if a much longer lens was attached.

Now that 1/2.5 sensor has a diagonal size of just over 7mm

Many camcorders have 1/3 or 1/4 sensors, somehave 1/6 sensors, with a diagonal of 2.7 mm !

Thus a vastly increased FLM ..