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General discussion

Wide Angle View In Small Tight Space

Mar 24, 2005 9:40AM PST

Hi,

I have several digital cam-corders and a Olympus S4000(I think I have it right) and Im looking at taking video of my house which has 4 small bedrooms and of course the kitchen and bathroom. What happens now with the cameras that I own is that in order to get the full view of each room, i have to manually pan the camera in each room. I would like to be pointed to a digital camera, which allows me to take video but with a wide angle in a small tight space, in other words, nearly infinite zoom out. I hope this makes sense and I welcome and appreciate all comments. If a digital camcorder is the best way to go for this, Im all ears. Most cameras are made today for infinite zoom out. I would just like to do the reverse.

Discussion is locked

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Wide Angel
Mar 24, 2005 11:06AM PST

When you start widening the area that a lens covers, you reach a point that the picture is distorted.
This is called barrel distortion.

If you continue to widen the field, you get into lenses that can show 180 degrees. This introduces extreme distortion, called fisheye.

You have to use add-on conversion lenses to do this.
None of which will zoom.

I don't know of any digital still camera that can zoom from normal to fisheye.

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Wide Angle
Mar 24, 2005 3:26PM PST

Hi,

Im not looking to take still photos. Im looking to take video. If i stand one foot outside my bathroom, I expect to be able to zoom back and get most of the bathroom without having to pan up, down, left and right. I had a cheap webcam with no focusing ability at all which was able to do this. I simply want something that will zoom back a little more than the camcorder that I currently have which is a JVC GR-DVL120U(a mini dv). I appreciate your comments though.

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Wide Angle
Mar 24, 2005 10:46PM PST

What I said for the still photos on a digital camera would also apply to its video abilities.

They do make wide angle conversion lenses for camcorders.
I am sure that someone makes one for your JVC camcorder.

Perhaps you should post your question on the "Camcorders Forum".

Here is a link to the camcorders forum:

http://reviews.cnet.com/5204-7594-0.html?forumID=59&start=0

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