12x Optical Add-On By Zoom-X

[Suhit Gupta]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://enorgis.com/index.php?p=4167' target='_blank'>http://enorgis.com/index.php?p=4167</a><br /><br /></div><i>"This brilliant optical gadget gives any standard digital or 35mm compact a zoom lens that a tabloid paparazzi would give his right arm for. Zoom-X is an ingenious 12x variable-focus mini zoom that locates securely in front of the camera’s own lens. As long as your camera’s got a threaded tripod hole underneath (and 99% do), the universal mount will fit! It even works with your camera’s existing zoom."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/tn_zoomx.jpg" /><br /><br />Wow, that is a pretty cool accessory to have if you have a small point and shoot camera with not too much zoom. The only catch is that you probably need a tripod because 1) the accessory itself needs it for balance; and 2) you are taking very high zoom photos then the tendancy for them to get blurry, due to hand movement, gets high. And it only costs about $70.

[Jason Dunn]

That looks very cool, and that's amazingly cheap...makes me wonder about the quality of the zoom lens, but hey, this isn't made for professionals.

[Crocuta]

Yeah, I'm not sure they won't 'miss' their market on this. As you say, for that price and magnification the quality can't be all that high. And the loss of light would be significant (probably several stops), so you'd end up with pretty slow shutter speeds to compensate, even with the aperture wide open. Then you'd have to set up this wacky tripod system to get it all to work. I don't see the average person going to all this trouble, and I don't see the person who's serious about shooting long settling for these compromises.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Heh, can't beat the time when I attached my 995 to a cheap 15x scope for the fun of it. =D

[Suhit Gupta]

Heh, can't beat the time when I attached my 995 to a cheap 15x scope for the fun of it. =D
What were the results like?

Suhit

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Pretty crap, but incredible magnification. Almost got filled the frame with the moon on the 995.