Topic: wide lens

[Val]

Anyone know if a wide lens is the same thing as a zoom lens? I've got a lovely little sony DSC-W35 its one I can actual use but although it takes terrific pics I want a zoom lens I can use for wildlife etc.I've found an attachment but its called a wide lens. I know nothing about photography and need to have an idiot proof camera but I'd also like to zoom in on the birds on the beach, it has a zoom control in the camera but not close enough. Thanks Val.

[calendula]

no it isn't the same - a wide angle lens tends to distort in a way to accomodate a broad or wider spectrum of vision, the wider the lens the more distorted it gets although this can produce some interesting features.

To be technical a wide lens has a shorter focal length than a normal lens and a zoom lens will have a variety of focal lengths from normal to long so you can select the zooming position

hope useful  :)

[Barnowl]

Sony do make telephoto extensions for the Cybershot - they're called tele-converters because they extend an existing lenses rather than being a complete telephoto lens in their own right.  So a 2.6x teleconverter will turn the 3x zoom of the Cybershot into a 7.8x zoom.

http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProduct.action?product=DSC-W35&productsku=DSCW35.CEH&site=odw_en_GB&pageType=Accesories&imageType=Main&category=DCC+Digital+Still+Cameras#tab

I know there are pros and cons about these converters, for example they  reduce the amount of light available to the camera which can affect the picture unless conditions are bright, so I would try one out in a shop before buying.