Adjust focal length?

[basyok]

What is this supposed to do? It seems to zoom in/out instead of anything related to focal length. Am i missing something here?

 

[SpinItUp]

It'll adjust the focus either near or far won't it?
Never used it or missed it tbh

 

[RogerDH]

What is this supposed to do? It seems to zoom in/out instead of anything related to focal length. Am i missing something here?
View attachment 155628

The focal length of a lens determines the angle of view that is recorded by the sensor, so changing it "zooms" in or out.

 

[basyok]

How is this different from zooming in and out?

 

[scro]

It's a technically incorrect way of saying it zooms in/out. The actual focal length of the lens doesn't change like it would on an optical zoom lens, but the same effect is achieved by cropping the centre portion of the image.

 

[basyok]

It's a technically incorrect way of saying it zooms in/out. The actual focal length of the lens doesn't change like it would on an optical zoom lens, but the same effect is achieved by cropping the centre portion of the image.

So why would there be this option as well as zoom in/out?

 

[basyok]

It'll adjust the focus either near or far won't it?
Never used it or missed it tbh

That's what i thought it might do, but it does not appear to do that. It just zooms in and out, as far as i can tell

 

[RogerDH]

That's what i thought it might do, but it does not appear to do that. It just zooms in and out, as far as i can tell

I think you're looking for the manual focus control -- check the user guide. But are you seeing that focal length control on a Mini 3 Pro? I wouldn't have expected that since the focal length is fixed, so I assumed you were actually on a drone that has zoom, i.e. the focal length can actually be changed, like the Mavic 2 Zoom.

 

[scro]

So why would there be this option as well as zoom in/out?

I really don't know why there are 2 names for exactly the same thing!

Edit: I just had a play and zoom appears to allow you to smoothly transition anywhere between 1x and 2x or 4x, whereas adjust focal length jumps straight between 1x, 2x or 4x.
Adjust focal length definitely isn't manual focus. Focus and focal length are 2 different things.

 

[basyok]

I think you're looking for the manual focus control -- check the user guide. But are you seeing that focal length control on a Mini 3 Pro? I wouldn't have expected that since the focal length is fixed, so I assumed you were actually on a drone that has zoom, i.e. the focal length can actually be changed, like the Mavic 2 Zoom.

No, this is on the mini 3 pro, dji rc, and it appears to just zoom in and out, so I'm confused about it. No mention in the manual.

 

[Vic Moss]

What is this supposed to do? It seems to zoom in/out instead of anything related to focal length. Am i missing something here?
View attachment 155628

"Zoom" and "adjusting focal length" is the same thing. The button/dial combo will zoom in or out when you change that setting. Focal length and focus are two entirely different things.

The camera itself has a fixed focal length of a 35mm equivalent of 24mm. "Adjusting Focal Length" is basically zooming in digitally.

 

[basyok]

"Zoom" and "adjusting focal length" is the same thing. The button/dial combo will zoom in or out when you change that setting. Focal length and focus are two entirely different things.

The camera itself has a fixed focal length of a 35mm equivalent of 24mm. "Adjusting Focal Length" is basically zooming in digitally.

It seems a little redundant, doesn't it?

 

[Vic Moss]

It seems a little redundant, doesn't it?

No.

There are plenty of things that are the same and named differently. It comes from being either technical v. non-technical terms, and/or different names for things from different parts of the world.

Other examples, f/stop v. aperture, ISO v. ASA, lens hood v. lens shade, etc.

All industries have the same thing.