Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

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Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

Post by rookie » 14 Jan 2020, 11:06 am

Hi guys,

I'm relatively new to optics and looking for options for a .308

I've been doing a bit of reading and have come across this blurb for a Zeiss Conquest v4 6-24x50 ...

  • https://www.zeiss.com/consumer-products/int/hunting/riflescopes/conquest-v4/conquest-v4-6-24x50.html#data
    .. Offering 24× magnification and parallax compensation ..
    .. Equipped with 4x zoom and functional and fully reliable mechanics


Was hoping someone could clarify the difference is between zoom and magnification (using words other than zoom and magnification to describe the difference!) ... searching google, other people trying to describe the two basically say magnification is magnification and zoom is either.

I must admit in the past I thought they were the same but obviously not .. :unknown:

Can scopes have 4x zoom or 3x zoom but still have the same magnification range, example 6-24? ... what would be your opinions between the two?

Thanks
rookie
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Re: Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

Post by Stix » 14 Jan 2020, 11:32 am

The magnification is how much the image is magnified as compared to a constant--in this case,, lets say as compared to what you see with your own eyes...
Having said that, dont get confused with feild of view--this can distort what you think you see with your own eyes...for example, if what you see with your own eyes happens to be the equivelant of 1x, you actually see almost 180 degrees (from left to right) whereas a scope wont have that much field of view...

Now back to Mag/zoom...

So the zoom part, is how many times the actual scope in question magnifies on itself from its smallest power, up to its biggest power...

For example, a 6x-24x scope is 4x power...cos 6x4=24...'capeesh'...??
While a scope that is only 1x-6x is also a 6x power scope...

However, while these 2 scopes are both "6 power scopes", the magnification of these 2 scopes (how many times they actually magnify the real life image) is vastly different...as the max power on one scope, is the minimum on another...

I dont really have time to explain it better than that right now...

Hope that helps for now...

:drinks:
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
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Re: Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

Post by straightshooter » 15 Jan 2020, 7:02 am

Magnification of a telescope is simply a mathematical relationship between the focal length of the objective lens and the ocular lens.
In a variable scope the zoom range is the ratio of the maximum and minimum magnifications.
A sad fact of life is that there may be substantial differences in perceived image quality between different manufactures of scopes with the same nominal magnification.
"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about."
"There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking." Sir Joshua Reynolds
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Re: Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

Post by rookie » 15 Jan 2020, 8:56 pm

Thanks for the replies guys .. I’m not sure I understand it still but the following from Stix helps most I think ..
Stix wrote:a 6x-24x scope is 4x power...cos 6x4=24...'capeesh'...??
While a scope that is only 1x-6x is also a 6x power scope...

:drinks:

So basically:
1. The scope enlarges it’s picture 6 times larger than what it actually is. This is achieved by one of the lenses (not sure if it’s the ocular or objective but I assume it’s the objective).

2. The zoom of the scope could be the scope changing the distance between the ocular lense and the objective lense to produce variable zoom (in this case between 1x-4x).

3. The power of the scope is the cumulative effect of these two enlargement of pictures.. Thereby allowing between 6-24 zoom (or between 1x to 4x zooming of 6x enlarged picture).

Magnification refers to the cumulative calculation between point 1 and 2 above.

Zoom refers to point 2 above only.

I think that’s it?
rookie
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Re: Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

Post by Stix » 15 Jan 2020, 9:34 pm

Im sorry rookie...i started feeling a little dizzy when reading your point 1, began feeling some pain in my temples through point 2, then stepped on my shoelace, tripped & fell off the platform half way through your point 3...
Must've hit my head, because i cant make sense of things here now... :| ...

I cant help you if you're after an education on the engineering of a scope...

Magnification,...look through a scope...lets say a 4-12 scope, set on 4x...you'll notice the image is likely "magnified" from what you see with your naked eye...
Thats the magnification for that scope on that setting...its 4 power...

For an explanation on why its called 4 power, or 4x magnification, see straightshooters reply above...

Zoom...if you "zoom" that scope out to max magnification, you've "zoomed" the scope "3 (three) times ("X")...(=..."3x")...because, the max magnification of that scope is 12, divided by the minimum magnification of "4x", =3...

Yes... :unknown: :)

Just say yes... :thumbsup:

Bonza... :clap:
..
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
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Re: Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

Post by rookie » 17 Jan 2020, 5:13 pm

Ah i think I comprehend stuff better on a Friday rather than mid working week.

Mag = the lower end of a variable zoom scope (where no zoom is applied).

Zoom = the amount of variable zoom the scope may have, calculated by dividing the max magnification by the lowest magnification of a variable zoom scope

I get it now .. it’s more simple than I thought

It’s just in the past I thought a scope zoomed between 6-24 ... didn’t stop to think that there was some magnification already applied (similar to a fixed mag scope).

Thanks thanks guys
rookie
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Re: Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

Post by Stix » 17 Jan 2020, 5:21 pm

:thumbsup:

:drinks:
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...
Stix
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Re: Difference between Zoom and Magnification?

Post by sungazer » 17 Jan 2020, 5:27 pm

But if its on 24 that is 24 times magnification. :lol:
Lets not forget the diopeter that can really be important if you use reading glasses worth a check if buying online. always best to try out a scope before purchase.

Really dont overthink it. It makes sweet FA to anything.
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