Was she talking bollox??

[mechsympathy]

In Jessops last weekend buying my new toy the sales girl said that as digital SLRs have a sensor that is smaller (by a third IIRC) than the area a film covers then this means that a 18mm lense is effectively a 27mm lens. It sounds like nonsense to me, but then I know nothing.

[Mad Dave]

Exactly correct. My 18-70mm DX lens for my D70 is equivalent to, I think, 27mm - 105mm.

[mechsympathy]

That'll teach me for scoffing.

[Prof Higgins]

Unless of course you were buying a Canon EOS-1Ds whos digital sensor is the same size as 35mm meaning lenses are same effective length as before.

[simpo two]

Yep, for Nikons the factor is x1.5 and for (most) Canons x1.6.

So for any given lens you get more telephoto but less wideangle. That's why, if you're used to the field of view from a 28mm lens on a 35mm film camera, you now need 18mm to do the same

[CVP]

simpo two said:

Yep, for Nikons the factor is x1.5 and for (most) Canons x1.6.

Great for those of us normally using the telephoto end though ! Using my 300mm lens now gives me a similar angle of view as I would have got from a 450mm lens in the past, and no loss of aperture So swings and roundabouts.

Chris