What is x in 3x, 8x or 12x zoom of a camera?

Question

What is x in 3x, 8x or 12x zoom of a camera?

Answer 1

If your camera has a 3x zoom, it means the lens is a zoom lens capable of zooming 3 times (roughly) from the widest angle of the lens.

For example; a 28-85 mm lens is a 3x zoom lens, so is a 100-300 mm lens. In compact cameras with fixed lens, it is most common the lens spans from wide to moderate tele lens making an object seem 3 times closer.

When choosing zoom factor consider that a wider zoom (higher factor 5, 6, or more) gives you more flexibility (you dont have to walk as much) but sometimes gives you less sharpness, slower lens (force you to use high ISO and less quality) and at the tele end a lot more risk of getting camera shake and fuzzy pictures.

Answer 2

x means MF(multiplicative factor)

if u r taking photograph and object is at 100m.

zoom 2x means it will appear to be 100/2=50m

zoom 8x means it will appear to be 100/8=12.5m