Why does the optical zoom on many of the mid level camcorders decrease as
you go up a product line?

For example the JVC GZ-MG20 has a 25x Optical Zoom and costs about $520
while the JVC GZ-MG70 costs about $800 and only has a 10x zoom?

I've seen the same thing in Sony's line.

Is it just a cost concession or is there a technical reason?

There are a couple of reasons:

1.  Good lenses cost more than bad lenses, and a good zoom lens with a lot
of range is more expensive to make than one with a shorter range.  For cheap
consumer camcorders, lens quality isn't an issue, so it's easy to equip them
with poor quality optics.

2.  Zoom range is a marketing tool for consumer camcorders.  Though it is
virtually impossible to handhold much above 10x without producing shakey and
unusable video, consumers think that a 25x zoom range is "better" than a 20x
zoom range.

See above.  I have a prosumer camcorder, a Sony VX2000.  It has a 10x zoom
range.  It will also produce dramatically better video, under a wider range
of conditions, than anything priced below it.  It was also $2,200 new (and
it's replacement, the VX2100, is priced the same).

Show quoteHide quote

swimdad16 <swimda***@yahoo.com> wrote:
More zoom, less low-light performance ?

Show quote Hide quote Yes and no.  It is certainly possible to build a zoom lens that has only a
minimal f-stop increase at its tele end but, again, for cheap small lenses,
such as you'll find in consumer camcorders, you are right -- you'll lose a
lot of light transmission as you zoom in.

Show quoteHide quote

Compact Memory Card Camcorders
Differences Between iMovie, Final Cut Express, and Final Cut Pro HD???
Hooking up a TV Tuner
Video recording in low light
Going digital?
Lens sizes and threading
DVD burning advice sought
Capture Sony PC9 video
Batterys on Sony DCR-TRV310
Canon Elura 100 Any comments or Reviews?