Moving Image Arts Glossary

z

Zoom lens
A zoom lens can go from wide angle to telephoto (or the other way) making the subject get bigger and smaller without moving the camera.

Note the difference in "feel" between zooming in on a subject, and moving the camera towards them. They both achieve a similar effect in that the subject becomes larger in frame, but moving the camera changes the viewer's perspective as well. Try filming a person two ways, once zooming in, and once moving the camera towards them, and compare the results.