The Zoom: Drama at the Touch of a Lever

The book explores the evolution of the zoom lens in American film and television, highlighting its journey from the late 1920s silent films to the innovative psychedelic experiments of the 1960s. It details the challenges faced by inventors in creating practical zoom lenses for studios and the debates among cinematographers regarding their proper usage, illustrating the technological advancements and artistic conflicts that shaped visual storytelling over the century.