Abstract: A zoom system for positioning a lens carriage and corresponding method are described. The zoom system includes a drive motor, a lens carriage, and a control system. The drive motor moves the lens carriage including a read head for generating a signal indicative of the lens carriage position. The control system generates a signal causing the drive motor to move the lens carriage and generates a signal causing the drive motor to either stop or move the lens carriage based on the read head generated signal. The method includes generating a first control signal causing a drive motor to move a lens carriage to a predetermined position responsive to a magnification change signal; generating by the lens carriage a read head signal based on detection of an indicator on a tape scale; and generating a second control signal causing the drive motor to stop moving the lens carriage at the predetermined position responsive to the first read head signal.