How to Read Nikon Camera Lens Numbers
Lens names are full of abbreviations, number ranges, and useless advertising. Take a look at which pieces of information are important for you and what it all ways.
It's absolutely essential that get a grip on manufacturers' lens designations. For one thing, this lets yous decide how expert your lens is, and for some other, it lets you rapidly search among the dozens of items in shop catalogs when you're buying a new lens. And it teaches y'all that some of them tin be very treacherous—ane skillful example is "Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.eight XR Di-Ii VC LD Aspherical (IF) for Canon."
The Numbers are the Foundation
No matter how the lens is designated, somewhere in the middle of it you'll find a series of numbers, typically in one of the following formats:
- A-B mm f/ C-D (e.1000. 18-55mm f/3.5-five.6)
- A-B mm f/ C (due east.g. eighteen-50 mm f/2.8)
- A mm f/ C (eastward.g. fifty mm f/i.four)
Other methods for expressing this information likewise exist. Very oftentimes you lot'll run across a shortened notation with no units, of the sort "50/1.four." In exceptional cases, generally on older lenses, you can also detect the numbers reversed: "ane.4/50." Everything can also exist expressed as "50 mm 1:1.iv" or "l mm F1.4." Simply in all cases this is zippo more than a way of writing the numbers; their significant is always the aforementioned.
Different Formats, Identical Significant
50 mm f/1.4 // 50/1.4 // 1.4/50 // 50 mm 1:i.iv // fifty mm F1.4
The first number gives the range of focal lengths in millimeters, while the second gives the lens speed (for the 1.iv/fifty designation it'south vice-versa).
Focal Length Range
The first number or pair of numbers indicates the range of available focal lengths in millimeters. From this you can tell what angles of view the detail lens can handle. Lower numbers mean a wider angle. So an ordinary, basic 18-55 DSLR lens can "zoom" from medium-wide views out to the commencement of telephoto range. Often they are supplemented in people'due south gear past a 70–300 lens, which on the other hand is a pure telephoto.
Things are complicated a fleck by the fact that angle of view depends both on focal length and sensor size. So if you want to compare lenses made for cameras with different sensors, you need to know the ingather gene , i.e. how many times smaller (or for some rare cases, larger) the given sensor is than a reference sensor size chosen full-frame (the size of a film frame; its ingather factor = 1). The crop gene is multiplied by a specific focal length to get an equivalent for the total-frame globe. The cheaper DSLRs have a sensor about i.five times smaller, so you lot apply a crop gene of 1.5 for multiplication, and thus their focal lengths of 18–55 mm stand for to 27–83 for total-frame cameras.
If there is only one number instead of a range of focal lengths listed before the slash (eastward.g. "50/1.4"), and then this is a lens that has no zoom ability and shoots with just one focal length . Although these fixed lenses are less universal, they tend to have higher paradigm quality, making them a favorite among advanced photographers.
Lens Speed
The lens speed is listed after the small "f" and the slash . Also chosen the minimum f-number, it specifies how much low-cal the lens lets through (for highly advanced readers: ignore the minor difference betwixt the f-stop and the t-stop).
Smaller numbers are better—the smaller the number, the more than light goes through the lens and the more easily it can take pictures even in deeper darkness. Moreover, it has a smaller depth of field , i.eastward. when focusing on an object, the groundwork will exist blurred more quickly (that is, at smaller differences of distance) than on a lens with a numerically higher (worse) minimum f-number. Unfortunately lenses with better lens speed are larger and heavier, and thus besides more expensive.
If in that location is a range of numbers afterward the slash, similar there is for example in "xviii-55mm f/3.5-v.half dozen," that means that the lens has a lens speed of f/iii.5 at the 18mm focal length, but a lens speed of f/5.vi at the 55mm focal length. Its lens speed smoothly changes betwixt these two extremes. A lens of the blazon "eighteen-50 mm f/two.8," on the other hand, has a nice lens speed of f/2.8 throughout its whole range of focal lengths, and then it's college-quality (simply too larger, heavier, and more expensive…).
If you're comparing lenses amidst different systems, you have to also multiply each lens speed by the crop cistron.
Compatibility with Your Camera
Another thing that's important for a lens is whether or not it'southward suitable for your camera—and I'm non just talking here virtually the correct bayonet, which makes it possible to adhere the lens to the camera at all.
Many camera manufacturers produce different model lines with two or three different sensor sizes , with the highest lines existence total-frame and the others somewhat smaller. But despite the different sensor sizes, these dissimilar camera lines from one manufacturer volition share the aforementioned bayonet. That means that you can (sometimes) attach a lens that was originally intended for some other sensor size. You tin do that on purpose, but as well accidentally—and so it'south of import to pay attention to the dissimilar designations when making your purchase.
Additionally, so that people with smaller sensors don't accept to unnecessarily carry large and heavy lenses, some lenses are specially manufactured then as to only embrace a smaller sensor with the image they produce. Although lenses like these are thus smaller, they are not usable (or but usable to a limited degree) on total-frame cameras.
Fortunately within individual bayonets and for unlike manufacturers you tin find indications of whether or not a given lens is made for big sensors or the smaller ones. If you own a full-frame camera, this lets you avoid incompatible lenses, and if, meanwhile, yous own a camera with a smaller sensor, y'all don't have to buy unnecessarily expensive lenses. Merely I take to stress that cameras with smaller sensors can still use the "larger" lenses without problems. What ofttimes happens, even so, is that there is no smaller variant bachelor with the aforementioned parameters—then you really practice have no other choice than to invest more money and carry a little more lens weight than is really necessary.
Designations differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. The manufacturers with the nigh widespread lenses use these abbreviations. The first is the designation for full-frame lenses (crop factor i); the residue are for smaller lenses.
- Catechism: EF vs. EF-Southward (ingather 1.half dozen) vs. EF-Thou (crop ane.vi, special line for mirrorless cameras)
- Nikon: FX vs. DX (crop 1.5) vs. 1 Nikkor (crop 2.7, one time again for mirrorless but)
- Sony A-mountain: unmarked vs. DT (ingather 1.5)
- Sony E-mount: Fe vs. E (ingather 1.5)
- Pentax: FA vs. DA (ingather 1.v)
- Sigma: DG vs. DC (crop 1.five/1.6) vs. DN (crop 2)
- Tamron: Di vs. Di II (ingather 1.5/1.6) vs. Di Three (crop 2, but sometimes also 1.5)
- Tokina: FX vs. DX (crop 1.5)
Some manufacturers—these last iii particularly—produce lenses for diverse systems from other brands, and so hither you also have pay attention to the bayonet. You can generally discover this in store listings inside the lens proper name in a class like "Sigma 50/1.4 for Canon."
Stabilization
Stabilization is an of import parameter that states whether or not a lens includes an image stabilization organization . This arrangement lets you shoot tripod-free even with long exposure times , which is especially useful for telephoto lenses. Certain cameras have stabilization built direct into the camera body, and so the lens doesn't have to handle it. For the rest, you accept to scout the lens designation, and, in low-cal of the fact that here again every manufacturer uses dissimilar terminology, you take to look for ane of their abbreviations:
- IS as in Prototype Stabilization (Canon)
- VR as in Vibration Reduction (Nikon)
- OSS as in Optical SteadyShot (Sony)
- Bone as in Optical Stabilization (Sigma)
- VC equally in Vibration Compensation (Tamron)
- VCM as in Vibration Correction Module (Tokina)
Because adding a stabilization module makes a lens more expensive, sometimes yous'll discover ii variants for one lens: one variant with stabilization, and i without. Then y'all have to decide whether or not stabilization is worth it despite the increased lens price.
Filter Diameter
One very applied slice of information is the ane concerning the flange at the end of the lens, used for screwing filters onto information technology. These exist in a variety of different diameters, and for this reason sometimes y'all'll detect a marking on your lens such as "Ø 77 mm." On professional lenses, 77 or 82 mm are mutual. Lenses for smaller cameras typically use smaller filters.
Lens Version
Manufacturers gradually update the nigh commonly used lenses, then for case once every five or 10 years y'all can run into a lens that has the aforementioned parameters as its predecessor, but looks dissimilar and is, in general, college-quality. It differs from its predecessor via a " II " at the finish (some lines accept even reached upward to "III.")
You generally can't find the older version in stores, and then in that location's no way to brand a fault on that front, but you have to picket out in 2d-hand stores and in reviews, where you can come across models from various periods.
Other Abbreviations & Marketing Abbreviations
Other abbreviations are used on lenses likewise, only these often announced for mere marketing reasons. That's not to say that the given lens is mislabeled, but the given abbreviations go into depth unnecessarily, and some manufacturers skip them considering of this. So another lens can be but as good or amend, but its creator didn't notice information technology appropriate to put such detailed information in its name.
Even notwithstanding, it's skillful to accept a general idea of what'due south in question, and so let'south have a look at the master terms here.
Focusing Motor Type
In high-quality lenses, the cheapest simple focusing motor is replaced with a supersonic motor, which is faster and quieter. This is indicated as USM (Catechism), SWM (Nikon), SSM (Sony), HSM (Sigma), PZD (Tamron), or with the suffix " -S " (Tokina).
This designation tin can sometimes be misleading, as it is e.g. for Catechism, where "USM" sometimes indicates the lower-quality MicroUSM motor, and therefore I consider this designation to exist more than marketing-oriented every bit well, and I recommend that you rely mainly on reviews of the lens'south real behavior.
Macro Possibilities
Today the word MACRO in all caps in a name has also become a source of defoliation. Although true macro lenses include it in their names, manufacturers of other lenses of all types also include it in their names at their leisure.
So information technology's amend to peer into the specifics of such a lens—the maximum bachelor zoom level. True macro lenses have 1:i or meliorate (2:i, 3:i, etc.), which means that a photo's subject is projected onto the sensor at life size or larger-than-life size.
Just you can as well run into lenses such every bit the 1 that's chosen the Tamron 28-75/ii.8 MACRO despite having an underwhelming maximum zoom level—just i: 3.9. The Nikon 24-seventy/2.eight lens has the same zoom level, but its manufacturer was reasonable and didn't cram "MACRO" into its name.
Special Materials
Speaking of Tamron, they—forth with Pentax—similar to boast of the special materials or individual lenses inside of a camera lens. These are abbreviations such as XR (Extra Refractive), ED (Extra Dispersion), and LD (Low Dispersion), and in some cases descriptions of the lens shape: "Aspherical." These lenses can easily be worse than other lenses that take a far smaller number of abbreviations. Hither again, only real-world tests can determine.
But at that place'southward one exception: Some lenses are currently produced in two versions, most identical according to specifications, differing simply in, indeed, whether or not a special optical chemical element is used inside. 1 good instance is "Catechism 70-300/4-5.6" vs. "Canon 75-300/iv.5-five.6 DO." In this case it'southward about the "Diffractive Optics element" inside, which is significantly lighter than an ordinary lens, only suffers the trade-off of slightly different optical qualities (peculiarly potentially junior bokeh). The "DO" designation is the safest style to tell these lenses apart, which is very important.
Internal Focusing
Another Tamron "specialty"—the IF (Internal Focusing) designation. It tells you lot that the lens doesn't change in size during focusing, making it easier to work with. However, other companies have plenty of lenses like this. So Tamron is not at all special in having this function—just in using it in the lens name for marketing purposes.
Higher-quality Lines
Manufacturers as well endeavour to differentiate the lenses that are in their opinion better than the rest of their product. So you tin can justify to yourself the college toll you pay by basking in the glow of the special designations for these lens lines— L (Canon), Grand (Sony), A / Art / EX (Sigma), SP (Tamron), or PRO (Tokina). (Nikon doesn't have such a designation.)
Watch Out for the Special Details
That's all for the subject of lens designations. I've described how the symbols work for the primary manufacturers. To give you lot a better overview, here's a summary chart:
There are still few minor details with an impact worth caring about, but these are only found on a couple of quite unusual lens types. The Nikon "AF Nikkor 14mm f/2.8" can serve as an example here. Well-nigh all Nikon lenses have the designation AF-S at the beginning, which indicates that the lens is able to focus automatically using its own motor. But this detail lens has simply AF instead of AF-S, which ways that although it can focus automatically, it can simply do so with the assistance of a motor inside the camera body.
So if for example you own the Nikon D3300 DSLR, which doesn't accept a motor, then all that'due south left for you hither is manual focusing.
So: if a lens's designation differs in some way from the usual standard, it'southward a expert idea to investigate then that you don't make a bad purchase at the store.
Here'southward wishing you successful deciphering!
Source: https://learn.zoner.com/what-do-those-numbers-and-letters-on-lenses-mean/
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