| For those of you who want to learn what these | | | | Nikon Lens Abbreviations |
| abbreviations are about, I have compiled a list of | | | | Describing Nikon Lenses |
| the terms used, what it stands for and of course | | | | Nikon produce a large range of lenses with their |
| what it will actually do for you or not do for you. | | | | own specific acronyms. Sigma, Tamron and |
| General Abbreviations. | | | | Tokina also make Nikon Fit SLR Lenses making |
| Before we get into the nitty gritty of why they | | | | the selection almost equally as wide |
| are all diiferent let's lok at the commonalities. | | | | AF DC_ Nikkor Lenses:Defocus-image Control |
| There are three common terms to describe SLR | | | | adjusting spherical aberration and thus the blur |
| lenses and these are simple to grasp and relate | | | | giving rounded blur effect used for portraits. |
| purely to more cretive and performance | | | | CRC (Close-Range Correction): Fot fisheye, |
| functions. | | | | wide-angle, Micro, and limited medium telephoto, |
| Focal length: - The scope of the scene captured | | | | offering higher quality at closer distances. |
| example 16-35mm. A lens which covers an area | | | | DX Nikkor: optimised for bodies with smaller |
| of 16mm (relatively wide) zooming in to 35mm. | | | | sensors. |
| Maximum aperture:- The maximumspeed at which | | | | ED: Extra-low Dispersion glass. Superior sharpness |
| the lens can let in light. eg f/2.8 or f3.5 - 5.6 | | | | and colour, correcting blue and red light travel. |
| If the lens has only one number then that is the | | | | IF: Internal Focusing. lens lenth remains unchanged |
| maximum aperture possible. | | | | Macro: suitable for close up focusing. |
| If the lens has 2 numbers then these are the | | | | G: Aperture adjusted by the camera body. |
| maximum apertures possible dependent upon the | | | | Nano Crystal Coat: non-reflective coating for |
| focal length the lens is set to. | | | | clearer images. |
| The lower the number the wider the lens | | | | VR: Vibration Reduction: Nikon's version Image |
| aperture and the faster it lets in light. (see my | | | | Stabilisation to cur down the effects of hand |
| forthcoming article on thelaw of reciprocity) | | | | shake. |
| AF/MF: Switch between Auto Focus and Manual | | | | PC-E: Perspective Control for architectural |
| Focus | | | | photography. |
| Canon Lens AbbreviationsTerms to describe | | | | RF: Rear Focusing for smoother auto focus.. |
| Canon lenses | | | | Silent Wave Motor: Silent AF |
| Canon produce an extremely wide range of | | | | Sigma Lens Abbreviations |
| lenses for their EOS cameras. This married with | | | | Acronyms for Sigma lenses |
| the ranges produced by Sigma, Tamron and | | | | EX: Sigma's professional lenses. |
| Tokina gives Canon owners an enormous range | | | | DG: For full frame bodies |
| of Canon Fit SLR Lenses. The abbreviations used | | | | DC: For APS-C bodies. |
| by Canon are as below. | | | | ASP: Aspherical lens. |
| EF: Electronic Focus. Lens mount fits the entire | | | | APO: Apochromatic lens. Unique to Sigma and for |
| Canon EOS DSLR range. | | | | chromatic aberration. |
| EF-S: As above but only fitting the APS-C sensor | | | | OS: Optical Stabilisation. |
| digital SLR such as the 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D and | | | | HSM: Hypersonic Motor. Silent AF. |
| 300D, 350D, 400D, 450D, 500D. The S stands for | | | | RF: Rear focus.. |
| "short back focus," meaning that the back of the | | | | IF: Inner focus so lens physical length is fixed |
| lens is much closer to the CMOS (CCD if you like) | | | | reducing hand shake on longer focus shots. |
| than with EF lenses. | | | | DF: Dual focus. Does not rotate during AF. |
| USM: Ultrasonic autofocus motor. Two types. USM | | | | Conv: Used with Sigma teleconverters. |
| micro-a direct replacement for the systems on | | | | Tamron Lens Abbreviations |
| older FD motors and 'Ring USM' with manual | | | | Tamron Lenses described |
| overide. | | | | ASL: Aspherical |
| DO: Diffractive optics. A technology allowing | | | | AD: Reduces chromatic aberration.. |
| Canon to produce shorter physical length lenses. | | | | Di : Full frame |
| TS-E: Tilt-shift lens used for perspective | | | | Di II: Cropped Frame. |
| correction in photography, usually in architectural | | | | IF: Internal focus. |
| work to alter converging lines and depth of field. | | | | LD: Low Dispersion Glass to reduce chromatic |
| Similar to 'Sinar' camera. | | | | abberation |
| L Lenses: Canon professional with higher optical | | | | Macro: Designed to focus on closer subjects |
| quality and not specifically functionality. Usually | | | | SP : Super Performance. |
| white in colour. All L series lenses have a red ring | | | | XR: Extra Refractive Glass for improved optical |
| on the outside.. | | | | results. |
| MP-E: Macro Photo Electronic. Lenses designed for | | | | VC: Vibration Control as Canon's IS, Sigma's OS |
| macro with an electronic aperture control function. | | | | and Nikon's VR. |
| IS: Image Stabilisation, A system designed to | | | | This information has been provided by Park |
| reduce hand shake. Nikon version is called VR | | | | Cameras. A pro dealer who provide full UK |
| (Vibration Reduction) and Sigma one is OS (Optical | | | | warranty SLR Lenses. |
| Stabilisation). | | | | |