.
As I get used to the joys of shooting with a DSLR - and the discomfort of lugging it around - it has dawned on me that I know almost nothing about the lens because the kit box comes with a manual only for the body - not for the lens!
The kit-lens that came with the D90 is called AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
Here is what is revealed by the breaking up the code, with some generous help from the gurus on the web -
AF-S: `Auto Focus - Silent` - a "silent wave" focusing lens with an improved focusing speed. This was achieved by putting a silent wave focusing motor in the lens itself to make it quiet.
DX: Indicates a lens designed to cover the smaller image circle of the digital camera bodies. May still work on 35mm bodies at some focal lengths.
NIKKOR: Brand-name for lenses manufactured by Nikon
18-105mm: Aperture range
f/3.5-5.6: Focal lengths
G: Indicates that the lens does not have a built-in aperture ring (as in D-type lens) and needs to be used on camera with Command dial control of apertures.
Interestingly, G stands for `Gelded`, or castrated! So its not a feature but a handicap! Details can be seen here.
ED: Extra-low Dispersion elements used in the lens
VR: Vibration Reduction lens, corrects for camera movement during exposure. VR function only works on post F5 cameras (e.g., not F4, N90s, N60, N70, N8008).
This lens configuration - called the `standard zoom` (5.8x) - is supposed to have 15 elements in 11 groups, of which one each aspherical and another one with extra-low (ED) dispersion. Aspherical lenses help in correcting the distortion caused by the wide-angle lenses while the ED prevents dispersion of colors as the pass through the prism and glass elements
Strangely, Nikon sells this kit-lens with a worldwide warranty, but, for the body, it is limited to Japan only.
Codes awaiting translation: vignetting, 'softish corners', barrel distortion,MTF curves,
......................................................
LINKS / REFERENCES
As I get used to the joys of shooting with a DSLR - and the discomfort of lugging it around - it has dawned on me that I know almost nothing about the lens because the kit box comes with a manual only for the body - not for the lens!
The kit-lens that came with the D90 is called AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
Here is what is revealed by the breaking up the code, with some generous help from the gurus on the web -
AF-S: `Auto Focus - Silent` - a "silent wave" focusing lens with an improved focusing speed. This was achieved by putting a silent wave focusing motor in the lens itself to make it quiet.
DX: Indicates a lens designed to cover the smaller image circle of the digital camera bodies. May still work on 35mm bodies at some focal lengths.
NIKKOR: Brand-name for lenses manufactured by Nikon
18-105mm: Aperture range
f/3.5-5.6: Focal lengths
G: Indicates that the lens does not have a built-in aperture ring (as in D-type lens) and needs to be used on camera with Command dial control of apertures.
Interestingly, G stands for `Gelded`, or castrated! So its not a feature but a handicap! Details can be seen here.
ED: Extra-low Dispersion elements used in the lens
VR: Vibration Reduction lens, corrects for camera movement during exposure. VR function only works on post F5 cameras (e.g., not F4, N90s, N60, N70, N8008).
This lens configuration - called the `standard zoom` (5.8x) - is supposed to have 15 elements in 11 groups, of which one each aspherical and another one with extra-low (ED) dispersion. Aspherical lenses help in correcting the distortion caused by the wide-angle lenses while the ED prevents dispersion of colors as the pass through the prism and glass elements
Strangely, Nikon sells this kit-lens with a worldwide warranty, but, for the body, it is limited to Japan only.
Codes awaiting translation: vignetting, 'softish corners', barrel distortion,MTF curves,
......................................................
LINKS / REFERENCES
- Making Sense of Lens Acronyms - Thom`s page - http://www.bythom.com/lensacronyms.htm
- Nikon Lens Nomenclature - a study in frustration - http://www.nikonlinks.com/unklbil/nomenclature.htm
- Body-Lens Compatibility Table - http://www.nikonlinks.com/unklbil/bodylens.htm
- Nikkor 18-105 Lens Review - http://www.bythom.com/Nikkor18-105lensreview.htm
- Nikon Lens Page (the official one - English) - http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Products/Camera-Lenses/index.page
- Nikon Product Manual (PDF file - English from page 12-19) - http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/lenses/DX/AFSDX18-105mmf35-56GEDVR.pdf
- D90 Walkaround - Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCzTwIMGeXM&feature=channel
- Ken Rockwell - Nikon Lens Technology, Nikon Lens Reviews - http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikkor.htm and D90 User Guide
- Some Lenses - 50mm f/1.8D AF (Kakaku 12Feb`11- Y39,537), 24mm f/1.4 AF-S G (Y180,800!), Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX (Y20,450!!), Nikon 18-55mm DX (Y23,785), 18-200mm VR DX (Y64,800)
- Review: Nikon 35.2.0D at Photo.net - http://photo.net/equipment/nikon/35-2/ ...but Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 is recommended...price (13 Feb'11) - Y17,220.
- D90 White Balance Tutorial (jonvideo) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MQTO9tiXb0&feature=related
- Nikon D90 Blog - http://nikond90blog.blogspot.com/
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