Nikon lenses

[nellyleelephant]

Could someone give me a Nikon lens lesson?

What can be used with what, what do all the abreviations mean?
I thought Canon were bad in that respect!

Thanks

[K12beano]

Somebody had a great link - they'll be along in a moment.


Let's start with a few basics though!


Assuming we're not talking Nikon 1 system!


Just about every NIkon lens will "fit" onto any Nikon body. though some combinations you don't want to do! And a few oddities will only fit if a mirror is locked up, or will be fowling the pentaprism in the case of tilt and Shift lenses!


SIZE
They might be marked DX - in which case, circle only designed for DX bodies or FX bodies in DX mode

AUTOFOCUS
AF-S have the motor in them, so can work on non-motor bodies - other AF lenses could be fitted, but, obviously won't get AF!

STABILISED
Will have VR, or VRII etc

EXTRA LOW DISPERSION GLASS
(Just read "better" until you get to be an expert/geek) ED

CLOSE UP
Are called "Micro" - because that is technically correct compared to "Macro"!

CAN READ THE DISTANCE AND TELL THE METERING SYSTEM SO IT'S CLEVER
"D" - if you haven't got it, big deal - but virtually everything in the last 12-15 years has

COULDN'T BE BOTHERED TO GIVE YOU A F'ING APERTURE RING
"G" - so you'll have no choice but need the body to set aperture, and you're stuffed if the body doesn't do that

DOES THE FOCUSSING BY SHIFTING STUFF INSIDE AND THEREFORE FRONT DOESN'T ROTATE WHEN USING A FILTER
"IF"


Loads more


Actually - try http://www.bythom.com/lensacronyms.htm

[nellyleelephant]

Thanks.

I'm thinking of a swap from Canon, I currently have a 1DS2 with a few L lenses. I've been looking at the D700 mainly for it's cleaner high ISO abilities.

It's just an idea at the moment that probably won't happen when the wife finds out.

[K12beano]

PS - if you want to talk knowledgeably / geeky, it's best to call them "Nikkors" not Nikon!

Do you want me to bore you on the name derivation too?

[nellyleelephant]

Go for it!

I take I'd be looking at lenses specifically for FF frame if I went for a D700?

[K12beano]

nellyleelephant said:

It's just an idea at the moment that probably won't happen when the wife finds out.

They don't need to know these things, any more than you need to worry about a Morphing Richhorse toaster.....

Honestly, unless you've only got two lenses or have a rich Uncle, you'd Shirley be better off sticking with Canon? Nikkor glass might be fractionally superior in some cases, you might have more choice on the secondhand shelves, and Nikon "noise" is supposed to be more "film-like", but really? A few-years-old D700 design better than the latest from Canon?

[Simpo Two]

The full history of Nikon lenses is very complex but in reality you don't need to know 95% of it.

These days I'd say you main things you need to consider are:

DX (crop sensor) vs FX (full frame)
AF-S is fast silent focusing, the same as Canon's USM
VR is vibration reduction, the same as Canon's IS
G means there is no aperture ring; aperture is changed on the camera body


And if that's not enough you can get into the other letters as Beano mentioned. And generally of course the more expensive the lens is, the better it will be.

K12beano said:

fowling the pentaprism

There are no ducks in my pentaprism!

[nellyleelephant]

K12beano said:

hey don't need to know these things, any more than you need to worry about a Morphing Richhorse toaster.....

Honestly, unless you've only got two lenses or have a rich Uncle, you'd Shirley be better off sticking with Canon? Nikkor glass might be fractionally superior in some cases, you might have more choice on the secondhand shelves, and Nikon "noise" is supposed to be more "film-like", but really? A few-years-old D700 design better than the latest from Canon?

I understand what you mean about the latest from Canon. Trouble is, I certainly can't get away with a 5D3, which is what I would want to do for higher ISO and focusing.

Liek I said, just an idea that in all probablity won't happen, thought it useful to know the options though.

[K12beano]

Nippon Kogaku KK had a dust up with Zeiss between the wars, and it ended up that they "westernised" the abbreviation of the name to "Nikkor"...... keep up at the back!

nellyleelephant said:

I take I'd be looking at lenses specifically for FF frame if I went for a D700?

As said - you *could* use DX lenses and either allow the D700 to set you to DX format, or see for yourself how much vignetting you get using it in Full Frame mode.


What focal lengths, widest apertures and subjects do you have in mind? I can tell you directly what would be the Rich Man's dream and a pragmatic, budget for an FX format!!!

[nellyleelephant]

I currently have 17-200 mm covered (on full frame) spread over 3 lenses, plus a 1.4 teleconverter.

[K12beano]

Simpo Two said:

And if that's not enough you can get into the other letters as Beano mentioned. And generally of course the more expensive the lens is, the better it will be.

K12beano said:

fowling the pentaprism

There are no ducks in my pentaprism!

That's quite a good Piss-smelling I managed there, isn't it?

Quack

[K12beano]

nellyleelephant said:

I currently have 17-200 mm covered (on full frame) spread over 3 lenses, plus a 1.4 teleconverter.

Simple - 14-24mm/24-70mm/70-200mm all f/2.8AF-S and a TC14. Without even looking I've just spent about £6k for you. What's wrong with Canon now!?



But - you could achieve similar focal length coverage with something like:


17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S - secondhand
70-300mm f/4.5-f/5.6G AF-S VR
and any number of 50mm offerings at either f/1.8 or f/1.4, either AF-S or AF-D, plenty of s/h bargains, even a manual 55mm micro or a manual f/1.2! Or a 60mm AF-S Micro.

....but you've probably still spent £1,200-1,500.

[nellyleelephant]

That's interesting, thanks!

I'll have a read up.

[nellyleelephant]

A quick body question, what's the current king of the Nikon crop bodies?

[ChipsAndCheese]

For DX format bodies, it's probably the D7000 or possibly the older D300S.

Though as Nikon have just announced the D5200 with a 24MP sensor and the AF system from the D7000, I wouldn't be surprised if they next announce a new flagship DX body, a successor to either the D7000 or D300S, in the new year.

Edited by ChipsAndCheese on Wednesday 7th November 12:25

[Simpo Two]

DX lenses will certainly fit and work on FX bodies; you can either deal with any vignetting yourself or allow the camera to use 'autocrop'. On the 12Mp D700 this leaves you with only 5Mp, but the D800 has so many pixels under the bonnet you get (I think) 14Mp left even after cropping.

K12beano said:

wavey: That's quite a good Piss-smelling I managed there, isn't it?
Quack

Well it took you five minutes to spot it so I reckon I win the line call

[Olivero]

nellyleelephant said:

Thanks.

I'm thinking of a swap from Canon, I currently have a 1DS2 with a few L lenses. I've been looking at the D700 mainly for it's cleaner high ISO abilities.

It's just an idea at the moment that probably won't happen when the wife finds out.

I would not recommend the D700 for clean high ISO, the newer D600 is much better.

[Cheib]

nellyleelephant said:

A quick body question, what's the current king of the Nikon crop bodies?

The D800 in crop mode.....

[RobDickinson]

5d2 is pretty much as good as the d700 anyhow (less than 1/2 a stop difference).

I think the 1dx is about the best low light camera out now, D4 is almost identical.

5d3 is better than the D800 at high ISO.

[Cheib]

RobDickinson said:

5d2 is pretty much as good as the d700 anyhow (less than 1/2 a stop difference).

Apart from the AF which the D700 blows it away on.....