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beavo451

macrumors 6502
Jun 22, 2006
483
2
snap58 said:
I believe the "ED" on the Nikon Lens would for the most part be the high end glass, it stands for "Extra-low Dispersion", which I think they use in lieu of Fluorite Glass Canon uses. You will note all their super telephoto's are ED.

As well as the 18-55mm D50 kit lens. The ED designation is not a good indicator of "pro" lenses. Nearly all new Nikon lenses have ED elements.
 

snap58

macrumors 6502
Jan 29, 2006
310
0
somewhere in kansas
beavo451 said:
As well as the 18-55mm D50 kit lens. The ED designation is not a good indicator of "pro" lenses. Nearly all new Nikon lenses have ED elements.

Would that be the AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED Zoom-Nikkor? : )

Yes, it gets blurry outside the primes, all the new DX Lenses have ED glass and you do have to do a little research to find the premium glass, though like you said the price is a good clue.

Canon seems to make it a little easier with the "L" label.
 

beavo451

macrumors 6502
Jun 22, 2006
483
2
snap58 said:
Would that be the AF-S DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED Zoom-Nikkor? : )

Yes, it gets blurry outside the primes, all the new DX Lenses have ED glass and you do have to do a little research to find the premium glass, though like you said the price is a good clue.

Canon seems to make it a little easier with the "L" label.

Yes, that's the lens
 

snap58

macrumors 6502
Jan 29, 2006
310
0
somewhere in kansas
carletonmusic said:
snap, that is very helpful. I've never seen it spelled out so clearly. :)

There will surely be a correction or two, and as Beavo points out it doesn't help spot the premium lenses as all the new DX ones use ED glass. However none of the DX lens are primes, they are all zooms.

I would guess that the DX is for digital crop, seeing Nikon investing like this in the DX line I would not expect to see a FF camera from them. Canon having both crop and FF sensors, will have to split development between two lens lines. I wonder if they (Canon) could develop a camera that would accept both types of lens and automatically set the sensor crop to match the lens?

BTW while I shoot Canon I have several close Nikon friends, and nothing but respect for Nikon equipment. The competition between them (I hope) will keep them both in the front and result in continued great equipment for fans of both camps.
 

beavo451

macrumors 6502
Jun 22, 2006
483
2
snap58 said:
There will surely be a correction or two, and as Beavo points out it doesn't help spot the premium lenses as all the new DX ones use ED glass. However none of the DX lens are primes, they are all zooms.

Yes the DX designation is meant for the 1.5 crop digital sensors. However, there is a DX prime: the 10.5mm f/2.8 DX fisheye.
 

TheAnswer

macrumors 68030
Jan 25, 2002
2,519
1
Orange County, CA
Hmmm...Canonians and Nikonians?

Hmm...I always thought of us Canon folk as Canonites, living in the land of Canon given to us by Him™

The others, always called them Niks...good bokeh, but I wouldn't want to be behind one on the freeway. ;)

Humor aside, this is a great thread with lots of potential.
 

ksz

macrumors 68000
Oct 28, 2003
1,677
111
USA
TheAnswer said:
Hmm...I always thought of us Canon folk as Canonites, living in the land of Canon given to us by Him™
I always thought of canon fodder...oops pardon me, canon folk, as Termites. Arg, I mean Canonites.

The others, always called them Niks...good bokeh, but I wouldn't want to be behind one on the freeway. ;)
And Nikonians, well, that just sounds grand like the Great Draconian Army.

Ok, I'm done too.
 

FleurDuMal

macrumors 68000
May 31, 2006
1,801
0
London Town
Well, here's my contribution to the debate with rather a short experience with Nikon (I bought a D70s about two months ago) and no experience with Canon at all.

Nikon make great lenses. However, I use the term make loosely, as whenever they make a truely great lense, they appear to trickle them out, so when it comes to actually buying one, you end up paying a greatly inflated price on eBay :( .
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
24,835
847
Location Location Location
ksz said:
I always thought of canon fodder...oops pardon me, canon folk, as Termites. Arg, I mean Canonites.


And Nikonians, well, that just sounds grand like the Great Draconian Army.

Ok, I'm done too.

Ooh, make up a jobe about Pentaxians and....um....."Olympians"?? ;)
 

ksz

macrumors 68000
Oct 28, 2003
1,677
111
USA
FleurDuMal said:
Nikon make great lenses. However, I use the term make loosely, as whenever they make a truely great lense, they appear to trickle them out, so when it comes to actually buying one, you end up paying a greatly inflated price on eBay :( .
Valid point and I hope this improves given the negative press surrounding shortages of the D200 and 18-200 VR. I have both of these and did not pay one red cent above MSRP/MAP/Whatever. The 18-200 VR should be sold for US$669, not $699 or $749 or heaven forbid $899. However, supply/demand in a free market will determine the price. As for me, I put my name on a waiting list with the good folks at Roberts Imaging, went away for about 3 months, and got my lens at the original price. Patience is a financial virtue.
 

Grimace

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
I just checked out Nikon's lens page. The page layout is a lot prettier than Canon's page, but all the letters are really confusing! (I'm just to a newcomer to Nikon's lingo - but first impressions are important!)

The dictionary of alphabet soup letter designations was posted above (thanks again!) but I think that Nikon needs to simplify things a bit more.

While hunting through lenses, I began to crave Nikon's 200-400mm f/4 VR lens -- Canon, take note! GREAT length/speed.
 

beavo451

macrumors 6502
Jun 22, 2006
483
2
carletonmusic said:
I just checked out Nikon's lens page. The page layout is a lot prettier than Canon's page, but all the letters are really confusing! (I'm just to a newcomer to Nikon's lingo - but first impressions are important!)

The dictionary of alphabet soup letter designations was posted above (thanks again!) but I think that Nikon needs to simplify things a bit more.

While hunting through lenses, I began to crave Nikon's 200-400mm f/4 VR lens -- Canon, take note! GREAT length/speed.

Yeah, but it's $5000.
 

Clix Pix

macrumors Core
carletonmusic said:
I just checked out Nikon's lens page. The page layout is a lot prettier than Canon's page, but all the letters are really confusing! (I'm just to a newcomer to Nikon's lingo - but first impressions are important!)

The dictionary of alphabet soup letter designations was posted above (thanks again!) but I think that Nikon needs to simplify things a bit more.

While hunting through lenses, I began to crave Nikon's 200-400mm f/4 VR lens -- Canon, take note! GREAT length/speed.


I think Canon's descriptions and letters are equally confusing! ;) It's all in what you get used to....

The 200-400mm f/4 VR is a very heavy and very expensive lens. Not really hand-holdable, one needs a good tripod with it.
 

Grimace

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
Clix Pix said:
I think Canon's descriptions and letters are equally confusing! ;) It's all in what you get used to....

The 200-400mm f/4 VR is a very heavy and very expensive lens. Not really hand-holdable, one needs a good tripod with it.
Really?

Canon has:
EF - standard lens for all bodies
EF-S (for 1.6x cropped bodies only)
L -- professional grade build, glass, price
DO -- diffractive optics
IS -- Image stabilization

Nikon has:
AF - auto focus mechanically coupled to the camera
AF-I - motor built into the lens, but not the high end silent wave type
AF-S - these have motor built in but use the "silent wave" and allow full time manual over-ride (think Canon USM type)
DX - Made for the crop digital SLR's, like Canon EF-S
VR - vibration reduction
IF - internal front focus
RF - internal rear focus
G - these are newest lenses, no aperture rings, no manual cameras
ED - extra low dispersion glass
 

ksz

macrumors 68000
Oct 28, 2003
1,677
111
USA
Canon also has USM.

However, I don't find either of these nomenclatures confusing. Nikon does not expressly divide its lenses into two classes, which may be clever from a marketing viewpoint because it does not stigmatize the "lower class."

Hence, Nikon's lineup is a classless society and you only pay for the features and quality you need (or want).
 

Clix Pix

macrumors Core
ksz said:
Canon also has USM.

However, I don't find either of these nomenclatures confusing. Nikon does not expressly divide its lenses into two classes, which may be clever from a marketing viewpoint because it does not stigmatize the "lower class."

Hence, Nikon's lineup is a classless society and you only pay for the features and quality you need (or want).

What's "USM?" Nikon doesn't have "USM." To me, "USM" means "Unsharp Mask!" :D

The thing with Nikon's nomenclature is that it has developed over time as new technology has been applied to their lenses. It is easy enough for someone to then differentiate quickly between one of the older lenses and and the newer ones. Someone who has been around the Nikon system for a long time would have no problems with this, but I can understand how it would appear confusing at first glance to someone who is not at all familiar with Nikon's lenses.
 

snap58

macrumors 6502
Jan 29, 2006
310
0
somewhere in kansas
Clix Pix said:
What's "USM?" Nikon doesn't have "USM." To me, "USM" means "Unsharp Mask!" :D

The thing with Nikon's nomenclature is that it has developed over time as new technology has been applied to their lenses. It is easy enough for someone to then differentiate quickly between one of the older lenses and and the newer ones. Someone who has been around the Nikon system for a long time would have no problems with this, but I can understand how it would appear confusing at first glance to someone who is not at all familiar with Nikon's lenses.

That is their Ultra Sonic Motor they started putting in their lenses in the early 90's, Very fast, silent, full time manual focus over ride. Nikon now puts a version in theirs I believe that's call "Silent Wave"?
 

ksz

macrumors 68000
Oct 28, 2003
1,677
111
USA
Clix Pix said:
What's "USM?" Nikon doesn't have "USM." To me, "USM" means "Unsharp Mask!" :D
Ultra Sonic Motor, equivalent to Nikon's Silent Wave (AF-S) and Sigma's Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM).

And on selected S and SD PowerShots, Canon also has the UA lens. UA means Ultra High Refractive Index Aspherical Lens. Now UHRIA is just too close to that other uhria without the 'h', so they had the decency to shorten it. :D

Anyone notice that the PowerShot Pro-1 is no longer listed?
 

Clix Pix

macrumors Core
Thanks, Snap and ksz! Yes, that USM would be the equivalent of Nikon's Silent Wave motor....

Basically the bottom line in all of this is regardless of which system one chooses, Nikon or Canon, there are some really excellent camera bodies and really excellent camera lenses. Both produce quality glass and both offer lenses in various ranges and price levels, so it comes down to the individual making his/her choice based on personal preference and personal priorities. Sometimes the choice of one over the other is dictated if there is a need for some specific item available in one system that is not in the other.
 

Chip NoVaMac

macrumors G3
Dec 25, 2003
8,888
31
Northern Virginia
carletonmusic said:
Thanks Beavo -- here are the current Canon bodies:

Rebel XT: 8MP @3fps; 1.6x - $799 (discontinued)
Rebel XTi: 10MP @3fps; sensor-cleaning; 1.6x - $799
Canon 20D: 8.2MP @5fps; 1.6x - $1199 (discontinued)
Canon 30D: 8.2MP @5fps; 1.6x - $1299

5D: 12.8MP @ 3fps; 1.0x - $3299
1D: 8.2MP @ 8.5fps; 1.3x - $3999
1Ds: 16.7MP @ 4fps; 1.0x - $7999


I think Nikon has a stronger hold on the lower/middle market. The D80 and D200 are really great cameras for their price points.

Though to be fair, some might consider the the D200 and the 30D to be "pro" bodies.

I have customers that are truly are working pros that make a very decent living off of the D70/D70s (since in many ways it was better than the the D100).

In the end the body is only part of the tool that a photographer selects to get the job done. I remember reading that that in Iraq that there is a PJ that is using just Olympus C-5050's and C-7070's for his work.
 

Chip NoVaMac

macrumors G3
Dec 25, 2003
8,888
31
Northern Virginia
carletonmusic said:
Thanks Beavo -- here are the current Canon bodies:

Rebel XT: 8MP @3fps; 1.6x - $799 (discontinued)

Working for a dealer, all I can say that at this point (till Photokina) that the XT is not been discontinued as of today in our price lists at work. And our buyer is very aggressive in keeping old stuff out. Unless there is something new annnounced in the next few weeks, the XT MAY find itself as the value leader in the $699 w/lens market.
 

beavo451

macrumors 6502
Jun 22, 2006
483
2
Chip NoVaMac said:
Though to be fair, some might consider the the D200 and the 30D to be "pro" bodies.

I have customers that are truly are working pros that make a very decent living off of the D70/D70s (since in many ways it was better than the the D100).

In the end the body is only part of the tool that a photographer selects to get the job done. I remember reading that that in Iraq that there is a PJ that is using just Olympus C-5050's and C-7070's for his work.

It doesn't matter if the camera is used for professionally or not. The classification used is what Nikon (or Canon) considers "pro". The D2 series is the current "pro" line while the D50, D70, and D200 are considered "consumer". You don't need a "pro" classified camera to shoot professionally nor do you need a "consumer" classified body to shoot as a hobby. Bottom line here is that you NEED the "pro" bodies to be eligible for NPS (Nikon Professional Services). You could shoot $100,000 worth of weddings a year as a source of income with a D50, but NPS will not let you in because you have a "consumer" class camera.
 
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