DX vs VR lenses

Every letter means something when appended to a lens name. One thing does not usually affect another, although there can be some cases where you can make assumptions based on that letter being there.

For Nikon, the "G" designation means that the lens does not have an aperture ring, and will therefore not mount on older cameras that can't control the aperture from within the body. It doesn't mean anything else.

"DX" means that the lens casts an imaging circle smaller than a piece of 35mm film, and therefore can only work on crop cameras or on full-frame cameras set in crop mode.

"VR" means that the lens has components that compensate for your minor movements that may blur an image taken at a low shutter speed.

"AF-S" means that the lens has a built in focus motor, rather than relying on the camera body to drive focus with a screw motor.

Nikkor is what Nikon calls their lenses

Zoom is pretty straightforward-- you can change the focal length.

IF-ED means that it uses special glass elements to reduce aberrations and improve image quality.

So to make an example from left to right. The AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200 f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED is:

a lens with a built in focus motor, made for a crop sensor, with image stabilization, with variable focal lengths, made by Nikon, with a range of 18-200mm, a max aperture range of 3.5-5.6, and it has special glass elements.

Lens designators are like a whole different language, and they change from maker to maker, with varying levels of clarity. It's all a matter of reading about what they mean and then seeing them in action on your camera.


Nice break down and thanks. I do tend to be shaky at times so I may need the VR lens after all. I was looking to get a camera that came with a lens already but every d80 I have found doesn't come with a VR lens and if it does it's the 18-55. I was looking to get a lens with more zoom.
 
Be forewarned, while the VR is suprisingly effective in some areas, it is not a cureall and you will get blurry shots if you push it too far. Also, it is not an automatic thing, so it is entirely possible for you to miss what it was you were trying to shoot, while you wait for the lens to compensate.
 
Be forewarned, while the VR is suprisingly effective in some areas, it is not a cureall and you will get blurry shots if you push it too far. Also, it is not an automatic thing, so it is entirely possible for you to miss what it was you were trying to shoot, while you wait for the lens to compensate.


Well gosh darn....I can never get a break...LOL Freak it I'll just buy the camera and whatever kit lens comes with it I suppose then. I don't mind having the 18-55 lens but I wanted a back up lens also for those far away shots. Oh and I didn't want the back up lens to be expensive but decent. ANDS what's your suggestions?
 
I use the ones with the VR lens I have the 18/55 and the 18/200 Love them both
 
I use the ones with the VR lens I have the 18/55 and the 18/200 Love them both

I want the 18-200 but it's a little out of my budget right now. I'll have to deal with the 18-55 (kit lens) and just try to find another to cover the rest of it.
 

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