Lens terms are so frustrating!

Markw

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When looking at lenses, I find myself just looking for the manufacturer, focal distance, and if it says VR (nikon), IS (canon) or OS (sigma). This is because those are the only acronyms I know what they mean :grumpy:. So my question is what do all of these mean?

Sigma lenses-
APO
DG
DL-M
DC
HSM

Nikon lenses-
ED-IF

Thanks
Mark
 
For the Nikon lenses:

ED: Extra-low Dispersion glass (to minimise chromatic aberrations)
IF: Internal Focusing
 
For Canon, the main ones to know are:

EOS-- electro-optical system, which refers to their current line of autofocus SLRs and dSLRS.

EF-- electrofocus, what Canon calls their lens mount. A lens that is not EF or EF compatible (ie made by a third party company) will not mount without an adaptor. EF lenses will mount on all modern (post-1987) Canon SLRs and dSLRS

EF-S-- electrofocus-short, Canon's name for lenses that will only mount on certain cropped digital SLRs, specifically, the Rebel series, and the 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D.

USM-- ultrasonic motor, Canon's brand of silent, high speed autofocus that allows for full-time manal focus, that is, you can always adjust the focus manually.

L-- luxuary, what Canon calls their professional series lenses that tend to have some combination of faster f/stops and focusing speed, better build, and/or some kind of exotic characteristic, such as super-telephotos.

I don't think there's much else for Canon, it doesn't tend to be as much of an alphabet soup as some manufacturers.
 
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More initials means it's gotta be better, right? ;)

Check out the lens manufacturers' websites. They will gladly explain all the arcane sales mumbo jumbo.
 
oh poopy if it has more intials its better :( so if mine only has mm it sucks :p
 
EF-S-- electrofocus-short, Canon's name for lenses that will only mount on certain cropped digital SLRs, specifically, the Rebel series, and the 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D.

USM-- ultrasonic motor, Canon's brand of silent, high speed autofocus that allows for full-time manal focus, that is, you can always adjust the focus manually.

So in theory, the USM lenses are a better choice over the EF-S lenses?
 
EF-S-- electrofocus-short, Canon's name for lenses that will only mount on certain cropped digital SLRs, specifically, the Rebel series, and the 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D.

USM-- ultrasonic motor, Canon's brand of silent, high speed autofocus that allows for full-time manal focus, that is, you can always adjust the focus manually.

So in theory, the USM lenses are a better choice over the EF-S lenses?


EF-S refer to the lens mount vs USM refer to the autofocus motor.

For example, this lens has both.

EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM


It is a lens designed for cropped sensor body and it has ultrasonic motor as well.
 
Really you can avoid each and every one of those monikers for Nikon lenses except AF-S, AF, AI and AI-S. For the D90, everyone but the AI lens will meter on your D90.
 

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