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Nomenclature

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Nikon's nomenclature is highly consistent, and especially useful for lenses.

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Current cameras

  • F - film
  • D - Digital
  • DX - APS-C size sensor, with a crop factor of 1.5
  • FX - film sized, 'full frame', digital sensor
  • D + single digit - eg, D1, D2, D3, etc - pro series digital cameras with integrated vertical shutter release
  • F + single digit - pro series film cameras
  • D + double digit - eg, D50, D70 - consumer series digital cameras, without the option for a battery grip
  • D + triple digit - eg, D100, D200 - prosumer series digital cameras (eligible for NPS), with option for a battery grip
  • F + triple digit - eg, F100, prosumer series film cameras
  • X - suffix on digital cameras, eg, D40X, D3X, high resolution version but with similar body
  • H - suffix on digital cameras, high speed
  • S - suffix on digital cameras, updated and uprated version of an earlier camera, eg, D70s, D2Xs
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Lenses

  • F mount - the standard Nikon mount, for more than three decades. Most but not all F mount lenses will fit on most but not all F mount cameras
  • AI - Automatic Indexing - manual focus lenses that transmit aperture information to the camera
  • AIS - Automatic Indexing - shutter - AI lenses that transmit more information for shutter priority mode
  • AF - autofocus lens, transmitting all the AIS information to the camera
  • AF-S - Autofocus lens with silent wave motor
  • G - lens without an aperture ring, only useable on cameras which set the aperture electronically
  • ED - Extra low dispersion glass, Nikon's high quality glass
  • N - nano-coated, Nikon's latest lens advance
  • VR - Vibration reduction, gives 2 EV improvement against shake
  • VR II - Vibration reduction II, gives up to 4 EV improvement
  • DC - Defocus control - lens which can selectively defocus zones in front of and behind the point of focus
  • PC - Perspective control - shift lens, for dealing with perspective issues
  • Tilt/Shift - Lens with fuller set of tilt and shift movements
  • Fisheye - fisheye lens
  • Micro - a micro lens, referred to often as a macro lens
  • DX - only for DX type cameras
  • Reflex - a reflex or mirror lens
  • CRC - close range correction, implicit on a micro lens, but (surprisingly) present on the 10.5 f2.8 DX G fisheye

Additionally, a Nikon lens will include the maximum aperture information, with a range if it is not a constant aperture lens, and the focal length, with a range if it is a zoom lens

Pro lenses generally have bronze coloured metal plates on the lens with the nomenclature. Some DX pro lenses have this embossed in gold on the lens, but no metal plate.

Examples

70-200 AF-S VR ED f2.8 - a premium zoom, with a constant aperture of f2.8, range of 70-200 mm focal length, silent wave motor and vibration reduction, with ED glass

18-200 AF-S VR II f4-5.6 G DX - 18-200 mm focal length super zoom, silent wave motor, with Vibration Reduction II, a variable aperture going from f4 at 18mm to f5.6 at 200mm, no aperture ring (set from camera, compatible with all current cameras), for DX sized sensors only

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