Digital vs. Digital/Film Canon Lenses

So I was looking at B&H for Canon lenses for a Rebel XT. When I

clicked on lenses it gives the option of "digital SLR"

or "digital/film SLR." First of all, what is the difference between

these two categories? I assume digital only is most likely better

for digital cameras which brings me to my second question--I only

saw shorter lenses (all under 100mm) in the digital only category.

Do they make, for example, the 70-300mm for digital only (and as I

asked initially, does it matter if it's digital only or not). Thanks

for the help!

The lenses in their "digital SLR" only have enough coverage for cameras with APS-sized sensors; they don't fully cover a frame of film or 24x36mm sensor. The "digital/film SLR" have enough coverage for the full frame and can be used with digital and film SLRs. "Digital only" isn't necessarily better.

I think it is confusing terminology, especially for first time buyers.

Tyler,

 

Basically, the term "digital" lenses are specially design for use with digital slr with an APS size sensor like the EF-S line of lenses offered by Canon. This type of lense will not fit a full frame sensor DSLR like the EOS 5D and all 1D series cameras as well as ALL film cameras. However, all "film" lenses will fit ALL SLR as well as DSLR albeit a smaller coverage for APS size sensor DSLR.

X-Factor cameras have certainly been a necessary evil that has created great confusion in the marketplace. We can actually thank Canon for simplifying the lens designation. Pretty easy telling the difference between Canon EF and Canon EF-S. They are generally the first letters to appear in a lens name. I think the only other letter designations Canon uses are L, USM and IS. Still way to many letters but now go and see how many letter designations Nikon, Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina use! Ridiculous. Nikon should have at least adopted the system of calling their lenses Nikon F and Nikon DX but they don't, the "DX" appears somewhere down the end of the line of all their letters which include but may not be restricted too: D, ED, G, VR, DX, AF, AF-S. I can't wait for Canon to start changing all their coatings for digital application, since that will most certainly call for another couple of letters. Unfortunately this is not new to photographic lenses it just seems to be getting out of hand these days in a marketing frenzy.

 

 

We can thank B&H for making the differentiation for us but before you order a lens confirm what format it is for. Who knows how many website errors there are out there. Also check with the manufacturers to confirm which letter designations mean what, especially if you go searching on eBay for some used gems. Good luck.

Tyler, in addition to the info given above, some "digital" lenses <i>may</i> have different lens element coatings to help deal with reflections coming back at the lens from the digital sensor. This is a problem film didn't have, but my digital shots have never displayed a problem from using my "not specifically made for digital" lenses.<P>As far as your XT (or the original Digital Rebel, 20D, or 30D) is concerned, you can use any and every Canon EF or EF-S lens.<P>Canon EF lenses fit and work with every Canon EOS SLR, whether film or digital.<P>Canon EF-S lenses only physically fit the 1.6x bodies listed above. Even if EF-S lenses could be mounted on other bodies, the projected image circle is too small too cover a 35mm frame of film or a full frame sensor.

I have nothing to add but to say 'thanks' to all who have posted remarks... this has helped me and Tyler (I'm sure).

 

Thank you!

ﾕ Buy a 'digital' lens if you'll only ever want to use it on a digital SLR with an APS-size sensor.

It will not work on any other Canon EOS camera

 

ﾕ Buy a 'digital/film' lens if you might also want to use it on a film SLR or a full frame sensor

digital SLR

 

ﾕﾠDigital lenses are most common at the wide angle end, because making a traditional

digital/film ultra wide lens for the 1.6 multiplication factor of a APS sensor is just too difficult

(actually close to impossible) at moderate prices.

Cool, I have a "digital" tripod too.

Does it extend 1.6 times higher than a film tripod?

My guess it's a FF sensor capable tripod that he can also use with his 35mm cam. My tripod is similar and can even support EF lenses.

>>Tyler, in addition to the info given above, some "digital" lenses may have different lens element coatings to help deal with reflections coming back at the lens from the digital sensor. This is a problem film didn't have, but my digital shots have never displayed a problem from using my "not specifically made for digital" lenses.<<

 

This is a true distinction, as even the later Canon L lenses are "designed for digital" with the rear lens multicoating.

 

By my tests, it DOES make a substantial difference in high-flare situations. In fact, my Tamron zoom lenses with rear-element multcoating very handily beat my Canon non-L prime lenses (which don't have rear-element multicoating) in resisting flare.

 

So it pays to make sure whether "designed for digital" in each case simply means a lens with 24x36mm coverage that just has rear-element multicoating or a lens that only covers APS-C.

<I>"Does it extend 1.6 times higher than a film tripod?"</I><P>No. But you can store it on a CF card so it's much easier to carry around.<P>Karl Lehmann<br><a href="http://www.lostworldarts.com/new_page_3.htm">Lost World Arts</a>

Kirk, I hadn't realized that late model "L"s had the rear coating. In that case, my statement should have mentioned that we use the three f4/L zooms. Could be why we haven't noticed a problem from internal sensor-to-lens reflections!