Lens ID Markings

[gene thornton]

<p>We seem to have newer and more letters on the lens, some of these I recognize, others remain a mystery. Things like AF, ED and VR I can identify with but now my being in the market for a new lens, I find new and strange ID letters on some lenses. RE: G ED, Di LL, Di LD and others.<br>

It there some place that lists what these codes mean?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p> </p>

[tony_leinster]

<p>Best place is probably the manufacturers website, I think these things come so fast it would be difficult for a single website to keep up with them!</p>

[bueh]

<p>Is it really important?</p>

[ljwest]

<p>Every lens manufacturer has a different set of initials to denote their "flavors" of various features. It is part marketing, part trademarking, and can confuse a buyer.</p>

<p>For example, the technology included in a lens that gives the photographer a non-moving image in the viewfinder is called:<br>

Image Stabilization (IS) - Canon<br>

Vibration Reduction (VR) - Nikon<br>

Vibration Compensation (VC) - Tamron<br>

Optical Stabilizer (OS) - Sigma<br>

And that's just the beginning! You have other initials that denote whether the lens works for full-frame or crop sensors only, how the glass was made, what the glass was made from, what kind of motor is used for the auto focus... The list goes on and on.</p>

<p>As mentioned in an earlier reply, the best source is the lens maker's website or catalogs.</p>

<p> </p>