What do the numbers on the camera lens mean?

Holding a DSLR camera in your hands, you probably noticed an abundance of various numbers and letters on the lens. The legends on one of the main components of a DSLR camera are not just a set of characters, but a kind of technical manual for digital-savvy photographers. Knowing what the numbers on the camera lens mean, any amateur photographer, regardless of their level of knowledge and skills, can determine the aperture ratio, mount type, focal length and other technical characteristics of the "glass". The main thing is only to know how to correctly interpret the designations applied to the camera lens.

Take a standard Nikon 18-55mm kit lens as an example. The full name AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm f: 3.5-5.6G VR is stamped in gold lettering on the top edge of the lens. When connecting "glass" to the camera, this inscription is located under the flash. What do these numbers mean?

AF-S - mount type, in other words, the diameter of your lens thread. When buying "glass" it is worth paying special attention to this. In addition to this type, the following designations can be found on Nikon lenses: AI / AI-s, AI-P, AF-I, AF-D, D, Micro, PC-E, etc.

18-55 mm - the range of focal lengths of the "glass". There are lenses with a fixed zoom (40 mm or 50 mm). The greater the difference between the two, the higher the optical magnification. For example, dividing 55 by 18 gives the above lens a 3x zoom.

f: 3.5-5.6G - lens aperture, one of the most important indicators affecting the quality of photography. Aperture determines the maximum amount of light that passes through the lens and hits the sensor of a DSLR camera. The lower this indicator, the higher the quality of the resulting photo. On the lens under consideration, the aperture ratio is not fixed and varies from 3.5 G at the minimum focal state to 5.6 G at the maximum FS (55 mm). Thus, with a large difference in focal lengths, the aperture is less. There are lenses with "fixed" aperture, for example, standard "fifty" lenses - 50 mm f / 1.8.

In addition to these designations, there are other inscriptions on the “glasses”. So, two letters "VR" on Nikon lenses say that the "glass" is equipped with a stabilizer that saves the photographer from rattling and noise when taking pictures. When using a tripod, the stabilizer should be turned off by sliding the switch to the "OFF" position.

One can often see the inscription “Fisheye” on the lenses. Fisheye lenses allow you to take interesting photographs.

Having figured out what the numbers on the camera lens mean, you can easily determine the quality of future frames by several captions. But it is important to understand that sometimes lenses with the same characteristics can shoot in different ways, and this problem lies with the manufacturer of the "glass". As a result, when purchasing a lens, it will not be superfluous to browse the Internet for reviews and reviews of the selected product, so as not to photoshop every second picture in the future.

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