a-z of Nikon lens jargon

D

On an older range of Nikon lenses, D denotes that a lens communicates information about the subject-to-camera distance to the camera. There are some D lenses still being manufactured, such as the Nikon FX 50mm f/1.8d AF. As with more recent G-type lenses (described below), this is used for the purpose of metering and flash exposure, although D-type lenses almost always have a physical aperture ring around their barrel, whereas G-type lenses do not.

DC

Defocus Image Control. This rarely used term is found on lenses that allow the photographer to control the spherical aberration in the image by way of a special ring around the barrel. This is particularly useful for portraiture, which is why you’ll only tend to see this on telephoto lenses that are ideal for such an application.

DX

A DX lens is one that’s specifically designed for Dx-format camera bodies, such as the Nikon D5600 and D7500. These have Aps-c-sized sensors, as opposed to the full-frame sensors inside FX cameras like the Nikon D850 and D5. If a lens does not have DX in its title,

it will be able to work on a full-frame ‘FX’ format camera body and produce a wide enough spread of light to satisfy the FX sensor’s dimensions. DX lenses can typically still be used on Fx-format cameras, but you will only be able to use these at a crop factor of the original. This is because the edges of the frame need to be trimmed away as the lens cannot cover them with sufficient lighting. As all DX lenses have DX in their title, Nikon does not feel it is entirely necessary to use a separate ‘FX’ suffix for those full-frame lenses. If you don’t see a DX label, it will inevitably be an Fx-compatible lens.

E

The letter E shows that a lens has a electromagnetic diaphragm control. This, according to the company, uses electrical signals from the camera body to direct an electromagnetic diaphragm mechanism inside the lens, rather than using a mechanical linkage common to other lenses. Nikon claims this is a more accurate method, and one that enables consistent exposures during high-speed burst shooting and when using telephoto lenses. This is not to be confused with Nikon’s E-series lenses, which was a small collection of budget-friendly optics released in the analogue era.