OUR GUIDE TO THE SUFFIXES USED BY LENS MANUFACTURERS
AF Nikon AF lenses driven from camera
AF-S Nikon lenses with Silent Wave Motor
AF-P Nikon lenses with stepper motors
AL Pentax lenses with aspheric elements APD Fujifilm lenses with apodisation elements APO Sigma Apochromatic lenses
ASPH Aspherical elements
AW Pentax all-weather lenses
CS Samyang lenses for APS-C cropped sensors D Nikon lenses that communicate distance info DA Pentax lenses optimised for APS-C-sized sensors DC Nikon defocus-control portrait lenses
DC Sigma’s lenses for APS-C digital DG Sigma’s designation for full-frame lenses Di Tamron lenses for full-frame sensors Di-II Tamron lenses designed for APS-C DSLRs Di-III Tamron lenses for mirrorless cameras DN Sigma’s lenses for mirrorless cameras DO Canon diffractive optical element lenses DT Sony lenses for APS-C-sized sensors DX Nikon’s lenses for DX-format digital DS Canon’s Defocus Smoothing technology E Nikon lenses with electronic apertures E Sony lenses for APS-C mirrorless
ED Extra-low Dispersion elements EF Canon’s lenses for full-frame DSLRs EF-S Canon’s lenses for APS-C DSLRs EF-M Canon’s lenses for APS-C mirrorless EX Sigma’s ‘Excellent’ range
FA Pentax full-frame lenses
FE Sony lenses for full-frame mirrorless G Nikon lenses without an aperture ring HSM Sigma’s Hypersonic Motor IS Canon’s Image-Stabilised lenses L Canon’s ‘Luxury’ range of high-end lenses LD Low-Dispersion glass
LM Fujifilm Linear Motor
MP-E Canon’s high-magnification macro lens OIS Optical Image Stabilisation OS Sigma’s Optically Stabilised lenses PC-E Nikon tilt-and-shift lenses
PF Nikon Phase Fresnel optics PZD Tamron Piezo Drive focus motor RF Canon full-frame mirrorless lenses S Nikon’s premium lenses for mirrorless SAM Sony Smooth Autofocus Motor SDM Pentax’s Sonic Direct Drive Motor SMC Pentax Super Multi Coating
SP Tamron’s Super Performance range SSM Sony Supersonic Motor lenses STF Sony and Laowa Smooth Trans Focus STM Canon lenses with stepper motor TS-E Canon Tilt-and-Shift lens
UMC Ultra Multi Coated
USM Canon lenses with an Ultrasonic Motor USD Tamron Ultrasonic Drive motor VC Tamron’s Vibration Compensation VR Nikon’s Vibration Reduction feature WR Weather Resistant
Z Nikon’s lenses for mirrorless cameras