Largobob

I have an older D200 (DX body) with several Nikkor and one Sigma lens. I understand sensor size (Full frame, crop, etc), and about the "circle of light" resolved by various lenses. My question is.....how does one know whether a particular lens is designed as an FX or a DX lens?

Here is what I have:

Nikkor kit lens: AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1/f3.5-4.5 G ED
AF-S Micro Nikkor 105mm 1/2.8G ED
Sigma DC 18-200mm 1/3.5-6.3 HSM
Nikkor AF-S VR 70-200mm 1/f2.8 G IF-ED

Thanks in advance for any advice you may offer.

BebuLamar

The Nikkor DX has DX on it.
The Sigma DC is DX.
So the Nikkor 18-70mm is DX
The Nikkor 105 f/2.8 is FX
The Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8 is FX
and the Sigma 18-200 is DX

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

A Nikon DX lens clearly has DX marked on the lens barrel and identified within the for-sale listing from any major vendor. For a 3rd party lens, try finding the technical specs from the manufacturer's or a vendor's website such as Sigma - DC lenses are exclusively designed for digital SLR cameras. The image circle (rear of lens) is sized to match the smaller dimensions used for the image sensor on digital cameras. As a result these lenses are also more compact and lightweight, and are better matched to digital SLR cameras. (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/used/324190/?c3api=1876%2C52248989522%2C&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiJH8z4SH1wIV2FmGCh1N4gbFEAQYAiABEgIA-fD_BwE)

Largobob

Largobob

Thanks my friend. They all have produced some good (and some not so good) images for me. lol

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Manufacturers as a rule specify the type of lens they are selling. In your particular case:

Nikkor kit lens: AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1/f3.5-4.5 G ED
AF-S Micro Nikkor 105mm 1/2.8G ED
Sigma DC 18-200mm 1/3.5-6.3 HSM
Nikkor AF-S VR 70-200mm 1/f2.8 G IF-ED

First and third lenses are both DX lenses to be best used with a cropped sensor.
The second and fourth lenses are for FX or best on full frame cameras.

Largobob

Thanks for the information, camerapapi. Kinda what I thought, but good to confirm.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Nikon DX lenses are marked "DX"... Their FX lenses are either unmarked or marked "FX".

Tokina uses the same designations as Nikon.

Sigma marks their crop sensor lenses "DC" (to help remember that, think "digital crop") and their full frame compatible lenses "DG" (maybe "digital general" purpose?).

Tamron marks their crop sensor lenses "Di II" and their full frame compatible lenses "Di".

Canon marks their APS-C crop sensor lenses "EF-S" and their full frame compatible lenses "EF".

Pentax designated their APS-C crop sensor lenses "DA" and their full frame capable lenses "FA".

Sony appears to mark their APS-C crop sensor lenses "DT" and not use any markings on their full frame lenses.

Olympus no longer makes any full frame lenses, AFAIK. All their "Zuiko Digital" marked lenses are micro Four/Thirds crop-only designs. Older "Zuiko" lenses were all film/full frame (but there are no full frame Oly cameras).

The above designations for crop-only lenses came about and started to be used in approx. the 2002 to 2004 time frame. Older lenses from the "dark ages" of film, without any of the above markings you can pretty much assume are full frame capable. (There were some lenses designed specifically for "half frame" 35mm film in years/decades past... Those won't cover the image area of "full frame". But those are quite rare.)

To further confuse things... there are now "mirrorless" lenses too, from many of these manufacturers. Often these are offered in designs and specifications similar to APS-C, but most of those are not interchangeable due to the much shorter "register" (i.e., distance from the mounting flange to the sensor or film plane of the camera, onto which the lens must focus the image). Sony is an exception, marketing both full frame and APS-C size mirrorless cameras and E-mount lenses for both. Fujifilm is also marketing two different formats of mirrorless now (see below).

Nikon's mirrorless lenses are currently marked "Nikon 1" (as are their mirrorless cameras, though there are rumors this may change in the near future).

Tokina currently only makes one lens, a 20mm in Sony full frame mirrorless "E-mount", designated "FE" (same as Sony).

Sigma marks their mirrorless lenses "DN".

Tamron marks their mirrorless lenses "Di III".

Canon marks theirs "EF-M".

Fujifilm has an extensive line of mirrorless lenses for marked "XF" for cameras using APS-C size sensors.

Fuji has also recently introduced a line of "GF" lenses specifically for their new GFX medium format mirrorless camera.

Pentax only has a few "Q-mount" lenses and doesn't use any specific designation.

Sony "E" lenses are for E-mount mirrorless cameras using APS-C sensors and Sony "FE" are for their full frame mirrorless models.

Olympus only makes m4/3 mirrorless cameras, so there is no special designation besides "Zuiko Digital", as noted above.

Largobob

Wow. Amazing amount of information! Thanks so much

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

This should be posted in the FAQ section.

dat2ra Loc: Sacramento

Hmmm. The consensus seems to be that the Nikkor 18-70 is a DX. What tells you that? It is a G ED, right? Are there really "G" DX lenses?

jcboy3

This is too funny. You remind me of my wife.

dat2ra Loc: Sacramento

Well, I'm not your wife, but if I were, how would you answer her question, assuming that you care about her and want to help her learn?

jcboy3

Look at a picture of the lens. See the big DX on the label? Two guesses what that means.

dat2ra Loc: Sacramento

Ok, I get that, I just didn't see how from the verbal description given you could determine that. Thanks.
Say "hi" to your wife for me.