Silverrails

What will be the difference between an AF-S and a AF-P Lens on my Nikon D3300 DSLR Camera?

Rongnongno Loc: FL

https://www.google.com/search?q=AF-S+vs+AF-P&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS841US841&oq=AF-S+vs+AF-P&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.9998j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

You have comprehensive results available to you from site that will not contradict each other....

Basically build, technology and speed of focusing. Which is best depends on your camera capabilities and camera firmware update if available.

P is more modern, use latest technology and cost more.

Chadp Loc: Virginia Beach

The P is also much quieter. You can shoot video with the P series without hearing focus motor noise that is picked up by the in camera mic when using the S series. The P is supposed to focus faster also. But I don’t notice a difference in focus speed.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

I used to own the Nikon - AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR. It was light, very sharp, silent and focused quickly. One of my favorite Nikon lenses...and it cost $400.

Silverrails

Do you know if the "P" Lens works properly on most all Nikon DSLR model cameras?
I have a Nikon D3300, Will it work properly on my Camera?
Thanks for your replies.

kddp13 Loc: Wisconsin

AF-P lens will work with D3300

Jerry G Loc: Waterford, Michigan and Florida

It will focus, but you need the latest firmware update.

BebuLamar

P is less expensive to make.

jpmmc Loc: Pennsylvania

Info from the AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G Web page.

Pulse Motor

Nikon's "P" series of NIKKOR lenses use a pulse motor (utilizing stepping motors) to focus smoother and quieter than previous drive systems. This quiet drive system makes the lenses ideal for use when shooting video.

The number of cameras compatible with both lenses is limited. Even for compatible cameras, firmware update may be required*.Fully compatible models:D7500, D5600, D5500, D5300*, D3400, D3300*, D500 and later models

Compatible models with limited functions:D5, D810 series, Df, D750, D7200, D7100, D5200, Nikon 1 series with the FT1

Incompatible models:D4 series, D3 series, D2 series, D1 series, D800 series, D700, D610, D600, D300 series, D200, D100, D7000, D5100, D5000, D90, D80, D70 series, D3200, D3100, D3000, D60, D50, D40 series, film cameras

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Both AF-S and AF-P lenses have an in-lens focusing motor, allowing autofocusing on recent DSLRs. ("AF" Nikkors don't have an in-lens focusing motor, require a camera with a focusing motor in the body, which only the D7000 and higher models have. As a result, "AF" Nikkors will be manual focus only on D3000-series and D5000-series cameras.)

AF-S lenses use an ultrasonic focusing motor in the lens. This is the fastest focusing drive, best for action photography such as sports and wildlife and is used in more expensive, top-of-the-line Nikkors. (Similar to Canon USM, Sigma HSM and Tamron USD.) AF-S lenses are also referred to as "Silent Wave" drive... But while they are quiet, they aren't really "silent", so some focusing noises can end up in the audio of a video made with an AF-S lens on a camera.

AF-P lenses use a stepper motor for focusing. This is quieter, smoother acting and may be preferable for video. It is typically found in lower priced, more entry-level Nikkors. (Similar to Canon STM.)

Nikon has done a good job wringing speed out of AF-P.... Most users will see little, if any difference in focus speed. In some cases users claim AF-P lenses are faster focusing. However, often they appear to be comparing dissimilar lenses, which pretty much invalidates any comparison. (Note: Canon has been making ultrasonic and stepper motor lenses for a lot longer, but has only ever made one pair of of models using both forms of autofocus that are identical in all other ways and ideal for comparison of the focusing drives: EF-S 18-135mm IS STM and EF-S 18-135mm IS USM. In this case, Canon claims the USM ultrasonic lens is 2X to 4X faster focusing than STM.)

Don't worry too much about focusing speed with Nikon AF-P and AF-S though... both are quite fast. The differences are elsewhere.

AF-S lenses are the most widely compatible, can autofocus on pretty much all Nikon DSLRs. (There are still DX/crop and FX/full frame AF-S lenses to consider. Both DX and FX can be used equally well on DX cameras. FX cameras are best used with FX lenses.) In most cases, AF-S lenses have a mechanical connection between the lens' focusing ring and the focusing mechanism, which allows direct manual focusing at any time... even with the lens off the camera. Ultrasonic focus drives will not be harmed by manually overriding them, either.

AF-P lenses have limited compatibility with Nikon DSLRs. They're only able to autofocus on more recent Nikon DSLRs. They'll do fine on a D3300, but not on a D3200 or earlier... Fine on a D5500, but not on earlier... Fine on D7500, limited compatibility with D7200 and D7100 (camera firmware update necessary), and incompatible with D7000 and earlier. Because AF-P lenses are "fly by wire"... there is no mechanical connection between the focus ring and the focusing mechanism, it's all done with electronic communication.... AF-P lenses on "incompatible" cameras cannot even be manually focused. On compatible cameras, to manually focus the lens it must be "powered up"... the camera must be turned on and "awake". There can be other issues with AF-P lenses besides autofocus. For example, AF-P lenses with VR (image stabilization) typically have no switches to control it on the lens itself, it needs to be accessed through the camera's menu. There are exceptions such as the AF-P 70-300mm FX, which does have a switch to turn VR on and off.

Here's a fairly complete camera/lens compatibility chart: https://www.nikonusa.com/Images/Learn-Explore/Photography-Techniques/2011/Which-Nikkor-is-Right-for-You/Media/NIKKOR-lens-compatibility-chart.pdf

Ken Rockwell weighs in on Nikon lens/camera compatibility, too: https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

Note: The older compatibility chart at Nikonians.org doesn't included AF-P lenses, so I'm not linking to it here. (It does include AI-P, but that's are not the same as AF-P.)

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

I would suggest that you go to Nikon's website to get full and complete info on compatibility. Some are totally compatible and some have "excepts" to them. Better to know ahead of time.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

The early production D3300 cameras needed a firmware to accommodate the AF-P lenses. The later production D3300s were OK. Check to see if your camera has had that firmware installed. The D3400 and the latest D3500, will accommodate the AF-P lenses.