The meaning of the symbol on the camera lens you need to know

As a newcomer to photography, you will have a lot of things to learn including symbols on the camera lens. This is the basic knowledge because the symbols on the lens will serve for the process of pressing the machine, adjusting the mode to take photos for different purposes. Therefore, grasping and understanding each character on the device will help you a lot during the shooting process.

AF - (Autofocus) : Standard abbreviation automatically focuses.

AF-S - (Autofocus Silent) : Nikon firm uses this character set to indicate quiet focus on the lens.

AL- (Aspherical Lens): Abbreviation of lens information with aspherical lens.

APO - (Apochromatic) : This group of characters is only available on Sigma tubes with only a feature that minimizes color retention.

AT-X - Advance Technology Extra : the outstanding technology symbol of Tokina.

D : Symbols on Tokina lenses for full-frame SLR cameras.

DA - (Digital Auto) : characters on Pentax lens line without aperture ring. There is a function called "Quick Shift" that lets you focus M even when the flip button is on AF mode.

SKIN * : Symbols on Pentax lenses belong to high-class tubes, including DA tube function and weather-resistant outer shell.

DC : The Sigma lens symbol for SLR cameras with a crop sensor, cannot be used on the Full-frame body.

DG : Sigma lens symbol for Full-frame SLR cameras.

Di : The symbol on Tamron lens (Digitally Integrated) is compatible with both SLR full-frame and Crop.

DO : Character on the Canon lens (Diffractive Optics) technology allows the design of smaller lenses, but receives light equivalent to conventional lenses.

DT : The symbol on Sony lens belongs to the tube system compatible with the camera body with a crop sensor.

DX : Symbols on Nikon lenses belong to the compatible tube system of Crop sensor, APS-C.

ED - (Extra-low Dispersion) : Lens type name minimizes dispersion to help keep colors true.

EF - (Electro Focus) : character used on Canon lenses since 1987 to introduce lenses with autofocus systems.

EF-S - (Electro Focus Short back-focus) : on Canon lenses since 2003 belongs to Canon compatible lens system Crop sensor.

EX: Sigma's high-end lens system.

f / xx (f-stop nuber) : the largest aperture index (maximum aperture) of the lens. With a zoom lens can record two aperture indicators, for example: f / 4-5.6. This indicator means that the previous number is the largest aperture and the following is the smallest aperture of the lens, there are also a number of lenses that record the ratio: 1: 4-5.6.

FA : on Pentax lenses for full-frame cameras with old-fashioned rings.

FX : on Nikon, Nikkor tubes compatible with full-frame and crop machines.

G - (Gold ): printed on Sony's top lenses, Panasonic Lumix Compact tubes.

HID : only the chromatic dispersion elimination lens used in Tamron lenses.

HSM - (Hyper Sonic Motor) : Sigma tube is a fast and smooth autofocus system.

IF - (Internal Focusing) : is shared by some firms only the focus ring is in the lens cover. Focus IF technology rotates inside, smoothly and conveniently using a filter or hood.

IFN - (i-Function) : is a feature of the Samsung NX series that allows adjusting parameters and effects on the camera, with one button and rotation on Samsung lenses.

II : Second generation

III : The third generation

IS - (Image Stabilization) : Reduce optical vibration on Canon lenses

L - (Luxury) : symbol on Canon's premium professional lenses, premium design and weather resistance.

LD : The symbol on the Tamron lens uses a lens that reduces the true color-keeping scattering.

OIS : (Optical Image Stabilization) Reduces optical vibration on Panasonic lenses

OS : Reduce image stabilization vibration on Sigma lenses.

PC-E - (Perfective Control Electronic) : System symbol on Mr. Nikon Tilt-Shift allows to move the front lens group without deforming the lens.

PZ - (Power Zoom) : the system supports zoom on Panasonic lenses.

PZD - (Piezo Drive) : Ultrasonic motor notation used in Tamron lenses for quick and smooth focusing.

RF - (Rear Focus) : the group of lenses closest to the camera used for faster focusing, often in super-sized tubes.

SAM : quiet focus system on Sony Alpha glasses.

SD : Low scattering lens to hold the right color in Tokina lens.

SDM : Pentax quiet focus system.

SLD : Low scattering lens holds the right color in Sigma lens.

SMC (super multi coating) : coating on Pentax lenses reduces light reflection.

SP - (super performance) : symbol on Tamron premium lens.

SSM : ultrasonic focus motor on Sony lens, high-speed autofocus.

STM (Stepper Motor) : Canon Lens stepper motor:

(Stprer Motor) lenses use electric motors, creating precise movements to pre-calculated positions via electromagnetic pulses at a certain frequency; USM (Ultra - Sonic Motor) lenses use ultrasonic motors to focus. The engine is located inside the lens, in order to convert electrical energy into motion to move the lenses when focusing.

SWM : ultrasonic focus engine, fast and smooth on Nikon AF-S tube.

TS-E - (tilt-shift electronic) : symbol on Canon Tilf-Shift lens like Nikon's PC-E.

UD - (ultralow dispersion) : the lens used in Canon lenses has the effect of reducing the wrong colors.

USD - (ultrasonic silent drive) : fast and smooth autofocus system on Tamron tube.

USM - (ultrasonic motor) : fast, silent autofocus system on Canon lenses.

VC - (vibration compensation) : optical vibration reduction on Tamron lenses.

VR - (vibration reduction) : reduces vibration on Nikon lenses.

WR - (weather Resitant) : symbol on Pentax lens.

XLD - (Extra Low Dispersion) : ultra-low scattering lens used in Tamron lenses to keep colors true.

XR - (Extra Refractive) : This type of lens is used in Tamron lenses, having a light angle structure that is larger than a normal lens, making the overall lens size not too large.

ZA - (Zeiss Alpha) : some Sony lenses are manufactured by Carl Zeiss.

Hope the above article is useful to you!