'D' and non-'D' lens picture quality?


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Jay

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Has anyone taken any shot using a similar 'D' and non-'D' lens and notice any difference?

Please share your experience and knowledge.

Cheers
 

The D is more of the distance chip within the CPU that helps the flash to calculate the distance you're focusing at if I'm not wrong, it doesn't mean difference in quality. ED is the glass I think you're referring to? ED and non ED lenses?
 

Actually inside the D range there are high-performance D and non-high-performance D. And inside the non-D range there are AFS which is considered high-performance.
Have I managed to confuse you already? :D
 

D designation in a nikkor lens just means it has a chip inside the lens to relay distance information to the camera, where it's used in metering and for flash exposure. All G designated lens are also D lens in that G lens also have the distance chip. Either says absolutely nothing about the optical quality of the lens, especially when there are so many lenses out there with and without 'D' designation.

ps nikon don't brand its lenses as upper class/lower class like some other manufacturers if that's what you are thinking. There used to be a time when the word Nikkor itself is already an indication of quality.
 

AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G
This is AFS, this is non-D.

AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF
This is non-AFS, this is D.

Definitely 1 of them is upper class and the other is lower class. At least thats what I think. ;)
 

Astin said:
AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G
This is AFS, this is non-D.

AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f/2.8-4D IF
This is non-AFS, this is D.

Definitely 1 of them is upper class and the other is lower class. At least thats what I think. ;)


Actually, that AF-S G type lens is also a D (G type lens is the same as a D type lens (transmits distance information to the camera body) - except the G type lacks the aperture ring - aperture has to be set on the body)
 

gooseberry said:
Actually, that AF-S G type lens is also a D (G type lens is the same as a D type lens (transmits distance information to the camera body) - except the G type lacks the aperture ring - aperture has to be set on the body)

True .. Nikon just "simplify" the naming on their .. because if not .. the
70-200 will be ..

AF-S VR 70-200 f/2.8 D G IF-ED :D

Also the purpose of D chip was to enable distance metering which make your cam able to do 3D matrix metering,
if not .. my AF-S 24-85 can't do matrix meter lor :( :sweat:
 

espn said:
The D is more of the distance chip within the CPU that helps the flash to calculate the distance you're focusing at if I'm not wrong, it doesn't mean difference in quality. ED is the glass I think you're referring to? ED and non ED lenses?
Thank you all BUT the question is what is the difference between the pictures taken by 'D' and non-'D'?

I do understand the difference between the two types i.e. chip but has not come across anyone taking about its output which is the end result of all our money put into it.

ESPN, thanks .. wasn't refering to ED and non ED (which I think can clearly see the difference in the photos taken).

Have I opened a pandora box?

Cheers
 

Jay said:
Thank you all BUT the question is what is the difference between the pictures taken by 'D' and non-'D'?

Cheers

Well, the description for D lenses are

"AF lenses with a CPU that also relays distance information to the camera, most useful for ultra-precise TTL flash"

With non-D lenses you get normal matrix metering, with D lenses you get 3D matrix metering.

So if you use TTL flash - a D lens will give you more accurate metering than a non D lens.

Otherwise, they are the same (unless the optical design was changed when the D version of a lens replaced the non-D version)
 

Jay said:
Thank you all BUT the question is what is the difference between the pictures taken by 'D' and non-'D'?

I do understand the difference between the two types i.e. chip but has not come across anyone taking about its output which is the end result of all our money put into it.

ESPN, thanks .. wasn't refering to ED and non ED (which I think can clearly see the difference in the photos taken).

Have I opened a pandora box?

Cheers

I can't really do a direct comparison as I don't own repeating lenses with one D and one non D, but half of my primes are D, half are non D, metering with either is equally good with no loss in picture quality.

If I need a certain lens but can only find a non-D version, it wouldn't stop me from buying the lens, for afterall, optical quality is the same.
 

swimcraze said:
hey o pal Jay,

so which non-D lens are you eyeing now???? ;)


cheers!
Helloooo ... was trying to determine the picture quality between both 'D' and non-'D'. Reason is that I noticed some people insist on buying 'D' lens whereas some reviewer said its no different on the final result.

No ... not eyeing any non-D lens but rather thinking hard about the 17-35 AFS.

You back??!
 

justarius said:
I can't really do a direct comparison as I don't own repeating lenses with one D and one non D, but half of my primes are D, half are non D, metering with either is equally good with no loss in picture quality.

If I need a certain lens but can only find a non-D version, it wouldn't stop me from buying the lens, for afterall, optical quality is the same.
I have the same approach too except that I'll buy the lens regardless of D or non-D as long as it delivers. Half of my lens inventory are likewise D and non-D.
 

Jay said:
Helloooo ... was trying to determine the picture quality between both 'D' and non-'D'. Reason is that I noticed some people insist on buying 'D' lens whereas some reviewer said its no different on the final result.

No ... not eyeing any non-D lens but rather thinking hard about the 17-35 AFS.

You back??!

interesting point, i would like to know the results too :)

coming back this weekend ;)
 

distance info will help more in the TTL flash results
 

NashVillian said:
Thanks for the URL and Clive for a straight one-liner. The forum sure does mentioned that its effective for flash photography. However he too found no difference between the output of the D and non-D .. confirmed my own suspicion. Can save some money buying good non-D hence.

Thanks guy!
Cheers
 

Hey Jay,

why don't you walk into a secondhand shop and conduct some 'tests' using your DSLR? alternatively, i have a 50mm AIS and a 50mm AFD lens if you want to use them for testing ;) let me know!

cheers!
 

Jay said:
Thanks for the URL and Clive for a straight one-liner. The forum sure does mentioned that its effective for flash photography. However he too found no difference between the output of the D and non-D .. confirmed my own suspicion. Can save some money buying good non-D hence.

Thanks guy!
Cheers

There will be zero difference between pics taken in ambient lighting with either D or non-D lenses. And scant differences between pics taken using flash.

D lenses transmit distance information to the camera for TTL flash photography. Only certain Nikon bodies utilise this function - F90x and later.

The D lens thing was mainly marketing hype from the Nikon marketing dept. to get users to dump their non-D lenses and buy ones with D.

So don't waste your time testing this and that - the differences will only be seen if you satisfy certain criteria like using the correct Nikon body, flash, lighting situation when testing. 95% of the time you'd be hard pressed to see any difference between flash pics taken with either type of lens.

BTW the 17-35AFS is a D lens. It's matrix chip transmits distance info to the camera.
 

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