What's the difference between these two lenses?

STM

Senior Member
The G series Nikkors are somewhat of a down graded version of the D lenses, presumtively to make them more affordable. Kind of like the Series E lenses during the '70's through early 90's. I am not sure if the optical formulas are the same for the G and D or not.

The G's have no aperture ring on the lens so aperture control can be done only from the camera it self, meanign that some camera bodies cannot accept them.

There are some changes in lenses structure and building material as well, like the lens mount in the G series is made from plastic instead of metal, something that still has be shaking my head in both bewilderment and disgust.

I am sure there may be other differences too and people here who use autofocus lenses I am sure can point them out.

Has I understand there is no significant change in the material and quality of the glass it self.
 

Dave_W

The Dude
I'm not sure you can say a G is a downgraded version of a D lens but the more important difference is the G lens has an internal focusing motor and will auto-focus on D3000's and D5000's where as a D lens will only manually focus.
 

crycocyon

Senior Member
Here's a cutaway of a G series lens:

imgp8856.jpg


Looks like the outer casing is plastic but the mounts for the elements themselves look to be metal. Also the G lenses are weather sealed, the D are not, at least to my knowledge. Since focusing is internal on the G lenses, filters such as polarizers are not affected by lens rotation. One can hold the lens without part of it moving while autofocusing, and one can also grab the focus ring at any time to override the autofocus to focus manually without having to switch the lens and camera switches to manual. The optics are also upgraded from the D series at least insofar as being new designs. That all being said, I am by no means an expert on the D series so I'll defer to those who have greater experience with the different Nikon autofocus designs.

The G series would be a downgrade in terms of materials of the exterior of the lens, but I think this was a decision made because the internal focus mechanism requires a larger lens barrel and that without weight-saving measures such as addition of plastic on non-critical areas, the lenses would be tanks to handle. Would I prefer the greater robustness of the D series? Certainly.
 

capitaltpt

Senior Member
From every review I've read, the 50mm G's are sharper than the 50mm D's they replaced. I will agree that they feel cheaper than their counterparts as they are built with more plastic and are much lighter (as are all the current 1.8G primes), however just because it's plastic doesn't mean it's cheap plastic. The biggest difference between D and G (as stated before) is that G's have a focus motor built in which means they will autofocus on every DSLR Nikon has made and even some film SLR's.
 

clarnibass

Senior Member
The G series Nikkors are somewhat of a down graded version of the D lenses, presumtively to make them more affordable.
I disagree with this and you can see that the G 50s are always more expensive than their equivalent D 50s.

Optically they are different. Which one you'd prefer depends on what you want and what you'd think of them yourself...
 
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