Is there a big difference between Nikon Nikor G and ed.?

Question

i have a 28-80mm 1:3 3-5.6 G along with a telephoto lense... I noticed it is not ED... does this mean it is not as sharp? Is there a big difference?

I have a film nikon N80

Answer 1

"G" and "ED" can, in fact, exist on the same lens. "G" is not an indication of lower quality. It just lacks an aperture ring, because this is set internally under direction of electronics fromthe camera body.

What do the letters mean?
G - A new subset of the D-type lenses, without an aperture ring. The aperture is set by a command dial on the camera body.
D - Lens provides distance to subject information to camera; useful for automatic flash setting
ED - Extra low dispersion glass; give superior sharpness and color rendition
IF - Internal focus - the lens does not rotate or extend as it focuses
AF-S - Auto-focus, silent wave focus engine contained inside the lens itself
DX - Lens formatted for digital sensors that should not be used on full frame cameras
VR - Vibration Reduction - a gyroscopic system to detect and correct camera shake to yield sharp images at slower shutter speeds

I do think that the lens you mentioned is a slightly older kit lens commonly mated with 35 mm cameras and it really was "just to get you started." Many of our pros love the Nikon 24-85mm f/2.8-4.0D IF Lens and it's not an "ED" lens. It would be a great replacement for your 28-80 if you are looking for a serious upgrade. It costs over $500.

If you really want ED glass, a close match for this focal range is the Nikon 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Lens for almost $1,500.

Answer 2

What a great question

Answer 3

Replace "i.e." with "in other words" and "e.g." with "for example" and you'll understand the meanings, and never confuse them again!