Why the new AF-P lenses are "G" and not "E"

[Peter Forsell]

I wonder why the two new stepping motor AF-P consumer lenses don't have electronic aperture? Future consumer bodies could get rid of the expensive mechanics in the body lowering cost and weight, maybe size too.
Then again, Nikon has a rep updating these once a year.
These will be silent with video, I guess and faster to focus with contrast detect AF.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Compatibility statement: Nikon is saying they are not getting rid of the mechanical aperture control in all lenses (only those lenses which clearly benefit from it), and certainly not in bodies. This means future low end bodies will support existing G lenses, which are the majority of Nikon lenses.

[Roland Vink]

Does Nikon make any cameras which does not support "E"? To ask the question in another way, what are the most recent camera models which do not support "E"? If all current and recently discontinued cameras support "E" then any new lenses will be compatible with pretty much any camera they are likely to be used on. So compatibility is not the problem. And if Nikon really does want to move towards an all electronic interface, the sooner they move the low-end lenses to "E", the sooner they can introduce low-end "E" camera.

My guess is Nikon wanted to keep the price as low as possible. Adding "E" makes the lens more complex and expensive, and maybe the collapsing barrel design meant there was no space internally for an electronic aperture.

It's interesting that both models have the same optics (different from previous 18-55 lenses). There have been VR and non VR 18-55 and 55-200 models before but they were different optically.

[bjornthun]

I think that D3 and D300 are the oldest cameras that support the fully electronic E type aperture.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Roland, my point is that if Nikon made all new lenses E type, G type lenses would start to be assumed to be a bad investment. Thus the message.

[Roland Vink]

I just thought it would be interesting to go over the many 18-55 models:

1. original 18-55 G ED model from Apr 2005
2. 18-55 G ED II with updated cosmetics but otherwise the same, from Nov 2006


3. 18-55 G VR from Nov 2007


4. 18-55 G VR II with collapsible barrel from Jan 2014


5. 18-55 P with collapsible barrel and stepping motor from Jan 2016
6. 18-55 P VR, same as above but with VR



The crazy thing is, except for the first model, ALL are listed as current models on the Nikon website. Maybe they are still clearing out old stocks of old models, or they really need to rationalise their production - eventually all should go except the latest two models.

All the early models have the standard 52mm filter size. The two new "P" lenses have 55mm filter size - the first time in 65 years of F-mount lenses this size is used. The 1NIKKOR 10-100/4-5.6 also takes 55mm filters. Interestingly it shares the same hood with the new 18-55 lenses.

There is a general trend is for the optical design to become more complex - the latest versions have more elements and two aspheric elements.

I wonder if Nikon will soom introduce compact 55-200 telephoto zooms with stepping motors to match?

The new lenses have been added to my site, along with the D5 and D500

[dslater]

If you look at the MTF curves on Nikon's site, you can see that the versions from 2014 on have a small improvement off axis.

[pluton]

A possible future use for the E lenses is that they will facilitate acceptance of a future mirrorless, 24x36, mirror box-less, short mount Nikon body, since an all-electronic adapter is potentially much more reliable than an adapter that would be required to actuate the aperture lever of the 'G and older' lenses.

[jhinkey]

A possible future use for the E lenses is that they will facilitate acceptance of a future mirrorless, 24x36, mirror box-less, short mount Nikon body, since an all-electronic adapter is potentially much more reliable than an adapter that would be required to actuate the aperture lever of the 'G and older' lenses.

That is my hope as well - that the adoption of all-electronic control of lens functions is part of the path toward DX or FX mirrorless bodies.
Personally I don't really use AF Nikkors all that much, but if this gets us to a mirrorless FX body sooner than later I'm all in.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

"G" lenses are by a very wide margin the most frequent kind of Nikkors these days. The lens base must count well over 80 million units. Thus I doubt that any putative mirrorless system can stand a chance if not supporting such lenses in some acceptable manner.

[bjornthun]

Sony is able to support Sony A mount DSLR lenses with aperture levers, like the Nikon G type. Moreover Sony is even able to support lenses with screwdriver AF. Sony's adapters for doing this are respectively the LA-EA3 and the LA-EA4. The Sony/Minolta AF DSLR system didn't have lenses with aperture rings.

Essentially it is possible for Nikon to support most Nikkors on a future mirrorless system with a short flange distance via adapters.

The advantage of a pure electronic adapter, supporting E type would be price, since it would be simpler to manufacture.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Agree with your analysis. If a new system emerges, having separate adapters with support for various lens platforms is entirely feasible.