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Photo Forum / Film Photography / 35 mm / August 2006New Nikon AF-S Series, Plastic Lens Elements?
Most all the newer Nikon "AF-S" series lenses I've handled seem to be very light. Are the lens elements themselves being manufactured out of plastic, or just the barrels? Thanks, Bill Crocker > ... Nikon "AF-S" series lenses ... seem to be very light. Are the lens > elements ... plastic [?] Lens elements are glass. Some low-cost aspheric lenses use plastic elements - usually found in P&S's. >> ... Nikon "AF-S" series lenses ... seem to be very light. Are the lens >> elements ... plastic [?] [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >Some low-cost aspheric lenses use plastic elements - >usually found in P&S's. Not only P&S, when you hear the term "Hybrid Element" than means a plastic lens glued on a glass one for rigidity, e.g.: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0608/06080902nikonafsdx18-135lens.asp Although do not expect a lot of weight savings. > Most all the newer Nikon "AF-S" series lenses I've handled seem to be very > light. Are the lens elements themselves being manufactured out of > plastic, or just the barrels? > > Thanks, > Bill Crocker More likely they are using lighter weight materials for the barrels, and a higher index of refraction glass that allows more bending with less mass. This, together with some cleaver design techniques can result in lighter weights....... > Most all the newer Nikon "AF-S" series lenses I've handled seem to be very > light. Are the lens elements themselves being manufactured out of > plastic, or just the barrels? > > Thanks, > Bill Crocker They use lighter weight metal or polycarbonate plastic. That stuff is quite strong. The elements are glass, glass with aspheric plastic applied, or aspheric plastic alone. Which they use and where depends on the design and price point of the lens. Pure aspheric glass elements are extremely expensive to make. For that reason, such elements were never used in any quantity. Instead, most aspheric elements include some form of a plastic design. Jim >> Most all the newer Nikon "AF-S" series lenses I've handled seem to be >> very light. Are the lens elements themselves being manufactured out of [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Jim There is nothing inherently wrong with plastic as a lens element.....My eyeglasses have been made out of plastic for a number of years now. It is tougher than glass, but not as hard. It is also lighter, so it's easier on the bridge of my nose. It will mould easier, but so will the cement used between the elements of a glass lens, so I don't know if this is more of a problem or not. Long, fast lenses are big and expensive, and if making them out of plastic brings the price and weight down, then why not? > There is nothing inherently wrong with plastic as a lens element.....My > eyeglasses have been made out of plastic for a number of years now. It is [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > problem or not. Long, fast lenses are big and expensive, and if making them > out of plastic brings the price and weight down, then why not? Because quality might suffer.  SignatureTranspose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail. >> There is nothing inherently wrong with plastic as a lens element.....My >> eyeglasses have been made out of plastic for a number of years now. It is [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Because quality might suffer. It might. But then again, it might not. Plastics technology is still improving, and perhaps even better lenses will be made out of it in the future. Certainly I wouldn't discount the possibilities out of hand. |
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