Lens question IS V DC

The Muppet

What is the difference between an is and dc lens?

kelly1

I don't know, what is the difference?

PCPhoto

One is a Canon term (IS)

and the other is a Nikon term (DC)

IS = Image stabilization

DC = Defocus Control*

*=I'm open to correction on that - I'm a Canon user so had to actually google to find it out....apologies to all nikonites out there.

5uspect

Canon do IS and DO lenses.
Nikon have VR lenses as an equivalent to IS but don't offer an equivalent to DO AFAIK.

IS and VR are active methods to reduce shake by stabilizing the optics in the lens with a gyro.

DO is a funky thing. It stands for diffractive optics. It uses jagged shaped lenses and standard refractive optics to reduce chromatic aberration. It also appears to make the resulting lens shorter and lighter than it's standard refractive counter parts.

Nikon DC is as PCPhoto has said is Defocus Control. I clever way to change the out of focus bits on an image without affecting the in focus bits.

Canon don't appear to do DC and Nikon don't appear to do DO so they're not worth comparing. VR and IS are very similar and their respective takes on it and resulting performance is worth a fanboy flame war.

The Muppet

This DC lens is on a canon camera. Just wondering what the difference is as I'm considering buying one.

Canon EOS 500D with 18-55 DC Lens

http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/78164/show.html


http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/76113/show.html

5uspect

That's a typo, there is only the 18-55 Mk II which is non-IS and the Mk III which is IS.
You can see the IS and non-IS models by simply looking at the text on the front of the lens in image on the webpage.

The Mk III isn't supposed to be half bad, but in general the Canon kit lenses are rubbish.

EDIT: Okay a google search brings this up:
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_18-55_3p5-5p6_is_c16/

The lens has a "DC micro motor" autofocus motor instead of Canon's fancier Ultrasonic system.
The IS model is the newer version of the same lens.

TBH I'd get the body only 500D and a 17-55 f2.8 IS.

The Muppet

5uspect wrote: »

That's a typo, there is only the 18-55 Mk II which is non-IS and the Mk III which is IS.
You can see the IS and non-IS models by simply looking at the text on the front of the lens in image on the webpage.

The Mk III isn't supposed to be half bad, but in general the Canon kit lenses are rubbish.

EDIT: Okay a google search brings this up:
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_18-55_3p5-5p6_is_c16/

The lens has a "DC micro motor" autofocus motor instead of Canon's fancier Ultrasonic system.
The IS model is the newer version of the same lens.

TBH I'd get the body only 500D and a 17-55 f2.8 IS.

Thanks for the info and advice, it's appreciated.

kelly1

5uspect wrote: »

TBH I'd get the body only 500D and a 17-55 f2.8 IS.

Super lens by all accounts, but damned expensive for an EF-S!

5uspect

[hushed]They say it's L quality[/hushed]