Nikon 12-24 mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens

Atypical of lenses with similar focal lengths, the DX 12-24mm f/4G lens is very compact and lightweight, offering a 2X Zoom ratio with an unprecedented angle-of-view from 61o at 24mm to 99 o at 12mm. This range of angle-of-view is comparable to that of an 18-36mm lens on the 35mm format. The lens also incorporates many of Nikon's advanced technologies including Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SI-C), Silent Wave Motor Technology (SWM), Extra Low Dispersion Optical Glass (ED) and a G-Type design.

Nikon digital SLR photographers have enthusiastically enjoyed the inherent benefits of the DX Format sensor size used in Nikon D-Series SLR cameras. Each original 35mm lens achieves a 1.5x factor for angle-of-view when used with Nikon D-Series digital SLR cameras, enabling smaller and lighter lenses to emulate the angle of view of normally larger, heavier and more costly optics. With the introduction of the new DX 12-24mm f/4G lens, photographers can now enjoy the benefits of Nikon's DX Format Sensor size on the wide-angle end of the lens spectrum. Revolutionary in terms of its compact size, weight, zoom ratio, optical performance and angle-of-view out to an exceptional 99-degrees.

Nikon designers determined that by reducing the diameter of the lens' image circle (the image that it projects on the DX Format sensor), a lens of practical size and excellent performance could be developed. Using the reduced-size image circle as the starting point, the lens also incorporates Nikon's high-performance Super Integrated Coating (SI-C) for superior color reproduction and minimized ghost and flare, and features the newly developed compact Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology, making autofocus fast and virtually silent.

The DX 12-24mm f/4G lens incorporates other exclusive Nikon technologies that ensure excellent overall performance. Its Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass controls chromatic aberrations, aspheric optics enable a more compact optical design, internal focusing maintains superior handling and a G-type design offers aperture control exclusively from Nikon digital SLR camera bodies.

While the DX Nikkor lens features Nikon's F-Mount, its optical design is specifically for use with Nikon's DX Format sensor and therefore is not designed for use with cameras that use either a larger digital sensor or 35mm film. Optimizing the lens for Nikon's DX Format sensor makes the lens smaller in diameter, lighter in weight, with exceptional center-to-edge-to-corner image quality and performance.

D-Series Upgrades and the DX-Nikkor lenses

The DX-Nikkor lens category compliments other recent developments of Nikon firmware upgrades and service enhancements including firmware upgrades for the D1X, D1H and D100 digital SLR models, memory buffer upgrade for the D1X and Capture 3.5 software upgrades that will benefit all Nikon digital SLR models and in particular the Nikon D1X NEF files.

Nikon's D1X professional digital SLR, with its new combination of upgrades and DX Nikkor compatibility, offers a significant alternative to recently announced larger CMOS sensor digital SLR models. Recent firmware upgrade (Version 1.1), available to D1X owners at no charge and Capture 3.5 Upgrader, available to owners of Capture 3.0, together offer the following three advances:
- Faster Write Speed: Access to Write Acceleration Technology offered in Lexar's new WA CompactFlash cards, increasing write-to-card speed by approximately 30%
- Higher Buffer Capacity: Memory buffer enhancement increases the D1X buffer capacity to 21 JPEG/TIF and 14 NEF files.
- Higher Image Quality: Using Capture 3.5, current and prospective D1x owners can interpolate all D1x NEF files to an equivalent of 10 Megapixels

Adding the DX Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G lens to the D1X system will offer a new, advanced level of performance. Nikon cameras that benefit from the recent upgrades and the introduction of the DX Nikkor lens include the D1x, D1H, D100 and D1 digital SLR cameras. These models will continue to accept all autofocus Nikkor and many manual focusing Nikkor optics as well.