Nikon Announces Two New Wide-Angle Lenses for Nikon Digital SLRs

July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon (www.nikonusa.com), the world leader in photography, today introduced two revolutionary new wide-angle lenses designed exclusively for Nikon digital SLR cameras that feature Nikon's DX Format Sensor. The new AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED lens and the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens significantly expand Nikon's DX-Nikkor category of interchangeable lenses, and follow close on the heels of the recently introduced AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED lens. These three new DX-Nikkor lenses now offer Nikon digital SLR photographers the broadest wide-angle coverage available for digital SLR cameras, while significantly enhancing lens performance by optimizing them for digital cameras.

"With the introduction of the AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED lens and the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens, Nikon is fulfilling its promise of addressing photographers' needs for wider angle-of-view coverage in digital SLR cameras. These new lenses not only offer Nikon digital SLR photographers the broadest options for wide-angle coverage, but also significantly reduce the size of the lenses they have to carry," said Richard LoPinto, vice president of SLR camera systems, Nikon Inc. "Adding to the appeal of DX-Nikkor is their compatibility with all Nikon digital SLR's without any change in performance or angle-of-view," he added.

DX-Nikkor: Intelligent Engineering
Nikon engineers determined that by reducing the diameter of the lens' image circle (the image it projects on the DX format sensor), a range of lenses with practical size and excellent performance could be developed. Originally designed to address the market's need for wider angle-of-view, high-performance optics for digital SLR photography, DX-Nikkor lenses offer advantages of compact and lightweight design, fast aperture and fast autofocus through Nikon's Silent Wave Motor design. By optimizing them for Nikon's DX-format image sensors used in all Nikon D-series digital SLR's, these lenses achieve outstanding center-to-edge-to-corner image quality. All DX-Nikkor lenses are compatible with all Nikon D-series digital SLR cameras, including the D1, D1X, D1H, D100 and the new high-speed D2H.

AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED
At 180 degree diagonal angle-of-view, the new AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED is not only the world's first fisheye lens designed for digital SLRs, but also the first to offer such a wide picture-angle for any digital camera. It features optimized optical performance with close range focusing up to a mere 5.5 inches for extreme close-ups. Innovative Close-Range Correction (CRC) technology ensures consistently crisp, sharp images. This palm-sized lens is small and lightweight, and its compact design is exemplary of the potential of DX-Nikkor to reduce lens size and offer added convenience to Nikon digital SLR users.

While photographers will enjoy the incredible depth of field and unique perspective characteristics of this fisheye lens, they can also double it as an ultra-wide angle lens using Nikon Capture 4.0 software's unique 'Fisheye-to-Rectilinear Image Transformation' capability. With the click of a button, Capture 4.0 instantly transforms fisheye images taken with this lens into straight lined, rectilinear images. The software offers a choice of cropping the image vertically or horizontally, during the transformation process, and gives an outstanding 110 degree angle-of-view when oriented horizontally.

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
Set to become the standard lens for Nikon digital SLR users, the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED offers the widest (3.2x) zoom range in its category, with a broad 79 degree - 28 degree 50' angle-of-view. Consistent with DX-Nikkor design, the lens is compact and lightweight, while offering a fast f/2.8 constant aperture. The AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED provides excellent versatility from wide-angle through standard and medium telephoto shots, making it ideal for a diverse range of picture taking situations.

The lens incorporates three ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) glass elements and three aspherical elements in a 14-element, 10-group construction. The lens also features Nikon's innovative Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology that is highly regarded by professional photographers for its ultra-quiet operation and fast autofocusing with superior accuracy.

Both new DX Nikkor lenses exhibit enhanced performance with extremely low coma and lateral aberration, along with improved MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) curves, when compared to other lenses in their categories. They feature Nikon's high-performance Super Integrated Coating for superior color reproduction and minimized ghost and flare.

DX Nikkor Digital Lenses Go Wider
Looking at the big picture, Nikon now has three new DX Nikkor lenses designed exclusively for its DX Format digital SLR cameras, offering unmatched wide-angle coverage:

• AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED lens: 180 degree angle-of-view
• AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED: 99 degree - 61 degree angle-of-view
• AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED: 79 degree - 28 degree 50' angle-of-view

The AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED lens and the AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens will be available during the fourth quarter of 2003.

For more information, dial (800) NIKON-US or visit www.nikonusa.com.

Source: Nikon Inc