First Nikon AF-S 135mm f/2G lens photo leaked on the web

The first photo of the Nikon AF-S 135mm f/2G lens, designed for full frame DSLR cameras, has been leaked on the web, a hint that an announcement may be on its way.

Nikon is currently selling a “D” version of the 135mm f/2 lens. It has been designed for FX-format full frame cameras, although it works in crop mode with DX-format APS-C shooters as well.

This telephoto lens does not have an autofocus motor, but it can autofocus if you own a camera with an internal AF drive. This means that the D3000 and D5000 series users will be able to focus only manually.

As a result, the Japanese company has begun working on a “G” model which will feature an AF drive built into the lens. We know this because Nikon has patented an AF-S 135mm f/1.8G lens a couple of years ago.

Although a version with an f/1.8 lens may be too good to be true and possibly too expensive for most photographers, an f/2 unit is more likely to make it onto the market. The good news is that the first photo of the Nikon AF-S 135mm f/2G lens has showed up on the web.

First photo of the Nikon AF-S 135mm f/2G lens appears on the web

The first photo of the Nikon AF-S 135mm f/2G. If it becomes official, then it will be aimed at full frame cameras, although it will work with APS-C DSLRs in crop mode.

As seen above, an unknown source has managed to acquire a press photo of the Nikon AF-S 135mm f/2G lens.

There is a chance that the image is fake – the result of a very clever photoshopping – but it looks very real and it would not be a surprise if the Japan-based manufacturer comes forth with an announcement soon.

Nothing major is planned for the immediate future, albeit the Photokina 2014 event will take place in early September.

The new lens will feature an internal autofocus motor and at least one ED element

A preliminary analysis of the photo shows that Nikon has not added an aperture ring to the lens. However, a manual focus ring is there as well as a depth of field scale.

The upcoming AF-S 135mm f/2G lens also sports a golden ring. This means that it will include at least one ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) element in its optical design, providing superior image quality by reducing chromatic aberration.

The patented f/1.8 version offers 2 ED glass elements and Vibration Reduction technology, so we are eager to find out whether or not the f/2 model provides similar functionality.

In the meantime, you can opt for the 135mm f/2D lens which is available for less than $1,300 at Amazon.