Glossary of Terms (23)

BBAR stands for Broad Band Anti Reflex

BBAR is Tamron's advanced multi-coating technique for suppresion of  internal reflections that cause ghosting and flare. You can read more about it here.

eBAND stands for Tamron’s proprietary Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency Coating. eBAND Coating is Nano-structured lens coating to protect against unwanted tangential reflection and ghosting. It is used in construction of Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD lens.

XGM stands for Tamron's eXpanded Glass Molded Aspherical lens element.It was designed to controls distortion and chromatic aberrations that affect wide-angle lenses. It's front lens element in Tamron SP 15-30mm F/2.8 Di VC USD lens.

Pixel peeper(plural Pixel peepers) can be used as derogatory term(usually is) to describe camera/lens performance-obsessed person/persons usually disregarding photos as faulty if not perfect at 100% magnification, without regard for composition, scene, artistic expression or anything else tat makes photograph great and optically pleasing. Wictionary gives a different explanation in direct contradiction with quotations used to show appropriate use. Some people are proud to be called pixel peeper and some call them self a pixel peeper. Harsher term or variation on theme is Pixel Nazi probably derived from Seinfeld TV show SOUP NAZI

Canon aberration STM describes new focusing motor type and stands for Stepper Motor. First EF lens to incorporate this type of motor was Canon EF 40mm f2.8 STM. Main purpose for this type of motor was to utilize more silent and smooth focusing and object tracking during video recording with new Canon camera releases like EOS 650D, EOS700D and mirrorless EOS-M and their new hybrid AF sensor. EF STM lenses will work with older types of EOS cameras but it is still questionable how will they preform regarding speed and accuracy of AF system not using hybrid AF sensor. ( this is a nice topic for Article About Lenses section)  EOS-M also introduced  new EF-M lens mount  which will be utilized only for Canon's  mirrorless cameras.  

AF stand for Auto-focus and it is printed on lens barrel. It describes lens capability to work with camera body to achieve focus automatically. Details about AF systems and how they work can be found here.

SP stands for Tamron´s Super Performance and describes Tamron's high performance lenses featuring high design specifications. It is always placed as firt two letters in lens name eg. (SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD)

Picture Style is Canon's EOS digital camera built in system through which you can select the way image will be recorded. There are six predefined styles and three custom styles. Beside this built in styles there is also Picture Style editor in which you can apply different style in post processing or create your own style and upload it to camera's custom style. For all detail information and how to go here.

USM stands for Canon's Ultrasonic Motor it's an AF (auto focus) driving motor. Usually contained in lens name eg. (EF-S 15-85 mm f/ 3.5-5.6 IS USM) and in gold lettering on lens barel (ULTRASONIC). All detail about Ultrasonic Motor technology can be found here. Other after-market lens manufacturer call their ultrasonic motors by different name for Sigma it is called HSM and Tamron calls it USD

IS stands for Canon's proprietary in-lens Image Stabilizer technology. Usually contained in lens name eg. (EF-S 15-85 mm f/ 3.5-5.6 IS USM) and in big lettering on lens barel (IMAGE STABILIZER). All detail about Image Stabilizer technology can be found here. Other after-market lens manufacturer call their image stabilizer system by different name for Sigma it is called OS and Tamron calls it VC

USD stands for Tamron's proprietary Ultrasonic Silent Drive used in their lenses to achieve silent and high-speed AF. Usually contained in lens name eg. (SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD) Translated to Canon terminology it equals to USM (Ultrasonic Motor) or for Sigma it's HSM (Hyper-Sonic Motor)

VC stands for Tamron's proprietary lens Vibration Compensation system. Usually contained in lens name eg. (SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD) Translated to Canon terminology it equals to IS (Image Stabilizer) or for Sigma it's OS (Optical Stabilizer)

More about VC and how it works can be found here

DN stands for Digital Neo and it's used by Sigma to denote that lens is designed exclusively for mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. Usually contained in lens name eg. (30mm F2.8 DN | A) 

DG is abbreviation for DG for Digital and used by Sigma to denote that lens is designed for full-frame digital SLRs but it'll also work with ASP-C size DLSRs. Usually contained in lens name eg. (150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro) 

This one is my favorite. Used by Sigma to accent lens EX-finish and to denote the superior build and optical quality according to Sigma standard. It's usually find in lens name right after F-stop number (eg. 150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro) and it is followed by four or five abbreviations. In real world abbreviations after EX are sufficient to explain lens superior build. In my opinion EX only denotes high end finish.

APO is acronym for Apochromatic used by Sigma to denote that lens has been made using special low-dispersion (SLD) glass and is designed to minimize color aberration. Usually contained in lens name eg. (150mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM APO Macro) 

Abbreviation used by Sigma to describe special lenses designed for APS-C size sensors. Lens designated with DC are intended to be used only on cameras with ASP-C sensor. Usually contained in lens name eg. (18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM)

Abbreviation used by Sigma to mark usage of Hyper-Sonic Motor in their lenses to achieve silent, high-speed AF. Usually contained in lens name eg. (18-50mm F2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM) Translated to Canon terminology it equals to USM (Ultrasonic Motor)