It might not be a V8 but it’s still pretty impressive.

Weird little fact, Nikon has been using lenses that run their auto-focus off a motor inside the camera body of their SLRs. Now, they’ve unveiled a brand-new motor-driven lens.

Way back in 1987, Canon ditched its FD lens mount for the all-electronic EF bayonet fixing. At the same time, it introduced the first usable autofocus for SLR cameras, with a fast and quiet motor inside the lens itself, and patented it as the USM (Ultrasonic Motor).

Fast forward 21 years, and we find Nikon doing the same thing. Up until now, many Nikon autofocus lenses have been driven by a motor in the body (though “AF-S” lenses have had motors inside for some time). This leaves the D40, D40x and D60 incapable of focussing many older lenses. Tamron is the latest third party lens maker to add motors for these cameras with its new SP AF28-75mm F/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO.

For the full news story head on over to Gadget Lab.

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