How do I know if my lens if for full or crop?

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John 'Jack'
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There are some lenses that have been designed for the crop sensors. For example Nikon's DX lenses, Tamron Di lenses, Canon EF-S, etc.

I'm trying to figure out if my lens is just a usual lens, one that is usually used for 35mm SLR / Full Frame DSLR, or if it is one of those designed for crop sensors.

I got a Tamron 28-200mm f3.8-5.8 (IF) Aspherical LD. There also appears to be the number 1710 shown next to the Make in Japan if it is of any help.

I know that the LD code is just a coating type, nothing to do with if it is designed for full frame or crop. And that if it was designed for crop sensors, it would have the Di marking on it. Just checking because I heard somewhere that lenses designed for normal 35mm SLR / full frame DSLR can be used on cameras with crop, but when it comes to using the lenses specially designed for the crop models, on a SLR/DSLR, you get the vignetting effect.

The reason I'm asking is because if I try to upgrade my camera to one of those full frame models, I want to know if I can still use my current lens or get another one. The one I got was bought second hand with the camera which is a crop model.

As far as I can tell, I think the lens I have is suitable for full frame, and can be used on crop models, not one of those designed for crop models. I just want to double check.
 
The 3.8 - 5.8 looks to have been released in the early 90's so I'd be certain it's full frame, initially designed for the film market.
 
If you mean the 28-300 3.5-6.3, a quick Google search suggests it's Full Frame compatible;

https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/tamron-af-28-300mm-f3-5-6-3-xr-di-vc-ld-aspherical-if-macro

No, it really is 28-200mm and f3.8-f5.6 (my mistake, it's 5.6 not 5.8)

I think the number might be 171D rather than 1710.

if so, here is a link the the Tamron lens catalogue from 1997 - https://markorussa.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/tamron-lens-catalogue-1997-small.pdf - still doesn't tell you if it's FF or crop though :)

Had to look again, yeah, you're right, it is 171D.
 
I think the number might be 171D rather than 1710.

if so, here is a link the the Tamron lens catalogue from 1997 - https://markorussa.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/tamron-lens-catalogue-1997-small.pdf - still doesn't tell you if it's FF or crop though :)

Had a look at the catalogue, yeah, looks very much like mine, and that helps. It's definitely got to be a usual lens for full frame, not one of those designed for crop models. Considering that as far as I know, lenses like DX, Di, EF-S, all of which were designed for crop models, as far as I know, started more common around later 2000s, I think.

Well, thanks for the link, I'll take my chances and accept that it is a lens usually for full frame models.
 
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