The heat-block coating reflects light and re-radiates heat. Similar substances are widely used in exterior walls, on roofs, around pools, in parking lots, and in the asphalt on roads to reduce the heat-island effect. A higher quality version of this will be used in the lens coating, though the technology in question is nowhere near the level of the thermal protection tiles used in the space shuttle. The coating is applied to the following:

• Magnesium
• Aluminum
• Poly-carbonate
• Carbon (long telephoto hood)

Although surfaces are commonly painted white to prevent them from becoming warm when exposed to the sun's rays, we have decided to use a dark color to preserve the black of Nikon lenses. Given, however, that carbon can not be used (as carbon absorbs heat, interfering with the heat-blocking effect), the coating will be a slightly different shade of black from that used in existing lenses.

At Nikon, we use “coating” to refer to coatings applied to optical elements, “finish” to refer to coatings applied to lens or camera bodies.