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Lens Question: DX or FX?


9 years 2 months ago #426029 by [email protected]
I own a Nikon D7000. I wanted to buy a Nikon 70-300mm lens. But I have since been told that if I use an FX lens on a DX body, I will lose a great deal of my camera's resolution. I should only use DX lenses on a DX body. Does anyone have any thoughts on this subject? Suggestions? Thanks...M.
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9 years 2 months ago #426032 by hghlndr6
You will not lose any resolution.  You will record an image that uses the full sensor ... 24mm x 16mm ... and however millions of pixels that is on the 7000.  What you will lose (i.e.. not record) is the portion of the scene that the FX lens delivers that lies outside the boundaries of that DX sensor.  That's what the term "crop sensor" is all about ... the DX sensor "crops" the full-frame image delivered by the FX lens (and thus appears to have an angle of view equivalent to a longer focal length lens).

I use both formats and I have no use for a DX lens.  I have, in fact, used that 70-300 on the D7100, with good results.
www.bobmitchellphoto.com
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9 years 2 months ago #426035 by Screamin Scott
You have that backwards. Using a DX lens on an FX camera results in the image circle being unable to cover the entire FX sensor, resulting in lower data capture. Using an FX lens on a DX camera is better as the lens projects a larger image circle than the sensor & most all lenses are sharper in the center than at the edges...
Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/
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9 years 2 months ago #426043 by effron
If you buy the 70-300, make sure its the "VR" version. The other non VR lenses are poor.....;)
Why so serious?
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9 years 2 months ago #426066 by garyrhook

mesarey wrote: I own a Nikon D7000. I wanted to buy a Nikon 70-300mm lens. But I have since been told that if I use an FX lens on a DX body, I will lose a great deal of my camera's resolution. I should only use DX lenses on a DX body. Does anyone have any thoughts on this subject? Suggestions? Thanks...M.


Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Did I say that's wrong?

Forget thoughts. Let's consider facts, shall we?

You have been misinformed. With Nikon, any lens can be used on any body. The only limitation is a DX lens (which renders a smaller image) on a fullframe sensor (the converse of what you are considering). You'll get vignetting from the lens barrel.

I only use FX lenses on my DX body, because someday I'll have an FX body and already own the glass. Do some research if you want to understand the geometry of the situation.
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9 years 2 months ago #427109 by dragosticu
Hello!

You should purchase an FX lens if you are going to switch to an FX camera during few months - one year.

If not, you will find good DX lenses too.

Br 

Dragos
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9 years 2 months ago #428045 by [email protected]
Hi...I'm back. Hope you don't mind. I am still grappling with the notion  of a crop sensor. I understand the "crop, But I don't quite understand why The angle of view narrows and why that increases the effective focal length of the lens. Also, is there a crop factor when using a DX lens on a DX body? I appreciate any help you can give....M.
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9 years 2 months ago #428047 by Screamin Scott
The focal length doesn't change, only the field of view...A lens is the same focal length regardless of the camera it's mounted on . A 50mm DX lens is still a 50mm lens no matter the camera. It's just projects a smaller image circle than an FX lens would.   FX lenses vignette on FX bodies unless the camera is set to a crop mode in the menu...
Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/
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9 years 2 months ago #428054 by [email protected]
Got it. But why does the field of view increase rather than decrease. And why does the crop factor multiply rather than divide? I was terrible at math and science. I was an English major. Thanks...M.
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9 years 2 months ago - 9 years 2 months ago #428058 by hghlndr6

mesarey wrote: Hi...I'm back. Hope you don't mind. I am still grappling with the notion  of a crop sensor. I understand the "crop, But I don't quite understand why The angle of view narrows and why that increases the effective focal length of the lens. Also, is there a crop factor when using a DX lens on a DX body? I appreciate any help you can give....M.


Crop Sensor:  The DX sensor is smaller than the FX sensor.  Therefore, it receives and records only a portion of the light coming through the lens.  Hence the name "crop."  

This might help:  Visualize a circle the size of an FX lens.  Now superimpose a rectangle of the FX sensor into that circle ...that's the image the FX sensor records.  Now put the smaller DX rectangle into the center of the same size circle.  See, it covers a smaller area of that circle ... thus it "crops" the FX image.

Stop thinking in terms of "increased effective focal length," or "equivalent focal length."  The DX sensor does NOT increase the focal length of the lens ... that's impossible ... it only narrows the angle of view.  Because the sensor records only the smaller area of the scene in the center of that circle, it appears to have the same angle of view as a longer lens.

There is no crop with DX on DX because the DX lens is a smaller diameter, made to work with the smaller sensor.

Read this:   www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/digi...mera-sensor-size.htm
www.bobmitchellphoto.com
The following user(s) said Thank You: [email protected]
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9 years 2 months ago #428062 by Screamin Scott
The FOV doesn't increase, it does decrease. You are getting the equivalency confused. When it's said the apparent FOV of an FX lens, they are specifying the view on an FX camera of the view. In other words, a 50mm lens on an FX camera has a FOV of 39.6° × 27.0°. That lens on a crop camera has a FOV of equivalent to what 75mm lens would on an FX camera (slightly more than 28.9° × 19.5°)... Nothing to do with focal length
Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/
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The following user(s) said Thank You: [email protected]
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9 years 2 months ago #428064 by [email protected]
Got it. That's one more thing I can quit worrying about. I really appreciate your helping a beginner. If you ever have any grammar questions, let me know. Thank you...M.
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9 years 2 months ago #428066 by [email protected]
Thanks very much for your help. Very helpful...M.
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9 years 2 months ago #428074 by garyrhook

mesarey wrote: Got it. That's one more thing I can quit worrying about. I really appreciate your helping a beginner. If you ever have any grammar questions, let me know. Thank you...M.


Emphasis on "quit worrying about" ;)  It's a geometry (non-) issue. Just go shoot.
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9 years 2 months ago #428115 by Gooi Mielies
That is me confused I have a D7000 with 18 to105 VR DX lens and 70 to 300 VR ED IF lens are they the right lennse
I am still not as happy as I was with my D70 please help but keep it simple
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