FX lenses on crop sensor camera: Hi all! I would like to know your opinion on using FX or full frame lenses on crop sensor bodies. Does anyone know if their is a degradation of...

acellis Loc: Charleston, SC

Hi all! I would like to know your opinion on using FX or full frame lenses on crop sensor bodies. Does anyone know if their is a degradation of sharpness when full frame lenses are used on crop sensor bodies?

Also, if I would like to test this out on my own, what is your opinion on the best entry-level full frame frame Nikon body?

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

Jim Bob

acellis wrote:

Hi all! I would like to know your opinion on using FX or full frame lenses on crop sensor bodies. Does anyone know if their is a degradation of sharpness when full frame lenses are used on crop sensor bodies?

Also, if I would like to test this out on my own, what is your opinion on the best entry-level full frame frame Nikon body?

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

As always, it depends on the lens (and the camera body) but generally I would say in my experience there is no degradation. D750.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

acellis wrote:

Hi all! I would like to know your opinion on using FX or full frame lenses on crop sensor bodies. Does anyone know if their is a degradation of sharpness when full frame lenses are used on crop sensor bodies?

Also, if I would like to test this out on my own, what is your opinion on the best entry-level full frame frame Nikon body?

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

Full frame lenses on crop sensor cameras work just fine. In fact, since you are using only the center portion of the lens and not the outer edges where most of the distortion usually takes place, IQ is considered by most to be higher. Canon and Nikon place no restrictions nor have any warnings against such use. Full frame lenses are quite often of better quality then crop sensor lenses, although, there are many excellent crop sensor lenses. With Canon, and probably Nikon also, if you want to go longer then 300mm or so, you have no choice but to use full frame.
Can't help you on your camera selection as I have little knowledge of Nikon products.

LensWork

There is no image degradation when using full-frame (FX) lenses on a crop-sensor (DX) body; actually quite the opposite. Most lenses are sharper in the center than out at the edges of the image. Also most lenses exhibit some amount of light fall-off (vignetting) toward the edges. Since your DX camera will only be utilizing the center portion of the image circle of an FX lens, it will effectively eliminate/reduce these two shortcomings of most lenses.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Take a look at my Flickr stream. Most of the images (macro usually) are all done with a crop sensor body & an FX format lens....No image degradation at all & less cropping needed. That said, a drawback of this is that wide angle FX lenses no longer show the same wide field of view as they would on an FX camera. In order to obtain a wider FOV, a DX format wide angle lens is needed. My Nikon D610 is an affordable FX sensor model.

rydabyk Loc: Florida Panhandle

I don't use Nikon, I'm a Canon user but I've never noticed any degradation at all. In fact, all of the lenses I own are for full frame cameras and even my less expensive 70-300mm looks fine on my 80D crop sensor.

cthahn

Makes no difference which lens you use. Try it your self. That is the bet way to get an answer.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

acellis wrote:

Hi all! I would like to know your opinion on using FX or full frame lenses on crop sensor bodies. Does anyone know if their is a degradation of sharpness when full frame lenses are used on crop sensor bodies?

Also, if I would like to test this out on my own, what is your opinion on the best entry-level full frame frame Nikon body?

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

You have your DX/FX answer, and I suggest the D750. Look for refurbished or used.

Leon S Loc: Minnesota

Now the cheapest FX camera is a D700, or a D600/D610. Each is very high quality. I prefer the D700 for quality over the other two.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Just a note to add, my macro shots are all done with a 3rd party 105mm macro lens (FX) that dates back to the mid-1980's on a Nikon D7100. Just as sharp optically as anything current.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

No, there will not be an image degradation using FX lenses with cropped bodies and the opposite is also true but having a cropped body why not lenses made specifically for the cropped sensor?
I do not know of any entry level FX Nikon camera. I own a D610 and I am very satisfied with the image quality it has to offer but that is me.

ecurb1105

I shoot a D600 and want to add aD610. Nice lightweight bodies yet FX. Until I can get a D850! 😎
As for FX lesses they are generally better ànd the larger image circle means you are using the sweet spot of optimal image quality when you use them on a half frame body.

Jim Bob

cthahn wrote:

Makes no difference which lens you use. Try it your self. That is the bet way to get an answer.

Oh really? Thanks for that info.

Fotomacher Loc: Toronto

acellis wrote:

Hi all! I would like to know your opinion on using FX or full frame lenses on crop sensor bodies. Does anyone know if their is a degradation of sharpness when full frame lenses are used on crop sensor bodies?
Also, if I would like to test this out on my own, what is your opinion on the best entry-level full frame frame Nikon body?
Once again, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

I can give you some RW experience. A few years ago I traded up from a D70s to a D300s. I sold the crappy Sigma 18-200mm lens and bought a proper Nikkor 16-85mm DX lens. After that, knowing I'd eventually have a FX body I bought only Nikkor glass and nothing that was not a constant aperture of f/2.8 or better. And I was not stuck on buying new. I got excellent deals on pre-loved AF lenses such as the AF 17-35mm f/2.8D and excellent images with the DX sensor. I acquired other non-AFS lenses such as the 50mm f/1.4D, 28-70mm f/2.8D and 80-200mm f/2.8D all with fantastic IQ.

A couple of years later, I got a great deal on an open box D700, bought it and kept the D300s. I shot with the 2 bodies for a while, before trading in both and getting a used D810. So whether you do get a FX body or not, I think the performance of pro-quality FX glass maximizes the quality of images produced by the camera sensor.

As for an entry level FX body, I'd suggest looking for a used or refurb D800 from a reputable dealer.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

acellis wrote:

Hi all! I would like to know your opinion on using FX or full frame lenses on crop sensor bodies. Does anyone know if their is a degradation of sharpness when full frame lenses are used on crop sensor bodies?

Also, if I would like to test this out on my own, what is your opinion on the best entry-level full frame frame Nikon body?

Once again, thank you all for taking the time to respond.

If a lens is sharp on a full frame, it will likely be even better on DX. The reason is that you will see that the center of the lens, which has the sharpest performance, will cover the DX sensor better than most DX lenses. The main advantages of DX lenses are lower cost, smaller size, and lighter weight. The downside can be reduced image quality at the edges and corners.