Full Frame Lens vs D Frame on a D-500: Many professionals have said I am wasting my $'s with having two full frame zooms for a D-500 D format. Am considering selling the two lenses for...

jimpitt

Many professionals have said I am wasting my $'s with having two full frame zooms for a D-500 D format.
Am considering selling the two lenses for one D, maybe an 18-300 zoom.
Is it a waste?
Or should I replace the body instead with an 850?
Ideas?

Bill_de Loc: US

Without all the info, like what 2 lenses you currently have, you can't expect a good answer.
As for what professionals told you ... hog wash. If you are happy witht the results you are getting, stick with it.

BTW - a full frame lens on a D500 can be a plus. Your camera is ignoring the outermost part of the lenses, meaning it is ignoring the softest part. That's usually a good thing.

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BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

Bill_de wrote:

Without all the info, like what 2 lenses you currently have, you can't expect a good answer.
As for what professionals told you ... hog wash. If you are happy witht the results you are getting, stick with it.

BTW - a full frame lens on a D500 can be a plus. Your camera is ignoring the outermost part of the lenses, meaning it is ignoring the softest part. That's usually a good thing.

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jimpitt

bill_de
lenses:
28-300 1.35-56g
and 16-35 1.4g
which I thought was a good match at the time two yrs ago.
The same retailer where I purchased these now says I am wasting my money. Says 18-300 D format would be better for me as one lens.
My unhappiness with results is likely more related to autofocus issues which are currently above my expertise. I have studied the manual and still confused.
Bill ... Thanks for your comment.

DPFotoZ Loc: Woodruff, SC USA

I only have FF lenses that I use on my D500 and D7100 and have never had a problem.

jimpitt

thanks. helpful.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Crop sensor camera? Big image circle (full frame lens), littler sensor (crop sensor camera).
My 50mm is a full frame lens, but I get only 63% of the image on my crop sensor camera, so what! It acts like an 80mm on my camera.

I suppose the guy doesn't like you "wasting" part of the image from a full frame lens.....

(His opinon...)

Like said before above, if you like the results, don't worry about it.

"Professionals"........ oie. Opinionated professionals....

jimpitt

thanks.
the point i hear here is that a d lens on a f body is ok.
and not wasted.
thanks.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jimpitt wrote:

thanks.
the point i hear here is that a d lens on a f body is ok.
and not wasted.
thanks.

Have them explain what <they think> is wasted.......

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

jimpitt wrote:

Many professionals have said I am wasting my $'s with having two full frame zooms for a D-500 D format.
Am considering selling the two lenses for one D, maybe an 18-300 zoom.
Is it a waste?
Or should I replace the body instead with an 850?
Ideas?

The professionals who told you that are idiots. Full frame lenses will work fine on a crop sensor camera and your two current lenses are superior to any crop 18-300 zoom. In fact sticking a crop 18-300 zoom on a D500 would be a step backwards. What these "experts" were referring to was that FF lenses on a crop camera are much bigger, heavier and much more expensive than lenses specifically designed for a crop cameras, and since you are using a crop sensor you are not taking full advantage of the lens' entire image circle. This is all true. However, for you the advantage is that that you will likely see less vignetting, less distortion, and greater sharpness across the frame with your current lenses. Unless you have a good reason to get rid of them, other than the musings of experts, I would keep them. The D500 is a great camera and deserves the best professional lenses, not some consumer oriented 18-300 superzoom.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

mwsilvers wrote:

The professionals who told you that are idiots. Fu... (show quote)

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Have a D500 and a few Nikon FF bodies with 4 DX lenses and about a dozen FX lenses. I will not part with my D500. For wildlife / birding, when I can't fill the frame with my D850, I go with the D500 with it's 1.5x crop factor. I use a Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 and 600mm f/4G on both the D850 and D500 for wildlife / birding, sometimes with a 1.4x teleconverter. I also have an DX 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3, which is a very versatile walk around lens. The D500 has a 7% higher pixel density than the D850 in DX mode for a bit better detail. I also have a Z9 and am hoping Nikon comes out with a DX version just like the D500 is a DX version of the FX D850.

flip1948 Loc: Hamden, CT

jimpitt wrote:

thanks.
the point i hear here is that a d lens on a f body is ok.
and not wasted.
thanks.

No...you are hearing the opposite...and the correct terms are DX and FX lenses.

You can use a DX lens on a full frame body, but the camera (at least with Nikons) will automatically switch to crop mode (DX mode) at a significantly reduced resolution.

For example, my Nikon D610 is a 24mp full frame (FX) camera. If I mount a DX lens on it the camera will automatically switch to DX mode with only 10mp.

flip1948 Loc: Hamden, CT

Strodav wrote:

Have a D500 and a few Nikon FF bodies with 4 DX le... (show quote)

How do you equate a 20.9mp DX camera to a 45mp FX camera?

Bill_de Loc: US

jimpitt wrote:

The same retailer where I purchased these now says I am wasting my money.
Bill ... Thanks for your comment.

The retailer who sold you your current lenses says you are wasting money, so thinks you should spend more. I guess if you give him some of you money he won't consider it wasted.

The manual can be confusing, so try some videos. Here's one for starters, but try several until you find one that you are comfortable witk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-scUimFZgk

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