DX 35mm vs FX 35mm: Maybe this is dumb question, but were I to buy a FX 35mm lens and use it on my D7100, would it perform the same as a DX 35mm? In other words, would the FX lens...

doduce Loc: Holly Springs NC

Maybe this is dumb question, but were I to buy a FX 35mm lens and use it on my D7100, would it perform the same as a DX 35mm? In other words, would the FX lens still be a "DX nifty fifty?" My gut says YES, but .......

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

doduce wrote:

Maybe this is dumb question, but were I to buy a FX 35mm lens and use it on my D7100, would it perform the same as a DX 35mm? .......

Yes, about the same. Same angle of view, depth of field.

doduce wrote:

In other words, would the FX lens still be a "DX nifty fifty?" My gut says YES, but .......

It will still be a 35mm lens, but on a DX sensored camera, it will have about the same angle of view as a 50mm lens in a full-frame camera.
The 35mm lens would have greater depth of field than a 50 on a FF camera, given the same aperture.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

"Nifty Fifty" refers to a 50mm lens and to my knowledge, Nikon does not make one in DX format.

chase4 Loc: Punta Corona, California

Great lens. I use the 35 mm G on both my DX and FX bodies. A
bit of vin getting on the FX but acceptable at 2.8 and still very sharp with a little cropping.

busted_shutter

Erik_H wrote:

"Nifty Fifty" refers to a 50mm lens and to my knowledge, Nikon does not make one in DX format.

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/singlefocal/normal/af-s_50mmf_18g/

amehta Loc: Boston

doduce wrote:

Maybe this is dumb question, but were I to buy a FX 35mm lens and use it on my D7100, would it perform the same as a DX 35mm? In other words, would the FX lens still be a "DX nifty fifty?" My gut says YES, but .......

The FX 35mm f/1.8 is designed to produce a good image on a full frame sensor, while the DX 35mm f/1.8 is designed to make a good image only on a DX sensor. Almost all lenses have better image quality at the center, and worse at the edges. With the DX lens, the images at the edges of the DX sensor will be a little weaker than the center. With the FX lens, the DX sensor isn't recording the edges with the weaker part of the image, so the recorded image overall will be better.

The clincher is the prices: the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G DX is $200, while the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G FX is $600. A little more expensive than a "DX nifty-fifty", which is what I would call the first lens.

Michael66 Loc: Queens, New York

busted_shutter wrote:

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/singlefocal/normal/af-s_50mmf_18g/

That's an FX lens.

busted_shutter

Michael66 wrote:

That's an FX lens.

Thought all af-s lenses were dx.

Nightsky Loc: Augusta, GA USA

busted_shutter wrote:

Thought all af-s lenses were dx.

AF=Auto focus - S= Silent Wave Motor - refers to the focusing motor in the lens

Both formats use this designation where it is appropriate

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

doduce wrote:

Maybe this is dumb question, but were I to buy a FX 35mm lens and use it on my D7100, would it perform the same as a DX 35mm? In other words, would the FX lens still be a "DX nifty fifty?" My gut says YES, but .......

Here's a link to the Nikon Lens Simulator. It will show you the view with different camera and lens combinations.

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/simulator/

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

doduce wrote:

Maybe this is dumb question, but were I to buy a FX 35mm lens and use it on my D7100, would it perform the same as a DX 35mm? In other words, would the FX lens still be a "DX nifty fifty?" My gut says YES, but .......

Actually it might be a little better because a DX body only uses the central portion of the FX lens which is almost always the best part of the lens.

rayford2 Loc: New Bethlehem, PA

busted_shutter wrote:

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/singlefocal/normal/af-s_50mmf_18g/

That lens is in FX format.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

busted_shutter wrote:

Thought all af-s lenses were dx.

Absolutely not.
AF-S just indicates the lens autofocuses via the Silent Wave Motor inside the lens rather than via the mechanical screw drive inside the cameras body.

doduce Loc: Holly Springs NC

Thanks for the good responses from all, but especially the insight from amehta (as usual) and joer.

sherwinc Loc: SE Idaho

joer wrote:

Actually it might be a little better because a DX body only uses the central portion of the FX lens which is almost always the best part of the lens.

First post, hope I'm doing this the right way??

I have, it seems, read many comments suggesting that only the center of an FX lens contributes to the image created when it's mounted on a DX body. Unless I'm wrong, every part of a lens contributes to every part of the image and when an FX lens is mounted on a DX body, only the center part of the image cast is captured by the DX sensor but that every part of the lens has contributed to it. There may still be less edge distortion from whatever source but it's not because part of the lens is uninvolved.