rwinch Loc: Walkersville, MD

As I am getting more interested in my interest in photography, I am building a wish list (B&H I am sure wants me to purchase this list immediately!!). However, I am wondering about the direction I should take with regard to lenses.
I hope to move towards an FX format camera, but that will be some time off. Considering this, as I purchases lenses, should I only consider FX format (knowing there are crop issues using them on a DX format camera), or should I purchase DX lenses for my D90, and then start another lens campaign when I upgrade (yes I know I can use DX on FX, but I have the reverse issue regarding crop doing that).
Thanks for the valued advice from the experts! :)

Pine1 Loc: Midland & Lakeway

I would suggest you acquire lenses you are going to use on your FX. While I have a DX D7100, I spent a lot of money on lenses without future consideration. I have recently acquired a Nikon 105 f2.8 Micro and a Nikon 70-200 f2.8. I only have 3 more things I want: a 24-70 f2.8, a 14-24 f2.8 and a 1.7 TC.When I get these items I will jump to FX. Good luck.

rwinch Loc: Walkersville, MD

Thanks Pine1 - I was thinking this was the way to go! :thumbup:

tomcat

If you buy the newest 70-200mm lens, and then a Wilde angle fx mode, your current crop of lenses is more than sufficient for moving to Fx scale.

tomcat

Sorry......the wide angle you get for your Fx mode should be the 12-24 mm on

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

Well to make a good set, you can get the 14-24, 24-70, 70-200 which are all 2.8's These are the lenses that do most of the work for me. Meaning they make money.:) To play I have a ton of other lenses. 105 for micro work, 80-400 for birding, 135dc for portraitures, 85 for portraitures, 50 2.8 for everything, a 10.5 for playing. And the walk around is the 28-300. And still a lot of older lenses. But if you can, buy the best lenses you can afford. I had to save up to get these lenses. But it was worth every penny!!!
Erv

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Absolutely buy FX lenses if you have any desire at all to go full frame, you will never regret the purchases even if you don't upgrade.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Sorry, but that is a DX lens, not FX.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I first purchased Nikkor lenses in the early 1970s for my Nikon F2 35-mm film camera, and still use them today on my D5200, along with newer FX lenses. Glass with excellent IQ hold their value.

rwinch Loc: Walkersville, MD

Thanks for all the feedback folks! I know the direction I will take now!

amehta Loc: Boston

I would suggest DX for wide angle and ultra wide angle lenses, FX for everything else. The ultra wide angle DX lenses include focal lengths in the 10-15mm range, and wide angle DX would get to about 20mm. If you get a ultra wide angle FX lens, you are paying a lot (in dollars and size) to get good image quality with FX coverage, and then you aren't using any of that. Since the FX "will be some time off", you could get the appropriate wide angle lens now, and sell it in favor of an FX one when you do move to FX.

Bugfan Loc: Toronto, Canada

I kept my D200 and my D70s. The D70s has the original two kit lenses I had at the time. It, and those two lenses, are in their own case and I loan that camera out to aspiring young photographers so they can experience a DSLR and learn a little.

The D200 I keep only for travel. It has an 18-300mm lens mounted on it, a DX lens. Those are the only DX lenses I own.

As I acquired my D200 years ago I made the decision to go FX in my lens collection. And that's what I did. I knew eventually I'd have an FX body so it made sense. My macro lenses are all FX. My other lenses are too, lenses like the 14-24, the 24-70 and the 70-200 as well as the 80-400mm. When I finally bought my D3, and later my D800 as well, I didn't have to buy or replace any lenses, I already had them.

So my advice is to settle for a useful DX lens for your current camera that is designed for that camera depending on what you plan to keep that camera for in the longer term.

And acquire all other lenses in an FX format instead since that's where you're going. You potentially take a hell of a hit going to FX, there is no value to making it worse by buying a collection of DX lenses that you later have to replace. Remember that the FX lenses work on your crop sensor so it makes more sense to buy them for both platforms rather than buying lenses for only one platform.

The D3 already cost me a bundle, it would have been unaffordable if I had to buy new lenses for it too. As it was it only cost me for the body. It was the same with the D800, I only had to buy the body.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It never occurred to me to use DX lenses on an FX body till MT Shooter mentioned it here. That changed my buying habits. From what I understand, FX lenses are better - and more expensive. Better resale value, too.

brucewells Loc: Central Kentucky

What MT Shooter said. The only thing I would add to the conversation is that you might want to look at the 16-35 as an alternative to the 14-24. Nothing wrong with the 14-24, mind you, but I believe you'll get more use out of the 16-35. Having said that, it all depends on the type of shooting you do.

The 16-35 is an f/4 lens, but very capable and nearly as sharp as the 14-24.

Just a thought.

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

http://www.photozone.de/nikon_ff/492-nikkor_afs_1635_4_ff

http://www.photozone.de/nikon_ff/447-nikkor_afs_1424_28_ff

get the 14-24