NathanG Loc: Atlanta

I am retired now and are able to spend more time with photography with a focus on sports, family, traveling and outdoor wildlife. My current equipment is Nikon D500 upgraded from D300 about 9 months ago. Lenses are Nikkor 17-55 2.8 DX, Nikkor 55-300 4.5-5.6 DX, and Nikkor 80-200 2.8. Great camera, however, I have been trying to decide whether to go to the new full frame D850 or stay with the Crop cameras. It is an expensive upgrade plus would need to upgrade some of my lenses. If I decide to move forward to Full Frame does it make sense to first purchase full frame lenses ( for example 200-500 2.8) to be used with D500 which would buy me some time before i am able to purchase the D850. Or the reverse, buy the camera and use my DX lenses on the D850 until i could upgrade my lenses. What are the pros and cons of full frame lenses on DX cameras. Any help in thinking through the issues involving Full Frame vs. Crop and the best way to migrate from DX to full frame.

Charlie'smom

From what I’ve seen posted here and online, DX lenses don’t really work on FF cameras.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

If there is a chance that you will go full frame in the future, do not spend another penny on DX lenses. The D500 will accommodate all full frame lenses.

BebuLamar

The DX lenses won't work well on the FX camera. Using the 200-500mm lens on the D500 is fine because really there is no DX lens in that range.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

They "work" just fine. However, you get the same FOV as you would on that D500. So it is a matter of "why bother" using an FX body since you do not get to use all 47MP (on an 850).

ChristianHJensen

Dx lenses will work fine on Fx cameras - though there may be some vignetting that may necessitate some cropping so some limitation. dx lenses can work just as on a Dx camera if you choose crop mode on a Fx camera.

I personally would buy FX lenses to avoid this; if I were to purchase a Fx camera in the near future and for some lenses there is definitely a bigger/better selection available in the Fx world

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

You can use a DX lens on an FX camera. You will get a round or oblong image field on the sensor at wider openings, and at smaller openings you may come close to filling the frame. Some lenses, like the 35mm F1.8 DX work very well on FX.

I would suggest that since you already have a fine DX camera - just buy more FX lenses. I would advise against the 200-500 - and strongly advise against the 28-300 - the 200-500 is a good lens, but it will not show the D850's strengths. The 28-300 is just an awful lens on an FX camera. Center sharpness is fair to good, though, making it a candidate for your D500, but I still would advise against buying such a poor quality lens. There are many much better lenses that are worth considering.

Here are a couple of guides to the D850:

https://www.dpreview.com/news/5585760175/nikon-releases-official-d850-lens-recommendation-list

http://www.dslrbodies.com/cameras/the-d850-blog/the-best-lenses-for-the.html

Both the 28-300 and the 200-500 are missing from the list, which supports my suggestions. I have used the 200-500 with a D810 and found it not as sharp as a Sigma 150-600 Sport, which is what I ended up buying.

The very best lenses from Nikon these days are the 105mm F1.4, 70-200 F2.8 FL, the 400mm F2.8 and the 200mm F2.0 VR II. The other long FL teles are not far behind at all.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

The original question was Full Frame lenses on DX Cameras
You guys have reversed it.

FF lenses work fine on DX/crop sensor, in fact the sensor only records the center/"sweet spot" where the IQ is usually higher.
As to DX on FF bodies, I understand some of the Nikon have a setting for that, but as stated you won't get all the mega pixels in the image.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Not at all true. Using a DX lens on a D850 is almost exactly like using the same lens on a D500.

ChristianHJensen

To your first sentence - Please re-read the OP - you might change your mind

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

I don't have a D500, however I believe it is one of the most highly rated Nikon cameras for action and wildlife and is considered the little brother of the D5. I shoot a D810 however if sports, birds and wildlife were my venue, the D500 would be my choice. Several of the members here who have Nikons own D500's.

If it were me, (of course it is not) I'd put my money into lenses and not move to a D850

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Please read the title "Full Frame lenses on DX Cameras"

Then the OP talked about the present camera and lenses, the FF body he hopes to buy, about only buying FF lens for now until purchasing the FF body AND using those DX lenses on the FF body or replace all of them with FX lenses after getting the new body.

whwiden

I would stick with your excellent dx camera. If full frame might be in your future, I would look at the 24mm f/1.8 and the 85mm f/1.8 from Nikon. These work well on dx. In fact, they are some of the most highly rated lenses you can get for use on a dx camera. And, they would do justice to a d850. For an alternative single normal lens, look at a Tamron 45mm. For a zoom, look at the new fx version of the 70-300mm vr afp. That lens should also be adequate for a d850. Any of these suggested lenses will be significantly better optically than your current lenses. I would add, however, that your current set of lenses is quite an excellent set, with the 55-300mm being the least strong.

therwol Loc: USA

If I mount a DX lens on my full frame D810, the camera will automatically go into a DX mode and only use part of the sensor. If I want to use the entire sensor and deal with the vignetting and light fall off, I have to go out of my way and change a setting, but why would I do that? Actually, why would I put a DX lens on that camera. I wouldn't, so I haven't bought any. I suppose if I already had some DX lenses and bought a full frame camera, I might use them as a stopgap measure but only until I replaced them.

NathanG Loc: Atlanta

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate your input. That is the way I am leaning.