FX lens on DX body

[wildshots]

I'll try to be brief. I had a Nikon D750. I shoot mostly wildlife and nature shots. In reading, a lot of folks preferred a D500 for wildlife. I got the opportunity to sell the D750 and buy a D500. I kept the 28 to 300mm zoom I had bought for the D750. In reading, again, consensus was that the FX should work fine on the D500 even though it's a DX format. Anyone have actual experience with similar setup? Tips? Advice? I'll most likely be shooting AP.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Sam

 

[Clovishound]

There are a few folks who say that an FX lens on a DX body MAY not be as sharp as a comparable DX lens on the DX body. Most think that because the DX body only uses the central part of the image, which is the sharpest, it will perform even better.

I've used several FX lenses on DX bodies, and found them to be sharper than the DX kit lenses that came with the camera. Maybe not apples to apples, because of them being lower tier lenses.

Did the 28-300 perform well on the D750? That is an awfully long zoom ratio. My guess would be that if it was sharp on the 750, it will be sharp on the 500.

I wouldn't recommend going the other direction, a DX lens on an FX camera.

 

[wildshots]

As an 'all in one' the 28-300mm FX did work well on the D750. So far, my results on the D500 are somewhat less than spectacular. I'm shooting Aperture Priority, Auto ISO. Much of my problem may well be inexperience with new settings which I am just learning.

Thank you for your help and you are correct, DX lenses did NOT perform well on the D750 (FX).

Sam

 

[Clovishound]

Are you keeping an eye on your shutter speeds? I'm sure you know that 300mm on a DX performs like 450mm and needs the corresponding higher shutter speed when hand held.

 

[BF Hammer]

When I had DX bodies (D80, D7000) I stayed with DX lenses on the wide to normal end. But all my telephoto lenses were FX. And I am still using most of those telephoto lenses since moving to a D750 and a Z5.

So 10 years ago I would typically use a Tamron 18-270mm all-in-one zoom (DX) plus an older Nikon 70-300mm (FX). The 70-300mm was always a disappointment with DX and FX cameras. I bought a Sigma 150-600mm C which pretty much banished the 70-300mm to a shelf to collect dust. That was eventually traded for a used 70-200mm f/2.8 and it was a perfect upgrade for me.

So there is no hard rule on how FX lenses perform with a DX body. But an excellent FX lens will nearly always be as good on a DX camera. But it is working harder with the center part.

 

[Needa]

Never had any issues with my FX 70-300 on my D7100. Maybe I just have low expectations. That said If you are going to do wildlife think longer a 200-500 or 150-600 especially for small animals and birds.

 

[BF Hammer]

Never had any issues with my FX 70-300 on my D7100. Maybe I just have low expectations. That said If you are going to do wildlife think longer nk a 200-500 or 150-600 especially for small animals and birds.

Remember there are multiple versions of the 70-300. Mine had the screw-drive autofocus that required a D80 or better to use AF. It was slow to focus, poor contrast, soft image, and too much coma artifacts. But I was still working my way up the lens food-chain back then. It's why I am being very slow with buying Z lenses. I am determined to not repeat lens acquisition sins of my F-mount past.

 

[Needa]

Remember there are multiple versions of the 70-300. Mine had the screw-drive autofocus that required a D80 or better to use AF. It was slow to focus, poor contrast, soft image, and too much coma artifacts. But I was still working my way up the lens food-chain back then. It's why I am being very slow with buying Z lenses. I am determined to not repeat lens acquisition sins of my F-mount past.

Yes, mine is the AF-S 70-300G. My comment about expectations was an reference to not having had another long lens to compare it to.

 

[Fred Kingston]

It'll work fine... If anything, that 28-300 was always considered a bit "soft" by folks that talk about "tack sharp"...

 

[lightcapture]

I'll try to be brief. I had a Nikon D750. I shoot mostly wildlife and nature shots. In reading, a lot of folks preferred a D500 for wildlife. I got the opportunity to sell the D750 and buy a D500. I kept the 28 to 300mm zoom I had bought for the D750. In reading, again, consensus was that the FX should work fine on the D500 even though it's a DX format. Anyone have actual experience with similar setup? Tips? Advice? I'll most likely be shooting AP.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Sam

If you were pleased with the 28-300 on your D750, it will be better on your D500 equivalent to a 42-450mm, and not having to contend with soft edges. Should get you in the door to wildlife photography. Looking forward to seeing your photos Sam.

 

[wildshots]

Are you keeping an eye on your shutter speeds? I'm sure you know that 300mm on a DX performs like 450mm and needs the corresponding higher shutter speed when hand held.

That may be my solution, thanks. I am shooting AP with auto ISO and thought (maybe mistakenly) that the auto ISO would bump the shutter speed.

Thanks!

 

[wildshots]

When I had DX bodies (D80, D7000) I stayed with DX lenses on the wide to normal end. But all my telephoto lenses were FX. And I am still using most of those telephoto lenses since moving to a D750 and a Z5.

So 10 years ago I would typically use a Tamron 18-270mm all-in-one zoom (DX) plus an older Nikon 70-300mm (FX). The 70-300mm was always a disappointment with DX and FX cameras. I bought a Sigma 150-600mm C which pretty much banished the 70-300mm to a shelf to collect dust. That was eventually traded for a used 70-200mm f/2.8 and it was a perfect upgrade for me.

So there is no hard rule on how FX lenses perform with a DX body. But an excellent FX lens will nearly always be as good on a DX camera. But it is working harder with the center part.

Thanks for this. I'm getting a clearer picture, so to speak, of how to use the 28-300 DX. I'm really happy about all the help I'm getting here.

 

[wildshots]

Never had any issues with my FX 70-300 on my D7100. Maybe I just have low expectations. That said If you are going to do wildlife think longer a 200-500 or 150-600 especially for small animals and birds.

I had good results from a Nikkor 70-300 as well. I was fortunate enough to upgrade and was able to gift that lens to a friend just starting with zoom lenses. And, I do have a Tamron 150 to 600 but I hike and that combo is a handfull on rough, unimproved trails. Sometimes, even though I'm old, I'll do a 10 to 12 mile hike.

 

[wildshots]

It'll work fine... If anything, that 28-300 was always considered a bit "soft" by folks that talk about "tack sharp"...

Thank you Fred. The biggest issue has been that the images are dark. Clovishound's suggestion about shutter speed may be my issue.

 

[wildshots]

If you were pleased with the 28-300 on your D750, it will be better on your D500 equivalent to a 42-450mm, and not having to contend with soft edges. Should get you in the door to wildlife photography. Looking forward to seeing your photos Sam.

Thank youuuuuuuu Been doing wildlife for some years, just depended more on the camera until the D500. With the excellent help I'm getting here I'll be up and running in no time. Great place you folks have here!

 

[Clovishound]

The 70-300 DX kit lens

That may be my solution, thanks. I am shooting AP with auto ISO and thought (maybe mistakenly) that the auto ISO would bump the shutter speed.

Thanks!

You might consider using manual with auto ISO. That way your shutter speed will remain constant. In aperture preferred, the aperture remains constant and the shutter speed changes.

Of course in manual with auto ISO, you still have to keep an eye on your ISO. Still, I'd rather deal with a sharp photo with a lot of noise, than a noiseless image that's blurry.

 

[wildshots]

I may be cheating but... shooting wildlife, in the field, hand held, often I have less than one half second to locate the subject in the fiew finder, frame the shot and fire. I simply am not proficient enough with my camera to shoot full auto. Too many settings to check, change or worry about. I need the AP mode to help me.
Your suggestions are valid, my situation and proficiency level won't let me use full manual mode at this time. Thank you so much for your response. And please, I don't mean to sound stubborn. I'm still very new at shooting in modes less than partially auto.

Sam

 

[Needa]

A minimum shutter speed can be set for for auto ISO under Auto ISO Sensitivity. This may help with slow shutter speeds if shooting AP with auto ISO.

 

[wildshots]

A minimum shutter speed can be set for for auto ISO under Auto ISO Sensitivity. This may help with slow shutter speeds if shooting AP with auto ISO.

Thank you Needa. I found that and have set both the minimum and maximum. Again, I think the issues with my camera AND the lens is mostly operator error.

Sam

 

[Needa]

Again, I think the issues with my camera AND the lens is mostly operator error.

My camera has that problem also.