What is the purpose of the 1.5 crop option?
- Thread starter TedG954
- Start date
Yeah, it merely simulates using a 15 megapixel DX camera when all you have is the D800.
Makes the field of view appear to be from a 1.5x longer focal length lens (like DX crop does).
Of course, you also get exactly the same picture if you take it as FX, and then crop it to 2/3 size to be 15 megapixels. So I guess what you really get is a smaller file size on the memory card.
I normally use DX mode when shooting macro; Sports when the subject is further down (don't need to waste the memory if you are going to crop it during post processing).
When I use my Nikon 28mm f1.8G lens. I have the option to use FF, 1.2x and 1.5x DX mode (28mm, 37 and 42mm FOV) which kinda make it almost like a zoom lens at f1.8. This also applies when taking video.
That's about right and just because you can and the other brands do not have that feature (yet, AFAIK).
Shooting in DX mode also means if you frame your subject compared to full frame, you get additional DoF which is helpful when it comes to macro photography.
And unlike some of the lower bodies which just show a wire frame, the D800 can shade out the unused area making it easier to visualise through the viewfinder. I use 5:4 crop mode a lot as I like that format. I can see the actual view in the viewfinder and I save memory to boot.
I rarely use the other modes as I can crop afterwards but hey are useful for the reasons stated.
Did you know you can now assign a button such as the record button to flick through crop modes using a thumb wheel. Very handy.
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I rarely use the other modes as I can crop afterwards but hey are useful for the reasons stated.
Did you know you can now assign a button such as the record button to flick through crop modes using a thumb wheel. Very handy.
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BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Now hang on, Geoff. I've been scouring the web for this, because while my D600 can grey out the unused crop section, the D800 cannot, and everything I've found on the net confirms that. Please, oh please, point me to where that menu option is, because I can't find it.
Ted, while I'd imagine this is part of what you mean in #2 above, it also saves a hell of a lot of disk space. I use DX mode for wildlife all the time, and if you keep the RAW files around it sure saves having them mostly pre-cropped.
Can you please tell me the steps on how to grey out the extra shooting area on the D600 when in DX mode. I have looked on the internet and cannot find out how to do it. Thanks, Jeff
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Sorry, Jeff, I had that bassackwards. I can do it on the D800 (set AF Point Illumination to "off"), and can't do it on the D600.
Menu a5 "AFpoint illumination" set to off. Simple.
I'm surprised the D600 does it as the D7100 doesn't appear to.
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BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Yeah, my bad, G.
Is it the same on the 600 or is it hidden elsewhere as the 7100 doesn't appear to have it.
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
It's actually not available on the D600. For some reason I thought it was, and couldn't figure out how I'd turned it off, but it's only available on the D4 and D800. I don't use cropped mode much on the D600, but on the rare occasion that I do it's nice. For me it's more a function of knowing that I've accidentally turned cropped mode on. I really need to do away with the function button for it on the D600.
I've been on vacation with a D800, just taking momento snapshots (but Raw), and the memory card was filling up. So I got the notion of switching to DX mode to save card space. And it worked well too, 15 MB DX was ample for this, except with the one 24-120mm lens I had, there was no wide angle. So I had to keep switching back to FX mode to frame many shots. That part was no fun at all.
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
I've gotten so used to hitting the front button and turning the dial that it's second nature by now - but yeah, it can be a pain at first, especially if you don't remember that you don't have to go through the menus.
Wayne, I think it was a feature just released with the new firmware, but you can set the camera so you can press the record button and then rotate the shutter speed wheel to cycle the crop modes. You can also set which crops to include. I have the full 35mm frame and 5:4 modes as they are the ones I use. It is a very nice new feature. Also I assign a front button to"my menu" and put frequently used things like ISO settings etc in there.