If, say, the 70-200 lens is used on the D800 in DX mode, will it be equivalent to a 105-300 mm lens? I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question.

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Mounted on any Nikon DSLR using DX format, a 70-200mm lens will give you the same angle of view you would get from a 105-300mm lens on FX format.

This applies to all DX Nikon cameras and to all FX Nikon cameras (not just the D800) when used in DX Crop Mode.

Brian
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>Mounted on any Nikon DSLR using DX format, a 70-200mm lens
>will give you the same angle of view you would get from a
>105-300mm lens on FX format.
>
>This applies to all DX Nikon cameras and to all FX Nikon
>cameras (not just the D800) when used in DX Crop Mode.

Thanks, you've just given me a reason for holding on to my D700 and selling my D300.

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Well, not so fast. When an FX camera is in DX crop mode, your resultant file is, well, cropped. More precisely, the crop is to the central 40% of the frame - so your 12MP D700 delivers 5.1mp files when operating in DX crop mode. Your D300, of course, yields 12mp files in DX mode.

A D800 in DX crop mode has the same "problem" - so instead of a 36mp file, you'll get... about 16mp. So a D800 in DX crop yields a bit MORE resolution than the D300 does.

If it's not clear, here's a better way to think of DX:

Take your FX camera, and shoot a picture. Print it at 8x12. To see what you would get from DX, cut out the central 5x8 of the 8x12 print. That's what you'll get from the DX camera or an FX operated in DX crop mode.

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The image you see in the viewfinder will be about 25% smaller than with the D300.

Jim

With the DX mode, I'm going to love the D800 as a travel camera. I can take just two light-weight lenses, a 17-35mm f/2.8 and 28-200mm G and have the equivalent of *four* lenses, including a bonus 26-53mm f/2.8 that focuses down to about 1 foot, and a 42-300mm zoom.

David, interesting point. Travel and walkabout candids are probably all I would use the D800 for. Did you use the crop on the D3x,D3S and D700? I've tried the 1.2 on the D3S and the Dx on the D700 but just could not get used to it (VF and framing), particularly on the D700.

Maybe I'm just too old to change or do I need to really work/practice on it
Cheers,
Tom

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I sometimes used crop mode on my D2x for sports, but never found it practical for the D3s or D700. The D3x would have worked, but crop mode is not what you buy that camera for. The D800 may be my first FX camera to get a real DX workout.

Thanks David, I am not planning on buying but that is always subject to change and better cash-flow I think the smaller files could be nice when travelling!

Look forward to your take on it. A special ' crop' chapter in the new book ?
Tom

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I didn't have much coverage of DX mode in my D3s/D3x book, but the D800 makes it a whole new ballgame -- certainly worth a new section in the Lenses chapter.

Well David, one good outcome of this thread/conversation . I went out for birds this AM. I took the D300s/500vr w/tc 1.4 and the D3S/300 2.8vr w/tc1.7. When I arrrive in my jeep I normally take the D3S walkabout for the early light and handheld to see if it is worth setting up the big lens.

With the D3S and distances I decided to play with the DX and 1.2 crops. Works fine and the file sizes are a treat since I normally have to crop the heck out of the shots anyway, and still did .
Cheers,
Tom

T.D.Hardin
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Remember DX mode is a "crop" mode. So all you need to do is shoot in FX and crop in post to the image you want. You do not pull the image any closer, you just change the feild of view to match a longer lens. Your 17-35 is still a 17-35 and the same for the 28-200. You will get a smaller file in DX mode on an FX camera but you give up the flexibility as to where your crop is.

Bob Baldassano
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camera"

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When I am shooting 3000 travel photos, the absolutely last thing I want is the flexibility to do all my cropping in Photoshop. DX mode with FX lenses is ideal for those who want to compose in the camera and appeciate the ability to change the field of view of their lenses. Cropping in post defeats the purpose.

"When I am shooting 3000 travel photos, the absolutely last thing I want is the flexibility to do all my cropping in Photoshop"

Or, you could spend a couple of bucks on Lightroom, apply a DX crop to all of your 3000 images, in a matter of seconds, and then, if it turns out you need some flexibility, you can change the crop in PP, which you couldn't do if you shot in DX. You also would save a lot of time vs. doing that many images in Photoshop.

Bob

"Something really clever or profound should go here...I have nothing "
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>With the DX mode, I'm going to love the D800 as a travel
>camera. I can take just two light-weight lenses, a 17-35mm
>f/2.8 and 28-200mm G and have the equivalent of *four* lenses,
>including a bonus 26-53mm f/2.8 that focuses down to about 1
>foot, and a 42-300mm zoom.


Man you got that right. I love my 28-200 on a D7K so it will just be that much better on a D800. That lens and my 16-35 are all I will ever need. But now we have to overcome that WANT thing.

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This seems to be the most obvious benefit to the D800. However if you do use the D800 in this mode on a regular basis does that mean there will be a lot of DX bodies being sold? It seems almost like a dual camera. Will it hit the sales of new DX cameras and will it hit sales of FX lenses if the DX mode gives good results? Food for thought.

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Marvin,

Will the D800 in DX mode be like the D300?

The D800 in DX mode will be way better than the D300, probably more like the D7000.

Regards,
Bill

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Surprising to me, I went the other way when upgrading from the D2x (DX) to the D3 (FX).
That is when I got the 14-24 and wanted to shoot wider.
I am really feeling the urge to go back to the Grand Canyon and wonder if the D800 has a panorama mode?

I tried the DX crop a few times but did not like it.

However, with 36 MegaPixels, I think a 15mb cropped image will be a lot better.
I am looking forward to carrying my 28-300 (effective 28-450) lens on hikes with the D800.

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If shooting in DX mode can you still shoot in RAW or is DX only in Jpeg on the D800 ??

The crop modes (including DX) can be used whether shooting NEF or JPEG.

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
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Thanks ...
Can you set the D800 to shoot DX in the menu and use FX lenses ? or do you have to use a DX lens ??

It's optional (via the menus) - you can set it up so that the camera switches automatically to DX Crop Mode whenever a DX lens is mounted, or you can choose the DX Crop Mode yourself at any time, whatever type of lens is attached

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
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Ok thank you !

And by "DX lens" it should be noted that full frame Nikons may recognize only Nikkor DX lenses for automatic mode. Tokina, Tamron, Vivitar, and Sigma lenses for cropped sensor cameras aren't necessarily recognized automatically. None of mine are, but there may be exceptions.