hi all I have a d300 and was wondering if the image size in the d800 viewfinder in dx mode would equal the d300 image size? Also would a eyepiece magnafier work well on the d800 in that situation to equal the d300? thanks tom

The D800 in DX crop mode does not change magnification or anything else other than a black outline of sorts in the frame.

So if you put a 200 lens on it that is DX, and look through it, and then do the same from the same place as your D300, you see the exact same screen (inside the boxes - there is some bleed over), but the angle over which your eye sees it is smaller by the same proportion.

I have no idea if a magnifier is available. It's not an issue for me, as I don't use the viewfinder for focus. But it does take getting used to, especially if you use DX crop mode with an FX lens where you don't get the darker field to remind you that you are shooting only in the center.

There's always live view if you are doing something that needs magnificantion (like focus). And it's a better live view than the D300 in several regards (easy one button activation, better focus, bigger screen, and no mirror slap).

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> hi all I have a d300 and was wondering if the image size
>in the d800 viewfinder in dx mode would equal the d300 image
>size? Also would a eyepiece magnafier work well on the d800 in
>that situation to equal the d300? thanks tom

I have attached a figure that I clipped from the D800 User's Manual. When you look through the viewfinder of the D800 in DX mode with an FX lens attached, you will see the full viewfinder with a DX box in the center. You will capture only what is inside the DX box.

If you are using a DX lens, and you have the Crop in Auto mode, the outer area around the DX box will be grayed out. When you are using an FX lens, it will not.

Russ
Nikonian Team Member
Russell MacDonald Photography
Nikon CLS Practical Guide

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

hi again, I guess I didn't make myself clear with my post.I
had a d70 and when looking though the viewfinder the image was
small compered to my d300, was wondering what size the d800
viewfinder size would compare to?  thanks   Tom  

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>hi again, I guess I didn't make myself clear with my post.I
>had a d70 and when looking though the viewfinder the image was
>small compered to my d300, was wondering what size the d800
>viewfinder size would compare to? thanks Tom

Hi Tom,

Let me try again. I have a D70, a D200, and a D800. I don't have a D300, but I do have a D200 and its viewfinder has the same magnification as the D300.

Viewfinder magnification specs:
D70 viewfinder is 0.75X.
D200 viewfinder is 0.94X.
D300 viewfinder is 0.94X.
D800 viewfinder is 0.70X.

This means that the physical size of the subject in the viewfinder on the D70 will be smaller than the D200 and D300 but it will be almost the same as the size of the subject in the D800.

When you attach a DX lens to the D800, it places a box in the viewfinder of the D800. When you take a picture, you will capture only what is inside that box.

I brought the viewfinder to my eye to visually compare DX lenses on each of my cameras.

The items in the D200 viewfinder are the largest when the lenses are all set to the same focal length. When I set the focal length to 55 mm on the D200, I see exactly the same size subject as on the D800 set to 82.5mm.

The subject in the D70 viewfinder is almost exactly the same size as the D800 when the lenses are set to the same focal length.

The DX BOX in the D800 viewfinder is almost the same size as the full D70 viewfinder size. The subject looks the same size.

Does that answer your question?

Russ
Nikonian Team Member
Russell MacDonald Photography
Nikon CLS Practical Guide

yes it helps,I suppose I could get a magnifer for the d800 eyepiece which would increase the viewfinder image. thanks for your help-Tom

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>yes it helps,I suppose I could get a magnifer for the d800
>eyepiece which would increase the viewfinder image. thanks
>for your help-Tom

I don't think you will need a magnifier, unless you are trying to focus manually. The subject in the DX Box is perfectly clear and easy to see on my D800 with a DX lens attached. It would just be a matter of remembering not to let your desired subject get outside of that DX box when shooting.

I never had a magnifier for my D70, and I never had any trouble framing my shots.

Russ
Nikonian Team Member
Russell MacDonald Photography
Nikon CLS Practical Guide

The Live View view actually "magnifies" the size of the image as it would look in a DX viewfinder. The view from within the viewfinder itself only shows an outline around the DX-sized frame that will be captured when in DX mode, as mentioned.
But LV will increase the image size, which would help you with focusing.

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