Dx to fx transition lens

lemonart · May 18, 2012

Hello, everyone! And a happy May 2-4 to my Canadian friends as well

.

So, I'm definitely making the transition into full frame... Probably by Xmas. But I want to do it in steps (to minimize a huge cost all at once). Not sure whether I'll go d600 (if rumors are true) or d800 or whatever.... But definitely will be looking at a current gen. Body.

I'm thinking of grabbing a lens FIRST that is still useful on my D7000 while I save up and wait to see what's around in the fall body wise.

I love the 24-70, but I'd have to sell/trade close to my entire lens collection to afford that at this point in time. Since I'm still using my D7000 for several months... That's not preferable since I still love my primes and my tokina 11-16.

What I'm THINKING is dumping my 16-85 DX and my 70-300mm and grabbing the 28-300 AF-S VR FX lens. That plus my primes and my 11-16 will be very useful on my DX setup until I get the FX body. I'll have a bit of a gap between 16-24 but.. Meh.

On FX I'm anticipating the 28-300 will be very useful until I am able to jump into the 24-70 + 70-200, etc.

Thoughts? How does that 28-300 perform? How do you think it will look on the 800 with its insane resolution? I don't do a lot of printing. It's mostly web stuff and everyday shooting. And it IS a transitional lens designed to get me shooting on my FX right away.

Thanks.

Lem

Mach0 · May 18, 2012

If all you have are DX lenses, maybe get fx glass first. See how that performs. If you still find the need to go fx, then go for it. The d7000 is an excellent camera.

The_Traveler · May 18, 2012

the 24-70 is light years above the 28-300 in quality.
rent one and try it.
If I could only have one lens that would be it.

lemonart · May 18, 2012

Thanks guys, but that doesn't really answer my question.

I've tried the 24-70. I agree that it's a great lens. But read my post and you'll see why I'm asking about the 28-300 in lieu.

Lem

StandingBear1983 · May 19, 2012

lemonart, i've asked the same question here, I'm exactly in the same situation like you, and i want to move to FX if and when the D600 comes out...i have a D5100 with a 35mm 1.8G and the 50mm 1.8G, i want to get the 28-300, it will be very useful until next year when i buy one of the FX bodies. I guess its not as good as the trinity but i'm asking myself if i need that difference in IQ...and most importantly will I notice it at all...is it so much better that on a picture with the 28-300 you'll say "its great" but with the trinity you'll actually jump from joy out of your chair?!, i don't think it will make that of a difference for me personally. specially if your in good shooting conditions and lighting.

TheFantasticG · May 19, 2012

I sold my 16-85/70-300VR combo for a Nikon 24-120 F4 VR. I love it. It's my travel/walk around/go-to lens now. I don't really plan on going FX (as the extra reach for my macro stuff is invaluable) but I still love the affective focal length on DX.

The_Traveler · May 19, 2012

StandingBear1983 said:
lemonart, i've asked the same question here, I'm exactly in the same situation like you, and i want to move to FX if and when the D600 comes out...i have a D5100 with a 35mm 1.8G and the 50mm 1.8G, i want to get the 28-300, it will be very useful until next year when i buy one of the FX bodies. I guess its not as good as the trinity but i'm asking myself if i need that difference in IQ...and most importantly will I notice it at all...is it so much better that on a picture with the 28-300 you'll say "its great" but with the trinity you'll actually jump from joy out of your chair?!, i don't think it will make that of a difference for me personally. specially if your in good shooting conditions and lighting.

IMO, yes

manaheim · May 19, 2012

lemonart said:
Hello, everyone! And a happy May 2-4 to my Canadian friends as well .

So, I'm definitely making the transition into full frame... Probably by Xmas. But I want to do it in steps (to minimize a huge cost all at once). Not sure whether I'll go d600 (if rumors are true) or d800 or whatever.... But definitely will be looking at a current gen. Body.

<insanely bitter>
You're thinking by Christmas? Don't hold your breath.

Stupid Nikon.
</insanely bitter>

lemonart · May 19, 2012

What can I say? I'm an optimist.

Anyhow, I've seen great pics from the 28-300 on a D3 body. I'm also slightly drawn to the 24-120 simply because of the fixed aperture. Though, of the point is to eventually upgrade to the trinity lenses, I probably would prefer the lower cost of the 28-300.

I COULD probably get the 24-70 if I push my budget.... But then I'll lose my tele capabilities while I transition and save for the 70-200.

Not sure if that's something I want to do.

Lem

Derrel · May 19, 2012

The_Traveler said:
the 24-70 is light years above the 28-300 in quality.
rent one and try it.
If I could only have one lens that would be it.

Read Thom Hogan's comments on "which zoom lens for the D800". The 24-70 is not really "light years ahead" in quality versus the 28-300 VR. That's a wild exaggeration. The 24-70, 24-120 VR< and 28-300 VR are Thom Hogan's three suggested all-around zoom lenses for the D800, in that order. And NONE of them are terrible. Read his March 14 column. An excerpt of it, found at Thom Hogan's Nikon Camera, DSLR, Lens, Flash, and Book site

"In reality, all three lenses are pretty good. The 24-70mm has some small faults, the 24-120mm very few more, and the 28-300mm surprisingly only a few more. But those faults do add up. On MTF tests, they array like this: 24-70mm best, 28-300mm worst. So how much worse is worse? As much as 20% in terms of absolute numbers averaged over the frame, but some of that is that the 28-300mm's best results occur at f/8, where diffraction is robbing it of a bit of performance, while the other lenses both top out at somewhere around f/5.6, where diffraction isn't yet a major factor.I'm always reluctant to quote numbers, though, as my photographs don't consist of numbers ;~). If you can live with f/8 as your smallest aperture, the 28-300mm may be good enough that you won't notice the difference. Duck!"