lens for full frame and d40

[im_trying11]

so, i am search for a new lens, and hope too upgrade to a full frame eventually in the next 4-8 years. I was shoppin on b&h and notice that all of the dx lenses say not recommended for full frame. Why is this? what lenses have a motor in them and work with a full frame. Is it only nokkor lense that are like this or sigma ect like this too.
Thanks

 

[RyanLilly]

Nikon calls it dx, Canon calls it EF-S sigma dc etc. It mean that the lens is designed to project a smaller image circle that only covers a "crop" sensor 1.5x or smaller, the circle does not entirely cover a full frame sensor, and the corners of the frame will be black.
Supposedly it is cheaper to manufacture the smaller lenses, some of it might be to stratify the market.

 

[RyanLilly]

Oh, BTW, any lens intended for full frame or film, will work just fine on a crop body, the angle of view through the lens tighter though, just multiply the length by the crop of the sensor(1.5x for Nikon). So a 50mm lens on a d40 looks like a 75mm on a D3.

 

[K8-90]

So a 50mm lens on a d40 looks like a 75mm on a D3.

Isn't it the other way arround?

 

[K8-90]

Oh, never mind. "Looks Like". Gotcha.

 

[laam999]

I'm in a similar boat to you but for canon, I was struggling to chose between the EF-S 17-55mm IS f2.8 or the EF 24-70mmL f2.8 I have chosen the EF-S lens as at te moment I think that range is more useful for me, and I don't think I'll be going full frame within this decade so I felt it would unjustly limit me for now.

Basically I would say get what give you the best range for you on your crop body, if its going to be so long untill you go FF then you can wait for the FF range lens, you will always be able to keep the other lens on your current cam as a backup.

 

[tsaraleksi]

Four years is a long time. I wouldn't worry about upgrading right now, just buy the best lens for your camera.

 

[epp_b]

Full frame (FX) lenses will work perfectly fine on your D40.

Crop frame (DX) lenses do not work well on full-frame bodies or 35mm film bodies because they are designed to be more compact and cover only the smaller DX frame that they need to. DX lenses are cheaper to make simply because they require less materials.

On 35mm film, DX lenses will cause nasty black corners. On Nikon FX digital, the camera knows when you have a DX lens attached and crops the sensor accordingly, but you'll only get 5MP and it kind of nullifies that whole point of spending big bucks for an FX body.

If you can afford FX glass, go for it. There are craploads of old manual Nikon 35mm lenses on eBay before DX was ever conceived, so they will work on both DX and FX digital as well.

what lenses have a motor in them and work with a full frame. Is it only nokkor lense that are like this or sigma ect like this too.

I assume this is a second question. Whether or not a lens has a built-in AF motor has nothing to do with a lens being DX or FX. That said, however, most of Nikon's new FX glass is also AF-S simply because it's better and faster than the old AF screwdriver system.

The D40 will only autofocus with AF-I and AF-S lenses from Nikon, HSM lenses from Sigma and a few lenses from Tamron, but I forget what Tamron's nomenclature is for "built-in AF motor".

So a 50mm lens on a d40 looks like a 75mm on a D3.

Correct. The crop factor of an image sensor is inversely proportionate to the focal length compared to a 35mm frame. That's why you need a miniscule 5mm length for point-and-shoot cameras with tiny sensors to equal a moderately-wide 28mm on a 35mm frame.

Four years is a long time. I wouldn't worry about upgrading right now, just buy the best lens for your camera.

Indeed.

Although, the alternative and much cheaper way to go full-frame is to use 35mm film

 

[im_trying11]

thanks guys. i realize it is a long time away and it wont affect my purchase

 

[RyanLilly]

thanks guys. i realize it is a long time away and it wont affect my purchase

Good call. Get what fits your needs now, even if you decide to upgrade in the future, crop sensors aren't going away anytime soon, so good lenses still hold pretty good resale value.

 

[Dao]

so good lenses still hold pretty good resale value.

Yes, a friend of mine bought a new Canon L lens few years ago and the price he bought it for is the same as the current used price.