What lens?

suekib · Jan 27, 2012

Hi, I am new to the forum. I have recently purchased a Nikon D700 - previously owned a D3000. I wish to buy some new lenses which are full frame but I am confused as to how to identify which are full frame lenses. Is anyone able to tell me how I can identify which is the correct lens for my camera which will help me not getting ripped off? I would really appreciate some advice here. Thanks Suekib

Mike_E · Jan 27, 2012

D is for digital or cropped body cameras. Anything from AI on you should be good to go.

MReid · Jan 27, 2012

Lens will have a DX on it if it is a DX lens.
If that is not there then it is an FX lens.

suekib · Jan 30, 2012

Thanks

suekib · Jan 30, 2012

MReid said:
Lens will have a DX on it if it is a DX lens.
If that is not there then it is an FX lens.

thank you, this will help me get it right.

suekib · Jan 30, 2012

So if it has DX or FX they are both okay for a full frame?

MTVision · Jan 31, 2012

suekib said:
So if it has DX or FX they are both okay for a full frame?

DX is for cropped and FX for full frame. I've heard about people using DX lens of full frame cameras but I really don't know too much about it!

o hey tyler · Jan 31, 2012

suekib said:
So if it has DX or FX they are both okay for a full frame?

Lets say you use a 35mm f/1.8 DX lens on a Nikon D700 (as an example).

As I understand it, you have the choice to shoot in high speed crop mode. Which uses 6mp of the 12mp sensor to crop the image area to fit the DX lens. I also understand that you can continue to shoot in FX mode (as if you had an FX lens) but you'd see a large dark circle around your image area that the DX lens blocked out.

So in short, it would be pretty useless to put a DX lens on a full frame camera. You aren't getting the full benefit and background control you'd expect from a full frame camera.

digital flower · Jan 31, 2012

I sometimes use my 18-70 or 18-135mm lenses on my D700. The camera has a menu setting for cropping and the pictures seem to come out fine but at 1/2 the size. I think you would want to stay away from DX lenses for purchase or main use but they work fine if you already have them like I did.

Derrel · Jan 31, 2012

There are NO Nikkor lenses that say "FX" on them--NONE!!!!!!!! Not one, single design says "FX" on the lens. Anywhere.

The DX Nikkor lenses are the ONLY ONES marked as being "different". There exists a small handful of "DX Nikkor" lenses; those were designed for crop-sensor cameras. They will mount, meter, focus, and shoot photos on the FX Nikon bodies, either at reduced size (aka in DX mode), or with corner and edge vignetting, or in 8x10 capture mode on the D3 series bodies, with "almost" full coverage at most focal lengths. How a DX lens shoots on a NIkon body depends on what the user does.