D300 or wait

I've decided to move up to a d300 from the d200. My d200 is fine, but I still have banding issues

here and there, and while I've been looking at the D3, I have an arsenal of lenses which wouldn't

work with the D3, as much as I would like to have gone full frame. But then I hear rumours that a

full frame mid range camera might be coming out in the next few months, a D10 or some other

name., prior to the Olympics?

 

Question - if the D10 does exists and will be full frame, will my lenses work with this camera? I

don't quite understand why these lenses would not work with a D3

 

17 - 55mm, 18 -70mm, 24mm, (Tokina) 12-24mm, 50mm, 60mm, 28 - 105mm, 18 - 200mm

 

thank you!

D300. You won't regret it.

the 17-55 nikkor will work on the D3 -- either in DX mode or in FX mode with no vignetting from about 24mm (28mm?) to 55mm. The other Nikkor DX lenses will likewise work on the D3 but the short end of their zoom range won't cover the full frame either and that will be true with other future cameras using a 24x36mm sensor either.

 

If the Tokina is anything like the 12-24mm Nikkor, you can use it in FX mode with no vignetting from 17mm -24mm. FYI a 12mm lens on a DX (APS-C foramt size) camera has the same angle of view as an 18mm on the 24x356mm (Nikon FX) format.

 

Are the 50mm and 60mm lenses Nikkors? if so there's no problem using them on a D3

If your lenses work on your D200 then they will work on the D3. You may have to use them in DX mode which negates the full frame advantage. If you want to take full advantage of any Nikon full frame camera, you will need to get FX compatible lenses.

A larger FX format sensor costs many times as much as a smaller DX sensor. Therefore, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to buy an FX DSLR such as the D3 or whatever future ones and then crop it down to DX and use DX lenses on it. It is like buying a Porsche but drive it only in 25 miles/hour zones.

 

If the DX format is fine for you, get the D300 now. If you wait for the next FX body, you should replace, or at least add to, your DX lenses, incluidng the 17-55, 18-70, 12-24 and 18-200. You also seem to have too many lenses in the 18-55 range, but that is besides the point.

 

The attached image shows the 10.5mm DX fisheye on the full D3 frame.<div></div>

Here is a visual example of the difference between DX and FX lenses and sensors. I

think I have it correct guys, chime if not. The circle that the DX lens puts to the

sensor is smaller to fit the smaller sensor, using that lens on an FX sensor will

'vignette' or be cut off on the FX sensor.<div></div>

That's a great way to illustrate it Michael

that is all completely helpful. I agree with Shun Cheung, what is the point of getting

an FX sensor if the DX is compromised.

 

My primes 60mm, 24mm and 50mm all nikkor, am I right in thinking that those are

not DX lenses? I find no comprehensive list that says "these are fx these are dx"

other than knowing that the zooms I have are dx because they have it written on the

lens.

 

I suppose I could wait and see what the price of the new FX camera is going to be,

then decide on three good lenses and then sell off the rest of the DX suite and the

d200 body.

 

I'd thought about going over to canon's 5d even...... but since I have so much nikon

equipment I'd like to stay. (sb's etc) but I really want to get the bigger sensor.

Out of curiosity, Louise, why DO you want to get the bigger sensor? The D300's got higher resolution than your D200, and much better noise performance (and a way better AF system). A full-frame body that doesn't cost $5000+ is going to be unlikely to give you higher resolution than the D300... so, you've got to ask yourself what you're looking to actually get out of a move to the FX format. I'm not saying one shouldn't, but it helps to clearly say - out loud - what you're specifically looking to achieve with that expensive, disruptive move.

Check out the <a href="http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Camera-

Lenses/index.page">Nikon USA</a> lens list, Louise. They indicate which Nikon

lenses are DX.

Louise, I have already pointed out all the DX lenses on your list. If it is a Nikkor lens, it does specify DX on it. So far Nikon has made exactly one DX lens that is not a zoom, and that is the 10.5mm/f2.8 fisheye which I used as an example above. There is no other Nikon DX prime.

 

I expect any Nikon "prosumer" FX body will be at least $3000. I wonder why you want one. Personally, I'd like to get an FX body to have a wider access to various wide-angle lenses and tilt/shift lenses. However, the first time I put my 500mm lens on a D3, the loss of magnification (compared to my D2X and D300) was very noticable and annoying.

Thanks Matt: I was hoping that the new D10 or D400 or what ever it's going to be

called, is FX and will be less than the D3. My friend has the canon EOS-1D, and we

can be side by side, but his images are always so rich and creamy in comparison. I

recognize that a lot of other things go into creating an image, but I've been shooting

for 30 years, sometimes for a living, but mostly for pleasure, so I just feel there's

something missing.

 

I might rent a D300 for the july 4 week to see how I like it.

 

Nikon USA lens list is down right now. Maybe they are updating their site with big

news, or maybe it's just down

Louise, Canon has a somewhat confusing DSLR numbering system, so I am not

sure that you mean exactly the EOS 1D. If so, the 1D is not a full-35mm-frame

DSLR either. But Canon also has the EOS 1Ds (which is full frame), 1D Mark IIn

(which is not), etc. etc.

 

But if your friend's images look better, it probably has a lot more to do with post-

processing and PhotoShop techniques than sensor size and camera brand. I

suppose you can always borrow his/her camera and try it out for a little while.

 

Incidentally, I have no idea when Nikon will release a prosumer FX body. I expect it

to be within a year or so, but that is just a guess.

The Nikon lens list is back on line, Louise.

I would be VERY surprised if there is an under $2,500 FX sensor camera in Nikon's immediate future. Why?

<I>I would be VERY surprised if there is an under $2,500 FX sensor camera in Nikon's immediate future. Why?</I>

<P>

Assuming that if there are plenty of people who are willing to pay over $3000 for this hyperthetical camera, why should Nikon charge any less, at least initially?

<P>

After that market segment is saturated, the price will eventually drop.

Two of my Brooks classmates who are still working professionals switched over to

Canon primarily because of noise issues after a career of using Nikon for small format.

They say that they find the professional support from Canon to be better than Nikon.

 

I have to say that I am amazed at the out-of-camera quality that comes from my wife's

Canon point and shoot. Sometimes her stuff looks better than mine and she gets a

great kick out of that. :-)

Robert, which Canon point and shoot looks better than a Nikon DSLR? My Canon A620 can't touch the image quality from my Nikon D300.

<i>"Assuming that if there are plenty of people who are willing to pay over $3000 for this hyperthetical camera, why should Nikon charge any less, at least initially?"</i><p>

 

If so, the Canon offer (5D replacement) must be at the same price range.

Even if Nikon announces a camera before the olympics (only in 60 days btw) the camera won't be availbnle until october/ november. And even then, the supply will be extremely low and it will be until May/June of 2009 until it becomes readily available in stores consistently. That's what happeing with the D300 and D3, and it's been slowly dying down these past couple months, but still, don't expect to even see or touch a D10/D400/D30(half D3 ,half D300) until early next year...

 

If you need to shoot something now, buy the camera you need. If you don't want to invest quite yet, wait for the next generation, but remeber, you'll have this same question once you can actually get the next generation...

Here is a list of DX lens i compiled for another post, but their is no reason to really feel like the DX format is limiting when it comes to any range. You want super wide (12mm and wider), their are currently 6 choices and another one coming. All of the FX primes work fine and many have been "improved" with the crop factor, and personally i love my 105mm f2.5 at 150 :) Their are fisheyes lens', slow zooms, fast zooms, long zooms, short zooms, pro grade stuff and real crap... but the choices are there!

 

Nikon:

 

AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED

 

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

 

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

 

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II

 

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

 

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

 

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED

 

AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED

 

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED

 

AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED

 

Sigma:

 

10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC

 

17-70mm F2.8-4.5 DC MACRO

 

17-70mm F2.8-4.5 DC MACRO HSM

 

18-50mm F2.8 EX DC MACRO

 

18-50mm F2.8 EX DC MACRO HSM

 

18-50mm F3.5-5.6 DC

 

18-50mm f3.5-5.6 DC HSM

 

18-125mm F3.8-5.6 DC OS HSM

 

18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 DC OS

 

18-200mm f3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM

 

APO 50-150mm F2.8 II EX DC HSM

 

APO 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC HSM

 

55-200mm F4-5.6 DC

 

55-200mm F4-5.6 DC HSM

 

4.5mm F2.8 EX DC Circular Fisheye HSM

 

10mm F2.8 EX DC Fisheye HSM

 

30mm F1.4 EX DC HSM

 

Tokina:

 

11-16mm f2.8

 

12-24mm f4

 

16-50mm f2.8

 

50-135mm f2.8

 

10-17mm fisheye f3.5-4.5

 

35mm f2.8 macro

 

Tamron:

 

11-18mm f4.5-5.6

 

17-50mm f2.8

 

18-200mm f3.5-6.3

 

18-250mm f3.5-6.3

 

55-200mm f4-5.6

Sam, last November and December, a lot of us managed to buy the D3 and D300 within a few days of their releases without ever getting onto any waiting lists. If you are willing to buy an early sample without any discount, supply is not a major issue.

 

P.S. There are three versions of the 18-55mm DX Nikkor.

Shun, out of curiosity, why your fisheye sample image has this odd shape? Is it caused by the hood?

It is probably the hood. There is also a rear gel filter holder on the 10.5 fisheye that may block part of the image circle outside of the DX area.

 

A few years ago Ellis posted a similar image shot on a film SLR, and that image "circle" has the same shape.

Dave Lee,

 

"Robert, which Canon point and shoot looks better than a Nikon DSLR? My Canon

A620 can't touch the image quality from my Nikon D300.

 

Its the Canon Powershot SD870 IS, that my wife uses, Dave. No doubt your D300

pictures are much better than mine, as I shoot with the lowly Nikon D70 or D80.