10mp is plenty!....right??

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Tom
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So I've been using a Nikon D3300 for about three years now and feel it's time to upgrade. I bought the camera with a kit lens (18-55mm) but the lenses I've bought since then have been FX lenses (Nikon AF-S 50mm 1.8g and Nikon AF-P 70-300 4.5-5.6e) as I wanted the option to upgrade to a full-frame body without having to spend loads on a new set of expensive lenses. Well I feel the time has come and I have my sights set on a D600 (used, obv).

Considering I don't have an FX wide angle, I would be using the D600 in crop mode when using my DX 18-55mm until I'm able to upgrade to a full FX lens set (probably six months or so). This would give me an effective resolution of just over 10mp. This seems fairly low compared to the 24mp D3300... But it wasn't long ago that 10 and 12 megapixel cameras were pretty standard, right? I shoot mostly landscape and would be printing no larger than 16x12". I think the improvement in sensor quality - pixel size, colour rendition, low-light performance, dynamic range etc. would more than make up for the drop in resolution (because with pixels it's quality over quantity, or so they say). My decision was slightly swayed by this video which suggests that FX lenses on crop bodies (my current set up) are less sharp compared to DX lenses on crop bodies or FX lenses on full-frame bodies:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDbUIfB5YUc


Am I being tempted by the lure of a shiny new (second hand) camera when I should really upgrade my lens first?
 
In short, yes upgrade the lens first - the D3300 has a pretty decent sensor on it and it would certainly outperform the D600 at 10Mp is DX mode.

I'd even go as far as to say why do you want the D600 at all? The performance won't drastically outperform the D3300 so I'd consider what is lacking in your current gear before upgrading.
 
There's nothing wrong with the d3*** range of cameras, it was my first dslr and my eldest had one, now my youngest.

That said, FF is great but you may struggle to see a huge difference in the size you're printing especially is you're using crop mode. Seems pointless to me..

Oh, and the d600 has a reputation for oil so a d610 would be a better choice. I recently got one and I love it for what I shoot but I also have a d500 and m43 so I'm spoilt for choice really..
 
What sort of focal length do you use the most at the moment ?
 
Take into account the crop factor, you may find the 50 more useful, your 18-55 is more like a 27-82 odd maybe a simple 35 fx would do to gain around the same focal length in FF
 
Apart from anything else, I don't think you'll enjoy using the D600 with just the DX crop area of the finder. You can find a 28-105 (a nice lens I've used even on a D800) for about £100, or a 28-100 / 28-80 for about half that if you look around. I would hold off on the upgrade if your budget is currently too tight for one of these. If you want something different later, you can sell the 28-x for about what you paid for it (or keep it as a lightweight travel lens).
 
Apart from anything else, I don't think you'll enjoy using the D600 with just the DX crop area of the finder. You can find a 28-105 (a nice lens I've used even on a D800) for about £100, or a 28-100 / 28-80 for about half that if you look around. I would hold off on the upgrade if your budget is currently too tight for one of these. If you want something different later, you can sell the 28-x for about what you paid for it (or keep it as a lightweight travel lens).
Thanks for the advice. That 28-80 looks like a cracker (also with a filter of 58mm means my 10 stop nd will fit on it!).
 
10mp is plenty yes, but swapping a DX for a FF to then use in DX mode is not a good move imo.

I can vouch for the 28-105mm too, gave me good results until I could afford something better.
 
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