Thinking of making move from DX to FX, help please!

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JonShar

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Jon
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Hi all...

Apologies if the pros and cons of FX vs DX are discussed elsewhere, I searched for a bit but couldn't find them.

My current setup is:

D90
D60 converted to infrared sensor
Nikon 35mm f/1.8
Nikon 60mm f/2.8
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8

I love my current setup, as I do mainly landscape and macro stuff. When I occasionally do portraits, the 60mm does the trick quite nicely for me.

I've had the itch for about a year now to make the step up to FX, specifically the D700. I know that I'll also have to splurge on new lenses as well, as the DX lenses won't work effectively on the D700. (Although I think the 60mm will, it's the last generation one) So it'll be a pricey jump if I make the switch, and whilst I know it'll never be "worth" it because I don't make money off my photos, it's just a hobby, I'm wondering if it'll be a worthwhile jump as far as satisfaction goes? Those of you that have worked with both formats, is there a noticeable enough difference, or have DX bodies become so good as to make the difference tiny? Would I be better just investing in another lens or two for my current DX system?

Thanks in advance for any help. I've been reading these forums for a couple of months and the amount of talent and passion for photography on here is fantastic!

Jon
 
if you think you are going to be taking your photography further and maybe doing it as a career or part time then definitely
 
scottthehat said:
if you need high iso buy a d700, if not simple stay with cropped.
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Quoted for truth. Only reason I went from a D70 to D700 was for it's high ISO ability, as I do a lot of low light stuff where the ability to handhold is an advantage. If it wasn't for that, I'd have gone for a D300 and saved myself a ton of money on both the body and all the lenses I ended up buying.

Hey, if you've got money going spare, and you like nice cameras make the jump, but I think you'll find the likes of the D300s and D7000 are more than capable, unless you specifically need something in the D700 / D3 functionality.
 
I dont shoot professionaly, but I couldnt and wouldnt want to go back to any of the current or past DX cameras. Ive had the D50, D200 and D90. The D700 still blows them all out of the water. If you have the money, go for it. If you dont, wait for the D400 or get a D300s or D7000
 
DSLR said:
Welcome Jon here is more stuff to read :cool:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikondslr/discuss/72157606510549638/
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That was some interesting reading, thank you!

scottthehat said:
if you need high iso buy a d700, if not simple stay with cropped.
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markosparko1994 said:
if you think you are going to be taking your photography further and maybe doing it as a career or part time then definitely
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viewfromthenorth said:
Quoted for truth. Only reason I went from a D70 to D700 was for it's high ISO ability, as I do a lot of low light stuff where the ability to handhold is an advantage. If it wasn't for that, I'd have gone for a D300 and saved myself a ton of money on both the body and all the lenses I ended up buying.

Hey, if you've got money going spare, and you like nice cameras make the jump, but I think you'll find the likes of the D300s and D7000 are more than capable, unless you specifically need something in the D700 / D3 functionality.
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Thanks for the comments, most appreciated. I would like to get to the point that photography started to become a part-time career for me, but I think it'll be at least another 5 years until I'm able to put that much extra time into it.

I suppose maybe a smart thing to do now would be to choose FX lenses when I buy them, so if I make a decision to move to an FX system in a couple of years I'll already have the beginnings of a collection.

Also - any recommendations where I might be able to rent a D700 from for a day or two of shooting? Thanks again.
 
TCR4x4 said:
I dont shoot professionaly, but I couldnt and wouldnt want to go back to any of the current or past DX cameras. Ive had the D50, D200 and D90. The D700 still blows them all out of the water. If you have the money, go for it. If you dont, wait for the D400 or get a D300s or D7000
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Thanks for this - solid advice from someone who's shot both DX and FX.

Other than the low light shooting, what is it about the D700 that blows them out of the water?
 
I've only used Canon dx and fx versions - and FF has much nicer colours, tonal range and better resolution / sharpness. Autofocus is also improved, which may be similar with your brand. So there are more reasons apart from ISO.

BTW. Your tokina should still work fine (or better), just don't expect to use it at 11mm. I am well pleased with 12-24mm on 1.0 and 1.3x
 
JonShar said:
Thanks for this - solid advice from someone who's shot both DX and FX.

Other than the low light shooting, what is it about the D700 that blows them out of the water?
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The weight of the body, the viewfinder is far brighter and bigger, the colour tones of the files, the resolution handling.

Just an all round pleasure to use.
 
daugirdas said:
I've only used Canon dx and fx versions - and FF has much nicer colours, tonal range and better resolution / sharpness. Autofocus is also improved, which may be similar with your brand. So there are more reasons apart from ISO.

BTW. Your tokina should still work fine (or better), just don't expect to use it at 11mm. I am well pleased with 12-24mm on 1.0 and 1.3x
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Thanks for that, and you're right, I'm sure the differences are the same regardless of Canon/Nikon brands.

On the 11-16mm, I've read elsewhere that DX lenses will only use an APS-sized portion of the FX sensor, making it effectively about a 5MP image shot on a D700. Is that right?

TCR4x4 said:
The weight of the body, the viewfinder is far brighter and bigger, the colour tones of the files, the resolution handling.

Just an all round pleasure to use.
Click to expand...

I see what you're saying. I made the mistake of picking up a D700 at Jessop's today, and the weight of the body made me want to go take shots with it... reminded me of shooting with an F4 back in the olden days!
 
JonShar said:
Thanks for that, and you're right, I'm sure the differences are the same regardless of Canon/Nikon brands.

On the 11-16mm, I've read elsewhere that DX lenses will only use an APS-sized portion of the FX sensor, making it effectively about a 5MP image shot on a D700. Is that right?

Yes and no. It CAN, but you can also have it so it doesnt crop, bot of course you will have some major vignette



I see what you're saying. I made the mistake of picking up a D700 at Jessop's today, and the weight of the body made me want to go take shots with it... reminded me of shooting with an F4 back in the olden days!
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Never pick one up unless you have the cash there an then! :love:
 
TCR4x4 said:
Never pick one up unless you have the cash there an then! :love:
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Yep they are that good, once you try you will really want one.

I shoot for a living and still use both. But when I'm shooting for myself the full frame is nearly always in my hand.

The full frame sensors and lenses deliver amazing results, lower noise, better dynamic range, better viewfinder, etc. If you have the cash why not.
 
JonShar said:
I love my current setup, as I do mainly landscape and macro stuff. When I occasionally do portraits, the 60mm does the trick quite nicely for me.
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Well, portraits is where FX shines but you might want to research the effects of a larger sensor size with regard to DOF for macro or landscape...

Borrowing or hiring a D700 for the weekend might well be in your interest to avoid costly dissapointment...
 
POAH said:
why? D700 has better IQ compared to any crop camera no way I would ever buy a crop camera again.
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Coming from a D300s to a D3s, I agree!!!:thumbs:
 
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Thanks to all for the latest comments... Seems like the smart thing to do would be to get my hands on one and compare the results after a day of shooting.
 
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