Can Nikon DX cameras use FX telephoto lenses for wildlife photography?
Asked 1/22/2024
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I'm getting into wildlife photography and often see beginners advised to use a crop-sensor camera with a 400mm lens. I was confused because many 400mm lenses seem to be listed as Nikon FX/full-frame rather than DX/APS-C. Can Nikon DX cameras use FX telephoto lenses, and if so, how does that affect the image? Are long telephoto lenses just less common in DX-specific versions?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
2y ago
2 Answers
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You can use Nikon FX lenses on Nikon DX cameras. The smaller DX sensor will only capture the center portion of the larger FX image circle projected by the lens. The angle of view with a DX camera will be the same with a 400mm FX lens or a 400mm DX lens (if any existed), just like the AoV with an AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G lens and a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm F/1.8G ED (FX) lens are the same.
If you use DX lenses on FX cameras the image circle won't fill the sensor. But many Nikon digital cameras will detect the DX lens and use "crop mode" to only use the center part of the full frame sensor that is the same size as a DX sensor.
For more, please see:
Why arent there supertele lenses for APS-C sensor sized cameras?
Is it beneficial to use a crop sensor camera with a full frame telezoom?
Will there be any difference in photos taken using full frame and crop lenses on a crop camera?
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
2y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Nikon DX cameras can use Nikon FX lenses, as long as the mount is compatible. With an FX lens on a DX body, the smaller DX sensor only captures the center of the lens’s image circle. That means a 400mm FX lens still behaves like a 400mm lens, but with the narrower angle of view you expect from DX.
The limitation is mostly the other way around: DX lenses on FX cameras may not cover the full sensor, causing heavy vignetting unless the camera crops automatically.
So for wildlife on DX, it’s normal to shop for FX telephoto lenses. Long telephoto lenses are often made for full-frame because they already project a large image circle, and there may be few or no DX-specific 400mm options.
A practical DX option mentioned by the community is Nikon’s AF-P DX 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3, including the VR version, which is noted for being sharp and focusing quickly.
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