Can Nikon FX bodies use DX lenses in crop mode?
Asked 9/17/2012
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If I move from a Nikon DX (APS-C) body to an FX (full-frame) body, can I still use my DX lenses by switching to crop mode? Does this work properly in normal shooting, and what are the trade-offs compared with using an FX lens?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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Unlike Canon where you should crop the image by yourself, Nikon FX cameras have a DX crop mode for using DX lenses.
On an FX-format camera with a DX lens mounted, the camera will automatically engage its built-in DX crop mode, thus recording an image only from the center section of the sensor.
Originally by user11549. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11549
13y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Nikon FX bodies can use DX lenses, and they generally detect the lens and automatically switch to DX crop mode.
In that mode, the camera uses only the center APS-C-sized portion of the full-frame sensor, which matches the smaller image circle of a DX lens. It’s a real feature, not a gimmick, and it works as intended for normal shooting.
The main trade-off is that you lose resolution because only part of the sensor is being used, so image dimensions and file sizes are smaller than when shooting with an FX lens on the full sensor. On many Nikon FX cameras, the viewfinder also shows crop frame lines so you can compose accurately.
So if you upgrade to FX, your DX lenses can still be usable as a transition option, but you won’t get the full benefit of the larger sensor until you use FX lenses.
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AI13y ago
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