Hi guys...need advice on nikon system

[Watcher]

The DX format lenses is designed exclusively for digital SLR.

DX system of lenses stick out like a sore thumb (cannot "properly" be used on film body) and makes the entire nikon range look "disorganised"

Why don't you guys buy it before you dish it?

First from Nikon SG's site
"do not recommend use of DX Nikkor with 35mm (135) format cameras."

It is not exclusive. It is meant for a digital cam, so it is not that appropriate to use on a film body. Just like if you try using Velvia for portraiture...

But it can be used from 16-24 for the 12-24 DX lens.

 

[Zerstorer]

the Nikkor 20-35 f2.8 can find in singapore meh?

Sure, but they tend to go at about $1K+ 2nd hand. Seen quite a few in Yahoo auctions couple of months ago.

 

[Kho King]

Castlesinthesky, one important note:
If you want Nikon system because of its manual camera and latest DSLR compatibility of lenses, then u need to choose your lenses carefully.

The current still in production manual mechanical (no battery needed) metal solid film camera = FM3A. U can't use G or DX lenses on this manual SLR, because for manual SLR, u need to choose or select the aperture from the lens. For G lenses, all aperture are control by the camera body, thus no aperture ring on lens.

just a note...

 

[Castlesinthesky]

Castlesinthesky, one important note:
If you want Nikon system because of its manual camera and latest DSLR compatibility of lenses, then u need to choose your lenses carefully.

The current still in production manual mechanical (no battery needed) metal solid film camera = FM3A. U can't use G or DX lenses on this manual SLR, because for manual SLR, u need to choose or select the aperture from the lens. For G lenses, all aperture are control by the camera body, thus no aperture ring on lens.

just a note...

point taken..thanks for the very insightful advice! i think i may jump ship to nikon once my wide angle issue is settled/=)

and knight ong..i def will go slow! a lot of money's involved on this decision.once more thanks!

 

[clive]

hi watcher, apperciate your feedback. the reason why we dish the DX series is because most of us (inclusive of me) are simply unable to spend the time/money/effort/etc in acquiring DX lens to test it out then from there make personal conclusions. so the next best thing we could only do is to sit back, think about why nikon made DX lenses to be somewhat different from the other nikkors...aparently it turns out that some of us happen to conclude that the difference came about in a rather unfortunately negative sense (ie non-optimal performance when DX is mounted on film body). this personal conclusion made us quite "wary" of DX lenses despite its other obvious benefits. i guess for us who conclude this way; tend to have a mindset of prefering our belongings to be so-called " ~~complete~~ " . so we tend to see DX lenses as being so-called "~~not too complete~~" ; hence the wariness..yeah its kinda hard to fully explain such personal psychological preferences...but nothing too serious.

 

[Watcher]

hi watcher, apperciate your feedback. the reason why we dish the DX series is because most of us (inclusive of me) are simply unable to spend the time/money/effort/etc in acquiring DX lens to test it out then from there make personal conclusions. so the next best thing we could only do is to sit back, think about why nikon made DX lenses to be somewhat different from the other nikkors...aparently it turns out that some of us happen to conclude that the difference came about in a rather unfortunately negative sense (ie non-optimal performance when DX is mounted on film body). this personal conclusion made us quite "wary" of DX lenses despite its other obvious benefits. i guess for us who conclude this way; tend to have a mindset of prefering our belongings to be so-called " ~~complete~~ " . so we tend to see DX lenses as being so-called "~~not too complete~~" ; hence the wariness..yeah its kinda hard to fully explain such personal psychological preferences...but nothing too serious.

I do understand what you feel. I see this in many post on DP Review too.

My view is this: it is meant to have its ranged overlapped with the "normal" lenses as it covers up the disadvantage of FLM (wide). I don't think Nikon will ever produce anything that is long in DX format simply because there is no need at all. The longest is supposed to be their 17-55 DX but that has been put on hold. There is no need to put it on film as the film equivalent in terms of angle already exist (ie 16mm fisheye, 18-36mm). I've already thought up a way to extend the usability of these DX lenses in future FF bodies here.

As for getting a test, try your favourite camera shot They do run out of stock very quickly on this lens; I heard a small shop in Lucky Plaza sold out 6 in 1 week!

If you read the entire review that I had linked to previously, you will see that the author is quite satisfied with it. Quite a few people in DPReview thought that the Sigma is a better lens due to the price + full frame. A few had already returned it to get the Nikon

 

[rncw]

point taken..thanks for the very insightful advice! i think i may jump ship to nikon once my wide angle issue is settled/=)

and knight ong..i def will go slow! a lot of money's involved on this decision.once more thanks!

just to ask, do you also shoot film? or just purely digital?

if you shoot film, do you use fully manual bodies? or you'll be using body like F100/F5/F80?

as others had already said, DX lenses are created for digital bodies, though it can be used with some film auto bodies. for film, nikon already have the whole range of lenses to choose from, auto or fully manual...

 

[Ian]

The DX range of Nikkors are not designed nor intended for use of 35mm film bodies, they are an entirely new line of lenses for the D series bodies ONLY.

The lenses were designed to fill a specific gap in the focal length range offered by regular Nikon lenses and to combat the lack of short focal length lenses availble to the Nikon DSLR user who has to contend with the 1.5x FLM and APS sized sensor.

The Optics are specificially designed for the Nikon DX series sensor size.



Sure the DX lenses will work after a fashion on film based bodies but that is not what they are designed for nor intended to be used for.

The lens series is an adjunct to the current Nikkor lens series and thus can be viewed in the same light as the IX Nikkors that were designed specifically for the Pronea body range. That is a specialist lens for a specific camera.

Nikon has a long history of producing lenses that only work with specific bodies that dates back to the early 1960s. For example the 6mm f2.8 fisheye, the 21mm f4 rectilinear wideangle lens to name but two examples.

Ian
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