Primes and digital

[Pfreddee]

How many of you who shoot a DSLR full-frame use primes as your main lens choice? I prefer primes, but my DX Nikon has only one dedicated prime lens made for it. If I want to use other focal lengths I need to use FX lenses. Zooms are OK for some things, but the usual caveats about zooms apply. I like my Nikon, but the fact that I can't find a classic trio (24-50-85) of primes is causing me to think long and hard about ditching DX and moving to FX for just this reason, even though DX is fine in other respects.

Thank you for your time.

With best regards,

Pfreddee

 

[mich rassena]

I shoot mostly primes on my Nikon bodies, body DX and FX. The FX body is easy, there's a lot out there for not much money. The DX body is more difficult, I have 24 and 28 and 35 and 50mm lenses, which covers the 35mm to 85mm equivalent end of the spectrum. All of these are older prime lenses from the 70s and 80s, didn't cost much. The 50 1.4 isn't even AI, but fits my D80 just fine. I just have to live with the fact that Nikon doesn't meter manual lenses on these bodies.

Getting wider costs money. I know there's a 19mm Vivitar out there for not too much money, which would be a bit wide on DX. So it really depends on where you want to spend your money. Buy an FX camera and put any AI Nikon F compatible lens on it, or spend the same on two or three nice DX lenses. Over time, the nice lenses would hold much of their value, but on the other hand there's no substitute for the image quality from an FX, especially compared to a DX with a few years on it.

 

[kxl]

I primarily shoot FX primes on my D800e and DX zooms on my D500 (DX). Yes, I can use my FX prime lenses on my D500, but I rarely ever do. I think it's because I use my D500 mainly for moving subjects where zoom and reach and fast AF are very helpful (e.g., sports and birds in flight).

If you do purchase a Nikon FX body, and intend to get 3 primes (24-50-85), I would highly recommend the Sigma ART lenses.I have the 24, 35 and 50, and they (especially the 35) are easily my best lenses in a variety of measures. I have shot a borrowed Sigma ART 85mm as well, and will likely purchase one in the future to replace my current Nikon 85/1.8 AFS lens. The're not cheap, but IMHO, well worth the price.

 

[michaelwj]

How many of you who shoot a DSLR full-frame use primes as your main lens choice? I prefer primes, but my DX Nikon has only one dedicated prime lens made for it. If I want to use other focal lengths I need to use FX lenses. Zooms are OK for some things, but the usual caveats about zooms apply. I like my Nikon, but the fact that I can't find a classic trio (24-50-85) of primes is causing me to think long and hard about ditching DX and moving to FX for just this reason, even though DX is fine in other respects.

Thank you for your time.

With best regards,

Pfreddee

I can't believe that Nikon don't make a few wide angle DX primes. A 16/2.8 and a 24/1.8 would be nice and compact and coupled with the 35/1.8 would give you a neat 24-35-50 DX prime options. Once you get longer you lose the size advantage, so best to use the FX/1.8 primes from 50mm up.

When I shot Nikon DX it was the one thing that always bugged me. Like many people I didn't want the bulk of FX so I moved away from Nikon after I gave up waiting. I ended up with a Leica, but if the Fuji's were around, then I might have gone that way. If I ever get back into a DSLR again, it won't be with FX, it will be an APSC size sensor, and if Nikon haven't filled some DX lens holes, then it won't be them.

 

[Godfrey]

Just use the FX Nikon lenses. They all work perfectly on both FX and DX bodies. Nikon knows most users will eventually go to a FX body so why should they have to build a whole other lens kit just for the DX bodies?

Honestly, if you really want ultrawide, you're better off with the larger format. It's easier to design and build wide lenses for the larger format bodies in the first place.

G

How many of you who shoot a DSLR full-frame use primes as your main lens choice? I prefer primes, but my DX Nikon has only one dedicated prime lens made for it. ...

 

[michaelwj]

Just use the FX Nikon lenses. They all work perfectly on both FX and DX bodies. Nikon knows most users will eventually go to a FX body so why should they have to build a whole other lens kit just for the DX bodies?

Nikon wants all users to move up to an FX body. The thing is, many don't. They either don't buy the lenses that aren't available (thus confirming Nikon's decision not to make them), or they switch to a different system.

If they assume all users move to FX, what's with the D500? Surely if you want speed you should get a D5. If you want reach buy a longer lens or crop (which is essentially what "crop" sensors do).

 

[AlTheKiller]

D600 with a 50mm and 85mm. Mostly use the 85

 

[Oren Grad]

The lens I use most with my EOS 6D is the EF 40/2.8 pancake, and the lens I use the most with my EOS SL1 is the EF-S 24/2.8 pancake. If Nikon offered a compact wide or semi-wide prime like the EF-S 24 that was fully functional on the D3xxx and D5xxx cameras I would have bought one for my D3200 and been done with it. But they don't, which led me to the SL1 and the 24 pancake.

 

[Oren Grad]

Just use the FX Nikon lenses. They all work perfectly on both FX and DX bodies.

But they're way oversized for DX. For those of us who buy APS-C because we want a compact DSLR, the size (and price!) of the 24/1.8 Nikkor mounted on one of the D3xxx or D5xxx bodies is absurd compared to the SL1 + EF-S 24 combination I bought instead.

That silly little $149 pancake has probably sold a bunch of camera bodies for Canon.

 

[intheviewfinder]

The OP's post describes my situation exactly. I left Nikon a little over a year ago and moved to Fuji because they have a wonderful set of dedicated primes.

 

[narsuitus]

... the fact that I can't find a classic trio (24-50-85) of primes is causing me to think long and hard about ditching DX ...

When I shot Nikon 35mm SLR, my classic trio was 24mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8 manual focus lenses.

When I started shooting digital, I wanted to use my FX primes on a full-frame digital SLR but at the time, Nikon took the stand that they would never make full-frame digital cameras.

I tried to duplicate the angle-of-view of my classic trio by using 14mm f/2.8, 24mm f/2, and 50mm f/1.4 FX lenses on a DX digital body but had problems manually focusing the FX lenses on the smaller DX pentaprism.

To solve my manual focusing problem, I used the following auto focus zoom lenses:
14-24mm f/2.8
28-70mm f/2.8
70-200mm f/2.8

The auto focus zooms helped with the focusing problem but there were times when I still needed to use faster prime lenses. I finally decided to ditch any thoughts of an FX digital SLR and instead decided to use only APS-C digital cameras. I also decided to stop waiting on Nikon to produce the equipment I needed. I selected three fast auto focus Fujinon prime lenses to use on a Fuji X APS-C mirrorless body:
16mm f/1.4
23mm f/1.4
56mm f/1.2


Available Light Kit by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Kent]

That was one of the reasons for my Df. 😉

 

[willie_901]

Nikon wants all users to move up to an FX body. The thing is, many don't.
... \

Very true. I certainly did.

But a few years later I sold all my Nikon FX bodies and lenses and switched to Fujifilm. I don't miss FX at all.

 

[Rob-F]

I can't believe that Nikon don't make a few wide angle DX primes. A 16/2.8 and a 24/1.8 would be nice . . .

When I shot Nikon DX it was the one thing that always bugged me.

That bugged me too when I had only the D300. I have come to see 24mm, or a 24mm equivalent, as essential. In fact, I bought the 15/3.5 Nikkor just to get as close to 24mm as I could. And I used an 18mm Nikkor the get close to a 28mm view. I still have these lenses, but now use them on my D700, where they belong!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Canon has plenty of primes for FF (EF) and crop (EF-S) DSLRs. The only lens I use at my DSLR is EF-S mount prime. Prior to this I used Canon FF with 50mm L series prime. One of the three 50mm Canon makes in EF mount.

 

[Roger Hicks]

That was one of the reasons for my Df. 😉

Dear Kent,

Same here. Overwhelmingly, the 55/2.8 Micro Nikkor. But also others from 14mm to 600mm...

You'll find some Df zoom shots here (35-85/2.8 Vivitar Series 1 Varifocal) but the previous two pieces in the same series (Misty Day and Sunny Day) I used the Micro Nikkor.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Corran]

Just use the FX Nikon lenses. They all work perfectly on both FX and DX bodies. Nikon knows most users will eventually go to a FX body so why should they have to build a whole other lens kit just for the DX bodies?G

A very dangerous statement to make for those looking at older FX lenses for use on their cheaper DX cameras.

Lower-end Nikon D3xxx and D5xxx cameras don't have the AF screw on the body. Therefore AF-D lenses will NOT have autofocus. And of course if you are defining "FX" lenses as just "full-frame," older AIS, AI, or pre-AI will not meter.

Users unfamiliar with the nomenclature and looking for a deal on used gear can very easily run into this problem. In fact, AF-D lenses (and even some AIS) lenses are still sold new today. It is not that cut-and-dry unfortunately - but hey, at least we can actually mount old Nikon lenses, unlike those with FD mount glass...😀

 

[ruby.monkey]

How many of you who shoot a DSLR full-frame use primes as your main lens choice? I prefer primes, but my DX Nikon has only one dedicated prime lens made for it. If I want to use other focal lengths I need to use FX lenses. Zooms are OK for some things, but the usual caveats about zooms apply. I like my Nikon, but the fact that I can't find a classic trio (24-50-85) of primes is causing me to think long and hard about ditching DX and moving to FX for just this reason, even though DX is fine in other respects.

Thank you for your time.

With best regards,

Pfreddee

Don't ditch DX - ditch Nikon. Fuji has what you need.

 

[jsrockit]

How many of you who shoot a DSLR full-frame use primes as your main lens choice? I prefer primes, but my DX Nikon has only one dedicated prime lens made for it. If I want to use other focal lengths I need to use FX lenses.

Sigma? The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art Lens for Nikon looks nice. But I get your point. I guess Nikon thinks zooms are good enough for these users.

 

[jarski]

Canon has plenty of primes for FF (EF) and crop (EF-S) DSLRs.

😕
just counted two crop primes made by Canon for their DSLR's. EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM and EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM.