Buying a professional camera is a big investment. And if you make your living from photography, you don’t want to make the wrong choice. The Nikon brand will never steer you wrong, but what’s the difference between DX vs FX, and which one should you choose? The good news is, it’s a simple choice that comes down to your needs and usage.
What is camera format?
Camera format refers to the image sensor format, which is the size and shape of the image sensor. A sensor is the most integral mechanism in a camera because it’s the element that captures the image. Sensors are designed in different sizes, and they range from smartphone to large format.
An image sensor consists of photosites that record the image captured through the lens. The data captured on the sensor is directed to the image processor, which assembles the pixels into a recognizable image. The bigger the sensor, the more light is captured and the better the image quality.
What Is Nikon DX?
Nikon DX is a camera format used by Nikon. Camera formats represent the size of the image sensor, and each camera brand has its camera formats. Nikon DX refers to Nikon DSLR cameras that have an APS-C image sensor of 24×16 mm. As a result, the DX format is smaller than the standard 35mm format (approximately two-thirds).
Pros of DX format
DX format consists of a smaller sensor that creates a slight magnification of the image being photographed, with a 1.5x crop factor. This allows for a subject to be captured closer to the center of the image circle, cutting the corners and creating a vignette effect around the frame edges.
This corner-cutting has led to the development of affordable lenses for DX sensors that are compact and well-sized. The small sensor also makes DX format cameras more budget-friendly, lighter, and easier to transport, but they can still produce images as detailed as a 36MP full-frame DSLR camera.
Cons of DX format
This smaller-sized range is not as dynamic as its FX counterpart. It’s also limited in range and tends to be noisy — meaning it shows grainy visual distortion. The small viewfinder is not particularly bright, and in general the DX format doesn’t perform as well in low-light situations.
There is a compatibility issue with lenses, especially those with a wide angle due to depth-of-field differences. Lenses smaller than f/8 can also run into diffraction issues. This means that when they’re interchanged with an FX camera, a DX lens won’t work at full resolution.
What Is Nikon FX?
Nikon FX is a camera format used by Nikon to refer to Nikon cameras that have a full-frame image sensor of 36x24mm. Nikon FX is approximately the same size as the standard 35 mm format.
The Nikon DX vs FX comparison extends to image quality, camera usability, and lens selection. The FX format provides higher image quality, color accuracy, and performance in low light conditions than the DX format. The DX format is lighter, more compact, and more affordable.
Pros of FX format
FX sensors are full-frame format and allow for a higher level of control over depth of field. Developed with the intention to increase image quality by ramping up the sensor size, the 35mm equivalent FX format is the solution to the DX’s low-light performance.
This quiet dynamic range has highly-developed image sensors at 36mm x 24mm wide, which allows for greater sensitivity and excellent low-light performance. The large viewfinder provides greater focus on fine details with the inclusion of an increased pixel size. This full-frame sensor format also offers dual options for different requirements, one focused on speed and sensitivity and the other on a higher resolution.
Cons of FX format
FX format cameras are heavier and less compact than DX cameras, making them more cumbersome to transport. The size and quality of the sensor also puts them at a higher price point because of steeper manufacturing costs.
One common issue is vignette blurring. This occurs when the focus of the lens circle is in the center of the frame and does not fully capture the corners.
FAQs About FX And DX Lenses
Can you use FX lenses on a DX camera body?
Yes, the lenses are interchangeable, but there’s a quality difference. An FX lens can be used on a DX format camera with full-frame view. A 24mm FX lens will create a 36mm view.
Can you use a DX lens on an FX camera body?
DX lenses can be used on an FX camera. The guideline is that generally a DX lens should be used with the DX format cameras. The camera will automatically adjust and only focus on the center image and not the full frame.
How to Tell If Your Camera or Lens Is DX or FX
Choosing a Nikon DX vs FX camera body impacts your choice of lenses. For each camera format, you have designated lenses. And although you can use FX lenses on a DX camera body, you won’t use the full potential of the optics due to the 1.5 crop factor of the camera sensor. DX lenses on an FX camera body work even worse because the image on the sensor is larger than the optics diameter in the lens. This gives you an awful vignette in all your images. Therefore, you should know if you have a Nikon DX or FX camera and lens.
The good news is Nikon has a system for letting you know whether their products are Nikon DX or FX format:
- DX-format lenses have the DX designation in their name (e.g., AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED). FX-format lenses don’t have it (e.g., AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED).
- FX-format cameras have “FX” printed on their bodies. DX-format cameras don’t have it.
