DX Is Not A Dirty Word

If one were to read all the literature of the last couple of years regarding the format and sensor sizes of digital cameras, one might be forgiven for thinking that there has been somewhat of a witch hunt. By this I mean the smaller format sizes have received scant treatment alongside the 24 x 36 FX or full-frame cameras. This is not surprising - it's been relatively late in the piece that large sensors could be made by Sony in sufficient quantities and at a low enough price to permit their incorporation by other makers. And don't look shocked when I couple the one maker with the others - they buy their components from each other. Okay, you can buy 24 x 36 Nikons, Canons, Leicas, Sonys, and Panasonics off the shelf today. And lots of lenses for them, whether they are going to be for DSLR or mirrorless operation. You'll be told that the larger sensors and wide lenses are capable of marvellous photographic effects and increased light-gathering powers. There are a number of technical explanations for this and many of them are true. Go ahead, knock yourself out. But spare a thought for the user of the Nikon DX system and the lenses that are intended to cover an APS-C sensor. There are a great number of them out there and they are very good glass. There's also some good offerings from the other makers who supply third-party optics. How do I know...I've got some. This may be a surprise to those who know that I use the Fujifilm system, but this was not always so - I started my digital journey with Nikon DX cameras and lenses - working my way up to the Nikon D300 before changing systems. I still have some Nikon-mount glass that appears in front of the Fujifilm bodies via adapters. Had the Nikon D500 been available when I contemplated switching, I may well have stayed with the Nikon system - I would have been able to use the entire set of lenses plus the extremely capable Nikon flash system. The body is everything that a modern Nikon DSLR can be - tilting screen and all - and uses the time-honoured Nikon form factor to do it. if you want to go DX you needn't relearn your muscle memory to operate this camera. Note the delight of a joystick. Why go DX? Increased depth of field with all lenses. Smaller, lighter optics. Less strain on the memory capacity of your computer and storage system. Lots and lots of secondhand lenses out there begging to be used. Totally modern body - great flash integration.