D300 to D800...or not?

[GrtDay]

Nikon is really frustrating this shooter.
I currently shoot a D300 with several DX lens. (18-200, 12-24, 60, 17-55)
I want a new camera body but moving to the D800 should require that I replace the DX glass that I currently own.
I looked through the viewfinder of the D800 iwth the 18-200 DX glass and saw the red square showing how much infomation I would be losing.
What to do? Upgrade to the D800 body and use my DX glass? I think that may almost be a move backwards. What do y'all think?
Why, O Why, doesn't Nikon make a D400? That would solve so many problems.
Nikon....are you listening?

[markgozz]

I keep hearing that Nikon are replacing the 300 but with what and when I don't know . I only have two lenses at the moment , the sigma 18-250 ( DX ) and the Sigma 105 macro ( FX ) , any lens I look at getting from now on will be an ( FX ) lens to future proof my kit for the day I upgrade my D90 .

Mark

[ianpinion]

I've heard rumours that they may replace the D300s and D7000 with just one camera that covers both bases. I think the DX Format still plenty of mileage for the enthusiast , especially as ithe replacement will probably have a 24MP sensor like the D5200, but have a magnesium alloy body and proper weather seals.

Otherwise, if you want to move up to FX then the D600 makes a lot of sense. Okay, it may not have the 36MP resolution of a D800, but it's still a great performing FX camera, once you get past the stage of the possible oil splatters on the sensor from the mirror, for the money.

We will have to watch and see what Nikon decide to produce in way of replacements for some of their ageing models like the D90, D300s and D7000.

[Jediboy]

I've got to ask, what's wrong with the D300??

[greenwing]

Not sure what option 3 in your poll means. make the DX lens work with no framing in the FX series

If you mean to make the DX lenses cover the full FX frame, that would make them FX lenses, surely? And they'd be bigger, heavier, more expensive.

If you mean not cropping to DX size but letting you do the cropping afterwards, that's an option on all FX cameras. Just turn off the Auto DX Crop.

Chris

[jet_kit]

Obviously the first question you need to ask yourself is, 'Do I NEED a full frame camera?'

For most of us the answer is 'No'. Until the D3 etc hit the scene everyone was perfectly happy with 'cropped' sensors. But, there was an element out there that kept looking at their old legacy glass and yearned to be able to use them all again without losing a large chunk of the coverage. Nikon (and Canon) then decided to hype this up and give us pro-sumer (with the D700 and D800), and now, entry-level (D600) full-frame cameras.

If you want to blow your pictures up to billboards, then maybe there's some justification to change. If you really need to be able to shoot in awful lighting conditions with acceptable noise levels, maybe you need FX. If not, then I suggest you wait for the D310, or D400, or whatever Nikon decide to call the D300 replacement.