DX mode on the Z9

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kontrolla

kontrolla

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I never really bothered with DX mode on my D850 but I am now realising that on the Z9 it is a much more compelling proposition that I am now using a lot and loving.
Z9 specific advantages:
1. Viewfinder and screen displays are automatically zoomed in so DX mode fills the visible frame
2. Small subjects are easier to see in the Viewfinder and on the screen
3. Improves AF subject detection because subject is larger in the frame
4. Bigger buffer when shooting 20fps lossless compressed raw (I am getting 200 shots before slowing down on the new Delkin Black card opposed to 79 shots in FX mode)
Other advantages:
5. Effective lens length is increased by 1.5x (so 500 f5.6 PF becomes 750 f5.6 PF)
6. Reduces file size by more than half
7. Twice as many files can be stored on the memory card
8. Twice as fast downloading to the computer
9. Twice as many files stored on the computer
10. Files are much faster to process in post
Disadvantages:
1. Reduces image resolution from 45.7 MP to approx 20 MP giving much less room for cropping in post and reducing options for creative composition in post
2. If you forget that you are in DX mode and your subject gets closer you may miss some shots by forgetting to switch back to FX mode (there is a selectable reminder in the Viewfinder but it is easy to miss)
So hiding in the Z9 there is an amazing crop sensor camera that we can switch on at the press of a button.
I think I have covered all the pros and cons here.
 
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kontrolla said:
I think I have covered all the pros and cons here.
Click to expand...
Nice post.

Can't speak for the Z9 but I use the in-camera crop on the Z6/Z7 series fairly often. If I'll crop anyway and there's not a lot of risk of accidentally cropping important parts of the subject (e.g. I'll intentionally shoot loose and crop in post for things like flying birds where it's too easy to accidentally crop a wingtip) I'll often use the in-camera crop mode for the reasons you list. The automatic zoom to fill the viewfinder is a big plus over in-camera cropping in a DSLR.
 
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DRwyoming said:
Can't speak for the Z9 but I use the in-camera crop on the Z6/Z7 series fairly often. If I'll crop anyway and there's not a lot of risk of accidentally cropping important parts of the subject (e.g. I'll intentionally shoot loose and crop in post for things like flying birds where it's too easy to accidentally crop a wingtip) I'll often use the in-camera crop mode for the reasons you list. The automatic zoom to fill the viewfinder is a big plus over in-camera cropping in a DSLR.
Click to expand...
Thanks DRwyoming. I am so focussed on my Z9 at the moment (I have only had it a week and a half!) that I had not considered the Z6/Z7 but you are right most of these advantages apply to those camera bodies too. I will now try out the DX mode on my Z7ii 😊
 
kontrolla said:
I never really bothered with DX mode on my D850 but I am now realising that on the Z9 it is a much more compelling proposition that I am now using a lot and loving.
Z9 specific advantages:
1. Viewfinder and screen displays are automatically zoomed in so DX mode fills the visible frame
2. Small subjects are easier to see in the Viewfinder and on the screen
3. Improves AF subject detection because subject is larger in the frame
4. Bigger buffer when shooting 20fps lossless compressed raw (I am getting 200 shots before slowing down on the new Delkin Black card opposed to 79 shots in FX mode)
Other advantages:
5. Effective lens length is increased by 1.5x (so 500 f5.6 PF becomes 750 f5.6 PF)
6. Reduces file size by more than half
7. Twice as many files can be stored on the memory card
8. Twice as fast downloading to the computer
9. Twice as many files stored on the computer
10. Files are much faster to process in post
Disadvantages:
1. Reduces image resolution from 45.7 MP to approx 20 MP giving much less room for cropping in post and reducing options for creative composition in post
2. If you forget that you are in DX mode and your subject gets closer you may miss some shots by forgetting to switch back to FX mode (there is a selectable reminder in the Viewfinder but it is easy to miss)
So hiding in the Z9 there is an amazing crop sensor camera that we can switch on at the press of a button.
I think I have covered all the pros and cons here.
Click to expand...

Good summary of the pros and cons.
 
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Snapshot2020 said:
With the Z9 / 800PF in DX Mode it’s a whopping 1200 mm reach. I haven’t used DX with this Combo but it’s a nice option to have at the touch of a pre-programed button.
Click to expand...
Yes that is an insane amount of reach. Of course you then have the issue of trying to get the subject in your frame!!!
 
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I really like the ability to change to DX from FX on the fly using the video button. The drawback I've found, is forgetting that I changed it and then wondering why I can't get that 'close in' shot five minutes later. :) Usually I just shoot full frame & then crop.
 
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I’ve been using DX mode a lot as well. I programmed one of my function buttons to it and toggle it off and on a lot. If you know your subject is far away and you are going to crop anyway it’s a no brained. Hard drives every where rejoice at the idea.
 
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kontrolla said:
I never really bothered with DX mode on my D850 but I am now realising that on the Z9 it is a much more compelling proposition that I am now using a lot and loving.
Z9 specific advantages:
1. Viewfinder and screen displays are automatically zoomed in so DX mode fills the visible frame
2. Small subjects are easier to see in the Viewfinder and on the screen
3. Improves AF subject detection because subject is larger in the frame
4. Bigger buffer when shooting 20fps lossless compressed raw (I am getting 200 shots before slowing down on the new Delkin Black card opposed to 79 shots in FX mode)
Other advantages:
5. Effective lens length is increased by 1.5x (so 500 f5.6 PF becomes 750 f5.6 PF)
6. Reduces file size by more than half
7. Twice as many files can be stored on the memory card
8. Twice as fast downloading to the computer
9. Twice as many files stored on the computer
10. Files are much faster to process in post
Disadvantages:
1. Reduces image resolution from 45.7 MP to approx 20 MP giving much less room for cropping in post and reducing options for creative composition in post
2. If you forget that you are in DX mode and your subject gets closer you may miss some shots by forgetting to switch back to FX mode (there is a selectable reminder in the Viewfinder but it is easy to miss)
So hiding in the Z9 there is an amazing crop sensor camera that we can switch on at the press of a button.
I think I have covered all the pros and cons here.
Click to expand...
WIth all the benefits of in camera cropping, wonder if Nikon will make a cropped version (give or take a bit) of the Z9? Too bad when in crop mode, the max frame rate does not increase
 
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RichF said:
WIth all the benefits of in camera cropping, wonder if Nikon will make a cropped version (give or take a bit) of the Z9? Too bad when in crop mode, the max frame rate does not increase
Click to expand...
I think they will because to compete with the Canon R7 Nikon need a cheaper crop sensor camera with at least 30 MP rather than the 20 MP you get in the Z9 with DX mode
 
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Unfortunately on my Z 6II, the AF boxes also grow when using DX mode. And while I enjoy the ”auto” enlarged subject, the 200% zoom is still 200% of the original FX image rather than 200% of the DX image. Is it the same for the Z9? Do the relevant AF boxes appear larger in DX mode than they were in FX mode? Is the image of a 200% zoom in DX mode the same as the image of a 200% zoom while in FX mode?

I think a big benefit for me being in DX mode, if I’m going to crop anyway, is that it helps me see and obtain a properly metered scene/subject in full manual mode.
 
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I just spent three weeks in Yellowstone and Grand Teton NPs with the Z9 and a 500PF. I constantly went back and forth between full frame and crop mode. I put the toggle "switch" in the "i" menu and this made it easy for me to quickly switch up as needed. I tend to like having more control of my framing as the image is shot but sometimes this did cause me to lose a shot or two as the animal went out of the fame too quickly for me to switch. Overall, not a problem at all.
 
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kontrolla said:
3. Improves AF subject detection because subject is larger in the frame
Click to expand...
So this is a real question and not any sort of attack. Is the above really true? Other than a quick/silly test of 400/2.8 S + internal 1.4X TC + external 2X TC + DX crop I haven't really done any DX shooting with the Z9 so I honestly don't know. Given that the subject will occupy the same amount of pixels and same number of focus sensors, does the subject detection really improve? I understand that the subject detection by the computer 6" behind the viewfinder will improve, I just am curious if the subject detection by the computer inside the camera improves.

- Rob
 
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kontrolla said:
I never really bothered with DX mode on my D850 but I am now realising that on the Z9 it is a much more compelling proposition that I am now using a lot and loving.
Z9 specific advantages:
1. Viewfinder and screen displays are automatically zoomed in so DX mode fills the visible frame
2. Small subjects are easier to see in the Viewfinder and on the screen
3. Improves AF subject detection because subject is larger in the frame
4. Bigger buffer when shooting 20fps lossless compressed raw (I am getting 200 shots before slowing down on the new Delkin Black card opposed to 79 shots in FX mode)
Other advantages:
5. Effective lens length is increased by 1.5x (so 500 f5.6 PF becomes 750 f5.6 PF)
6. Reduces file size by more than half
7. Twice as many files can be stored on the memory card
8. Twice as fast downloading to the computer
9. Twice as many files stored on the computer
10. Files are much faster to process in post
Disadvantages:
1. Reduces image resolution from 45.7 MP to approx 20 MP giving much less room for cropping in post and reducing options for creative composition in post
2. If you forget that you are in DX mode and your subject gets closer you may miss some shots by forgetting to switch back to FX mode (there is a selectable reminder in the Viewfinder but it is easy to miss)
So hiding in the Z9 there is an amazing crop sensor camera that we can switch on at the press of a button.
I think I have covered all the pros and cons here.
Click to expand...
I have always been against in-camera cropping. I generally know if an image is going to be cropped when I'm taking it. I never liked giving up all that resolution and saw in-camera cropping as introducing risk in regards to "missing a shot."

All of that said...

You bring up a lot of great points that I never considered because I've been sort of blinded by doing it "my way" for so many years. Great post.
 
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kontrolla said:
I never really bothered with DX mode on my D850 but I am now realising that on the Z9 it is a much more compelling proposition that I am now using a lot and loving.
Z9 specific advantages:
1. Viewfinder and screen displays are automatically zoomed in so DX mode fills the visible frame
2. Small subjects are easier to see in the Viewfinder and on the screen
3. Improves AF subject detection because subject is larger in the frame
4. Bigger buffer when shooting 20fps lossless compressed raw (I am getting 200 shots before slowing down on the new Delkin Black card opposed to 79 shots in FX mode)
Other advantages:
5. Effective lens length is increased by 1.5x (so 500 f5.6 PF becomes 750 f5.6 PF)
6. Reduces file size by more than half
7. Twice as many files can be stored on the memory card
8. Twice as fast downloading to the computer
9. Twice as many files stored on the computer
10. Files are much faster to process in post
Disadvantages:
1. Reduces image resolution from 45.7 MP to approx 20 MP giving much less room for cropping in post and reducing options for creative composition in post
2. If you forget that you are in DX mode and your subject gets closer you may miss some shots by forgetting to switch back to FX mode (there is a selectable reminder in the Viewfinder but it is easy to miss)
So hiding in the Z9 there is an amazing crop sensor camera that we can switch on at the press of a button.
I think I have covered all the pros and cons here.
Click to expand...


I have used the DX or crop choices even image size options, JPEG setting adjustments in all my cameras for decades.
Hence i am not swapping out cameras every five minutes.
The D850 and D800 series afforded the capacity even more so of late to really exploit the DX mode..

When the D3X came out with 25 mp and was the best at the time i even used DX and other options constantly, especially square mode, in camera mono, etc etc etc, there has been for decades so much that often never gets used before we all rush out and buy the latest new model passing by on tools and features often we never used knew existed LOL.

The Z8 with the 60mp sensor arrives or Canon releases their 100 mp sensor soon ? its going to be a different game, hence why i have never invested in DX cameras or lenses, not saying their bad but for me really only have a weight - size benefit other than that for me nothing they offer nothing else other than limitations.

I used my D3X professionally and personally for everything from sports action wild life modeling landscape until the D850 came along, the D850 period is the best all round camera ever made in DSLR for me. Using it in DX mode is just brilliant........

I have the Z9 which i like for its speed at 45mp used as a normal camera like a D850 D6, tracking switched off most of the time as i prefer to be in control.

I can see the potential and future of tracking in mirror less cameras...however regardless of brand I am not so much a fan on the tracking currently as the gap between reality and perception has to close somewhat with the Z9 having the largest gap still.

DX mode performs so well on these newer full frame cameras, we have an exciting future ahead, unfortunately we spend 90% of our money on new gear to gain 10% in image results when 80/95 % of what we achieve comes from you.
 
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cchuck said:
I use DX mode when experiencing focus difficulty with small birds, and it's a great help that often means the difference between getting a photo and not getting a photo. But I don't enjoy the Image Quality (IQ) loss, so limit my DX use.
Click to expand...

Curious as what you mean by "image quality loss." DX is simply a size of file with no loss of image quality unless the file is upsized. If printed at the original file dimensions then the quality of the file is intact. Or, conversely, I guess it would be the same quality loss if you cropped in full frame. I'm a little confused when people speak to quality loss as file size is not generally related to quality of the image but more directly related to the size one can print a file at with 100% resolution. Or, may be I have this all wrong....? Any references I can read on this would be appreciated.
 
Viathelens said:
Curious as what you mean by "image quality loss." DX is simply a size of file with no loss of image quality unless the file is upsized. If printed at the original file dimensions then the quality of the file is intact. Or, conversely, I guess it would be the same quality loss if you cropped in full frame. I'm a little confused when people speak to quality loss as file size is not generally related to quality of the image but more directly related to the size one can print a file at with 100% resolution. Or, may be I have this all wrong....? Any references I can read on this would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

The quality loss would just be in comparison to filling the full frame with an equal size subject compared to filling just the crop portion with the subject. One would need a long enough lens of course so not always doable. A 45mp full frame image downsampled to 20 mp would have less noise and sharper details that a 20 mp crop would.
 
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bleirer said:
The quality loss would just be in comparison to filling the full frame with an equal size subject compared to filling just the crop portion with the subject. One would need a long enough lens of course so not always doable. A 45mp full frame image downsampled to 20 mp would have less noise and sharper details that a 20 mp crop would.
Click to expand...

Can you provide any reading material references on crop in camera versus crop in processing? If one prints a quality crop file, either from camera or from processing, in an appropriate print size your saying that the crop file has better resolution than the camera file but print resolution, all things being equal in the file, is based on file size, or so I've been led to believe. I just like to get into specific detail on things and want to know more about the issue of "quality loss" with a DX file.
 
Viathelens said:
Can you provide any reading material references on crop in camera versus crop in processing? If one prints a quality crop file, either from camera or from processing, in an appropriate print size your saying that the crop file has better resolution than the camera file but print resolution, all things being equal in the file, is based on file size, or so I've been led to believe. I just like to get into specific detail on things and want to know more about the issue of "quality loss" with a DX file.
Click to expand...

I fear you misunderstand what I was trying to say. I totally agree with you about cropping in post being the same as cropping in camera.

What I was saying is that if you could fill the full frame camera with your subject if possible by having more focal length or by being closer then that would be better IQ than filling just the crop mode portion with your subject. You have more pixels on your subject and you have less noise and so better dynamic range. If you normalize the two images by downsizing the full frame to the same pixel dimensions as the crop (or vice versa) you get better IQ with the full frame.
 
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