Dx mode or crop?

[O]

Sort of. After ISO, sensor surface area is the next important factor. For example, Fuji GFX100 has smaller pixel size then the Z9, but higher dynamic range. The rules have changed, and pixel size is low on the list of dynamic range factors in new sensors. The new iPhone has something like 15 stops with tiny sensor and 45mp.

I always learn something, thank you. As you say sensor technology is improving, look back at some of the earlier high ISO cameras

 

[O]

Yep…and really we are debating about polishing the cannonball to a great degree here. I switch to DX of AF needs the help but otherwise it’s easier to keep the BIF in the viewfinder in FX and I crop later…and most of the time I crop to something bigger than DX would anyway.

Hey polishing the canon ball could add to performance like speed and therefore distance

DX FX options in our cameras are there for a purpose, i guess how we use it or when really is dependent on the particular situation, but i agree with your well made points and i prefer FX higher es sensors and crop to need like you say.

 

[Ken Miracle]

Appreciate your efforts greatly, i think for curiosity sake and because Bold and the Beautiful is very boring at the moment and the surfs not up, i will do the same thing with the Z9 and the 50mm 1.8s

Thanks for playing this far LOL.

Note i am not using manual focus, always auto single point focus, first in FX then DX, then as another test in spot metering the another in matrix. The iso is higher when i move to DX, or spot ?


My observations came about when i was in the bush and switched only to DX for a moment in lower light, i then noticed the jump in iso, hence raising my curiosity when this subject came up, hence the test in stable light and conditions.

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Just for giggles nothing scientific about these. But shot these yesterday just for ID from so far away people with binocs could not ID for sure. It took the Z9 + Z800 just to get ID. Program Manual Mode with auto ISO, AF-C, Custom Wide are with subject detect bird on. Less than 2 seconds apart change was from fX to DX and Custom Wide Area 5x7 to Custom Wide Area 1x1. All these changes done with programmed external buttons while looking through the viewfinder. I did drag and drop of raw files from card to desk top and then opened with NX Studio and exported as jpg. since those were to large to post here I imported the jpg to LRC and exported in the size used by this forum. As you can see in the meta data the ISO actually dropped from 500 to 450 when I went to DX mode from FX mode, center weighted metering however the focal point was a smaller custom wide area in the DX mode than in the FX mode but both had subject detect bird locked on a bird.

 

[O]

One of my favorite teachers and pros who owns 2 camera stores and a studio and is a wildlife first photographer hates to edit is not fond of computers and is very good and fast at adjusting metering picture control settings etc. on the fly so he dos not have to edit, other than an occasional crop (his wife usually does those for him) he drags and drops raw files to his computer desk top and then opens them in NX Studio those he keeps after cropping he exports/saves as TIFF's . He was really bummed when he could not shoot in Tiff with his Z cameras.

He then exports as jpgs to one of his favorite printing labs who what just top end jpg's in SRGB. I use that pro lab also with great results.

In the heat of bird ID action I definetly can not do all that he does, especially adjusting settings in his chosen picture control, usually standard, on the fly. So I spend more time in Light Room Classic and use the keyword and library search capabilities of LRC that Nikon NX Studio does not have.

My wife also uses just NX studio.

Mate your friend sound like me in ways LOL
I even outsource any volume editing, i hate sitting on a computer playing with editing software. CS 6 is the last PS i bought as i could get it in a Disc.

When i got my D3X, yes i would even use it in DX and FX my favorite was 5-4, TIFF and JPEG FINE, its resolution at the time and files were considered just marvelous and even the bench mark standard for Nikon, a studio camera that for me was used for everything, wild life sports action you name it i was fearless LOL, and i broke every rule in the book, on a 80-200 D it could nail the nostril hairs of a fly at 100 paces LOL so to speak, it was by today's standards very much more like an analog almost manual camera, just a deadly enjoyable tool so strong so reliable i loved it so much, its still on my shelf.
I developed so many skill sets on that camera it created my mantra of get it right in camera, i used every option available even Vivid, and JPEG adjustments, i would use filters you name it, again the D3X had TIFF i loved.

My D3X would be so well used so reliable so easy to use, i could almost make basic adjustments by feel with out looking like F stop Speed EV etc........it was form that camer onwards i stuck very much to shooting JPEG fine 95% of the time.

I braught in its realtive teh D3s , then went to the D4, quaickly then to teh D4s and the similer settings and features were just so enjoyable.

I enjoyed and realte in ways to your story of your teachers, todays technology is amazing, but gee i miss the anlog type cars, cameras, the world has gotton extremelt digital and electronic, in case excessivly so.

 

[O]

View attachment 82328View attachment 82329Just for giggles nothing scientific about these. But shot these yesterday just for ID from so far away people with binocs could not ID for sure. It took the Z9 + Z800 just to get ID. Program Manual Mode with auto ISO, AF-C, Custom Wide are with subject detect bird on. Less than 2 seconds apart change was from fX to DX and Custom Wide Area 5x7 to Custom Wide Area 1x1. All these changes done with programmed external buttons while looking through the viewfinder. I did drag and drop of raw files from card to desk top and then opened with NX Studio and exported as jpg. since those were to large to post here I imported the jpg to LRC and exported in the size used by this forum. As you can see in the meta data the ISO actually dropped from 500 to 450 when I went to DX mode from FX mode, center weighted metering however the focal point was a smaller custom wide area in the DX mode than in the FX mode but both had subject detect bird locked on a bird.

WOW impressive, but the ISO it changed, would it have changed more in spot ?

 

[Ken Miracle]

WOW impressive, but the ISO it changed, would it have changed more in spot ?

Beets me .. I did some things in spot metering yesterday but nothing where changing between FX and DX in the same series on essentially the same subject. And ironically the ISO went down with DX ... no real world difference between 500 and 450 but interesting. Also possible that in that less than 2 second time the light could have changed slightly since it was partly cloudy.

 

[Anjin San]

Hey polishing the canon ball could add to performance like speed and therefore distance

DX FX options in our cameras are there for a purpose, i guess how we use it or when really is dependent on the particular situation, but i agree with your well made points and i prefer FX higher es sensors and crop to need like you say.

True…but for me DX is for helping AF and that’s when I use it…and as I said it’s a lot easier to keep the bird in the viewfinder in FX. Sure…it helps with buffer and file sizes but that’s not a concern I have.

 

[arbitrage]

1. I don't gain any reach over cropping in post, but it does save me time since I KNOW I'm going to be cropping in post, so why wait?
3. I've never had the Eye-AF fail in crop mode, so I can't help you there. You should consult with Sony.

I'm intrigued at how you've never seen Eye-AF indication disappear in crop mode and revert back to dancing squares. I have 6 shooting buddies that use A1 and all have confirmed they see the same behaviour.

When I'm out this morning I'll try to shoot a short clip of the rear LCD with my cellphone to demonstrate exactly what I'm seeing.

 

[Flyboy]

Hi, When you are out of range do you change to Dx-mode on the camera or do you crop your image in postprocessing? Or does it not matter on the image quality? Have a nice day!

I have DX cameras with the 1.3X option. My MP rating for my cameras is 24 and 20 MP. By switching to the 1.3X option, My rating drops to ~15 MP, more than I had with my D90, which didn't stunt my growth or anyrhing else. If anything is out of range, I don't shoot! Fact is, looking back, I won more awards with my D 50 @ 6 MP, and My D 90 with 12 . As always, ymmv!

 

[Ralph]

There was discussion above about matrix metering versus "single point dynamic range" not sure what that is. However in FX or DX in something like program or manual with auto iso and all settings are the same and the focal point is the same with a Nikon since metering follows the focus point and you change metering from Matrix, to Center Weighted to Spot you will see changes in ISO and even the resultant size of the image. Your telling the camera to meter on different areas of the image ... if the entire scene was a uniform tone ie. all white or all black then there should be no difference in metering modes but in real world use there will be with varying tones in the image.

I think he meant spot metering.