Keeping an open mind

Your reply to a letter in the September issue of N-Photo mentioned that the Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR produces images with soft edges and fringing. I agree: my D810’s megapixels chew it up and spit out the pieces, but don’t dismiss this lens. I use one with my [DX-format] D5500 and it gives me a great holiday/hiking combo (42-450mm) that’s much lighter than the D810 and a number of lenses. Does the little camera look out of balance? Yes, but you get used to it.

Editing software takes care of leftover fringing and of course you don’t use the edges. Nikon no longer appears to worry about fringing even in higher-end lenses, preferring to let in-camera software deal with it. I recently downloaded a software update to my D810 to combat exactly this issue in a number of lenses. I have no problem with this approach if it keeps the price of already expensive lenses down, and it works for me. I often use my FX lenses on my DX camera and only have one DX lens, the 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED. My FX lenses start at 16mm (24mm on DX) so I can run right through. I know they’re heavier and more expensive, but the results are stunning and costs are limited to the camera body if you later decide to upgrade. How about an expert article on the pros and cons of using FX lenses on DX cameras?

Chris, via email

Thanks for sharing your experience with us Chris – we’re impressed by your confidence. Your article idea is interesting too; watch this space to see if any of our experts are up for the task!