Nikon Shooters - Would you switch to another brand (or have you?)

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

Would you or have you switched from Nikon?

  • I have already switched to another brand

    Votes: 13 4.9%
  • I am on the verge of switching

    Votes: 7 2.6%
  • I'm open to switching

    Votes: 54 20.2%
  • I probably won't switch

    Votes: 123 46.1%
  • I will never leave Nikon

    Votes: 44 16.5%
  • I'm shooting Nikon and another system

    Votes: 26 9.7%

  • Total voters
    267
I voted that I would probably not switch. (Note, I’m not saying I never would, depending on what happens.) I have had a Nikon for over 40 years, starting with a Nikkormat and 50 m f2 lens in high school. I currently use the Z6II, Z7II, D850 and D500, along with a number of Z mount lenses and F mount lenses.

When I got a Z7 a couple of years ago, it felt like a Nikon and the menus and options were familiar. While there was much new to learn, especially for autofocus, that “Nikon-ness” was appealing to me.

I have a number of Nikon lenses in Z mount and F mount. I like the Z lenses a lot and now mostly use Z mount lenses from 14 mm to 200 mm. In F mount, the 19 mm PCE, 70-300 AF-P FX, 300 m PF, 500 mm PF and 200-500 mm lenses are excellent lenses too and work well on both my DSLRs and Z bodies. It would be expensive to shift and at the moment, I do not see any equivalent to the PF lenses from other manufacturers. The 500 mm PF is my favorite and most used lens. It pairs well with the Z7II (or Z6II) as a light-weight and maneuverable kit for wildlife, especially when kayaking, canoeing, walking, hiking or traveling.

I find the Z7II and Z6II are quite good for most wildlife, as well as landscape and more general shooting. Not the best for BIF, so I kept the D500 and D850 for now. However, the ZIIs are better for action and BIF than many think and I now mostly use my Z bodies rather than my DSLRs.

I am looking forward to the 100-400 mm in Z mount. I would love to see a 400 mm f4 PF or 600 mm f5.6 PF in Z mount. I suspect the currently planned 400 mm f2.8 and 600 f4 in Z mount will be heavier/larger than I want. I will also consider the Z9, as it could be a do-everything body for me. Size and weight of the Z9 will matter to me.

I suspect that Sony and Canon owners have their own set of issues, complaints and wish lists for improvements, although I am not sure what they are.

Rather than switching, I suspect adding another system would be more likely. A Fuji medium format system, if I wanted something better for landscapes? A Sony A1, if Nikon continues to lag on AF for BIF and fast action?
 
Dabbled with a mid range Fuji mirrorless camera as an urban walk around camera but found it to be too quirky for my taste and what I was accustomed to with Nikon DSLRs. At this point in my life and because it is just a hobby for me I feel that I am served well by my lineup of Nikon DSLR bodies and lens. If money was no object and I wanted to go mirrorless it would likely be with a Sony a1 and their 600mm f4 setup. It seems to be the premier mirrorless setup. Maybe Nikon's next mirrorless will be a true pro level camera for sports and wildlife action shooters which will be on par or compete against the Sony a1.
 
My vote is ‘open to switching’ as not another category that aligns with my intent. For me it’s not an either or decision. I’ll keep my DSLR gear (D800/Trinity Lenses/TC’s) for Landscape photo activity primarily on my motorcycle. It’s not worth a whole lot given it’s age BUT it’s served me well, captures great images, and stands up to the rough back road travels packed inside my panniers. It’s like an old sweater....I’m not willing to part with it. This said, I’m not purchasing anymore DSLR. New purchases will be Mirrorless. Decided on A1 and the 200-600 lens for BIF tracking at our lake cottage. It’s abounds with bird life. Aritrage’s gif sold me:
 
I probably won't switch. I'm familiar with and like the Nikon controls. Since 2005, I've had the D70s, D300, and now the D500, 200-500, and an assortment of other lenses, most of them DX.
I can still enjoy and try to improve my photography skills using the equipment I currently have.

For me, one advantage of not switching is that I can make a more gradual move into full-frame and mirrorless, due to the FTZ adaptor.
My next addition will most likely be to purchase a Z7ii / FTZ / 24-70 f4 kit.
 
I would almost certainly NOT change. My equipment is never the limiting factor in my photography. I have a lot of Nikon gear including a 500 f4, a 70-200 fl. All happy as I am.
I have considered a Fuji GFX100 as an addition, but I doubt it would give me better images than my D850
 
Absolutely not. My glass it too unique and, as far as I can tell, unsupported on other platforms. It's also not replaceable by the same focal lengths in other systems. 28/1.4E (MY FAVORITE!), 58/1.4G, 105/1.4E, 300/4 PF, 500/5.6 PF. Nobody else makes lenses like these five. Sigma comes close on two, with their 28/1.4 and 105/1.4, but those are heavy monsters in comparison.

Interestingly, I still selected "I'm shooting Nikon and another system" because I just picked up a Panasonic S5 + 16-35/4 for video on multi-day trips in the High Sierra and elsewhere. Nobody but Panasonic can shoot internal 4K 4:2:2 10-bit at that price point while also having amazing industry-standard tools like V-Log, shutter angle selection, vectorscopes, waveforms, and user-loadable monitoring LUTs (that don't affect that histogram/waveform!), all internal to the camera. Definitely not Nikon, that's for sure. They have a lot of catching up to do in the video space. It seems like they're pushing most of their advanced video features to external recorder workflows, and that absolutely doesn't work for backpacking trips and low-key run and gun shooting. Meanwhile Panasonic has everything you need for video in a full-frame body the size and weight of the Z6.

That's why I haven't upgraded my D850 to a Z and FTZ adapter yet. I'm waiting for Nikon to actually innovate, not just do the bare minimum to half-heartedly compete in the mirrorless market.
 
Last edited:
I switched from Nikon many years ago so my experience doesn't apply to the current Nikon ecosystem or roadmap (BTW, don't make major purchases based on a 'roadmap'. They change.)

But I have to mention that Bird Eye AF with blackout-free 20+ frames per second is a game-changer, and combining this with enough pixels for serious cropping when necessary is very handy.
 
Last edited:
My dad bought a Nikon S2 in the mid 50’s. He let me use it in the early 60’s as a young boy. Used it right through college. Still have it. Then graduated to a series of Nikon DSLRs. Currently shooting a Z6. So I’m probably unlikely to change brands at this point.
 
I voted "I probably won't switch". I'm very happy with my Nikon gear at the moment; it does everything I need it to do just fine.

While there's no denying that Nikon has been falling behind significantly in the mirrorless game; I'm in no rush to switch to the latest and greatest so to speak (I own only DSLR's at this point). I'm sure that by the time my current bodies are in need of being replaced; they'll have caught up and all is well. If that's not the case and they've fallen light years behind the competition at that point, I'll reassess then.
 
I used to shoot Pentax as it was a hangover from my film days. Takumar lenses were awesome. My last Pentax DSLR was K200d. I was finding IBIS limiting and moved on to Nikon D90 and lenses with decent VR. I contemplated a switch to Canon before I got the D600 but the Canon ergonomics didn’t suit me. That said, not every Nikon has felt right either, the D750 as good as it was, just never felt good in my hand.
Apart from that my partner shoots Nikon and the kids had Nikon’s as well. We had a good pool of lenses, flash units etc to draw from.
As you can see, at the moment I’m pretty heavily invested in Nikon bodies and lenses and a brand change now would be extremely expensive. Nikon Z series is an option due to FTZ adapter.
 
Ultimately, i'm still waiting for the Z9. If the Z9 is a huge disappointment, I'll most probably switch to Canon. If not i'll make the transition to mirrorless, getting the Z9 and the Z6ii. Right now, it's a waiting game for me.
 
I agree 100% with @BirdDogDad with the divorce metaphor. As with lawyers, switches fatten the dealers, and of course the relevant companies :) I will stay with Nikon, even though many of us do admire the proverbial 'talent' over the hedge.... fyi https://bythom.com/newsviews/camera-x-isnt-better-than.html
Indeed, prior to this latest essay, as Thom reasoned 10 years ago, the cameras are the Tip of the Iceberg :LOL::LOL:

I started with Nikon in 1984. My perspective is similar to BillW, as I have a significant investment in Nikon glass, which it would be insane to replace (even trading Used for Used etc). However, I'm waiting for Nikon to listen more attentively to a significant proportion of their clients. I bought one of the first Z7 kits to arrive in S Africa, and waited with decreasing patience for an Upgrade to expand the Custom menu options to match DSLRs of similar prices brackets ie D500/D850.

After 4+ years using the latter almost daily, I refuse to go backwards to an underwhelming ILC that restricts one to using only 1 AF mode at any instant ie No Toggling Allowed! All the Zed cameras continue to mute the Fn buttons on F telephotos (eg 70-200 f2.8E, 500 PF) which are typically set to use AFOn+Auto AF on the D850: with Fn1 and Pv assigned to SIngle-Point / d25.

A Z7 would tick almost all the boxes across landscape and wildlife if it's AF and Custom controls were closer to the D850. I do need a 2nd camera for lowlight ie designed on a D780/Z6 or D5/D6 sensor but its settings must be more than capable for action shooting. Perhaps the Z II cameras will be upgraded to fix outstanding gaps key but the cynic says this is doubtful. So Nikon continues to keep some of us waiting....

I would like to build up a decent Z system, as the DSLRs and MILCs are complementary. Close on 2 years shooting the Z7 and D850 confirmed to me their well known advantages when these are shot in tandem. Although some aspects of the D780 are very useful (not the Custom Controls!), its OVF emphasizes the convenience of seamless wysiwyg and silent-shooting. But a more ergonomic detachable viewfinder - like a Hoodman - on the LCD would be interesting to try on such a hybrid DSLR with MILC type sensor and Liveview.

Until then, we are fortunate to have plenty of Used D850s and D5's in decent nick to persist with industry leading solutions for almost all needs in outdoor photography. Unless the lottery permits, I expect the Z9 will be unaffordable but its arrival may free up a few Used D6's ;) ;) Note to Tokyo HQ: releasing a Z90 (ie boosted D500 type DX Z9] will sell a whole lot more Z cameras and more investment into the Z System.


I voted that I would probably not switch. (Note, I’m not saying I never would, depending on what happens.) I have had a Nikon for over 40 years, starting with a Nikkormat and 50 m f2 lens in high school. I currently use the Z6II, Z7II, D850 and D500, along with a number of Z mount lenses and F mount lenses.

When I got a Z7 a couple of years ago, it felt like a Nikon and the menus and options were familiar. While there was much new to learn, especially for autofocus, that “Nikon-ness” was appealing to me.

I have a number of Nikon lenses in Z mount and F mount. I like the Z lenses a lot and now mostly use Z mount lenses from 14 mm to 200 mm. In F mount, the 19 mm PCE, 70-300 AF-P FX, 300 m PF, 500 mm PF and 200-500 mm lenses are excellent lenses too and work well on both my DSLRs and Z bodies. It would be expensive to shift and at the moment, I do not see any equivalent to the PF lenses from other manufacturers. The 500 mm PF is my favorite and most used lens. It pairs well with the Z7II (or Z6II) as a light-weight and maneuverable kit for wildlife, especially when kayaking, canoeing, walking, hiking or traveling.

I find the Z7II and Z6II are quite good for most wildlife, as well as landscape and more general shooting. Not the best for BIF, so I kept the D500 and D850 for now. However, the ZIIs are better for action and BIF than many think and I now mostly use my Z bodies rather than my DSLRs.

I am looking forward to the 100-400 mm in Z mount. I would love to see a 400 mm f4 PF or 600 mm f5.6 PF in Z mount. I suspect the currently planned 400 mm f2.8 and 600 f4 in Z mount will be heavier/larger than I want. I will also consider the Z9, as it could be a do-everything body for me. Size and weight of the Z9 will matter to me.

I suspect that Sony and Canon owners have their own set of issues, complaints and wish lists for improvements, although I am not sure what they are.

Rather than switching, I suspect adding another system would be more likely. A Fuji medium format system, if I wanted something better for landscapes? A Sony A1, if Nikon continues to lag on AF for BIF and fast action?
 
Last edited:
Realistic I'm brand neutral, I committed myself to Nikon for a while when I bought the 600E at the end of last year, so for me it's more about the cost of switching.... I still think about it, then I think why... my images may not get better, they may just get a little easier. Also, I've been doing this for just over a year and a half and really only 12 months really dedicated to wildlife as my main focus, I think I've spent well enough for a hobby!

In saying that, the Z9 is a genuine consideration as I would sell my D500 & D850 plus a couple of low use lenses to fund it. That way I can still use my 600E 70-200E & 24-70E on the D5 and Z9.
 
Although I cannot comment on the Fujifilm haptics, the Z system is not far off clinching a DX system for hiking for wildlife and landscapes etc. If only Tokyo HQ would see the light on continuing market for prosumer DX cameras ie D550 / Z90.

A Z50 kit (with 16-50) and 70-300 AFP Nikkor is already hard to match, even though it needs a FTZ. There is is also the excellent 14-30 f4S. For extra reach, there are the unique 300 f4E PF and 500 f5.6 PF (with TC14 III).

The gap is a Z DX U-Wide to match the range of the 10-20 Nikkor DX, and the pair of pancakes on the roadmap will likely be very useful in a Z DX system. And in so many respects, a Z90 will tick almost all the needs/gaps.

I switched from Canon in 2016 after using them for 20+ years. I went to a Fujifilm X-T2 and loved it except for battery life and the fact that the weight wasn’t that much less once I added the 100-400mm lens, extender and battery grip (a necessity because of short battery life). So, when I decided to go back to a DSLR, I decided to try out Nikon (why not, since I had sold all of my Canon gear) and have been with them since 2017. I voted that I would be open to switching because I still yearn for the simple dials on the Fuji or a lighter rig to carry around for long birding trips.
 
I'm open to switching, mostly because of the clumsy Z mount autofocus which has stopped making photography satisfying, and that the upcoming Z9 doesn't sound like it will have a little sibling that's the same physical size of the Z7 (I don't want the built in battery grip). A few things are holding me back though.

No 500 PF - this speaks for itself.
14-24 f2.8 Z mount - I have no words for the visceral reaction I get when I use this lens, it's beautiful.
Nikon colour - I like my Nikon colours how they come straight out of camera (except the damn greens), for landscapes and portraits.
Sony stars - I have now seen two A1 photo attempts at a 'nightscape', and on both images, the stars look ordinary. I like nightscapes.

I guess no mount is perfect, who'd've thought!
 
I switched to Nikon just a couple years ago and greatly simplified my gear. I went from Canon to Fujifilm and was building out my lens collection. The problem was I wasn’t happy with my 100-400mm. It didn’t seem Fuji had any interest in building another long lens and instead had 3 different primes at each focal length from 16-56mm range. So I decided to buy a Nikon D750 and 200-500mm to use temporarily for wildlife. After 2 more years of waiting for the Fuji long lenses, I decided to try the Z6 and 24-70mm to see if it would work so I didn’t need to carry two brands of cameras, chargers, etc on each trip. I liked it enough so bought the 70-300mm AF-P to go along with it. I added the the D500, 500mm PF, 14-30mm, 50mm, and 24mm PC. Nikon offered the lenses I wanted; even though most are F mount. I found this to be the most important thing after switching from Canon. Fuji didn’t have the lenses I wanted and when that happens, you’re out of luck. I would find It difficult to move to Sony for the same reason, but there are more adaptors to make the other lenses work. I wouldnt want to carry a lot of adapters either. So if I were to switch, I’d go Canon and probably with the R5. The problem with that is they don’t have the native lenses I want either but do have them as EF mount.
 
Back
Top