Buying a new camera and lens—advice/suggestions appreciated

[madison]

If you're not going top of the line then any of the major brands have good mirrorless offerings, just be sure to take into account new lenses if you switch to a new brand where you can continue to use your Nikon lenses with (something like a Z5, Z6 II or Z7 II via their FTZ adapter.

So it seems like the most cost-effective solution would be to stay with Nikon.
I have the Nikon 16–80 and Nikon 200–500 so maybe the Nikon 300mm PF with a TC-14 e III teleconverter would be the next lens (assume the F2.8 is well worth the money?).

 

[DRwyoming]

so maybe the Nikon 300mm PF with a TC-14 e III teleconverter would be the next lens (assume the F2.8 is well worth the money?).

Just to be clear the 300mm PF is an f/4 lens but yeah, it's well worth the money for a small and light and razor sharp lens that pairs beautifully with Nikon's 1.4x TC. That said, since it overlaps the range of the 200-500mm that you already have there may be other lenses that do a better job of filling out your kit. For instance if you do go with a Nikon Z series MILC maybe something to pair up with that camera. Or perhaps just put some cash to the new full frame MILC addition and then sit back a bit to see what's lacking in your lens lineup then fill that gap.

 

[madison]

Just to be clear the 300mm PF is an f/4 lens but yeah, it's well worth the money for a small and light and razor sharp lens that pairs beautifully with Nikon's 1.4x TC.

And it's less expensive!

 

[Mark Garfinkel]

I have both a D500 and a D850, I prefer to use the D850 for the reasons stated above. I also have the 200-500 with 1.4 TC. A 70-200 2.8 with or without a 2X TC is a great lens and can goes great with D500 or D850

 

[Letolen]

I have only owned the d850 for a couple of months, so love it. So many great features that make it so easy to use.
My favourite lens is the 200-500. I find the weight Of the 200-500 more balanced with the d850 compared to the d750.

 

[Woodpecker]

IMHO I would go with the D850. I got mine some time ago and, loved it from moment one and still do it ... AND got rid of my DX body (D7200 at this time). Sounds weird ? Well, here's why:
When I struggled with the decision to spend the money I ended up asking @Steve about it and he confirmed that the D850 has "a D7200 built into it", and I would expect it to be the same for the D7500. BTW I preferred to have the D7200 at the time because among some other advantages it could take a grip.

• If you shoot the D850 in DX mode you get 19,5 MPixel versus 20,9 for the D7500 and 20,7 for the D500. That means you are loosing just 7% against the D7500 and 6% against the D500. Also the D850 has the same generation processing electronics as the D500 (Expeed 5)
• The AF sensor coverage of the D850 in DX mode is better than native D7200 (as well as the D7500 I would expect)
• With the grip you have a bit more weight, bit it gives you 9 fps which should be plenty for what you wanna do.
• Looking at lowlight performance the pixel size is still the most important factor. The D7500 has 17,8 µm², the 18,92. COmbined with the newer electronics and software the D850 in DX mode will easliy at least keep up is not outperform the D7500 (as well as it did with my D7200) in terms of low light noise. I know that many people out there argue that in times of AI denoising this is not a big issue anymore, but in reality it still is, because despite all modern tools it is still best to get maximum IQ in the first place and then just use those tools to push the limits.

The D850 can do everything that your D7500 can do - and even better, so if I were you I would just swap the D7500 for a D850.

Regarding lenses I can confirm most of what has been said before. If you are not in the position of carrying heavy guns to stationary observation stations, but you want to be light and agile, the 500PF if proably the best you can get for birding. IMHO the only disadvantage of it is the price you have to pay for the extreme mobility this lens provides, and that is the f5.6. Hardore fans of object isolation like @Steve prefer the heavy guns for exactly this reason. But another argument is that the use of a TC-14Ex on the 500PF is limited - at least for what you want to do, because you go down to a f8 lens and this will make most most of your AF sensors sitting around doing nothing, i.e. of the 153 (99 of which are cross-type) you just keep 15 working if using a 500PF with a TC-14x.

A gripped D850 with a 500PF is so nicely balanced, that for me it is almost on par with one of my older "naked" bodies combined with the 24-70 f2.8E on it. And because it is so nicely balanced I have also made good experience with using travel an landscape tripod with just a 30mm ball head (Feisol CT-3441 with CB-30D) if I really want to or have to go light. The combo is very light and stable at the same time and this experience made me think of going one step further and swap the ball head against a Flexshooter Mini. As a result my big Gitzo would be primarily used for the the heavy combo (500 f4 + TC14 ).

Good luck with your decision .

 

[Ken Miracle]

The D850 is certainly a fantastic camera and I suspect you'll love it.

In terms of the TC-14 E III it's a great teleconverter but with a DSLR, even one as good as the D850, your AF system will struggle with either of the lenses you mention once you add the 1.4x TC. Basically the 1.4x TC turns a lens that's f/5.6 wide open into a lens that's at best f/8 wide open and that pushes a Nikon DSLR right up to its AF limits where only the center most AF sensors still operate and then not very well.

I own the TC-14 E III and have tried it coupled to the 200-500mm and the 500mm PF and on the D850, D500 or even the D5 AF is a real hit and miss thing in anything other than bright daylight (when I'm often not shooting) or on very high contrast subjects. The AF tends to hunt back and forth and have trouble locking with that combo though it helps if you pre-focus manually and only use the AF to fine tune the final focus. On a MILC like my Z6 II it's a whole different story with no AF troubles at all but on my DSLRs the AF really doesn't like a teleconverter with a nominally f/5.6 lens.

If you do go the D850 route you'll likely have better luck running the D850 in DX crop mode (or cropping in post) with the 200-500mm lens rather than trying to add the TC as your AF won't suffer and the resolution is so high on the D850 that cropping down to DX frame size still leaves you with over 19 MP of sensor to work with.

I shot with the first generation of Nikon's 80-400mm zoom and wasn't impressed. I hear the newer one is better but since it overlaps most of the range of your 200-500mm it seems to be redundant. If you want a smaller and lighter lens than your 200-500mm you might consider the Tamron 100-400mm which I'm very impressed with but again it overlaps a lot of the range you already have.

I second the thoughts on the Tamron 100-400 works amazingly well on my D850 and my wife loves it on her Z50 and he photography has taken a big leap forward with that combo.

 

[madison]

Thank y'all for the thoughtful suggestions and guidance. I decided to buy the D500 (got a used one with only 2,450 shutter clicks at a very good price).

For my second camera I will go mirrorless. Now the question is which brand/models are great but not overly expensive? (Maybe I'll have to bite the bullet and spend the $$$. ) I know that I'd save money buying a Nikon mirrorless because I can use my current lenses but I'm interested to know brands every the members have and how they like them.

Lots of research to do but looking forward to getting my 'new' D500 next week.

 

[Calson]

Here’s what I own now:
D7500
AF-S NIKKOR 200–500mm

Time for a 2nd camera and lens but also don’t want to break the bank.
This is what I’m thinking about buying:
D850
AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm
AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III

My mainly photograph birds.
Does anyone have any experience with this setup?
Or the 80–400 lens?
Or using teleconverters? (I’ve watched Steve’s video on them and think one might come in handy at times.)

Thanks for your input and suggestions.

Agree with the D850 and the teleconverter TC-14 III version as this turns a f/5.6 lens into a usable f/8 in terms of autofocus performance. The 80-400mm is a favorite of mine but I have used it primarily when shooting from a small boat when photographing birds and reptiles. The 80mm to 400mm focal length is not too long at the short end to photograph larger critters like elk and bison and antelope.

I sold my 200-500mm and replaced it 100% with the 80-400mm zoom and the 500mm f/5.6 PF lens. I get 80mm to 500mm at f/5.6 and this works especially well with the larger image size provided by the D850. The D850 at a DX level of crop still provides a 19MP image to work with as compared to the D5/D6 that provide a 8.9MP file and much smaller image size. With the D850 there is much less need for additional image magnification than with a lower resolution camera.

One thing that was a disappointment for me was the poor Group AF performance of the D750. This was greatly improved with the new generation of cameras including the D850.

 

[Tom Reynolds]

One thing that was a disappointment for me was the poor Group AF performance of the D750. This was greatly improved with the new generation of cameras including the D850.

I agree. The GRP autofocus mode was a game changer for me when I went from a D-7200 to a D-500. The joystick was another. (d500/500pf +70-300DX)

 

[Ken Miracle]

Agree with the D850 and the teleconverter TC-14 III version as this turns a f/5.6 lens into a usable f/8 in terms of autofocus performance. The 80-400mm is a favorite of mine but I have used it primarily when shooting from a small boat when photographing birds and reptiles. The 80mm to 400mm focal length is not too long at the short end to photograph larger critters like elk and bison and antelope.

I sold my 200-500mm and replaced it 100% with the 80-400mm zoom and the 500mm f/5.6 PF lens. I get 80mm to 500mm at f/5.6 and this works especially well with the larger image size provided by the D850. The D850 at a DX level of crop still provides a 19MP image to work with as compared to the D5/D6 that provide a 8.9MP file and much smaller image size. With the D850 there is much less need for additional image magnification than with a lower resolution camera.

One thing that was a disappointment for me was the poor Group AF performance of the D750. This was greatly improved with the new generation of cameras including the D850.

Since I was lucky enough to get the only 600mm f/4 E refurb in captivity at Nikon for some time and on sale to boot I use it primarily on the D6 and that the combo focuses quickly and locks on. The low light capability is of the combo is important to me many times. My photography frequently needs 1/2500 of a second or faster and in low light situations. For birds in flight I use the standard group AF activated with the prv button and a customized larger area group AF on the fn1 button. The 500 pf on the D500 and the D850 has taken some amazing images. But because loosing a stop of light I do not use my TC-14 III on the 500 pf (I used the TC on the 300pf and have tested it on the 600 f/4 E and worked well with the move to f/5.6 but have not used it in "battle"

 

[Woodyg3]

You'll love the D500. If you plan to use the D500 for birds in flight, sports and other action, you could get any of the Nikon mirrorless bodies for landscape, portraits, and other non-action type shots. As I see it, the only significant shortcomings of any of the Nikon mirrorless cameras come when you need very fast autofocus.

 

[madison]

the only significant shortcomings of any of the Nikon mirrorless cameras come when you need very fast autofocus.

Since I do BIF (or am attempting at doing ) the very fast autofocus is high on my list.

 

[fulltimewanderer]

I shot with the first generation of Nikon's 80-400mm zoom and wasn't impressed. I hear the newer one is better but since it overlaps most of the range of your 200-500mm it seems to be redundant. If you want a smaller and lighter lens than your 200-500mm you might consider the Tamron 100-400mm which I'm very impressed with but again it overlaps a lot of the range you already have.

DRWyoming— Thanks for mentioning liking the Tamron 100-400mm lens. It certainly has the right price point seeing that I'll also be buying the D850.

Does anyone else have experience with Nikon's 80-400 (newest generation) or Tamron's 100-400?

Madison, we all at times have different opinions regarding camera gear. My wife and I both have a Nikon 80-400 current version. Primarily used to shoot wildlife. We have used our 80-400’s on the D4, D500, D810, and the D850 both of us have been pleased with our results. One suggestion that I haven’t seen here is to rent several of the lenses mentioned within this thread and see what meets your requirements and needs. If you find one that you really fall in love with you can actually purchase “that lense” from the rental company.

 

[Roy]

Here’s what I own now:
D7500
AF-S NIKKOR 200–500mm

Time for a 2nd camera and lens but also don’t want to break the bank.
This is what I’m thinking about buying:
D850
AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm
AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III

My mainly photograph birds.
Does anyone have any experience with this setup?
Or the 80–400 lens?
Or using teleconverters? (I’ve watched Steve’s video on them and think one might come in handy at times.)

Thanks for your input and suggestions.

The D850 and the Nikkor 200-500mm are great.
I found the 80-400mm a bit disappointing and gave mine to my daughter.
A medium telephoto lens could be useful like the 70-200mm...

 

[abc123brian]

Since I do BIF (or am attempting at doing ) the very fast autofocus is high on my list.

Congratulations on the D500. The D500 covers that well and to get a mirrorless that covers it at that level or better would mean a minimum of a Canon R6. The R6 is also 20MP, but full frame so you would need to get closer to the subject. Going with a brand other than Nikon, since you already have the Nikon DSLR would also mean buying more lenses. You said you didn’t want to break the bank, so I’m assuming those options are out, but of course that is different for everyone. The Canon R5 is a better option with the 100-500. Canon‘s fastest camera will be the new R3. The original A9 and 200-600mm is your best cheapest option from Sony (Used price around $4k-$4500). Next cheapest would be A9ii and the best would be A1. The AF on the Z6ii/Z7ii can certainly shoot birds in flight, but it is more challenging than the D500.

considering the things you said, I’d go with the Z6ii if You bought today. If you have some time, wait a month or two and see if Nikon releases their updated firmware for the Z6ii and if Sony releases their A7iv.

 

[madison]

Congratulations on the D500. The D500 covers that well and to get a mirrorless that covers it at that level or better would mean a minimum of a Canon R6. The R6 is also 20MP, but full frame so you would need to get closer to the subject. Going with a brand other than Nikon, since you already have the Nikon DSLR would also mean buying more lenses. You said you didn’t want to break the bank, so I’m assuming those options are out, but of course that is different for everyone. The Canon R5 is a better option with the 100-500. Canon‘s fastest camera will be the new R3. The original A9 and 200-600mm is your best cheapest option from Sony (Used price around $4k-$4500). Next cheapest would be A9ii and the best would be A1. The AF on the Z6ii/Z7ii can certainly shoot birds in flight, but it is more challenging than the D500.

considering the things you said, I’d go with the Z6ii if You bought today. If you have some time, wait a month or two and see if Nikon releases their updated firmware for the Z6ii and if Sony releases their A7iv.

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I have a little time since my next trip (western Panama) doesn't happen until mid December. Plenty of time to get acquainted with my D500 and research a mirrorless system. My sense is that whatever I buy, I will probably end up spending more than I thought. Less chance for buyers remorse!

 

[DRwyoming]

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I have a little time since my next trip (western Panama) doesn't happen until mid December. Plenty of time to get acquainted with my D500 and research a mirrorless system. My sense is that whatever I buy, I will probably end up spending more than I thought. Less chance for buyers remorse!

Good luck with your research. At the mid price points you can get fantastic mirrorless gear from any of the major manufacturers, the real differences in performance really start to appear in the highest end flagship models and then mostly for high speed action photography which it seems like you have covered with your D500 purchase.

If you do pick up a different brand for mirrorless I strongly recommend either visiting a brick and mortar store or renting one before finalizing your purchase. The issue isn't image quality or even camera quality, it's just simple ergonomics and how the camera feels in your hand including the control layout and menu paradigms. Some camera layouts make intuitive sense to me, others less so but it's hard to know what does and doesn't work for you until you hold the camera and try things like changing exposure compensation, shutter speed, ISO or aperture on the fly like you might in while shooting in the field. You may fall in love with the Canon, Sony or Olympus implementation of these features or may find you prefer the Nikon approach to dials and buttons but to me it's a big part of the camera experience and one that's hard to understand from the spec sheet alone.

Bottom line, it's really hard to go wrong among the major brands these days as they all have cameras that can capture stunning images but just make sure the overall camera experience is one you're happy with or can get used to before dropping a bunch of cash.

 

[Ralph]

Since I do BIF (or am attempting at doing ) the very fast autofocus is high on my list.

Madison, you will not be disappointed with the D500. It is a great camera and you will be amazed on how forgiving it is when cropping a photo. I photograph birds 99% of the time and my 500 PF is attached to it 99.9% of the time. It is my first DSLR which I purchased in 2019. My next camera body will probably be a mirrorless one but I have absolutely no plans on purchasing one now. Probably a couple years down the road. I think your 200-500 will work fine with that body. I’ve seen some amazing photos with that lens on this forum.

 

[HiltyD]

I know this isn’t my post, but I wanted to thank those who replied here. I’ve been wavering back and forth between the D500 and D850 (currently shooting with a D7500). Unlike the op, I think I’ve settled on the D850. Seems like you are essentially getting 2 cameras in 1. By the way, rumor is that Nikon will be dropping the price of the D850 by $500 for Black Friday. That certainly helped my decision.