teranz

Thanks dcampbell52, Good to know especially about those breaking articulating screens. I'm waffling about that screen; I've never used one, so.... And the D7200 seems to have a few nice extra bells and whistles.

Bear2 Loc: Southeast,, MI

Do it the D7200 is awesome, it may take more time to learn, but it tops the others. Had mine now for a year, stepping up from a D7000, which is still a great camera.

Duane

JHC-NOLA Loc: New Orleans

I'd definitely get the 7200. I originally went with Nikon DSLRs because I had old Nikkor lenses from the 1970s like you. I have both a 7100 and a 5500, and although I love the light weight of the 5500, using the old AI Nikkor lenses with it is difficult and not worth the trouble. The D7100 uses the old lenses perfectly and with ease. All you have to do is enter the lens data in Non-CPU lens category in the menu. Others had provided more good reasons to go with the 7200. I might also add that I've had great luck with DSLRs refurbished by Nikon.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Be very careful buying off Amazon. Their direct sales are no problem... but there are a lot of fly-by-night rip-off artists on there, too.

I think Nikon now sells their own refurbished gear directly from their website, the way Canon has been doing for several years. So I'd be a bit wary of refurbs on Amazon... "Refurbished" by whom? By a trained professional repair tech or by Uncle Joe at the kitchen table with a bottle of Windex and a roll of paper towels? Buying off Amazon from anyone other than Amazon Direct or one of the major retailers (I've seen Adorama sell there), it might just be "used", but "refurbished" sounds a lot more impressive!

As to D7200 versus the other models... do you still have and want to use some older Nikkors? D7200 can autofocus lenses that D5000 and D3000 series cameras cannot. See http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm for more info about any specific lenses you might have.

Yes, an articulated rear LCD monitor can be a nice and useful feature. That seems to be your main hangup over the D7200, which lacks one. But an articulated screen also may make a camera more fragile and susceptible to accidental damage or less well sealed for dust/weather resistance. And, there are alternatives that might be even better... more flexible and with a larger viewing screen... such as tethering the camera to a smart phone or tablet computer (either wired or wirelessly, depending upon the specific items being used).

CathyAnn Loc: Apache Junction, AZ

I have the D5500. It takes excellent pictures and is also lightweight. There are good tutorials on YouTube which are very helpful. IMO, getting the D5600, from all that I've read/seen, isn't much different from the D5500, so why pay the extra money? Also, I can use my vintage 200mm on it. It is very versatile. Just make sure the lenses you use have the built-in motor, otherwise you'll have to use them manually to focus.

I also have the D7100 which is an excellent camera, but is heavier. I bought it refurbished from Nikon USA. No articulating screen, but I can use all of my lenses, DX and FF on it, but not my vintage one.

What I would do if I were in your shoes is determine exactly what I want to be able to do with the camera, what kind of features would be most helpful to me, then compare the different camera models to what I want.

Bill Paustian Loc: Sun City, Az

I'm 86 and just bought a new 7200. upgraded from the D-100. I love the 7200 and advise you buy one.

Ricinus Loc: Leduc Alberta

I found on a bright day, I spent more time dinking around with the articulating screen and Live View than I did taking pictures. I use the viewfinder pretty much exclusively now.. D7200 would be my choice, but you can't really go wrong with either..

Mike

jimpitt

I recently traded a D5300 for a D500 and pleased. I have borrowed a D7200 and find it a bit heavy to lug around, but I like the dual card slots. The D500 is pricey and has features many amateurs may not use. For your purposes, the D5600 sounds like the best bet.

Gerald Watson

I got a D7100 two years and love it. I leave it on auto and cannot tell the difference between the auto and manual pictures. I am 77 Yrs. old and this is my hobby with my grand children activates at church and their school activates. They are all good.

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

I am also a Nikon man and from the choices you listed I would go with the D7200. Purchase refurbished from Nikon USA (I think 10% off refurbished is still going on), Adorama, B&H, Cameta or KEH. All are reputable firms.

Don

Brasspounder001 Loc: Erewhon

Keep in mind that the D5000 and D7000 series cameras are what Nikon calls "DX" meaning they have an APS-C sensor which is smaller than a 35mm film frame. Therefore if you use an old Nikon lens, such as a 50mm f/14 AI-S or similar from film days the lens will be effectively almost 50% larger or equivalent to almost 75mm. The D7200 is a fantastic camera, so is the older D7000 which can be had for a good price. Basically it all boils down to your needs and what kinds of photography you want to do. By the way, there is a limited number of Nikon DX high quality lenses available. That may change with the appearance of a high end DX camera, the D500.

IBM

Well every one is aging on this site , I'm 76 in September. And don't get the d5000 series up to D5600 as it's crap compared to the D7000
Series ,sure it may have a few more technology gissemos added to it ,but , it's a less camera in build and other things , the cost of a new
D7000 to D7200 cost new was $1300 body only years ago , now the D5600 cost new body only is what around $600 it's still made cheaply
Compared to the d 7200 , the D7200 is better for birds in flight , sports, any back button focus action , get the D7200 don't be a gook . Or don't get it ,and regret it .

therwol Loc: USA

Just one question. Why not a full frame camera? (D610, D750) I don't know which older lenses you have, but if any of them will work, you'll get the same perspective you got on your film camera. Yes, these cameras are more expensive, larger and heavier, and new full frame lenses will set you back more money than DX lenses. If these are factors, then I understand. I just had to wonder. Are you married to the idea of using your old lenses on a new camera? You should check compatibility first. Also, depending on the lenses, they may not be as good as newer lenses. (It requires some research to figure that out. Some older lenses do perform well, but without modern features.)

jimpitt

I agree with comments from TERANZ. If you can afford it, and don't mind the extra weight, go for full frame (FX) with accordingly full frame lenses. Therefore, the D750, or the soon to be released D850, would be the way to go. Otherwise, the new D500 as the highest level DX was my recent upgrade choice. Matched with the 18-300 DX zoom, I never carry extra lenses so a little extra camera weight (heavier than the D5300 I traded) is ok. I also was drawn to the extremely high ISO capabilities of the D500 which provides for numerous low-light situations. My choice may not be the best for others as my images are mostly vacations: portrait and scenery. Hope this helps you. My 3 cents.

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)