Nikon D7100 replacement: I have a DX Nikon and have been using Nikon SLR and DSLR since 1970 and I have four Nikon DX lenses so I am sticking with Nikon and the SLR style. I want to...

Piltdown1952

I have a DX Nikon and have been using Nikon SLR and DSLR since 1970 and I have four Nikon DX lenses so I am sticking with Nikon and the SLR style. I want to upgrade my D7100 but I am confused about the options. I like the idea of transfer of images by Blue Tooth. I do not sell my work but I am particular about quality of my images. Budget is not a huge issue; under $2,000. Recommended body?

jak86094

Consider the D500. It is a DX camera and has been consistently rated very high. Nikon may be coming out with an update soon and the D500 body is on sale by Nikon for $1,499. It's considered a very good choice for sports and wildlife. The focusing system and exposure system are very good and it has pretty good low light performance. All your DX lenses should work well with this body. Battery life is quite good. I've had mine for over 3 years without a hitch.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Pay more for a D500, pay less for a D7500, both Nikon's top-tier DX models, and probably their last DLSRs.

Quixdraw Loc: x

You might take a look at the Nikon D500. Many very favorable reviews. So far, I'm happy with my D7200, but if I were to upgrade, that is what I would likely buy. Late to the party!;-)

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

I own the D500 and use it primarily with a Nikon 200~500mm zoom. It's a great combination for wildlife and does landscapes very well if you don't want to go full frame. As mentioned, the D7500 is less expensive and by all reports is also a very good choice. Especially if you have money invested in DX lenses.

Alphabravo2020

I use both the D7100 and D7200 for forensic documentation and inspection work. I'd suggest either the D7200 or the D500 as both can be purchased at a good price point. I took a pass on the D7500 for several reasons. It does not have 2 card slots and does not have aperture preview and the sensor is inferior to the D7200 or D7100 and it is overpriced for whatever improvements it has. Actually the D850 can be purchased with your budget if you consider a minty used model which is what I did for my amateur photography.

Elias Amador

I have and use both the D500 and the D7100, and am unable to tell the difference in their photos taken with them. If I had to do it over, I would stay with the D7100.

CO

I have a D750, D7500, and two D500's. The D500 has Nikon's best autofocus module. It's a noticeable difference. It acquires focus faster and is more reliable in lower light situations. The D7xxx series cameras and the D500 both have a pentaprism viewfinder but the D500's view through the viewfinder is even larger. It's almost like the viewfinder of my D750 full frame camera. The D500 has an almost unlimited buffer and uses an XQD and UHS-I or UHS-II SD memory cards. (The D7500 can only use UHS-I SD cards). I use the D500 for studio photography. The models move quickly and the D500 can keep up like no other camera I've used.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Elias Amador wrote:

I have and use both the D500 and the D7100, and am unable to tell the difference in their photos taken with them. If I had to do it over, I would stay with the D7100.

It depends on what your primary photo targets are. For wildlife, there is no comparison. The D500 is in an entirely different class. I had the D7100 and it's a nice camera. I gave it to my sister-in-law when I bought the D500.

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

https://cameradecision.com/compare/Nikon-D500-vs-Nikon-D7200

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Piltdown1952 wrote:

I have a DX Nikon and have been using Nikon SLR and DSLR since 1970 and I have four Nikon DX lenses so I am sticking with Nikon and the SLR style. I want to upgrade my D7100 but I am confused about the options. I like the idea of transfer of images by Blue Tooth. I do not sell my work but I am particular about quality of my images. Budget is not a huge issue; under $2,000. Recommended body?

The thing that few folks seem to "get" is that the D500 has Nikon's professional operating system. None of the consumer DX cameras do. This may or may not make it difference to you, but if you learn how to use its features and benefits, the advantages extend to every form of photography.

Shooting the D500 is identical to shooting the D850, and it can do probably 95% or more of what a D850 can do. It also has the longest list of compatible Nikkor lenses of any Nikon camera.

Again...the differences may not matter to you. But study and decide from a position of knowledge.

Alphabravo2020

I understand all that except the last. How can a DX camera have a longer list of compatible lenses than an FX camera which can use both FX and DX lenses.

Edit: Ahh ok I understand now. The FX lenses run in crop sensor mode.

CO

Alphabravo2020 wrote:

I understand all that except the last. How can a DX camera have a longer list of compatible lenses than an FX camera which can use both FX and DX lenses.

Edit: Ahh ok I understand now. The FX lenses run in crop sensor mode.

Nikon DX and FX format cameras can use both DX and full frame FX lenses. A full frame, FX camera will be in crop sensor mode if a DX lens in mounted on it.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

larryepage wrote:

The thing that few folks seem to "get" i... (show quote)

Well...I wouldn't say identical. The D500 feels much better in my hands compared to the D850. The shutter is quieter and sounds much better, the 850 shutter clatters like kicking a can down the road. D850 is a GREAT camera. The D500 is ergonomically more comfortable to use and very capable with a much deeper buffer and faster fps shooting. Of course it's a crop frame body so D850 wins in that important category.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Retired CPO wrote:

Well...I wouldn't say identical. The D500 feels much better in my hands compared to the D850. The shutter is quieter and sounds much better, the 850 shutter clatters like kicking a can down the road. D850 is a GREAT camera. The D500 is ergonomically more comfortable to use and very capable with a much deeper buffer and faster fps shooting. Of course it's a crop frame body so D850 wins in that important category.

You are correct. The D500 is ergonomically the best camera I have ever owned, with or without the MDB-17 battery grip. I was talking about identically located and functioning controls and menus. The only difference is that the D850, because it is a newer camera, has three or four new functions that are not available on the D500. It also has some additional video capabilities.

The sensor density is also almost identical between the two cameras. Interestingly, if you shoot in DX mode, the D850's buffer is also pretty decent. But it is a little "meatier" to hold when shooting. That noisy shutter will also do a couple of things that the D500's shutter won't do.