DoninIL Loc: East Central Illinois

Thanks to all for your opinions. I was kind of leaning toward my third option in the first place, but wanted opinions to either confirm or refute that leaning. After reading all the opinions and doing some searching on the internet, I've decided that's the way I'll go, since it won't break my piggy bank.

Thanks again for all the opinions. That's one of the things I like about UHH.

jaybyrd Loc: Oceanside, CA

I have a d7000 and a P900, and love the combo.

Bear2 Loc: Southeast,, MI

I have had the d7000 for over two years. Last spring I also bought the d7200.
Same as mentioned earlier, wide on one, tele on the other, no need to change lenses, or miss shots.
Plus, still have my d5000 with the articulating screen and the 18-55 kit lens for inconspicutious street photography.
Good luck

Duane

aardq

Go with the 7200, new or refurb. When funds allow, get a second 7200 and sell the 7000. Maybe KEH or Adorama would take your 7000 as a partial trade for a 7200.

floridamet

For years I would use two DX camera a D200 and D300. The D300 with Nikon 18-200 VR and the D200 with a Nikon 12-24. When I purchased a D800 I only have 2.8 Zoom lenses and prime. I use this for portraits and landscapes. The D300 for sports and wildlife. Next week I will buy the D500 and use this for sports and wildlife with Nikon 70-200mm F/2.8 and Nikon 200-500mm F/5.6
In my opinion no one format does it all.

whitewolfowner

I would get an FX camera; the D610 is a great entry level camera for this. It delivers practically the same quality as the D750 but without all the features of the D750 and is on sale now. This way you will have the advantages of each format.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

For this type of use, rapidly switching back and forth between two cameras that are fitted with different lenses, I'd recommend you get another D7000.

It is far easier to use identical models this way, rather than having to pause to remember even slightly differences between a couple different models.

I shoot this way a lot with a pair of Canon 7DII now... previously used a pair of 7D... before that three 50D... and before that a pair of 30D. I tried using different models together, but found it made for a lot of mistakes when shooting rapidly if the controls were even just slightly different. For example, a full frame camera I also use (but almost exclusively in more sedate shooting situations) has controls slightly different than the 50D that I used alongside it at one time. The image playback and image delete buttons are reversed from one model to the other.... always had to slow down and be sure not to accidentally delete an image! There were several other small differences, that made switching back and forth a little bit slower process.

So, for your purposes, I highly recommend two identical models. Get another D7000 and continue to use the one you've got. Or, if you are going to upgrade to D7200.... get two of them and sell off your D7000.

As I understand it, one of the biggest improvements with the D7200 was a much bigger buffer than the earlier models. This allowed for more shots in a continuous burst, something the D7000 noticeably lacked, especially if shooting 14 bit RAW.

it also helps that two identical models are certain to use the same memory, batteries, chargers and accessories that can be rather model-specific such as remote releases, quick release plates, battery grips, etc.

There are times and places a full frame (FX in Nikon-speak) camera can be useful. But, in all honesty, most people really don't need FF/FX... DX is perfectly adequate for all but the largest prints or highest ISOs. Problem is, people buy into the myths and evaluate their images at utterly ridiculous magnifications on their computer monitors. An 18MP image at 100% on a monitor is equivalent to making a 40x60" print from it, then viewing it from 18 or 20" away. Of course it looks like crap! But if you back off to actual size (25%? 33%?) it will be printed such as 8x10 or even 11x14 or 13x19.... you can hardly tell any difference between the shots from FX or DX. FX is even less necessary if all you'll be doing with the image is sharing it online in typical Internet size and resolutions. In other words, most FX users are themselves the only person who ever actually sees the difference, when evaluating their images at really high magnification on their computer monitors. By the time they have resized for the intended usage, unless that happens to be for a particularly large print, other folks viewing the images quite likely won't be able to see any difference.

FX does have a few advantages, besides the ability to make larger prints. They also typically can be used at a bit higher ISOs... simplistically, less crowded sensors make for less heat and cross talk, both of which can mean less image "noise". Also, Depth of Field is a little different. Actually DoF itself is the same, except we use different focal lengths or working distances with FX, making large apertures "seem" larger.... FX also allows a bit smaller apertures before diffraction is an issue. However this is because any given print size is less enlarged from an FX image. For example an 8x12" print from DX is roughly 13X magnification.... while the same print from FX is 8X mag (both assuming little or no cropping).

For those reasons I have a FF camera in my kit, to complement my crop sensor cameras. But shooting rapidly, switching back and forth between cameras... I always use two identical crop sensor cameras. And, I find I use the crop cameras at least 10X as much as the FF. I've upgraded my crop cameras twice, but am only now starting to consider upgrading my FF.

Besides... if a pair of D7200 refurbished is going to stretch the budget, heck an FX camera will typically be even more expensive. In addition to the cost of the camera body itself, to take full advantage of it you'll also need FX lenses, which tend to be bigger, heavier and more expensive.

whitewolfowner

You are ignoring that a full frame sensor holds holds more information in the pixels and delivers a better quality especially in the far ends of brightness and darkness. Full frame sensors are also far superior in low light shooting with noise. Sure, the FX lenses are more expensive, but they are also superior in every way and the only way to get their professional line of lenses. I have always advised anyone starting out in a DX frame to always buy the FX lenses, both for getting the better glass and build quality (not including the kit glass) to always buy only FX lenses; that way when you're ready to move to FX, you have the glass for it already; two excellent reasons to stay away for the DX lenses, with the exception of a n ultra wide lens, because it is the only way to get an ultra wide lens on a DX frame.

DGINDIO Loc: INDIO, CALIFORNIA

Well, I have all three Nikon 7000 series cameras mentioned in this series of recommendations. Having travelled throughout the world on cruises or otherwise, I took one camera along on the trips--a Nikon Coolpix P500. Whether the whale was distant or close, the camera was easily adjusted to the scene, without an assortment of lenses to choose from. Now, the P500 has been recently replaced with a Nikon Coolpix P900. Now think of making the passage through TSA check. I had 3 Nikon cameras I took on a trip and each one had a different battery and charger. Nikon makes sure to change the battery and related charger for every camera they produce. TSA examined each charger, some with electrical cords, very analytically with a great amount of time expended. Only one type battery and charger needed for the P900 and no auxilliary len(s), to possibly be stolen by thieves. So, I recommend the addition of the Nikon Coolpix P900 as an additional camera which has a variety of Scene Modes that do not require a computation and a telephoto capacity of 2000mm.

dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

Interesting, never thought that way. Can you please explain this?

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Don, here's my take on this whole thing. If you're a pro, you often need two bodies to achieve the objective.
If not, I could not even imagine slogging around with two bodies swinging around my neck, in holsters or on Cotton Carriers or whatever is your preferred means of carrying your gear.
Get a better body or a lens that covers the range you need, if you need a bit more range.
Personally I'd suggest you learn to compose better at the distances your subject appears with the single camera you have! Why is it so important that you always get the entire body of the whale? A tight shot of its eye and a small piece of barnacle encrusted skin is a lot more WoW'ing than just another body shot. To me anyway.
Yes, ultimately, as you said, the choice will be yours. I would choose learning better composition than getting more gear but I know how tempting getting more gear always is!
Actually, I think I'm just thinking out loud!!! Good luck
SS

Boris77

If the D7000 really does what you want, buy a second matching body.

If you mainly shoot Jpeg and want more details in your pictures, buy a refurbished D7100. There are super bargains with a bit of patience.

If you mainly shoot Raw or machine gun subjects, buy a D7200.

I went from the D300 to the D7100. I still use the D300 in circumstances where I do not need more resolution, but in all my normal shooting I use the D7100 so I can crop.

Recommendation: Upgrade now, and plan to buy a matching second camera next year if you like it.
Once you are converted, find a friend or relative to give the D7000 to with your least favorite lens.
I gave my D200 and a zoom lens to a new photography student.
Boris

JR45 Loc: Montgomery County, TX

At my age I don't like carrying more weight than i have to. I recently purchased a D7200, added an 18-300 lens, and
a comfortable ( at least for me ) carry system. One camera that covers 98% of my needs.

tmuilenberg

Hey DoninIL. I don't want to try to sway your decision, but IF you decide to go with another D7000, I have one for sale with the kit lens. I also have an 18-200 Nikon lens for sale. I have converted to a Fujifilm mirrorless and I love the smaller size so the D7000 has just been hanging out in it's camera bag.

justhercamera Loc: NW Michigan

If you were not shooting where you may need the higher buffer, I would say refurbished D7100 (which I recently purchased). I chose that one over the D7200 because the price did matter to me and my research led me to believe what the buffer of the D7200 is not something I needed, so why pay for it. However, with the whales, etc, you may want that buffer, so go with it. I have owned the D80, D90 and now D7100. The learning curve for each upgrade was minimal, you should be fine with two different models.