Put it on the wedding planner if there is one.

My step-daughter is a professional event planner and does some higher end weddings. She requires the bride and her Mom to meet with her and the photographer (who she has usually referred them to) and her weeks in advance and meticulously plan what photos are requested, the people needed for each and the order they will be taken in. If the couple agree, it is usually done two hours Before the wedding to have it out of the way. It is orderly, and well thought out and no one but the wedding party , her staff, and the photographer and his staff are allowed back in the church until complete. Usually takes less than 30 minutes if all cooperate. Even when done after the wedding, it gets them all to the reception expeditiously and often the guest are surprised how fast the couple shows up. It has gotten her referrals and business\, and the photographers seem to love it.

Then color me soft and smart.

God gave us brains for a reason and I choose to use mine. I'll be 68 this month, still work over 30 hours a week, and I am going from years of Nikon gear to Olympus 4/3 because it is lighter and easier! It also happens to meet my photography needs as I have never printed over 16 x 20.

Your point about physical fitness is well taken: I do cardio 3 to 4 times per week and weights twice. Last year I traveled to Switzerland and hiked over 8 miles everyday for a week at altitudes over 8000 feet with my Nikon gear in tow. However, there is a more enjoyable way to accomplish what I want with my travel and photography and choose to take it.

You appear to have assumed the reason everyone opts for lighter gear, but in truth there are multiple reasons and they usually differ for everyone.

I've been watching the entire DSLR/mirrorless market for a little over a year and saving my coins. I've pretty much decided on an Olympus OM D-E M1 MarkII and either the Olympus Pro trinity or the 12-100mm with a Panasonic 100-400mm. I decided on this over the Fuji X-T2 for one reason: stabilization. Fuji doesn't offer it and from what I read has no intent to do so in the future. At some point shaky hands catch us all and at 68 this may be my last camera ever. Hate to give up on Nikons, but things change.

We were there last August. The Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona (the streets around it are full of small cafes to grab lunch), Church of San Lugie dei Francesie ( full of Caravaggio master pieces) and Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra are all close together and easily within walking distance. Another grouping is the area with the Roman Ruins( Collossum, Circus Maximus, etc.) and very close by the center of the Italian government including Mussolini's famous balcony. The last area is Vatican City(you could spend the entire day in the Vatican Museum alone) but also worth while is the Trastevere district ( lots of place to eat dinner. Decide what you want to see before you go, get a good map and organize your day. I took my Nikon 55-300 and 17 -55 lens. I used the 17-55 more than 90% of the time. If you have it, take a very fast wide angle prime as most of the museums and churches will let you shot, but not with a flash. Hope this helps and have fun.

I to am down sizing: form Nikon to either the Olympus m1 Mark II or the Panasonic GH5. I was originally torn between the Fuji and the Oly but the deal maker for me was the Fuji lack of stabilization. At 67 this maybe the last camera I buy and sooner or later almost all of us need that feature. However I am now waiting a bit to see the reviews of the GH5 after it has been out a while. Burkphoto, a poster here who has well informed opinions, thinks very highly of the GH4 and 5. Hope this helps.

I have been using a Nikon D 50 for 10 years with two zoom lens that cover the 24 -300 range. I am in the process of upgrading due to a couple of factors: technology advances in cameras over the 10 years and I am now 67 and growing tired of lung the weight around. I have considered the Nikon D 500 and D 750 as well as the Olympus OM-D E-M1 MarkII as serious choices. I have over researched and over analysed both the cameras and the associated lens. I am close to pulling the trigger on the Mark II as I don't print anything larger than what you have indicated you print and with a 20 MPG sensor I am convinced the difference in image quality is negligible except for low light situations. I don't shoot in low light and accordingly don't often go above ISO 1600, so I think I'll be good. Factors that I have considered and that bring me to this conclusion are the reduced weight from the Nikon cameras and lens to the 4/3 system, the good quality of the Panasonic and Olympus lens offerings, the in camera image stabilization of the Mark II (I looked at the Fuji offerings and although the color was great there is no stabilization) and the now available 20 MPG sensor. I am holding back to see the initial images of the GH5 just released, but Panasonic seems more aimed at video than stills while Olympus seems just the reverse. From what I have seen and read, you need to pixel peep to see any real difference in the finished product given the uses you seem to be interested in. So why change systems unless you are dissatisfied with what you are producing now. The MarkII larger higher pixeled sensor seems to offer roughly an increase in image quality as going from 4/3 to APSC. Just my thoughts FWIW.

A question for you: I love the Nikon color pallet. Did you notice any appreciable difference in color when going from the D 300 to the 5MII's?

Just go ahead and blow that first one up, frame it, and hang that sucker on the wall! A great shot.

I own a camera and I am looking to upgrade and I am also considering the D 750 among others. I to am concerned about the D 750 replacement: I don't want to be blindsided by a much better replacement in 3 to 6 months. Go to Nikon Rumors, click on Buying Guide and see what they say about buying or waiting on an upgrade. These guys know as much as anyone can about what is coming, and know more than most. Beyond that, chasing technology is a fools game. As others have suggested the D 750 is a great camera. If your needs change you can always sell it and upgrade. IF it works for you , do what I have done: I currently shoot with a D 50 I got at this time of year in 2005! It has served my needs well. I am cutting back on work hours, and the technology for that camera is becoming obsolete (it best uses SD1 cards and they are becoming impossible to find, and Nikon no longer upgrades the software.) The cameras made now far surpass it in speed, image quality and many other features so I am going to settle on something that is a little more than I need now but not overkill like a truly professional model. I am 67 and this may well be the last camera I ever buy. In 5 years however GAS is always a possibility! good luck.

Do this. It is a wonderful book.

We took a trip to Italy and Switzerland last August and I modified an old back pack my wife had. Originally it screamed "designer" but has badly faded form it's original orange color, the leather straps are terribly worn, an lasting stains add to the "I'm dead" look. I bought a block of foam rubber, cut it to fit and then carved out the needed repositories for lens, camera, flash, etc. Was riding a bus in Rome to the Colosseum and upon disembarking two undercover policemen stopped a member of our group. Seems a couple of well know Algerian pickpockets had accosted one of our group, but my trusty back pack was totally ignored! If it works I ain't fix-in it!

I know the feeling but ... I have owned 3 cameras beginning in 1975... the original Olympus OM-1, a Nikon D50 which I am still using , and in the next few months I will purchase either a D750, D500 or Olympus OM D e M1 MarkII. My idea is to buy the newest and best for my needs at the time and then live with it until it either is not functional or new technology out paces it. Now, I look all the time, but some where in my 40s I figured out it's all the same: boats, cars, computers, cameras, ski equipment, all of it. The manufactures KNOW what they are going to sell you three years from now. When I bought that OM-1 the only people driving pickups were farmers and construction guys, and no self respecting woman would be caught dead driving one. Now every one has one of some kind or other: pickups, SUVs etc. Its the American way ( or Madison Avenue's way)

Great shot, and I hope they both found what they where looking for!

I asked a similar question about a week ago. You may find some of these replies helpful.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-420664-1.html

Thank you all for the responses. This is exactly the type of information I was hoping to get.

Jerry, don't know the shutter count on my D 50, but I'll try and remember to get that this weekend and get it to you. But is will be high.

I do work out four days a week and recently returned from three weeks in Europe including a week hiking in Switzerland, so I am in reasonably good shape for the wear and tear on the ole body, and while the weight of my current system didn't bother me, I was more aware of it this trip than in the past.

After reading your responses and several of the articles linked, I think I'm going to wait until late spring. That will give the new Olympus time to get out and see if it lives up to the hype. If so, I think I'm leaning in that direction but will definitely check out the Panasonic. I have already decided to keep the D 50 as a back up/second body. for as long as it will hold out. If I stay with Nikon I am leaning to the D 750 as it is smaller than the D 500 and does have the built in flash for fill in lighting.

Thank all of you for taking the time to reply. This is what makes this forum so special.

Thanks for your reply. I considered both the older models and rules them out. I tend to buy and keep as witnessed by the age of my D 50. Technology moves so fast that after 10 or so years you start running out of options and this may be my last camera, so i decided to go with something fairly new. As for the Df, yes I looked at it but I have a wife and we have a grandchild and part of the bargain for this up grade is video ( sigh)