Oh yeah! I have some GREAT leaf and tree bark photos.

Just an update: I'm taking my camera with the 18-400mm lens. I did a trial run out to Crex Meadows with my sister last weekend, and guess what? I thought I had the 18-400 lens on the camera and I had my 70-300mm Nikon lens instead. It balked at closeups of flowers, and I didn't have a wide enough angle for the overlook views... This is exactly why I bought the 18-400 lens! I will have my phone camera as a backup, and will use it for indoor shots in churches and other places. I bought a backpack from Sakroots that fits the dimensions the airline (KLM) requires for under the seat. The padded laptop pocket fits my camera perfectly! I will take my holster case, but put it in my bigger carry on bag. I have stuffed (for now) with all my charger cords, battery charger, etc. Getting excited now! We leave tomorrow.

Very good point! Now, how do I pack it?

I am traveling to Prague and Vienna in a couple of weeks with a choir for a week. I recently got a new phone, and I purposely got the new Google Pixel 6 Pro just because of the camera, and thinking that it would be great to not have the hassle of lugging a DSLR around. But now I'm having second thoughts. I'm just afraid I might regret it if I don't take my camera. I have a Nikon D7100, and I would probably just take my Tamron 18-400 lens. Definitely do not want to have extra lenses, etc. I do have a holster type bag that I got just for that lens - but it is still an extra bag to bring. How have others packed for a trip like this? I'm wondering if a laptop type carry-on would work. I could just put the camera and lens in the padded section, and still have room for other carry-on stuff. We're allowed one carry-on and one "personal bag". So this would be my personal bag, and I could put my purse in the other carry-on. I do not want to put the camera in my checked luggage. And the last time I traveled abroad (22 years ago! I had a film camera then...) on at least one leg of the flight they made us check the carry-on bag because there wasn't room for them in the bins.... So thoughts, please!

I bought one and use it on a Nikon D7100 for the very same reason - to take traveling and not be changing lenses. I do a lot of birds and zoom shots and I have a very good 70-300 lens, but when traveling I'm also doing landscapes and shots where you need a wider angle. So I probably use it 90% of the time now, and love it.

I bought the 7100 a few years ago and have been very happy with it. It wasn't the newest one out there - in fact I had planned to get the 5300, but the camera store had a deal and it ended up being cheaper. I use it for bird pictures . Just recently I got the Tamron 18-400 and have been very pleased with that as well. I didn't trade in my other lenses (18-140 and 70-300) but I can do it retroactively. Haven't decided yet, but I think the Tamron will probably be the one I use the most, and definitely will be the one I take traveling.

For simple cropping and resizing, it can't be beat. Must have on my computer.

I'm hardly a Millennial, but this Gray Panther bought a Google Pixel 2 last year, specifically for the camera. It's what I grab for pictures of my cats, or closeups of things in my garden. It's great for indoors, and short videos, and pretty darn good in low light. I think other phones, especially iPhone might be catching up, but I'll buy another Google Pixel when it's time to upgrade....

And yes, I use a DSLR too. I have a Nikon D7100 with several lenses that I use mostly for birds. But there are situations where the phone camera is actually better....

I have the Google Pixel 2 and I love, love, love it. Great camera! I also have a Nikon D7100, but I find myself using the phone almost exclusively for indoor shots of my cats and things. Or out and about at work or wherever I don't have the "big" camera with me.

When I was making that decision a couple years ago, the deciding factor was the viewfinder. I wanted a smaller camera, but comparing the two (5300 and 7100 in my case) I couldn't tell when anything was in focus with the 5300. On the 7100 it was just enough bigger and brighter that it made a big difference. The price was close - but the 7100 was refurbished and cheaper than the other new. After using the 7100 for awhile now, I think the extra weight gives me more stability in handheld shots. I shoot mostly birds so that was important too. The 7200 had just come out, but it wasn't worth the higher cost to me. The 7100 was rated one of the best cameras for bird photography at the time. I've been very happy with it.

It's not a bad shot. I have a Nikon D7100, and shoot a lot of birds. You'll get better results using a single focus point for birds. Change to the P mode. It lets you change certain things, but is still mostly automatic. I'm still learning about all the various settings myself. But using P mode and single focus point will make an immediate difference while you learn about all the other stuff.... In fully automatic, the focus points jump all over the place, especially in low light, which drives me crazy with birds.

I bought a refurbished one last summer. Was looking at the Nikon 5300 it was the most camera I could afford. Then saw there was a refurbished 7100 for the same price and it was a no brainer. I got the 18-140 kit lens with it, and bought a refurbished 70-300 zoom. I take a lot of bird photos. Love, love, love it. Are there better cameras? Sure. But this was the one I could afford, and it had all the important features for bird photography that I needed and wanted.

I did a bit of research, and bought a refurbished Nikon 70-300 f4.5 -5.6 VR II IF-ED for my Nikon 7100. I think it is an awesome lens. Compact and lightweight. I use it for handheld bird photos.

Don't know what you're calling "professional..." but I started with a Kodak Brownie. Then when I was about 10 (1965) I got my father's hand-me-down Kodak Bantam with the bellows lens. And I had a handheld light meter. Loved it! Later, high school or college?, I got his hand-me-down Aries. That was my first 35-mm film camera. The first one I bought myself was a Canon, maybe the AE-1?? Last film camera I had was the Canon Rebel 2000. Now I have a Nikon 7100.

I have a D7100 refurbished with an 18-140 kit lens and the 70-300 lens which I decided was better than the 55-300. Very happy with it. I shoot mostly birds. However, for a walk-around lens I wish I had gotten the 18-300 lens. I find myself having to change lenses a lot. So if I were doing it again, I would get the 18-300 and save my money for the 200-500 zoom, or the Tamron or Sigma 150-600.