billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I am going to get started on mirrorless AGAIN. Just purchased a used, under 4000 clicks, Sony A9 with grip for around 2 bills. I think I am going to match that with the new Sony 200-600 and compare that to my D850 with the 200-500. If the results are favorable I will start the slow transition to Mirrorless.
After much contemplation, I believe Sony's focusing system is that much better than Nikon's especially in mirrorless.
So, I will go one step at a time and continue to compare results. And I will share them here. If the results are good, I may add the 400 2.8 or the new 600 4.
OK, I am also looking for a general purpose G lens. Open for suggestions.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Are you going to change your name?

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

I use both a D850 and D500 along with 200-500mm and 150-600mm lenses for wildlife / mainly birding, so I am interested in this topic. I'm debating whether to jump to Sony, most likely the a7Riv or wait for the next generation of Nikon mirrorless cameras. What kicked you over the edge?

BebuLamar

Definitely! He wouldn't recognize himself looking in the mirror. OOpss! there is no mirror!

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

If you jump can I have your D850? I'll take real good care of it. Take it for walks, keep it well fed, provide a nice secure place for it to sleep.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

No. To long using Nikon. Used to work for them also. I am probably going to use both for a while until I decide which way to lean.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I am also looking at the a7RIV because it has a cropped option at 29 mp. So their 600 f4 would have a field of view of 900 at f4 at 29 mp. Makes my mouth water.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

What kicked me over the edge was the new Sony lenses and their weights. The 400 2.8, 600 f4, and the 200-600. All are very light for their speed and very very sharp. Plus Sony has re engineered the insides of those lenses and offer unique advantages for fast and accurate focusing.
I also once owned the A99 and A77II and liked the fact that I can see exactly what the exposure is going to be before I trip the shutter. Plus, NO MORE FINE TUNING.
But, the switch may take years. I am going slow.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Somehow, BillSony just doesn’t have the same ring to it. 😄

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Yeah, I know. I used to have the Sony A99 and the A77II. Really liked them both and I had Minolta AF lenses for them. But the focusing was not up to Nikon standards and I liked the Nikon bodies, they were more robust than the Sony's. But the new A series are built well.
For now I will be using both systems as I really like the Nikon Flash system over Sony's at the moment.
So, it could take a couple of years to switch or I may again use two systems, use the best that each offers for now.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Well just saying don't force yourself to use something because the masses have suddenly stampeded to that. It is way more complex that that. I am amused by the sudden stampede. Mirrorless works for me and I have been shooting "mirrorless" since circa 2005. But that is me. Not you. You know what works for you.

It is good you are open to change. But put change on the side and try it and see if it works for you, in the meantime, keep using the camera that likes you. Just my humble opinion.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I don’t see a problem with having both systems. They each have their strong points and weak points, so to speak, and with both systems you have the ability to use each where they are best suited. In the end you may finally decide which one to go with exclusively. Neither is bad, or at least worse than the other. And if you are able to afford both, great, go for it. Have fun comparing and getting to know the new Sony system.

EDIT: I forgot to add, you mentioned comparing the new Sony 200-600 lens to the Nikon 200-500. That’s going to be a tough one. I don’t know anything about the Sony lens, but that Nikon 200-500 is simply a superb lens, sort of a standard for that kind of lens.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Good advice. That is why I am keeping all the Nikon gear for now. I shoot a lot of wildlife and am interested in how the A9 will preform with the 200-600 as compared to my current Nikon D850, D500 and the Nikon 200-500 and Nikon 500 5.6. I will be shooting each extensively this winter in Florida.
I plan to shoot a different one each day in the same environment.
One of the big advantages of mirrorless is the fact you do not have to fine tune a lens. Many experts on Nikon and Nikon itself caution fine tuning a lens on a DSLR. Why? Because, contrary to others OPINIONS, these experts on Nikon say you can only fine turn for one distance, the distance you fine turn the lens for. Others will argue that once a lens is fine tuned, it is fine tuned for all distances. Physics just disproves that rumor all together.
Anyway, all the arguments become null and void with mirrorless. No longer will one have to fine tune. I shoot wide open to blur the background on my wildlife shots, so I am anxious to see the results from the mirrorless A9.
I am also interested to see how the metering systems compare.
Like I have stated before, I have had Sony mirrorless before and used both systems together. So, I will be doing so again. I would not be surprised if I do not end up using both systems together again.
Using each what each excels at.
Anyway, I tend to go on and on. But, I will be posting comparison's this coming winter. I will probably start posting in January some of the primary results and observations about the comparison's between the mirrorless and DSLR.
Thanks for your post. And keep on shooting until the end.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

Bill, one of the advantages of the A9, as well as some of the other new editions of Sony’s mirrorless cameras, is that the image you see in the EVF is the image you get. No lag, it’s real time. Used to be that the image you get might not be the one you saw in the viewfinder. Sony’s done some great imaging upgrades for their systems. I just got the RX100 M7, and it also has that feature.