LINDA BOTTOMS Loc: SOUTH CAROLINA

I am trying to decide between the Nikon D850, which I have ordered and the newest mirrorless. I have the Nikon D700, Nikon D7200 and Nikon D500. I mainly shoot wildlife and have the lens that fit these cameras. I have a lot o nice lens Nikon 200-500 among the one that I used the most. I have researched both cameras, but would like some wisdom from all of you. This will probably be my last camera as I am 70. Thanks you

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

The 'last camera' I bought was at age 77.

BebuLamar

I doubt that it's your last camera as you bought quite many cameras in relatively short time.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The D850 will about double the pixel resolution of highest current camera in your current list. Do you have the computer storage and processing for these larger files? Do you have exceptional FX lenses, should that higher pixel resolution expose issues in your FX lenses? Your lenses that 'look great' on the 12MP D700 may not be so great on the 45MP images coming out of the D850. Have you handled a D850, a larger physical camera as well as producing larger files?

Have you considered the duplication of your D7200 and D500, both cropped-sensor (DX) bodies?

Have you considered the D750/D780 that present 24MP full-frame sensors, more consistent with the 24MP and 20MP resolution of the two DX bodies? Given you can crop an image about the same pixel size as the output of the D850, have you considered the need of any DX bodies with a 45MP full-frame camera?

Have you considered renting a D850 for a week of confirmation before ordering a $3000 camera and not considering the many questions such as above? Have you considered a mirrorless rental for the same hands-on investigation?

BebuLamar

Did you rent any camera to try out before buying?

cedymock Loc: Irmo, South Carolina

Linda, check out this video from Mark Smith it may help with your decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr6GinQFZsI

Also from an early post from flip1948 last evening.

Charles

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-727870-1.html

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

Welcome to the group.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Welcome to the forum.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

All I can contribute is that I love my D850 and my D7200.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Your D7200 and D700 have a very different user interface from your D500. Have you noticed that difference, and do you prefer one or the other? Shooting the D850 will be exactly like shooting your D500. Except for the Z9 ( which is like the D500/D850), all Nikon mirrorless cameras are like the D700.

Also, the sensor of the D850 has almost the same pixel density as the D500, so any of your full frame lenses that do ok on the D500 will do just fine on the D850. I have both of these cameras and find them very complementary to use together. I do not shoot spirts or wildlife, but use both cameras for everything. 46Mp is sometimes just a little overkill.

I am planning to get a mirrorless camera someday, but just for fun. There's nothing that my D500 and D850 can't do for me. But I'll not do so until Nikon offers a model with the Professional Interface at a cost significantly below that of the Z9...something like a Z8.

Good luck as you decide what to do.

therwol Loc: USA

When you're comparing the D850 to the "newest mirrorless", are you talking about the Z7II or the Z9?

I am 69 years old and bought a D850 during Nikon's Black Friday sale for $300 off the usual price. I'm thinking that this will be my last camera as well. I'll admit that it was an impulse buy, but let's keep Nikon in business. I had a D810, and honestly, it's hard to tell the difference in the output of the two cameras. My comparison was between the D850 and Z7II. I went for the D850 because it is compatible with every Nikon lens I own. All of them, whether manual focus, AF or G will function on the D850 exactly as they were designed to function when they came out. There is no need for an adaptor or workarounds with older lenses as with the Z cameras. Not only that, considering the sale price and the higher price of the Z7II plus FTZ adaptor, I spent around $800 less by going with the D850.

There isn't much that needs to be said about the D850 that hasn't already been said. It has excellent autofocus and focus tracking as a still camera. The IQ of the 45 MP sensor is second to none. There are two weaknesses of this camera that may or may not matter to someone. First, it doesn't have IBIS. Second, autofocus in the Live View and video modes is dismal. It's accurate but too slow, and it hunts around until it finds the right focus, something that really ruins video. The Z7II is said to lag a bit behind the D850 in the focus tracking department, but I can't verify that from personal experience. Otherwise IBIS and decent autofocus using the sensor make up for the D850s shortcomings.

If you're comparing the D850 with the Z9, there really is no comparison, but keep in mind that it may take months for you to acquire a Z9, and it's huge and heavy for a mirrorless camera.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I'm 76 and I'm not anywhere near done buying cameras. That said, I probably am done with big, clunky, heavy cameras. A D850 would not make my short list at all.

"I mainly shoot wild llfe" "but would like some wisdom from all of you."

Look at the Olympus and Panasonic 100-400 lenses. Then see what bodies might be interesting that will go on those lenses.

Look at the Sony RX10 with it's superlative lens. (My wife got one and I'm jealous!)

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

If you shoot wildlife, the D850 will give you the same great AF that you have on the D500, but without the extra reach that you have with the cropped sensor. Why bother? And in my experience, the Z bodies (except maybe Z9) fall short for wildlife.

I would suggest that your satisfaction level would be considerably higher with new glass for your existing bodies, specifically the 500mm f5.6 PF. The D500/500PF combination is magical.

TanglewodFarmer Loc: NW.Ar.

I bought my last camera at the age of 88. joe

kymarto Loc: Portland OR and Milan Italy

I shit DSLRs for years, but am now a die-hard mirrorless user. I suggest you look at the Nikon Z7ll. There is an adapter that allows you to use your present lenses with full capability.