CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Nice reminder. The post was D850, others added the 45MP of a Z7 model and FTZ adapter.

gunflint Loc: Rocky Mountain High, Colorado

Just a note about this...I am no expert but I upgraded from the D7100 to the D850 when it first came out. I also bought new lenses like the 20mm, 24-70, 70-200, and 300PF. I still carry my D7100 as a back up camera and used it in Africa with the 70-200 in 2021 so I would not have to change lenses in the dusty air. When I got home, downloaded the images and started to cull them I was shocked that on most images from the D7100 I could NOT tell the difference from my D850.

My point is I think the quality of the lenses make more of an impact on the quality of your images than the camera.
I would buy the lenses now to use with your D7500 if you can't buy both the lenses and new camera together.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Agree that if the OP doesn't have the budget to also purchase better glass to go with the D850 he would be better advised to buy better lenses for his current D7500. His 80-200mm lenses is mediocre and his 18-300mm superzoom, although a good example of that genre, is still a limiting factor compared better quality shorter focal range zooms like a 24-70 f/2.8.

Additionally, using the 18-300 on a D850 in DX mode will give him cropped images very similar to what is currently getting on his D7500. It makes absolutely no sense to me to upgrade to the D850 while continuing to use the glass he currently has. His current lenses aren't even capable of getting the very best out of his current camera much less the D850.

I also wonder why he wants to upgrade to the D850 in the first place. If he's hoping that it will improve image quality, then he will likely be very disappointed since his image quality with the D7500 is limited by his current lenses not by the camera and that will likely not improve when he moves to the D850.

Of course, if you just wants to buy a new toy, and improved image quality is not the main issue for him, then by all means he should buy an D850 and keep his old lenses.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

If you need to crop any of your images, you will see the difference very quickly!! I had the D7100 too! Nice camera. Now I own the D850, no comparison!!

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I hope you are using better lenses with your D850 than the OP is planning to use. And, cropping images from his already cropped DX lens on the D850 will not really add much value.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

It gets very tiring hearing people pontificate about lenses that I'm sure they have never tried on their D850, if they even have one (or have ever seen one).

Except for a group of people that I can count on the fingers of one hand (not using my thumb), this forum is just a collection of grumpy old people passing overcooked misinformation back and forth among themselves. It's clearly time to just leave you to your mischief and misadventures.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

There's one member of this large community who consistently considers the Nikon D850 the best possible solution for every photography problem, regardless of any details of the problem being presented, regardless of obvious equipment compatible issues, and regardless any and all cost and payment challenges.

gcolegate1

Using a DX lens on a D850 is like putting regular gas in a Ferrari. When you should be using high octane fuel. If you're happy using an under performing lens on a D850, more power to you.

bikinkawboy Loc: north central Missouri

I would tend to disagree with you. The photo was taken with a D800 and Nikon 17-55 2.8 G ED DX lens at 55mm and a large-fine jpeg and the DX cropping turned off. This is considered to be a competent lens even though it is a DX. This photo was taken off the camera screen with my camera phone. The blade of grass is behind and above the cat and was zoomed in as much as was possible as evidenced by the little yellow square in the lower right corner.

A think a better analogy would be using a 4 row corn head on a combine capable of handling an 8 row. The quality of the shelled corn would be equal using either head, just that the quantity would increase using the larger head. As for the above lens, at 30mm or less it vignettes increasingly and at 17mm the sides are a half circle. I don’t have a similar Nikon FX zoom lens to compare to, but I suspect the image quality is roughly comparable. However, at shorter focal lengths the quantity most certainly isn’t there.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Why give up on a 20MP D7500 when one can spend $2500 and achieve 19MP images with the same DX lenses ....

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

It continues to make no sense to me why somebody would want to spend the time, effort, and money to upgrade to a D850 and use it with less than stellar glass. My recommendation would be to keep the D7500, and use the money to buy better glass for that camera. It would be a much better bang for the buck then using those lenses on a new D850.

Some here may disagree, but that is my opinion based on personal experience. I have shot with both a D7500 and a D850, and the D850 deserves better glass than the OP is planning to use with it. The idea of buying a top-of-the-line DSLR like the D850 with the intention of using it with a crop frame superzoom as a primary lens is just ludacris. But hey, it's his money and he can waste it any way he wants.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Read the near daily assessments that the D850 is the greatest DSLR every created (by Nikon). Read the near daily assessments that the only camera worth owning is a full-frame camera. Read through the clever obfuscation about compatibility of F-mount lenses, regardless of crop factor or focus motors. Read the UHH bias on bodies, and disregard for lenses, for resulting images. Knowing how to peel the onion of these topics is a challenge, especially on an internet message board.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

For the most part I would agree. The D850 is a great body, but it is only half of the story. Anything other than great glass mounted on it is a compromise. And the Nikon 18-200mm although very useful for some people is far from great glass. Perhaps some will be happy with the results, but make no mistake about it, it is a compromise.