chrish

I have a D5600 with two kit lenses, 18-55 and 70-300. I really like the camera and have had no issues EXCEPT the 70-300 lens is NOT a vr (vibration reduction lens) and at 300 it is extremely difficult to keep in focus without a tripod. I recently bought a refurbished (from Nikon) 70-300 with VR and it is so much nicer to use when you don't have a tripod. I am not sure why Nikon continues to market the non-VR lens with the camera. The VR version is only $50 more than the non . . .

radiojohn

I tend to agree. I have a Fuji that is quite remarkable and I can pair it with my tablet so I can see the scene and control the camera with the Fuji app. Bridge cameras are not what they were 20 years ago.

Tom85

To all who have responded to my ho hum post: I wasn’t expecting such an abundance of answers and suggestions. I’m overwhelmed and very appreciative.

To the question of my age consideration, I will address it with too much information. I had a career as a professional ballet dancer with the Met Opera and another professional ballet company. My wife and I had our own ballet school and company for 46 years. So, that background has helped me keep getting around pretty efficiently. My doctors and family say I look younger than 60 but I can see myself in the mirror. I can’t jump and spin anymore and getting down and up is much slower. I use our treadmill when I remember and have found that doing 60 crunches a couple times a week keeps my back pain to a minimum. So, yes lugging around cameras and lenses can be troublesome, but a cart is out of the question.

All of your very thought out recommendations gives me much to consider. Where to actually end up? Maybe I should just stick with my D200 (my wife will be happy to save the expense on something new). Or I could resurrect my film cameras, as suggested by a few, find film and a lab, shoot sparingly, upload into the computer using my film scanner and print enlargements with my Epson photo printer.

This is mostly just talking to myself out loud. But nothing is definitely decided yet and I will continue to mull over all the great ideas given. This is a very nice community I have fallen into. Thanks much again.
Tom

Tom85

PS. I don't have a smart phone with camera. I still use a flip phone but have my small Cannon camera. Just don't like the shutter delay.

ronaldwrightdallas

I am not quite as old as you. but close. I have had many nikon cameras film and digital ending with the d800. love nikon equipment. but...I wanted to downsize but get high resolution. nikon did not have mirrorless at that time or would have seriously considered that direction. couple years ago I chose sony alpha systems and I am pleased with my choice. before you buy you should at least consider the nikon mirrorless in case they offer the same change in weight and size maintaining quality. but to continue with less size and weight, there will be a financial penalty.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Photoshop CS5 will not be able to work directly with a D5600's RAW files (*.NEF). It's simply too old software to update for compatibility with those files.

CS5 will handle JPEGs from the camera just fine. You also could download Adobe DNG converter, run the RAW files from the D5600 through that and convert them to what Adobe likes to call their "universal RAW" format: DNG. Those would be workable in CS5.

The D5600 appears to be a very nice camera for the money. Some things you need to be aware of... D5600 is a "consumer grade" model. You say you have previous experience with D200, which was more of a semi-pro oriented camera (in fact, it was the model that created that category of DX/APS-C sensor cameras). The comparable current model is the D500. Just below that is the D7500 (and the D7200). Another step below that is the D5600 (D3000-series models are the most entry level.

The Nikon D3000-series and D5000-series cameras are their more consumer grade models. They use a "penta-mirror" instead of a pentaprism, to reduce weight and cost. They lack most sealing for dust/weather resistance. And they use a lower specification shutter (1/4000 top speed, 1/200 flash sync).

The "two lens kit" has some problems, too. Those are "AF-P" lenses which are only fully compatible with more recent models. So if you still have any of your older Nikon bodies, you won't be able to use those lenses on them.

Also, the AF-P 70-300mm DX lens lacks "VR" image stabilization... which is most helpful on telephotos like that and is less necessary on shorter focal lengths like the AF-P 18-55mm (which has VR). The AF-P 70-300mm DX is simply the cheapest telephoto zoom that Nikon makes. There's a $50 more expensive version that has VR... but it's not offered in the two-lens kits.

You already have an excellent lens in that Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm.

I'm going to recommend an alternative....

There's a big discount currently on Nikon D7200, which is a whole lot more camera than the D5600. You can currently buy a brand new D7200 (body only) for only $100 more than the D5600 + two cheap lens kit.

- Both cameras use essentially the same DX format, 24MP sensor. They both have a native range of ISO 100-25600. Image quality is basically the same.

- D7200 has 1/8000 top shutter speed, 1/250 flash sync and can shoot at up to 6 frames per second continuously. The D5600's top speed is 1/4000, flash sync 1/200, top continuous shooting rate is 5 fps.

- The D7200's shutter is rated for 150,000 clicks (an estimated life expectancy)... the D5600's is rated for 100,000.

- D7200 uses a true pentaprism that makes for a bigger, brighter 100% viewfinder with 0.94X magnification... compared to the D5600's penta-mirror with 95% viewfinder with 0.82X magnification.

- D7200 has a 51-point AF system with 15 higher performance "cross type" AF points and is able to focus as low as -3EV light levels (moonlight). The D5600 uses a 39-point AF system with 9 cross type and -1EV capability.

- The D7200's AF system is "f/8 capable", meaning that it can autofocus lens and teleconverter combinations with an effective f/8 aperture... such as an f/4 lens with a 2X or an f/5.6 lens with a 1.4X. The D5600 is "f/5.6 limited", which means it is more limited in the lens/teleconverter combos it can autofocus. It can handle an f/4 lens with a 1.4X or an f/2.8 or faster lens with a 2X.

- D7200 also has means of fine tuning the autofocus with specific lenses. D5600 doesn't have that feature.

- Both cameras have 3.2" rear LCD monitor screens. The D7200's is slightly higher resolution (1.2 million pixel compared to 1 million pixel).

- However, the D5600's rear LCD is articulated and a Touchscreen, while the D7200's is neither of these. It has a fixed screen.

- Both cameras use SD memory cards. The D7200 has dual memory card slots, while the D5600 only has a single one. The D5600 is UHS-1 enabled, but it doesn't help the camera shoot any faster and those same cards work fine in D7200.

- The D7200 uses a larger battery that adds a little weight, but also allows approx. 33% more shots per charge.

- The D7000-series and higher Nikon cameras have an in-camera focusing motor that allows them to autofocus more variety of lenses. The D3000/D5000-series cameras do not have that in-camera motor, so are only able to autofocus AF-S and AF-P lenses which have an autofocus motor in the body of the lens itself. Yes, there are lot of those.... but there are also many lenses in Nikon F-mount that don't have an in-lens motor.... Nikon themselves current Micro Nikkor 200mm f/4 and Tokina's AT-X Pro 100mm f/2.8 Macro are two examples... Both would be manual focus only, on D5600 (or any other D3000/D5000-series camera).

There's more.... see:

https://cameradecision.com/compare/Nikon-D5600-vs-Nikon-D7200
https://www.imaging-resource.com/cameras/nikon/d7200/vs/nikon/d5600/
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/compare/Nikon_D7200_vs_Nikon_D5600/BHitems/1127271-REG_1308818-REG

.... and other comparisons that are widely available online.

D7200 RAW files also aren't directly workable in Photoshop CS5. Same compatibility issue as D5600 (and many other camera models from the last 4 or 5 years). You'd need to convert NEF files to DNG... or buy a more up-to-date software to work directly with either camera's NEF files. Both cameras' JPEGs will be fine in CS5 or any other software.

If you decide the D7200 is the camera for you, I'd recommend you hustle. This bargain price on them has been offered for some weeks now, I see they're out of stock some places and I'm not sure if they'll be getting more. Technically, the D7200 has been "superseded" by the D7500 (which is in some ways a downgrade from D7200, but D7500 is an upgrade in other ways).

Use that AF-S 24-120mm as your primary "walk around" lens on either cameras. Sometime in the future, get yourself one or two better quality lenses to supplement it. For example the wide angle AF-P 10-20mm Nikkor is a relative bargain (around $300). There are also several 70-300mm with VR... as well as several 70-200mm (both f/2.8 and f/4). Depending upon what you want to shoot, there are large number of possibilities. The lenses you use will actually make much more difference to your images, than the camera you use them on!

riderxlx Loc: DFW area Texas

Hello Tom;
Welcome to the forum. I have a D200 and love it. As far as getting a D5600, Go for it dude. Why not.
I also have a powershot and a cheap-ass nikon L310 for video's. The only draw back to the D200 is lack if video but I love it. The 5600 should be a nice companion to your D200, I do hope you keep it.
I recently was in Micro Center in Dallas and was looking at a DELL high resolution monitor, 3840x2160. It happened to be connected to a computer on the internet and so I went to my google drive and started looking at some shots I took in March of the Whooping cranes at the Texas wildlife reserve. DAMMMMM !!!!!!!!!!! was I surprised !
The detail was very very sharp. I was asking myself, 'did I take these with my camera?' I gotta get me one of these monitors. Anyway, welcome aboard.
bruce

morkie1891

You might want to determine which newer cameras are supported by CS5. Otherwise you may have to also upgrade the processing software.

jstet

Tom, I'm 78 and use a Canon 7D that I purchased when the Mark II was first introduced. Saved almost $800. My point, however, is that our ages, we really don't need to upgrade our cameras. In fact, I bet you haven't used all bells and whistles on you current camera bodies. Remember, it's not the camera that makes a great picture, it's the photographer.

I have the Tamron 28-200mm; it's 30 years old and still takes great pictures. If you want to spend some money, I recommend buying some new glass. I just purchased a used Canon f/2.8 100mm USM macro from Keh Camera for under $400. That's $200 under the price for a new lens. I'm really having a lot of fun with it and there's so much you can photograph inside your home or in you backyard.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Another suggestion I know some have done. Get a high end "bridge/super zoom" camera and then all you need is maybe a good flash (the built in flashes are pretty poor compared to real ones), a tripod or monopod, a couple of extra batteries, some extra new, fast memory cards and a pouch or pack to carry it. Some of the latest bridge cameras produce at least the quality of your old dslr or better and you will be down to a light, small load of gear.

The camera may be more expensive than the one you are looking at but you will not need to buy any lenses in future since it has a fixed, good quality zoom lenses that goes out to lengths that for a dslr lens the same length you would pay the price of a used car.

https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/348745/the-best-bridge-cameras

RichinSeattle

If you have concerns about buying a used camera from someone you don't know, the Nikon website has a section selling Nikon-refurbished (and warranted) gear - cameras and lenses. Worth a look.

Insp Gadget Loc: St Louis area

Hi Tom,
Welcome to the forum. I purchased a D5600 last year and really like it. I went for a kit with the 18-140 VR and the 70-300 VR. Honestly, the 18-140 rairly come off the camera. I love it. Not the fastest lens but the 5600 is very forgiving with higher ISO. One of the things that helped my decision was the size/weight of it and the way it fit my hand (a bit arthritic). You've been given lots of good advice but in the end it's your choice to make. If you can, go to a store and handle a few of them before you decide. Good luck with your search.

Photocraig

Tom,
I was on your path a few years ago. Good luck. I'm in teh Canon world, but I'd suggest getting to at least the 5XXX or better yet, the 7xxx series with NIKON. They will give you the features and control we learned to rely on in the film DAZE,

Note: I recently sold a large box full of film gear, 5 bodies and 7 or 8 lenses and some nifty accessories to KEH at a buying event at a local Camera retailer. I was pleased with the dollar results. Alarmingly low compared to the thousands of Dollars invested, BUT more than I expected. Their website is keh.com. Check out he prices for similar used gear and divide in half to anticipate your approximate yield. Purchase offers depend on condition and desirability of the gear.

Good Luck,
C

SteveR Loc: Michigan

My daughter has the D7500, which you probably would not want, but it can send photos directly from the camera to facebook. Very handy. Hopefully the D5600 can do that also.

aikiboy

If possible,find a way to go to a camera store and pick up the camera. You will be spending a lot of time with it in your hand and comfort is important. The d5600 is a good choice, but there are lots of others and we are somewhat spoiled for choice these days. It's hard to go wrong with most of the offerings. Enjoy!

Jonathan