olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

I agree completely on "sharp gear" - Not advocating "poor or not-sharp equipment" bodies/lenses at all, nor advocating "un-sharp" photo practices. Just pointing out a reality of "high resolution" equipment, cameras, lenses, big screen tv's, etc. Those of us who have been there already know this, those who haven't, well... I always go for sharp too, but there are instances (artsy and portraits) where "softening" can be your friend, or your customers friend...how one get's there is up to them.... and yes, in general you can only sharpen a soft focus/capture a bit, but you can soften a sharp image/focus a lot.

I fondly remember more than a few weddings and portrait sessions I did where a "De-ugly" filter was sorely needed, soft focus filters helped somewhat, but, well, you know...... just like you can "dumb-down" smart, but fixing "stupid" is more like miracle work....

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

I think that the D850 is probably worth it, but I have to ask, is this a business decision or a hobbyist decision, if it is a business decision and she is staying busy with her photography business then investing $10K to $15K may very well be worth it, seems like a small amount of start up money for a small business, if the business is just part-time and not really bringing much revenue then I would consider it more of a hobbyist purchase and does she want to spend that much money on a hobby. The deal is that when she buys that pro body she will be buying pro lenses to go along with it.

maryo Loc: Santa fe

the d850 does focus stacking

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Your simple answer is - mirror less is the future ! - And right now, Nikon's lenses for the Z bodies are, for the most part unequaled - a bit pricey tho - but if you can afford the price of admission - the way to go and the best investment IMO - unless she is doing sports or wildlife .....

Lenses to get ?? - The S lenses if you can afford them

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Welcome to UHH!

ychow8

Read all the replies. In 2019, Nikon Z6 tempting....full frame. But ain't willing to let my D500 go....D500 is so good.

balancr Loc: VA

If you are going fulll frame and new lenses you can also change brand. Sony (Alpha A7III 24 MPX, Alpha A9 if you are crazy to spend)) have some great models and glass. Canon is also a brand you may have heard of on UHH.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

The poster states they both shoot Nikon, since they are familiar with Nikon's feature set, wouldn't it be better if they stick with Nikon rather than change brands?

hookedupin2005 Loc: Northwestern New Mexico

Excellent advice from CHG_Canon on the computer. As far as the camera,I think the D850 may be the best choice, with one caveat: I would look at the major retailers(B&H,Adorama, Roberts,etc.),and check their used departments...You can pick up a warranteed used D850 for around $300-$500 less than a new one,which would mean more money for lenses.

MichaelMcGrath Loc: Ireland

The D800 is a lot cheaper than the others and is the only model that has an AA filter so doesn't produce as much moire as the latest 810 and 850. It takes fabulous shots, the others are simply faster for press and sports photographers and personally I don't need speed.

In fact I love the Canon IDS Mark 111 with the 28mm/2.8 IS lens. But most of all I much prefer my Bronica SQA and Mamiya 645 medium format film cameras loaded with B & W in the one, and colour neg in the other.

Silverrails

Seems her Business is doing very well with her Nikon D3200. I myself have the Nikon D3300 and it produces very nice images.
If you upgrade to a "Full Frame" DSLR camera, there will be a "Learning period", due to those are more complicated Cameras. Check out the "Mirrorless" line of Cameras, which I know "0" knowledge or Experience with this new line of Cameras. If her business is a successful one with her D3200 and it is performing well, maybe stick with it, although maybe it is getting old and tired too. What Lens do she own and use in her business, maybe consider a Nikon 24-70 2.8 lens or the 70-200 2.8 lens, they are fast lens, and great in low light situations too. Do research and take your time, it could be a expensive investment ahead.

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

Basically ALL camera's are the same. All have controls for shutter speed, aperture, ISO. These three form the basis of all photography.
That said I have been a Nikon guy most of my adult life. And I believe that the mirrorless camera's are the way to go, especially for this young lady who is going into professional photography. Mirrorless has many advantages over DSLR.
I also believe that Sony has the advantage in mirrorless at this time. Sony has Zeiss lenses that are auto focus for their camera's and a line of G lenses that are outstanding.
Yes, for her to stay with Nikon would be easy, but since the basic controls of a camera are universal, I believe it is time for her to switch to a camera company that is the leader in mirrorless auto focus systems.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Sure, Bill, the basics are there in all cameras, but with digital, some features are buried in the menu, controls on different wheels or adjusted by touch on the LCD . I wanted to love the Olympus EM-1 I had for a while, but the menu system drove me bonkers! Also, Nikon's zoom (and focus) rings have always rotated in the opposite direction than those on a Canon. It's not a bad thing, just that they are different.

Going from one camera brand or even model to another can be confusing and frustrating. The critical button placement on the upper level Nikons is different than those on the less expensive ones. I've shot Nikon since the late '60's. My brain's wired for Nikon. My best friend shoots Canon. I never quite get used to using her Canons when we have a "play" date. To me, Sony cameras look and feel like they were designed by electrical engineers for electrical engineers, not photographers, but I've seen some of the amazing photos they can produce. I think Fuji does the best at capturing the feel of film camera. In the end, they are just tools, but some prefer a different feel.

I've seen amazing photos (and crappy too) taken with all kinds of camera models and brands.
I think getting a camera you understand and feel comfortable with goes a long way towards helping you get the best photos you are capable of.
Cheers!

Dossile

I admit I haven’t read every post. Here’s my $0.02 anyway though. I would look at a Nikon D750, or a D850 if you can afford it. Both are great cameras and you are already familiar with the basics as a Nikon user. For mirrorless, I would consider Sony FF cameras, Nikon Z7 and Z6, as well as a Panasonic D9, a 4/3 camera. Given that you are essentially starting over, I would look hard at the different mirrorless bodies, as well as the lenses. I shoot DSLR and love my D850 and would choose it again. However, many on UHH are adamant mirrorless fans, and for a reason.

I believe you received mistaken advice on computers and large picture files. Memory is pretty cheap. You can buy two 4 TB hard drives, a primary and a back up, for a total of $220. My MacBook Pro only has an internal HD with 500 GB of SS memory and to my surprise the limited memory has been no big deal. You should have a back up anyway, so in the end you get 4TB of memory extension for only $110.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

It never ends... first you say "ALL cameras are the same" then you talk about the advantages of Sony mirrorless cameras. I believe in letting the original poster make up their own mind.