I've don't see the reduction of aperture as being a problem. I never noticed it at all. I took pictures at night inside or at my son's football games without a problem. I was always able to get plenty of light with my 2.8.

I used a 80-200 2.8 d on my Nikon D7100 and I loved it. It was a vast improvement from any dx lens I ever had. I wouldn't expect just any fx lens to be as good. I had a 70-300 vr and it didn't compare. Once I saw the difference with the fx lens I bought all fx lenses after that.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Since BC!

I had the 7100 and it's a great camera. The 7200 is the same camera with a couple more bells and whistles. The thing I liked the most was that it had the internal focusing motor which allowed me to buy older "D" series lenses that were half the price but had top quality optics. My favorite is my 80-200 2.8 that I paid $375 for at the local repair shop. Some call it one of the best lenses Nikon ever made. The only thing you're misssing is the vr and if you know how to shoot you can do a lot without it. In addition to that lens I've had a Nikon 300 f4 ED that I paid $300 for and a 85 1.8 D for the same price. I also had a 28-105 Macro ( $125 ) All those are lenses you wouldn't be able to use on the 5300 series and below. And they all made super sharp photos!

Calling someone stupid on here is akin to road rage; with the protection of their car people do and say things they wouldn't ordinarily say or do if face to face. If this were a club where we met face to face would you call someone stupid for misunderstanding you or missing the point? If you did I think most members would identify you as rude and callous, a jerk. Oops, I'm sorry did I just say something I wouldn't ordinarily say right to your face?! No, if you did something like that in a group meeting I would call you out. No one has the credentials to label someone "stupid". No two people think alike, at the same pace or from the same perspective. Some of the worlds most accomplished people are dyslexic! They might have misread your statement ( which I don't even recall because once you say "stupid" it's the only thing I remember about you )

I just sold mine for $300. Didn't get any offers for a couple of month and then someone drove 2 hours to pick it up. I had it listed at $325 and gave it to him for $300

Wow! How disturbing! A blog by its very nature is a place to come for advice, conversation, comparison of thoughts on a mutually agreed subject. Why would someone question the motives, belittle, condem, dismiss another member looking for the above. What an attitude! We're all sitting in our recliners, not to be " force fed" but to learn from one other source. Lighten up!

Tony Northrop worked for Microsoft and authored many books on computing before he turned to photography. He has a great video on YouTube that will help you make your decision. Search "laptop computers for photo and video editing" on YouTube. It's very informative and isn't a commercial for any particular brand. It's a great starting point for your research. As I recall processing speed is job 1. I think you'll find like everything in photography there is are myriad options governed by your interests, goals and budget! I personally prefer refurbed products for my camera and laptop. I bought my Nikon d7100 and d610 refurbished and have had no problems. An extended warranty has always been reasonably priced. For my laptop I purchased a HP Envy 17" with i7 processor,16gb ram, 2tb hard drive. It's a 1080p. It's not ssd but I wanted plenty of storage because I take a good amount of photos and although I backup I like them on the computer so I can go back to them when I want. $650 from Amazon. Have fun!

I think some people post an "attaboy" because they have an affection for making other people feel good about themselves and maybe to make them more comfortable in the group. They may recognize or think that a person posting a mundane photo might be living a mundane life and they are posting here for validation and connection. If you know someone personally I can see handing them an eyeopener, but maybe only so they don't embarrass themselves. But if you don't know a person that posts here constructive criticism is good, if invited, but hurling insults is not. Letting them know how to adjust exposure is one thing, saying the photo looks like crap through a fan is just rude and self serving. Besides, critics and professionals in all walks of life have rejected what later became world renowned! Shit through a fan sells in some circles! P.S I feel bad for someone who has never felt emotion from seeing a sculpture, painting or photo!

We'll, I have an 80-200 2.8 ( didn't use it last weekend ), and a 300 f4 with a 1.4 teleconverter. All Nikons. I'm thinking of buying the 200-500 f5.6 so this past weekend I rented one and that's what I shot the bald eagles with, as well as the 300f4 with the tele. It was very foggy and I didn't get any distance shots ( 300 + feet ) worth framing but the 150ft and under shots are superb. If I knew how to post in these messages I'd share some! ( I'm new here! ) I'll figure it out eventually.

I never use a tripod for wildlife. I like a still picture of a bird or whatever but I LOVE action shots. So I shoot 2000sec, auto iso and set the aperture accordingly. I just shot bald eagles flying right at me and over my head and I got them tack sharp. People with tripods miss those shots.

Nice start! The best $10 you can spend is "Stunning Digital Photography" by Tony and Chelsea Northrop. There a better classes out there but not for $10. But this one is good. Not only is it a good read but there is 12 hours of supporting video if you get the digital edition. They have books on lightroom and Photoshop to for $10 each. You can find a lot of free information on YouTube. Again, the northrups, and Scott kelby, Matt granger and many more. Tony Northrop has a free video all about your camera too. Have fun and be excited!

Jake, I had a 7100 and was frustrated with the iq until on a whim I bought an old 80-200 2.8 ( twist zoom, the push pull is a slug of auto focus). !!! Did that ever open my eyes! Some people say fx lenses aren't fully utilized on a dx camera but so what! The clarity is outstanding and the light from the 2.8 aperture is the icing on the cake. More light means sharper images and less noise. I shot my sons football games at night, hand held, 4000 iso, with that lens and got phenomenal shots. I use it on D610 now and don't see ever giving it up. And I won't spend the extra for the vr. Maybe someday I'll spend for the faster auto focus because I shoot a lot of wildlife. I just bought a 300 AF-S f4 and that is even better in image quality and has faster auto focus but it was to big for my sons football games unless I shot from the top of the stands. I would shoot half the game from up top of the stands and then switch to the 80-200 and go down on the field. I had the 18-140 on the 7100 and have a 24 x 36 enlargement of a shot of waves at the the beach after a storm that looks like you're looking through a window. What I do now when I buy a lens is go to dxomark, find my camera and see what lenses they've tested on it. I look at the sharpness ratings ( perceptual mega pixels ) and then the transmission score ( how well it transmits light to the sensor ). I might look at ken rockwells opinion ( although with some caution! He seems to like too much! ) Then I make my decision. After that I look for my choice used on some of the usual sites if it's a Nikon. ( I wouldn't buy a Tamron or Sigma used ) It always ends up being a Nikon! The great thing about the 7100 is the internal focusing motor. It enables you to choose from a wider variety of lenses. There are some great D series lenses out there for half the money of G's. They have a lot more metal and quality glass. I've had three accidents with the 80-200 and it keeps on truckin! ( Fell off a cheap tripod onto the street from about 5 ft high once ) I have the 80-200 and a 85mm 1.8D. I had an older 300 f4 that I paid $300 for. The images were great but the auto focus was slow. I paid $375 for the 80-200 and $300 for the 85. I bought the 28-80 that Ken Rockwell raves about for $25 with the N80 film camera in the box! ( Its not as great a lens as he thinks it is! ) Next will be a 20mm 2.8 or better ( $3-400 ) Hope this helps a little!