I have a refurbished Nikon D7100 on order. I went to the 7XXX series to facilitate AF in all lenses. I will be familiarizing myself with the camera using my old reliable AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, but I will need to purchase lens(es) to take pictures of my greadchildren's T-ball, junior fast-pitch softball and other smaller field games up to high school soccer and even rugby. While I prefer prime lenses, I am not foolish enough to think I can shoot with them at all times. Most kit lenses yield poor IQ (especially the way I shoot). I would appreciate suggestions on (and this is flexible) 18 to 105, 200 or 300 lenses, preferably with IS, IF, preferable a fairly fast aperture, and, of course AF (preferably with manual focus override). Please note that I will be on-the-move and currently have no need of anything longer than a 300mm. Full frame lenses are acceptable, as I am saving for A D750. Nikon or GOOD after-market lenses will both be considered. One touch or two touch lenses are acceptable (I haven't seen any P-P AF lenses, but am used to the feel). My budget is roughly $500 +/- $250, but even that is flexible. I would also appreciate comments on battery holders/grips.

I will continue to use my Sony A6000 until I have time to familiarize myself with the Nikon, although using the smaller camera is causing my arthritic hands to cramp.

Thank you for your assistance.

What I'm being stunned by here is the number of people ADMITTING they use P, A, S, auto focus, auto ISO, etc. In previous threads that I've been involved in over the last couple years, there was a complete barrage of minimalists with vile attitudes calling us point and shooters with no skill sets because we didn't work in full manual with charts and even hand held light meters.

Either most of the old timers have left, don't know this thread is happening, or have finally realized they're a minority. I have nothing against using manual if you want to, and as I said in the past, I did so from 1974 until my last two 35mm Nikons when I started kind of staying in aperture mode most of the time. But as soon as I saw how semi and sometimes full automation could help me shoot faster, and many times better than my own decision making, I rook advantage of technology which has done nothing but benefit me.

I could do what I do today as an occupation and spend twice as much time per day doing it, but why? I have better things to do with my time than try to egotistically prove throughout the rest of my life that I'm superior to a piece of technology that has had multi-millions of dollars invested in it to give it artificial intelligence that sometimes amazing me to watch.

For example, although I don't use it, how in the hell does facial recognition and smile recognition do what it does and rather accurately to get perfect exposure and depth of field when there are a half dozen faces at somewhat different distances from the lens? I think that's amazing. It even knows when there are NO human faces in the screen and doesn't make a mistake by choosing a dog or cat.

I'm just glad to see the floodgates open and people admitting they use technology instead of trying to use a pair of diagonal cutters and needle nose pliers to yank all the buttons and switches off their camera bodies which manual purists would like to do - with some even angry with manufacturers that all the buttons and switches are on their camera.

My mission is to take the very best photos I can, use semi manual or manual only when I have a specialty need, take advantage of any tool that helps me, edit to improve even more, use HDR when it helps represent what I saw in person, and be as proud as possible with photos I complete.