Just to let everyone know that I am smart enough to ask here I have already ask in the past and nobody had the answer so I thought I would give Nikon a try. I have ask here and done a lot of research with no results but I will ask again for those that think I wasn't smart enough to ask here first.

I have a Nikon Z6ii and as far as I can determine there is no way to lock the location of the focus point and I find it very annoying and causing me problems. Before I start getting the same answers that I got last time, I know that I can press the toggle button down and make the focus point go back to the center. I shouldn't have to do that constantly every time I pick up my camera. I use back button focus on all of my cameras and the toggle button is right under th BBF button and it gets pressed every time I pick up my camera and place my thumb on the BBF button which in turn touches the toggle button and it moves my focus point. Last time when I ask here I got all kind of remarks about it not bothering other members or how to double press the toggle to get the focus point back to center. If you have this camera and it doesn't bother you I am happy for you but it is annoying to me. I am not an English scholar so please do not take the time to make remarks about how I wrote or punctuated my post. If you do have helpful information I would very much appreciate it. Thanks for taking the time to read this and respond.

I can lock my focus on any of my DSLR nikons with a lever on the back of the camera. It seems to me this could be fixed with a software update.

I agree that the iPhone is not a bridge camera and not as good as most "real" cameras. The Nikon shot is pretty sharp and a good snapshot. But...

The iPhone always uses the full available aperture and calculates exposure with shutter and ISO.

Your EXIF data on the two pics was very incomplete. I respect your decision to do that but it makes it hard to evaluate the pics.

I downloaded both pics and noticed that the Nikon shot is more than 2 MP but the iPhone shot is 444 KB. I'm not sure why that is since the iPhone should normally take a much bigger file.

My iPhone 6s and my iPhone 14 Pro take sharp pictures regardless of the light (see above). The noise will vary, of course, but your ISO appears from the EXIF to have been only 1000. It was 6400 for the Nikon. Your focal length for the iPhone was 77 so you used the telephoto lens which is F 2.8. The higher ISO for the Nikon suggests, at least, you stopped down a bit (manual exposure per EXIF).

The sensor on the Nikon is a DX (aka APS-C?). The sensor on the iPhone is tiny by comparison. So even though the iPhone has 12 MP (24 for the Nikon) the pixel sites are also much, much smaller. Larger sensors do better in low light. The APS-C format is greatly superior if all else is equal.

I am just trying to point out that the comparison may not be as obvious as those two shots suggest.

My first suspicion is that the iPhone shot is un-sharp due to camera motion. The peculiar color shift might indicate post processing but I have no information.

Again, I agree with you that an iPhone isn't a bridge camera. But I don't think the difference at reasonable enlargement levels is so great. The best camera is the one you have with you. Even better: have both!

The spider shot was taken through a double-pane window but has minimal motion blur because I was able to rest my hand on the glass. F1.8 at 1/215 sec. ISO 64. Filesize 1.8 MB. Again, the iPhone always shoots wide open. My point is that it's sharp and light level alone has no influence because of that.

I just ordered a Thousand Oaks slip on solar filter for my 150-600 Sigma sports lens, so I can practice for the Apr. 2024 eclipse, which will be viewable from my back yard, but with a short drive 80-100 miles I can be close to the center of the path.
Since this will possibly be the last time in my life I will get to see/photograph a total eclipse of the sun I'm going for it.
I bought the slip on because making your own and getting it attached is a PITA!!! and at this time I can afford it, Just a few pennies less than $80

I have a Nikon D5200 with a Tamron 18-270mm zoom lens. I LOVE this camera, takes SUPERB pictures and Nikon has made it really easy to operate (even for "the wife".) Recently, I've been having problems with my shoulder and carrying this has been difficult.

Should I go with a mirrorless camera for less weight and, if so, which one do you suggest? The lens may be the issue for the weight; is there a similar quality zoom lens that has a lighter weight?

(I did Canon back in my 35mm days but really like the Nikon.)

All are good possibilities. Condensation is definitely a likely candidate. I did use manual focus, however, I am not 100% sure I took it off of auto ISO. I had been experimenting with auto ISO and it is possible I failed to take it off. I know the problem I had seeing the settings with glasses fogged up, so I have to consider that I did not remove auto ISO.

Again, I am trying this again. It won't be a full moon, but that shouldn't matter. In fact, I've read where partial moons are more interesting. I'll post when I shoot again.

Larry