I did not think you were being disrespectful or insensitive. I truly meant what I said. I do hope that any modifications you find that you have to make are effective and that your circumstances are such that no further compromises are necessary. Thank you for bringing up the issue because I think it is an important part of the discussion. My journey has been a long one. For many years I had to give up photography all together. When lens stabilization came into being, the combination of that advance in technology and modifications I made allowed me to hold a camera steady enough to get sharp photos again. Luckily I can still do that.

Thank you all for your responses. I have tried out several bridge cameras and as Mike said. some are too small for my hands. I do have arthritis and some days I find it difficult to hold on to objects. I haven't dropped a lens yet when making a change but I have come far too close for comfort so have learned to avoid using a camera on bad days. (Those always seem to be the days when a great photo opportunity crops up.) So for me changing lenses is an issue. Holding a camera steady has not been an issue. Those modifications were made long ago and have stood the test of time. I like the idea of having a strap attached to the camera and no lenses to change.

A tripod is a real problem because there are days when I can't turn the connections to lengthen the legs. I don't have enough strength in my fingers to open clip fasteners either. Having to use a tripod for the long end of the zoom on Canon or Nikon is not an option. That was good information for me to have. The photos from the RX10 were amazing. Thanks for sharing. I liked the 1 inch sensor size on the Sony. I hadn't looked at the Leica but will do so before I make my final decision.

I can't remember who said that they hoped they could make some minor modifications and use some of the same equipment they are using now. I have already gone through that stage. I hope your modifications are useful for you longer than mine have been-about two years.

We are all getting older whether we like it or not. I find that my hands don't work as well as they used to and I am not using my DSLR. I need to decrease weight and decrease the need to make lens changes. I have looked at the mirrorless options and they either don't fit in my hand or when paired with a zoom lens with my most often used focal lengths, they are to heavy. I am thinking about going to a bridge camera. Although it is a move backwards in flexibility, sensor size and available megapixels, it is much better than a phone camera which is what I find myself using now. I am considering the Nikon P1000, the Canon SX70 and the Sony RX10 IV. I would appreciate your advise and any other options that I should consider. Money is not a consideration; being able to enjoy photography again is.

Thanks

I have a V3 and the lens your are considering. It is an excellent lens-very sharp with excellent autofocus. I love the weight of the this kit-easy to carry around for hours. I also find that I don't need to carry a tripod. The weight of this combination makes it easy to hand hold and any stationary object can be used to help steady the camera if necessary.

Thanks fishmaven. I like Corel product and hadn't thought of Aftershot. I will definitely check it out too.

I appreciate all of your answers and will be checking out Affinity and OnOne. I may find myself going back to Adobe for the Lightroom-Photoshop combination-not my first choice but we are forced in that direction when the companies nolonger offer or support their standalone products. The one advantage is automatic updating.

I finally purchased a MacBook Pro. I searched the forum for information on photo editing software for Mac. The last comprehensive discussion is from 2011--just a little out of date.

I would prefer not to have subscription software if there are good options out there. I have Lightroom and have used Photoshop. I did subscribe to the Creative Suite for a year but ended up having to write to the Vice President in charge of Customer Service to get an issue resolved that I had spent over two weeks on the phone everyday for 2-6 hours. Funny how that works.

Your experience and advise would be appreciated.

Linda:

You can find the kits at Costco and Sam's Club for both the 3300 and the 5300. I would do your research, decide which camera you want then save what you need. That way you can check the prices and compare with B&H, Adorama and the Nikon website for both new and refurbished equipment. That way you will be able to take advantage of the best price.

Open a savings account at your local credit union and make the layaway payments to yourself until you are ready to make your purchase.

In the mean time check out both cameras at BestBuy and begin looking at YouTube videos about the camera you have chosen.

Why don't you look at the two entry level Nikons, the 3300 and the 5300. They are both within your price range. They come with one and two lens kit options that should give a good place to start.

I would suggest that you look at the Nikon 1 system particularly the V3 body. This is a mirrorless system with an electronic view finder and interchangeable lenses. the controls are similar to a DSLR so that you will have everything from manual to full automatic control over settings.

The Nikon 1 is not as good as a DSLR in low light but you did say that low light photography isn't something you do frequently. I, like you, no longer can mange heavy camera equipment. This system is extremely light and has excellent reach with a 2.7 crop factor and an 18 megapixel sensor.

If you only want to take one lens, take your 28-70. It will give you enough reach for most things that you will want to photograph.

I have been showing dogs for nearly 25 years and have photographed my own dogs as well as others almost as long. If this is your first dog show, I would suggest a zoom lens in the 24-105 range. The maximum length you will need is 200mm.

Now, some information to make things easier for you. You will be able to photograph the dogs from right outside the rings where they are being shown. Ring sizes are usually 100 feet by 100 feet for confirmation, larger for obedience and agility. You can also take photos in the grooming areas

DO NOT attempt to pet any dog without asking for permission from the owner or handler. Most owners and handlers will be happy to answer your questions about their dogs at their grooming area or after they have show. Handlers do not like to be bothered when they are waiting to go into the ring.

A dog show is a single elimination tournament. If you go to AKC.org, there is a pamphlet that you can download called A Beginner's Guide to Dog Shows.

https://www.akc.org/events/conformation/beginners.cfm

It will help you understand what is happening in the ring. You should have a great time.

I am going to muddy the waters further. I shot Canon for more years than I am willing to admit but recently switched to Nikon because the weight of my Canon gear was just too much. I cut the weight by a third and went from the 7D (crop sensor) to full frame.

I would suggest that you look at the Nikon 610 and 750 full frame cameras. Both will fit into your budget with a good lens. There are some great deals on lens-camera combinations but they end at midnight tonight so you will have to do your homework quickly. If you plan to use video frequently the 750 may be your better bet.

Enjoy your new camera whatever it turns out to be.

If you own a Nikon 800 I would seriously consider the Nikon 1 V3. This little camera can do much more than the some reviews give it credit for. With the F1 adapter you will be able to use all of your glass. I have the V3 and the CX 70-300 lens that give me 189-810 reach in a package weighing around 2 lbs. Picture quality is very good to excellent depending on lighting. The V3 will not be your low light go to camera but that is why you have the D800. It will be your camera when you need reach or 20fps. Check out the Nikon 1 forum on dpreview for examples of what this little camera can really do.

When discussing the mirrorless landscape there were several comments about the big two not keeping up. I found it surprising that no one mentioned the Nikon 1 system. It is in many ways more innovative than the offerings by Panasonic, Sony and Fuji. There isn't another system out there either DSLR or mirrorless that offers 20 fps bursts and excellent tracking.