Sony user moving to Nikon D7200 and looking for some advice on lenses please

Creo

New member
Hello, my first post, so please be gentle :)

I havent used an SLR for 30 years and since I returned to photography 3 years ago have been using a Sony A7R. However, its reliability (lack of), and lack of lenes have finally defeated me and I am now looking to move to Nikon. The D7200 ticks the boxes for me as relatively inexpensive, good build quality, and while I would be moving from full-frame to crop-frame I dont really see that as an issue. Most importantly the huge range of Nikon, and Nikon-fit lenses is very attractive.
But I am a complete newbie to Nikon, watching Youtubes on how they work!
So my first question, would the D7200 users here recommend this camera now, or a different model?
Now to lenses, I will require two, the first a wide angle for what I do 98% of my photography with, landscape. I would be looking for a zoom or prime that has a screw thread for filters (ideally 72mm) has autofocus, and isnt hugely expensive. Is there one you would suggest?
The second lens would be a telephoto for birding and I am drawn to the Sigma 150-600mm for its rave reviews, decent price and good range.

I need to work out my equipment selection to come up with a total price to move from Sony, the important requirement from The Boss, hence trying to work out exactly what I would get.

Many thanks for any advice and guidance you wish to offer this person taking their first fumbling steps into DSLRs.
 

Prefrosh01

Senior Member
Welcome to the forum!

I have seen that a lot of the members on this forum use the Tokina 11-16mm (or the updated 11-20mm version) for a wide angle lens on crop sensor bodies. While I personally do not own this lens, it is on my wish list.

I'm sure some of the owners of this lens will be able to provide more detail, but you may want to start your search there.
 

Danno

Senior Member
Welcome to the forum. I have a D7200 and I really enjoy it. It is the one I would pick again in this price point because it is well built, has fast focus and good low light performance. I also got it as a refurbished model that came in at a very good price.

As for lenses. I enjoy similar shooting. For the wide angle I have the Sigma 10-20 F/3.5. Many here like the Tokina. I read a lot of reviews and looked at a lot of photos and I preferred the Sigma. The price is very reasonable.

As for the big lens. I have the Nikon 200-500 f5.6 and to me it is a great lense. I use a tripod with a gimbal head and I set the shutter at 1200-1600 with a 5.6-7.1 aperture and Auto Iso with the limit at 2000 or 2500 depending on the day. I love the way the Nikon lens focuses just as quickly when I spin into a dark wooded area as it does in daylight. Rarely does it hunt for focus.

Hope you enjoy the D7200. I hope the lens recommendations help as well.
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
Welcome aboard. Enjoy the ride.

I use the D7200 and love it. I purchased this camera about a year ago to replace my 2006 vintage D200, which still works great. I purchased the D7200 in lieu of the D500 because I couldn't justify the price vs. features difference. While the D500 AF might be a tiny bit better for birding, the higher resolution, built-in flash, and 1/2 price point of the D7200 won out. Unless you are heavily into sports/action and need a huge buffer, the D7200 wins hands down.

I also use a Tokina 12-24mm f4 lens for wide angle and find it great. From everything I have heard, the Tokina 11-16mm or 11-20mm are great lens. Besides the 12-24, I also own the Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro, 28-70mm f2.6/2.8 and 24-200 mm and find all of them great and even even better when you factor in the prices. The last two lens are from my film days, but work very well on the D7200.

Finally, I also own the Sigma 150-600 and find this lens hard to beat on a D7200. It even works with my 1.4 TC and this coupled with the cropping capability of 24Mpixels makes this combination great for birding and wildlife.
 
Welcome to the forum. I have a D7100 that I used for a long time and now my wife uses it. The lenses I liked to use on it were the Tokina 11-16 for the wide angle, For a everyday lens I used the 18-140 which I really enjoyed. I used the Nikon 70-300 a lot and still do on both my D7100 and my D750. I also use a Tamron 150-600 and am a fan of that length lens. The Sigma has a good reputation as does the Nikon 200-500
 

Zeke_M

Senior Member
Welcome!
I have a D7100. It's very close to the D7200. The D7100 has a tiny buffer.
I'll recommend the lenses I use the most.

Sigma 17-50
Nikon 24-120 f4 FX
Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR II
Nikon 70-210 f4 AF. Good luck finding one. They're rare.

I have others in the lens farm. These get the most action.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
I would not recommend the D7200. It is a great camera, but you're coming from a full frame to a crop sensor. I would send you towards a D750.
 

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
I would not recommend the D7200. It is a great camera, but you're coming from a full frame to a crop sensor. I would send you towards a D750.

I have to disagree. The D750 will cost you about double the D7200. A super wide-angle FX lens will cost about double the DX lens. The 150-600mm peaks out at 600mm on FX vs. 900mm on DX. This extra expense will gain you slightly better low light capability, but not much. Finally, I came from full frame film cameras to DX D70 and never looked back. I have yet to feel the need to invest in FX.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
I have to disagree. The D750 will cost you about double the D7200. A super wide-angle FX lens will cost about double the DX lens. The 150-600mm peaks out at 600mm on FX vs. 900mm on DX. This extra expense will gain you slightly better low light capability, but not much. Finally, I came from full frame film cameras to DX D70 and never looked back. I have yet to feel the need to invest in FX.

And disagreement is great! It allows for intelligent hashing out of an idea before money is put down.

My reason is the high ISO capability of the D750 compared to the D7200 when the original poster is coming from the full frame. I shoot: D5100, 7100, 610, 750, and Df (D4 sensor). I still regularly shoot the D7100 and love the camera, but there is no way, if I had to choose one, that I would go with a crop sensor for an all around camera.

With all that said, we both make GREAT points which can only help the original poster to consider options.

I would be curious to hear from our photographer's here that have both crop and full frame as to if they had to choose forever more to get rid of their full frames and to only have crop or would they be more likely to drop their crops forever more and keep just their full frames. I'm suspecting most would give up crop in this extreme scenario.
 
having been where you are I would suggest ..
For the wide angle ..you are in trouble here as DX is not ideal ..10mm to XX probably Tokina.
Can you not stick with your Sony for this function ?
Tele the 18-140 ..going over 140 with DX zooms the quality goes down hill better to crop...check out DXO
Birdy ..the Tamron 150-600 G2....you will realize that fine focus adjust is everything when birding and this gives you the dock.DX is perfect for birds as it gives you more POI.
While you may be a raw fanatic remember that your camera comes out the factory soft so you need to go to picture control and bump the sharpness up to +9. At the very least this will give you a sharper LCD for magnified chimping and good JPEG.
 
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Zeke_M

Senior Member
I have to disagree. The D750 will cost you about double the D7200. A super wide-angle FX lens will cost about double the DX lens. The 150-600mm peaks out at 600mm on FX vs. 900mm on DX. This extra expense will gain you slightly better low light capability, but not much. Finally, I came from full frame film cameras to DX D70 and never looked back. I have yet to feel the need to invest in FX.

Get both.
 

Blacktop

Senior Member
Hello, my first post, so please be gentle :)

I havent used an SLR for 30 years and since I returned to photography 3 years ago have been using a Sony A7R. However, its reliability (lack of), and lack of lenes have finally defeated me and I am now looking to move to Nikon. The D7200 ticks the boxes for me as relatively inexpensive, good build quality, and while I would be moving from full-frame to crop-frame I dont really see that as an issue. Most importantly the huge range of Nikon, and Nikon-fit lenses is very attractive.
But I am a complete newbie to Nikon, watching Youtubes on how they work!
So my first question, would the D7200 users here recommend this camera now, or a different model?
Now to lenses, I will require two, the first a wide angle for what I do 98% of my photography with, landscape. I would be looking for a zoom or prime that has a screw thread for filters (ideally 72mm) has autofocus, and isnt hugely expensive. Is there one you would suggest?
The second lens would be a telephoto for birding and I am drawn to the Sigma 150-600mm for its rave reviews, decent price and good range.

I need to work out my equipment selection to come up with a total price to move from Sony, the important requirement from The Boss, hence trying to work out exactly what I would get.

Many thanks for any advice and guidance you wish to offer this person taking their first fumbling steps into DSLRs.

This will depend on what you will use the camera for the most. For a camera that will be used mainly for landscapes,portraits, architecture, etc I would definitely recommend the D750, hands down.
The clean high ISO capability is very impressive.

If you are going to shoot mostly wildlife, especially the ones that move a lot and are fast and small, than I would go with the D7200 (if you can't afford the D500).

All this depends on your budget.
 

Zeke_M

Senior Member
Great choice if the OP has very deep pockets. Otherwise???

Pretty soon the D760 is supposed to be released.
When that happens the D750 will become last years camera.
In theory the price of the D750 should drop a bit, similar to the price drop that allowed me to get my D7100.

With this years tax return get the D7200. Learn how to use it.
Next year get a refurb D750.
 
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Creo

New member
Many thanks for all the replies and advise.
Makes it hard to decide what to do now! but in a good way, nice to have choice.
 

Vincent

Senior Member
As a user of a Sony A7S and some Nikons.

1) I understand some of the remarks on Sony, Nikon indeed is different on this. I call my Nikon D7000 still my main camera and will expand mainly my Nikon cameras. However there are some points for the Sonys as well.
2) You do have the issue that for wide angle FX is really better and for long reach DX is really better. (with modern cameras, see backcountrygallery.com)

Now if you start talking about the D7200.
This is an extreme capable package, it will still be used by many for many years.
If you need to go in the same price FX, you are more looking at a D610, which is not the newest system but probably underrated, I exclude it for AF for myself.

I also use the Tokina 11-16 (77mm filter), I use the f2.8 for close up interior, for landscape you want to shoot at f8-f11, do not forget this in your price considerations.
Nikon makes a 12-24mm f4 which seems more flexible if you do not need the very wide opening. However I would wait with very wide till you really feel you need it.

Would a 16-85 not be interesting? (if mainly used for landscapes) Together with a 150-600 that seems sufficient as a 2 lens set up for landscapes and reach.
Later if you need a faster lens or a macro, complement these with some primes.
 
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