New Camera For Retirement - Narrowed to 5 - Seeking Advice!

Originally Posted by Marcel

but you'll have to get new cards and card reader....

After a lot of online searching, this is the card reader I purchased in case anyone is looking for a decent, not overly priced XQD card reader.

Sony QDA-SB1 Xqd USB Adapter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The 6 Best XQD Card Readers lists it as number one: https://wiki.ezvid.com/best-xqd-card-readers

It might be discontinued or isn't carried by many stores, but Amazon currently still has it in stock in the $32-$33 range.

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Originally Posted by nikonpup

Per Marilynne, RENT. D500 @ Borrowlenses is $96.00 per week. They are also running a discount of 15%.
Much cheaper than buying the wrong camera.

Renting would be a good idea, except that even though I am "retired", I'm still sort of on call to help an older lady in our town and another older lady (widow and mom of a lifelong friend of mine who passed away this summer at only 59) an hour away in my old hometown. Sometimes, I spend the entire day taking them to appointments, grocery shopping, or helping clean out my friend's house on short/no notice. My luck, the package would arrive just as I have a few busy days and I don't get to really try it out.

Shopping for a car was very easy since I worked as the webmaster and photographer at a family chain of dealers. I regularly drove just about every new Kia, Hyundai, Ford, and VW, along with hundreds of used cars from every manufacturer. Wish I had worked in a camera shop too. LOL

Originally Posted by Marcel

Why not get another D7200. I'm really happy with mine. If you want to do fast moving objects like planes and birds in flight, then the D500 would be your best bet, but you'll have to get new cards and card reader (this is what is keeping me away from it).

But if I was to start from scratch today, I'd get a Fuji X-t3 or 4. I use them often and really like the weight, colour rendering and lenses.

But the D7200 is also a great choice and you wouldn't have to change lenses and card reader... It's never easy to decide.

Yes, the Fuji does look nice and I might if I was starting all over. More and more, I'm kicking myself for selling the D7200. It was much more capable than I am. I'm still leaning towards the D500 after reading so many rave reviews. It's at the very top of my budget, but my son is a rich aerospace engineer so I can spend part of his inheritance, eh? LOL

Originally Posted by hark

After a lot of online searching, this is the card reader I purchased in case anyone is looking for a decent, not overly priced XQD card reader.

Sony QDA-SB1 Xqd USB Adapter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The 6 Best XQD Card Readers lists it as number one: https://wiki.ezvid.com/best-xqd-card-readers

It might be discontinued or isn't carried by many stores, but Amazon currently still has it in stock in the $32-$33 range.

If I do go with the D500, I'm thinking just using the SD slot for a year or so until the price of the XQD cards comes down to a more reasonable level. The reader might be handy.

Originally Posted by pnomanikon

If I do go with the D500, I'm thinking just using the SD slot for a year or so until the price of the XQD cards comes down to a more reasonable level. The reader might be handy.

Sounds like a plan. I really like my D500. It doesn't have the mode button on the top left (to switch between Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Manual Mode). All of that is handled with the wheels (command or sub command dials - can't remember which one). I haven't switched from using Manual Mode and Auto ISO (and back button focus) so it isn't an issue. But I definitely prefer the D500 over the D7200 although the D7200 is an excellent body. Sounds like you are narrowing down your choices!

Originally Posted by pnomanikon

Yes, the Fuji does look nice and I might if I was starting all over. More and more, I'm kicking myself for selling the D7200. It was much more capable than I am. I'm still leaning towards the D500 after reading so many rave reviews. It's at the very top of my budget, but my son is a rich aerospace engineer so I can spend part of his inheritance, eh? LOL





If I do go with the D500, I'm thinking just using the SD slot for a year or so until the price of the XQD cards comes down to a more reasonable level. The reader might be handy.

I have two D500's (one needs to be repaired) for a couple of years now and I don't have an XQD card. My camera shop didn't have any in stock when I purchased the first one and I never inquired again.

Originally Posted by pnomanikon

@Danno - Thank you, also! I appreciate the info on the Z line. I did read one review where the writer said he got around 800 shots on one battery, but he thought it may have been because he did a lot of bursts. Maybe the overall battery performance is better than advertised.

As I was doing more searching, I saw where the adapter was only $100 if bought with a new camera. I went back later and could not remember what site I saw that on. That wouldn't be too bad if my current lenses worked OK.

Have you done birds in flight with the Z? We get hummingbirds in our garden, and I struggled to get just a few decent photos this summer with the D3100.

Thanks again.

.

I do not do birds in flight, but that is not the cameras fault, I struggle with the pace of capturing the bird. It is a physical limitation. I have used it for kids sports and my Z6 is much better than my D3200 and my D7200.

Birds in flight is one place where the Z are not as strong. Nothing really compares to the D500 in that arena. The Z6II is believed to be better at that than the Z5, but that is a price jump and most of the info i anecdotal; just not enough bodies out there to test.

There are some photos under the Z6 thread you could look at and if @wev has purchased a Z he could tell you about humming birds.

Well, I think I have come to a decision - the Nikon D7500.

In retrospect, I should have held on to my D7200. Another hasty decision that I've come to regret.

Having owned a D7200, I'm somewhat familiar with the basic layout. The sensor is upgraded to Expeed 5 (from the D7200's Expeed 4), but it is down to 1 SD card slot. I can live with that. All of my current lenses work, and I can swap with my son when I visit with him. (He has D5500)

I like the D5600, but worry about weather sealing since I'm outside a lot. My son says the viewfinder is not really bright, and my vision is already going downhill.

I really like the reviews of the D500, but it is $500 more expensive and is 5 years old. You could also say it's a proven design. I don't like the XQD slot - more $$ for cards. I would miss the built in flash. More weight with flash.

I also really like the Canon 90D, but that would require me selling all of my Nikon gear (including my spare D3100) to afford the body and 2 zoom lenses. And I would have no spare body.

With the D7500, I can still use my wife's D3100 for casual shooting.

Any one of these cameras is much more capable than I am, so there is not a "loser" in the group.

Now to wait for a holiday sale on the D7500.