$1500.. what piece of kit to buy?

[kap55]

The 750 is a great camera - I have one and love it - but I really don't see how it improves your capabilities all that much. You have two excellent cameras that would do extremely well with any of the current Nikon Tamron or Sigma telephoto lenses. If you are going to get more into wildlife you're going to end up getting something like that anyway - I'd do it now.

Also I'm curious when you say the 7100 is slow and difficult to use compared to the 500. Are you referring only to frame rate, or are there issues with the button layout/configuration of the 7100 that you feel make it difficult to use?

Honestly, everything about the D7100 seems ancient and slow compared to the D500. The frame rate, the buffer, the shutter lag, the accessibility of controls, speed of menus loading, etc. Everything about the D500 is just faster. It's also hard to work with two cameras when one is so much better in low light than the other.. having to use different settings and settle for lower shutter speeds with one is difficult for sports because the quality of your images varies greatly from one camera to the other at that point.

Before I got the D500, only the buffer on the 7100 bothered me. But now, it all seems much slower than what I've become used to.

Specifically, the placement of the ISO button bugs me.

Thanks for that explanation. I was curious because I'm thinking of getting either a 7200 or a 500 for macro/telephoto use, and am still trying to decide which suits my needs best.

Just a thought, you could get a Sony Full Frame (A7) mirrorless new for around 800-900 new or used for 600 and if you already have a macro lens, just add an adapter.

I do have the lens but a mirrorless won't work well with a tele for wildlife. I use the 750 right now but wouldn't mind a DX body - just can't decide whether the AF and frame rate/buffer are worth twice the price. One other consideration is that the 7200 uses the same batteries and SD cards as the 750 and also has very similar button layout. With a 500 I need different batteries and storage.

 

[BrentC]

I do have the lens but a mirrorless won't work well with a tele for wildlife.

Why not?

 

[kap55]

I do have the lens but a mirrorless won't work well with a tele for wildlife.

Why not?

Not familiar with the Sony, but I thought the frame rate was a little slow and that there is some lag in the viewfinder. If not the case what would be the advantage of mirrorless over a 7200?

 

[BrentC]

I do have the lens but a mirrorless won't work well with a tele for wildlife.

Why not?

Not familiar with the Sony, but I thought the frame rate was a little slow and that there is some lag in the viewfinder. If not the case what would be the advantage of mirrorless over a 7200?

I don't know about the Sony but my Oly M43 can do 60fps. Viewfinder lag can be a problem on a lot of mirrorless. Once again can't talk about the Sony but the Oly EM1 Mark ii did away with almost all the lag. Tracking BIF's is not a problem. It was a huge problem with my EM5 Mark II.

 

[Destin]

Thanks for the help all! Purchased a Tamron 150-600 G2 at my local camera shop for $1,249 brand new

 

[astroNikon]

Also I'm curious when you say the 7100 is slow and difficult to use compared to the 500. Are you referring only to frame rate, or are there issues with the button layout/configuration of the 7100 that you feel make it difficult to use?

I actually had TWO D500's.
First one I got and shot maybe 30 pics on it.

A friend came over, we edited some inside horse competition show images.
While I was editing, she went and used my D500 outside and inside.

She had a D7100.

She wanted to buy the D500 right there. I wasn't enamored with it so I sold it.
D7100's buffer for any type of sport shooting is it's achille's heel.

If you shoot a D7100 next to a D50o it becomes painfully obvious very quickly.

 

[astroNikon]

Specifically, the placement of the ISO button bugs me.

After I programmed the D750's Record button to ISO my D600 just drove me nuts especially with heavier lenses, hand-held or not.

 

[table1349]

Hey guys so I just sold my motorcycle with the intention of investing the money into photography equipment. I've got about $1500 to spend. Could stretch a few hundred more if needed.

Currently have:
D500
D7100
Tamron 70-200 2.8 VC
Sigma 17-50 2.8 OS
50 1.8G
Tokina 12-24 f/4

Things I'm considering
- upgrade 7100 to a second D500. This is my #1 option because I find the D7100 slow and difficult to use since getting the 500, and I like shooting with two bodies.
-get a D750... would be nice to have a full frame body for portraitureto compliment the D500
-purchase a several generation old used 300 2.8 af-s for sports
-Get a birding/wildlife lens.. 200-500, 150-600, etc

I primarily shoot sports and portraits. But I'd really like to get into wildlife...

I'm just hung up on what direction to go, but I wanna invest the $ into camera gear before I use it to pay bills

Personal feeling is if you have to ask us, you don't need anything. Want and need are two different beasts. Put the money away for the time when you have an actual need for a new piece of equipment.

 

[astroNikon]

With a 500 I need different batteries and storage.

No you don't.

Same batteries as D8x0, D750, D6x0, D7x00.

D500 has ONE QXD and ONE SD card slot.
You can just use the SD Card slot if you want. I've had mine since December and I have yet to use anything but the same SD cards I've used on my D7000, d600 & d750. With the large buffer, and I don't spray tons, the SD 95/90 card keeps up quite well.

If you use a wired remote (or similar device) then you'll need to use the 10 pin round connector versus the square USB type connector.

 

[kap55]

With a 500 I need different batteries and storage.

No you don't.

Same batteries as D8x0, D750, D6x0, D7x00.

D500 has ONE QXD and ONE SD card slot.
You can just use the SD Card slot if you want. I've had mine since December and I have yet to use anything but the same SD cards I've used on my D7000, d600 & d750. With the large buffer, and I don't spray tons, the SD 95/90 card keeps up quite well.

If you use a wired remote (or similar device) then you'll need to use the 10 pin round connector versus the square USB type connector.

Thanks for correcting my misconceptions - I just did a little research and what you say is completely correct. I was leaning towards the 7200 but now I think the 500 may be the way to go.

 

[astroNikon]

With a 500 I need different batteries and storage.

No you don't.

Same batteries as D8x0, D750, D6x0, D7x00.

D500 has ONE QXD and ONE SD card slot.
You can just use the SD Card slot if you want. I've had mine since December and I have yet to use anything but the same SD cards I've used on my D7000, d600 & d750. With the large buffer, and I don't spray tons, the SD 95/90 card keeps up quite well.

If you use a wired remote (or similar device) then you'll need to use the 10 pin round connector versus the square USB type connector.

Thanks for correcting my misconceptions - I just did a little research and what you say is completely correct. I was leaning towards the 7200 but now I think the 500 may be the way to go.

FYI, if you start shooting 4k video, you'll want an XQD card. Or if you spray 200 continuous shots. lol

 

[chuasam]

If you don't know what to get, don't get anything at all

 

[kap55]

With a 500 I need different batteries and storage.

No you don't.

Same batteries as D8x0, D750, D6x0, D7x00.

D500 has ONE QXD and ONE SD card slot.
You can just use the SD Card slot if you want. I've had mine since December and I have yet to use anything but the same SD cards I've used on my D7000, d600 & d750. With the large buffer, and I don't spray tons, the SD 95/90 card keeps up quite well.

If you use a wired remote (or similar device) then you'll need to use the 10 pin round connector versus the square USB type connector.

Thanks for correcting my misconceptions - I just did a little research and what you say is completely correct. I was leaning towards the 7200 but now I think the 500 may be the way to go.

FYI, if you start shooting 4k video, you'll want an XQD card. Or if you spray 200 continuous shots. lol

No danger of me shooting 4k or needing 200 continuous. Thanks for your help and sorry to have hijacked thread.

 

[table1349]

With a 500 I need different batteries and storage.

No you don't.

Same batteries as D8x0, D750, D6x0, D7x00.

D500 has ONE QXD and ONE SD card slot.
You can just use the SD Card slot if you want. I've had mine since December and I have yet to use anything but the same SD cards I've used on my D7000, d600 & d750. With the large buffer, and I don't spray tons, the SD 95/90 card keeps up quite well.

If you use a wired remote (or similar device) then you'll need to use the 10 pin round connector versus the square USB type connector.

Thanks for correcting my misconceptions - I just did a little research and what you say is completely correct. I was leaning towards the 7200 but now I think the 500 may be the way to go.

FYI, if you start shooting 4k video, you'll want an XQD card. Or if you spray 200 continuous shots. lol

No danger of me shooting 4k or needing 200 continuous. Thanks for your help and sorry to have hijacked thread.

No problem, the bill is in the mail.

 

[DarkShadow]

Save the Money for the upgrade,Nikon D500 MarkII