Advices on camera gear for Landscape/Wildlife while travelling/backpacking

[StrigopsHabroptilus]

Hello All,

I wonder if you can give me some advices on camera gears.
I have currently a Nikon Z5 with a 24-70 f4 Z lens & a 150-600 sigma f4 fx lens.
I would like to sell my Z5 and buy a new camera + wide angle lens. My goal is mostly to do travel photography + Wildlife + landscape while I am doing some backpacking trips.
Given that I don't want to spend more than $3000 and my camera gears and that I already have some Nikon lenses, I think staying with Nikon would be great (but I am open to switch also and sell what I have).
I was thinking to buy the Nikon Z6ii and the Z lens 14-30 mm f4 (for ~$3000 total). But I check on the trade market and I can get a 14-24mm f2.8 fx lens + a D850 for almost the same price.
So I would like to have some advices from the community?

Many thanks!

 

[Strodav]

Here's a good article from a source I trust for the 2 Zs you listed in your post: Nikon Z5 vs Z6 II , which will give you a good idea of the significant upgrade you will be getting with the Z6ii. I have a D850 and it is arguably the best dslr every made, but it is old technology. The D850 does have a 45.7mp sensor and the best IQ of any digital camera Nikon has to offer, which is great for travel photography, portraiture and landscapes, but the Z6ii has advantages for wildlife including 14fps vs 7fps, better low light performance and the Z6ii weighs 1/3 less than the D850. Z glass weighs less with higher IQ than comparable f mount glass. You can use f-mount glass on the Z6ii, but you cannot use Z glass on the D850. The Z6ii has IBIS, the D850 does not. IBIS is a real game changer as far as keeper rate goes. If you want higher resolution files from the Z6ii for landscapes, you can always take slightly overlapping shots and merge them in post. I took a quick look on KEH.com and a used D850 ($2200) is about $400 more than a used Z6ii ($1800). That's $400 more for glass. I recommend going with the Z6ii.

Just a quick note on glass. For travel, something like the Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 is well suited and it will do for landscapes, although I use a 12-24mm f/4. For wildlife, your Sigma 150-600 (probably f/5-6.3) will work just fine. I wouldn't buy a Z telephoto until the 200-600mm is announced. I still use my Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6, Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 G2 and Nikon 600mm f/4G on my Z9. I always take a faster prime with me when I travel like a Z 35mm or 50mm f/1.8 S for lower light situations.

I love my D850 and will never give it up, but the advantages of Z technology, especially IBIS and Z glass, make it a better choice.

 

[StrigopsHabroptilus]

Here's a good article from a source I trust for the 2 Zs you listed in your post: Nikon Z5 vs Z6 II , which will give you a good idea of the significant upgrade you will be getting with the Z6ii. I have a D850 and it is arguably the best dslr every made, but it is old technology. The D850 does have a 45.7mp sensor and the best IQ of any digital camera Nikon has to offer, which is great for travel photography, portraiture and landscapes, but the Z6ii has advantages for wildlife including 14fps vs 7fps, better low light performance and the Z6ii weighs 1/3 less than the D850. Z glass weighs less with higher IQ than comparable f mount glass. You can use f-mount glass on the Z6ii, but you cannot use Z glass on the D850. The Z6ii has IBIS, the D850 does not. IBIS is a real game changer as far as keeper rate goes. If you want higher resolution files from the Z6ii for landscapes, you can always take slightly overlapping shots and merge them in post. I took a quick look on KEH.com and a used D850 ($2200) is about $400 more than a used Z6ii ($1800). That's $400 more for glass. I recommend going with the Z6ii.

Just a quick note on glass. For travel, something like the Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 is well suited and it will do for landscapes, although I use a 12-24mm f/4. For wildlife, your Sigma 150-600 (probably f/5-6.3) will work just fine. I wouldn't buy a Z telephoto until the 200-600mm is announced. I still use my Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6, Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 G2 and Nikon 600mm f/4G on my Z9. I always take a faster prime with me when I travel like a Z 35mm or 50mm f/1.8 S for lower light situations.

I love my D850 and will never give it up, but the advantages of Z technology, especially IBIS and Z glass, make it a better choice.

Thanks a lot Strodav for your thoughtful answer! It is really helping me in my choice.
So given that my budget is the limiting factor (I want to stay under $3000), will you stay with the z5 and go for a better lens like the 14-24 f2.8 or will you go for the Z6ii with the 14-30 f4?

 

[Rickbb]

I debated going for one of the Z models since it was the same MP as the 850, but losing or having to use an adapter on all that F mount glass was a deal breaker for me.

My 850, 6 lens, 2 flashes, misc. do-hickeys and my tripod can fit in/on my old Lowe Pro pack for day hiking.

But for multiday backpacking I'd just take my Cannon PowerShot. The bag of the 850 gear weights more than a fully loaded backpack for a 4 night stay. No way that's going with me, not that I do much backpacking these days.

 

[Strodav]

Thanks a lot Strodav for your thoughtful answer! It is really helping me in my choice.
So given that my budget is the limiting factor (I want to stay under $3000), will you stay with the z5 and go for a better lens like the 14-24 f2.8 or will you go for the Z6ii with the 14-30 f4?

For landscapes, I started with a Sigma 14-24mm f/2.8 Art for use with my D850, which is a phenomenal piece of glass, but it got heavy on long hikes, so I picked up a 12-24mm f/4. It is also very sharp, but much more compact and lighter. Most of the time you can use longer exposure times for landscapes, so the 1 stop difference isn't an issue. FWIW, I'd go with a used Z6ii ($1800) and used 14-24mm f/4 ($975 LN- at KEH), which keeps you around budget.