Had FF, went to crop sensor for weight. Mistake

[Sam165]

Hi Brian,

I had a D750 which I liked and took sharp pics even though I only had the kit lens.  I have a Godox flash and still have a battery for it, though not the camera.  I went to crop sensor (Fuji) for the weight.  Liked the weight but I do not like the low light noise and pics.  So mistake made and I want to go back to FF.  The beast I know, sort of.  Would like something lighter than d750, so was thinking mirrorless.

Am thinking Z6ii, possibly Z7ii or Zf.  Haven't held the latter but I understand it might be a little heavier.    I do street photography, still life, dog shows (they are running) and landscape.  Thoughts on camera??  My iMac will need to be replaced probably next year as you have told me recently.  Right now, is 24 mp good?  Or will I have buyer's remorse ?  Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[Brian]

24MP is FINE.

Trust me.

I have a D850, and have to deal with it's stupid 45.7 MP sensor. That damn camera costed me so much money. Why? 100MB Raw Files. Sure, I could turn on compression, but I don't like doing that. That camera required me to buy two new and expensive lenses, a whole new computer and 12TB Storage AND had to upgrade the RAM to 64GB to handle those 100MB Raw files.

What's my point?

To support a 45.7MP Camera (or larger,) you need an entire ecosystem to support it. In reality? All one "NEEDS" is about 12MP. That's it. 12MP will get you any print size that you desire. The rest is just Marketing, and FOMO...which drives Camera sales. People are so worried about not having the latest camera body, but I will tell you that it's the LENSES one needs to be more concerned with. That said, it's soon to be 2024...24MP and greater is our reality.

Your question, yep...as per your requirements, it's Mirrorless that you should be after. It's actually a good thing that you switched over, because in addition to a Mirrorless Body, it is in your best interest to get a Mirrorless Lens to go with it. Don't fall for the, "But they have an FTZ Adapter..." thinking. Mirrorless Bodies, want Mirrorless Lenses. Period.

The Zf looks interesting. It's cute, and they remind me of the old SLRs from the 1980's. It's also 45.7MP, so be prepared for that ecosystem. I was seriously looking at getting one, but have other stuff to buy first. The Z8 also is a very capable camera. I've also seen great things out of a Z6ii. Honestly? I'd skip the Z7ii at this point. It's kinda like your D750, it's in the same class. From my POV, it's either the z6ii or Z8.

Now you will need to decide which lens to go with it. For the lightest weight and walking around, a good 50mm f/1.8 Lens will do most shots. 35mm is good for Street Photography, and Dog Shows? I'd have a 70-200 f/4 to save on weight, since most 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are about 3lbs all-by-themselves before you add the weight of the body. Portraits...85mm or even the new Mirrorless Nikon NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena Lens. Or you could get a Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S Lens and start there. Figure out what's your typical focal length for a particular subject then decide if you want a prime or not. Primes will always be lighter than zooms, but it does force you to think more and be creative as you need to "Zoom with your Feet."

What I would do now, is find a local camera store that has ANY Mirrorless Body on Display and hold one. Fiddle with it, go into the menus and give it a test drive. Don't rely just on what you see on YouTube or Blog Posts. Mirrorless takes getting used to, as you are looking at a little TV Screen in the Viewfinder. IF YOU PAN A LOT, or Photograph like a Sniper during Dog Shows, there is a bit of delay when moving the camera quickly in the viewfinder since the camera has to redraw the image on the viewfinder each time you move. That's why the focusing system is way more robust and has more Focus Points for you (or the camera) to utilize. It's meant for you to not have to move as much. But I've shot with a SLR since 1986 and that delay is just weird for me. It's gonna be an adjustment. But walking around with 50lbs of gear when I go on trips is becoming a bit of a hassle, plus I'm a huge target for thieves. I want to get down to one small camera body and either a 24-70 f/2.8 or 24-120 f/4.

If you do end up going with a 45.7MP sensor, you are going to need a new computer sooner rather than later. In fact, I'd buy the computer before buying a new camera. Unless you only want to edit 1 or 2 photos at a time.

[Sam165]

Brian, I can't thank you enough for help on this.  I have been renting the z6ii for the weekend but have the very, very heavy 70-200 2.8 lens.  It is a beast.  I don't see myself able to afford the Z8 (retired with no pension + a computer in future), so I guess I am looking at either the z6ii or the Zf.  Though I think the Zf needs an added grip for all day use.  Thank you for the suggestions on lenses.  That has really helped me a lot.  You are the best!

[Sam165]

One other quick question Brian.  I am also seeing Tamron 35-150 mm, f2-2.8 lens for Nikon Z.  Any thoughts on it?  TIA

[Brian]

I'm a Nikon OEM snob.   Until you have shot with Pro-Grade Nikon f/2.8 Zoom Lenses, you have no idea what you are missing. Sure, some Measurebator will come in with all sorts of charts and graphs and blah-blah-blah. I'm sticking with Nikon Glass. It used to be that Tamron Lenses would add a bit more red to photos and Sigma tended to add a bit more yellow. Not sure if that still applies. Nikon Glass has always been neutral, especially with the top-end lenses. When you pixel-peep...I mean really pixel-peep, you do see a difference with OEM Lenses for the most part. Now if all you are doing is posting to a IG account or for people to swoon over things in a Facebook Group, get whatever your heart desires. If you are asking me, I'd save up and get the OEM lenses.

[Sam165]

Hi Brian, I thought I'd update you on things.  I bought a Z6ii and a z 50 mm 1.8 s, and a z 70-180 2.8 lens.  Now the fun begins!  Thanks again for your advice