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Started By
Message
Worth upgrading 11 year old DSLR for Mirrorless (Nikon specifically)
Posted on 5/8/24 at 10:09 am
Posted on 5/8/24 at 10:09 am
I have a Nikon D7100 which was released in 2013. Not really looking to buy a new camera, but I noticed Nikons prices are currently slashed a good bit. For example, the z6ii is currently about $500 off across the board.
I would consider myself far from an avid photographer, and I rarely venture off the auto settings. I have two teenage kids and would like to start photographing their sports.
Is it worth getting a new mirrorless camera considering the advancement in technology?
I would consider myself far from an avid photographer, and I rarely venture off the auto settings. I have two teenage kids and would like to start photographing their sports.
Is it worth getting a new mirrorless camera considering the advancement in technology?
This post was edited on 5/8/24 at 10:10 am
7
Posted on 5/8/24 at 4:32 pm to DrewTheEngineer
Two questions:
1. Does you old camera still meet your needs?
2. How much of an investment in glass do you have with you 7100?
The advantage of the Mirrorless for sports would be without a physical shutter, the FPS burst rate is likely MUCH higher than your DSLR. But that might now be a reason enough to change.
1. Does you old camera still meet your needs?
2. How much of an investment in glass do you have with you 7100?
The advantage of the Mirrorless for sports would be without a physical shutter, the FPS burst rate is likely MUCH higher than your DSLR. But that might now be a reason enough to change.
Posted on 5/9/24 at 8:40 am to DrewTheEngineer
The mirrorless is a huge jump, especially in sports, autofocus on fast-moving subjects, and low light. You would need to pair the new camera with some good glass to really take advantage of the camera upgrade.
Posted on 5/9/24 at 11:39 am to wickowick
quote:
The mirrorless is a huge jump, especially in sports, autofocus on fast-moving subjects, and low light.
From a technical perspective, phase detect autofocus in DSLR's is vastly superior to the contrast detect AF used in mirrorless cameras when it comes fast moving subjects. The problem is, since there is no mirror, you can't split the light beams in a mirrorless cam. Now contrast detect AF has come a long way since it were first introduced, but since contrast detect is predictive, it will always be slower. But autofocus isn't the reason to go mirrorless. Size and convivence are.
This post was edited on 5/9/24 at 11:41 am
Posted on 5/9/24 at 12:45 pm to DrewTheEngineer
The Nikon's are discounted as a precursor to the upcoming release of newer models. That said, the Z6-ii is a very capable full frame camera.
You currently have an APS(crop sensor) and the Z6-ii is full frame, so even with a FTZ adaptor your current lenses may not be usable. Going to full frame you will lose the 1.5 magnification of the APS camera, so a 70-200mm lens which would be equivalent to 105-300mm on an APS will only be a 70-200 on a full frame. Depending on the sport you're photographing, you may find that you will need a longer focal length lens (more money). That said there are image quality advantages that come with a full frame sensor.
The new mirrorless cameras will generally be smaller in size and weight, have more flexible auto focus options, with improved focus because the focus is read directly off the sensor. If you interested in video, you'll get much higher resolution and higher frame rates from a newer camera.
Biggest disadvantage of a mirrorless camera will be battery life (just buy more spares, if this is an issue) and the adjustment of that comes with the newer electronic view finders.
You currently have an APS(crop sensor) and the Z6-ii is full frame, so even with a FTZ adaptor your current lenses may not be usable. Going to full frame you will lose the 1.5 magnification of the APS camera, so a 70-200mm lens which would be equivalent to 105-300mm on an APS will only be a 70-200 on a full frame. Depending on the sport you're photographing, you may find that you will need a longer focal length lens (more money). That said there are image quality advantages that come with a full frame sensor.
The new mirrorless cameras will generally be smaller in size and weight, have more flexible auto focus options, with improved focus because the focus is read directly off the sensor. If you interested in video, you'll get much higher resolution and higher frame rates from a newer camera.
Biggest disadvantage of a mirrorless camera will be battery life (just buy more spares, if this is an issue) and the adjustment of that comes with the newer electronic view finders.
Posted on 5/10/24 at 2:07 pm to DrewTheEngineer
I've had a Nikon Z50 for a few years with no issues. Depends on what you want to do with the camera.
Posted on 5/10/24 at 4:58 pm to DrewTheEngineer
I have a d300 that I bought right before my baby was born. It took excellent low light no flash nursery photos.
Still does.
Still does.
Posted on 5/11/24 at 12:41 am to DrewTheEngineer
I would definitely encourage you to do it. Have you considered buying used gear? With Nikon setting up to release new camera bodies, you might be able to find a sweet deal on a pre-owned Nikon Z6ii. Adorama or MPB.com will probably have good deals for you.
Posted on 5/21/24 at 2:44 pm to DrewTheEngineer
I don’t post much, and I rarely come over here, but I saw this and couldn’t resist.
THIS is correct ^
Even though some of the relatively newer mirrorlesss cameras now have Phase Detect AF pixels integrated into the imaging sensor, there is still the issue of whether the software has enough “muscle” to drive the lens fast enough to re-acquire focus from frame to frame.
Before you decide, you need to “define your mission”.
For targets that move slowly (Ex: a bride walking down the aisle) mirrorless AF systems are fine.
For targets that move quickly and erratically (Ex: Birds in Flight, Football, Soccer, Lacrosse), you need an autofocus system that can “keep up” -- and this is where DSLRs are, still, generally, just better (and your D7100 is excellent).
>> Before the D5, D500, and D850, the D4 was Nikon’s AF champ.
>> Nikon lifted the D4’s 51-point AF system, and plopped it, unchanged, into the then-new D7100.
I have a D7100, and I love it. It has none of the autofocus QC troubles that plagued the D7000.
“Focus Priority”, “51-Point 3-D Tracking”, and “Continuous Autofocus” will open up a whole new world on your D7100. I predict that you will be astonished.
But you must have very good glass, to take full advantage of the D7100’s capabilities.
I have a Nikkor 300mm AF-S f/ 4 IF-ED that's practically welded to mine.
Good Luck
quote:
Is it worth getting a new mirrorless camera considering the advancement in technology?
quote:
From a technical perspective, phase detect autofocus in DSLR's is vastly superior to the contrast detect AF used in mirrorless cameras when it comes fast moving subjects. The problem is, since there is no mirror, you can't split the light beams in a mirrorless cam. Now contrast detect AF has come a long way since it were first introduced, but since contrast detect is predictive, it will always be slower. But autofocus isn't the reason to go mirrorless. Size and convivence are.
THIS is correct ^
Even though some of the relatively newer mirrorlesss cameras now have Phase Detect AF pixels integrated into the imaging sensor, there is still the issue of whether the software has enough “muscle” to drive the lens fast enough to re-acquire focus from frame to frame.
Before you decide, you need to “define your mission”.
For targets that move slowly (Ex: a bride walking down the aisle) mirrorless AF systems are fine.
For targets that move quickly and erratically (Ex: Birds in Flight, Football, Soccer, Lacrosse), you need an autofocus system that can “keep up” -- and this is where DSLRs are, still, generally, just better (and your D7100 is excellent).
>> Before the D5, D500, and D850, the D4 was Nikon’s AF champ.
>> Nikon lifted the D4’s 51-point AF system, and plopped it, unchanged, into the then-new D7100.
I have a D7100, and I love it. It has none of the autofocus QC troubles that plagued the D7000.
quote:
I rarely venture off the auto settings
“Focus Priority”, “51-Point 3-D Tracking”, and “Continuous Autofocus” will open up a whole new world on your D7100. I predict that you will be astonished.
But you must have very good glass, to take full advantage of the D7100’s capabilities.
I have a Nikkor 300mm AF-S f/ 4 IF-ED that's practically welded to mine.
Good Luck
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