After much agony about which camera to buy, m43 (EP5/G7) or the D600 or the D7100 I just couldn't pass up the $900 Refurbished D7100 with 6 month warranty from Roberts on Ebay.
That's a lot of camera for $900. I've already got extra batteries and cards, so I am ready for the fall BIF migrations. I don't list my gear but I've got everything from 12mm to 500mm covered in Nikkors as wells as my travel Sigma 18-250 OS Macro, so I am now set for a very long time.
I bought the D7000 to replace my D70 and now the D7100 is the replacement for my D200 (which now lives in the car for my "always camera"). It was very close between a new 7100 and D600 in my selection process, but for what I image and the fact I like a smaller form factor but not to small (tried m43 but felt I needed something a little larger - thus the Sigma and D7K for travel), the D7100 became the clear choice.
I kept the D200 as a primary camera for a long time, I expect to do like wise with the D7k & D71K. I realized when I bought the D7K my desire for new cameras was not anywhere near what it was when I got my D70 and D200 cameras. But my D7K has been absolutely amazing for everything from landscapes to BIF's. Why the D71K then?
Well I shoot a lot of video and it is a better video machine (biggest reason the D200 needed to be replaced) especially with the 1.3 crop for wildlife and my 300/TC1.7 combination. The crop and 7 FPS will be helpful for flying insects (as well as the 51 poinst across the field focusing). I will eventually do RAW video out to a recorder and that is a very big plus for me.
I've found that the weight reduction from the D200 to D7K made a significant difference for me. With the smaller form factor cameras on my BlackRapid straps I can walk for 4 or 5 hours with my 80-200 or 300 on one body and my 12-24 on the other with no strain (I'm 64).
It's very hard to choose the right camera even within the Nikon system, and some of the m43 cameras as well as the new Canon really mean that its a great time to be an imager. I don't think I'll be buying a new camera for quite a while (well I lasted 4 years with the D70 and still am using the D200) but I can't think of anything I can't image with the cameras I now have.
When I'm ready again in 5 years of so, I wonder if I'll changes systems (I'm keeping my Nikkors -all but one have aperture rings for video) or if Nikon will have even a smaller form factor that can still use the "F" mount glass.
I'm spending a lot of time getting my new PROsite Gallery up and even have been assimilated into the cloud on the Photoshop for Photographers deal (have CS6/LR5 just in case).
Expect a few images toward the middle of October, I now realize that I am excited to focus again solely on imaging instead of gear acquisition ( which tends to drive me insane).
That's a lot of camera for $900. I've already got extra batteries and cards, so I am ready for the fall BIF migrations. I don't list my gear but I've got everything from 12mm to 500mm covered in Nikkors as wells as my travel Sigma 18-250 OS Macro, so I am now set for a very long time.
I bought the D7000 to replace my D70 and now the D7100 is the replacement for my D200 (which now lives in the car for my "always camera"). It was very close between a new 7100 and D600 in my selection process, but for what I image and the fact I like a smaller form factor but not to small (tried m43 but felt I needed something a little larger - thus the Sigma and D7K for travel), the D7100 became the clear choice.
I kept the D200 as a primary camera for a long time, I expect to do like wise with the D7k & D71K. I realized when I bought the D7K my desire for new cameras was not anywhere near what it was when I got my D70 and D200 cameras. But my D7K has been absolutely amazing for everything from landscapes to BIF's. Why the D71K then?
Well I shoot a lot of video and it is a better video machine (biggest reason the D200 needed to be replaced) especially with the 1.3 crop for wildlife and my 300/TC1.7 combination. The crop and 7 FPS will be helpful for flying insects (as well as the 51 poinst across the field focusing). I will eventually do RAW video out to a recorder and that is a very big plus for me.
I've found that the weight reduction from the D200 to D7K made a significant difference for me. With the smaller form factor cameras on my BlackRapid straps I can walk for 4 or 5 hours with my 80-200 or 300 on one body and my 12-24 on the other with no strain (I'm 64).
It's very hard to choose the right camera even within the Nikon system, and some of the m43 cameras as well as the new Canon really mean that its a great time to be an imager. I don't think I'll be buying a new camera for quite a while (well I lasted 4 years with the D70 and still am using the D200) but I can't think of anything I can't image with the cameras I now have.
When I'm ready again in 5 years of so, I wonder if I'll changes systems (I'm keeping my Nikkors -all but one have aperture rings for video) or if Nikon will have even a smaller form factor that can still use the "F" mount glass.
I'm spending a lot of time getting my new PROsite Gallery up and even have been assimilated into the cloud on the Photoshop for Photographers deal (have CS6/LR5 just in case).
Expect a few images toward the middle of October, I now realize that I am excited to focus again solely on imaging instead of gear acquisition ( which tends to drive me insane).
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