Finding the #1 wildlife camera: DSLR vs Mirrorless!
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Tony & Chelsea Northrup search for the greatest wildlife camera at three different price points: $1,000, $2,000 and unlimited. They tested the greatest cameras in each of those brackets and narrowed it down to 1 mirrorless camera and 1 DSLR in each of those brackets:
Under $1,000: Sony a6400 vs Nikon D7500
$1,000 - $2,000: Fujifilm X-T4 vs Nikon D500
Over $2,000: Sony a1 vs Nikon D850 - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
After a few month's of research I went with the Nikon D500 and main wildlife lens the 200-500 F5.6. I also have a 70 - 200 F2.8. Like both of you the size of the D500 made a lot of the decision easy as I have big hands. No regret's, very happy with results. This was my retirement gift to myself!
An excellent choice 😍
Solid choice. I just don't like where Nikon is headin. Pretty sure they recently said they are moving all production to China.... cutting R and D, seem to be getting swamped by Sony and Canon and losing ground.
I also have the 500 with the 200-500
I won’t be changing this setup for wildlife anytime soon, it’s a magnificent combination 🤘
You did the right thing, a combo that can't be beaten at that price range. Mine lives on the 200-500.
I have both the D500 and D850. It is a great combo to have. If I want speed I go with the D500 and if I want image quality for landscapes I go with the D850
Nice to see the D500 still relevant and competitive 5 years later. Pair it with a sigma 600mm and you can get basically anything. And it never seems to miss.
Is everyone forgetting the D500 200-500mm setup??? One of the best ever!
That was what Chelsea was using.
That's what I have and wouldn't trade for anything !!
Best setup and highest value for sure
@@geraldheitman7687 :| :\
Love this shootout series for wildlife! Would love to see a third installment for a camera/lens combo at the target pricepoints, especially the mid-range new options vs the higher-end used market.
Infinitely more helpful than the other "top cameras" videos. MUCH more thorough. Thank you!
I upgraded from the Nikon D3200 to the D7500 and love it.I only have 2 lenes Sigma 17-50,and the Sigma 100-400.They both work great on my D7500.
Thanks for sharing.... great video & love your comments...I still love my Nikon D500 ....as a hobbyist it covers all my current needs...I also have kept my D7100 as I just love the ergonomics of Nikon cameras... cheers from Australia 😀
Fun video - end result though is what counts, and the best photos seemed to come from the D850
I really like your inter-personal rivalry... Really entertaining to watch - as well as informative!
Love my D850 , excellent build quality and feel. Thanks for the great review from Australia. 😀👍
Couple corrections: X-T4 has 26mp, not 24mp. 5D 4 has 30.5mp, not 35mp
Good catch Eric, I was gonna say the same.
Have been very satisfied with my 80d for wildlife. I know full-frame and mirrorless have many advantages but the end product is what we're all aiming at.
The 1.6 crop factor has been more of a benefit than a hindrance, particularly in wildlife. I find good glass is the key not just getting the latest camera with all the bells and whistles. And I can't afford to keep up with the changing times.
It may be cheating, but many of us use post-production programs to correct things that we or our camera may have missed regardless of what camera body and lens combination we are using.
Always enjoy your videos and expertise.
Thanks, Tony & Chelsea
I pined over the d7500 for a couple years. Got a good bonus and grabbed a z6ii instead.very happy
Great video guys! I bought a d500 a couple of years ago for $900 used and put 250,000 shots on it and then sold it for 850 LOL. Keep in mind you can always sell your lenses or camera body and make back most of the money when you're considering upgrading.
Thanks for video. D500 used for $1000 + $300 squeaking 300mm f/4D + $170 1.7x TC works well for me. The lens provides 200-500mm level sharpness even with 1.7x. AF is slow with TC but very fast without TC. Overall very budget friendly.
Been wanting to get 500mm pf but can't justify the price.
Tony and Chelsea have great camera advice, and have for years. Thanks for all your work. I'm glad you've remained independent, objective and provide technical details and analysis that many reviewers don't. I've had the D7500 with the 200-500mm Nikon F5.6 and it does a great job. I've moved up to full frame Z6 which is better IF wildlife is perched, not flying and close, but it's focusing and frame rate is frustrating for fast motion. The video on Z6 is way better and easier and more stabilized. The D7500 is better for wildlife but the Z6 is better all around for other genre's of photography. When I had both the Z6 and D7500 I found the D7500 sitting on the shelf so I finally sold it before it lost any more value. I had planned to use the D7500 for wildlife and Z6 for everything else but found myself always reaching for the Z6. Hard for me to carry around 2 bodies, and keep fluent with both for settings etc. Not sure if I can go back to a DSLR but the D850 is very tempting rather then stepping up to say a Z6II or Z7II whose focusing isn't stellar either and are more expensive. I wish the Nikon Z bodies focused better, otherwise the Z experience is great.
Fun and informative video! cheers guys! always a pleasure to watch your videos!
Currently my go to gear is Nikon D850 and Nikkor 500mm f/5.6 pf... Exceptional performance I must say
Thanks for the vid!
No problem!
You should have talked to the professional wild life shooters - Steve Perry and others.
Steve Perry is Da Man.
Yes ans no. They give a good perspective for more casual shooters.
Purchased my Canon 7D Mkii and a 300mm F/4L and my 70-200mm ii F/2.8 L from KEH over the past year using your coupon code, thank you.
Can't wait for the Z9. As a D850 and D500 user, till that day there is no point in upgrading, for me (for wildlife and Macro). Over all, the biggest advantage (that makes an actual difference) of a DSLM is the EVF. Silent shooting? Moving slow and steady is way more important than the sound of a shutter. Most animals are more alarmed by sudden movement than by sound. If they hear a strange sound they stay still and listen, but if nothing moves they will tollerate the sound (most of the times). If something is silent and does sudden movements, the animal will be gone.
A few things:
1) It was nice to hear consensus on older and newer gear affording the photographer good images. I like shooting DSLR in some situations and Mirrorless in others.
2) I admire the two of you for holding the D-850 and the a1 by hand near the water; I'd be too scared not to have a strap around my shoulder.
3) Whoever is shooting your videos is doing a good job, bravo!
4) Thank you. Very informative, watchable, and entertaining.
Reinforces my recent purchase of a used Canon 80D. So far I love it with my telephoto and I can share lens with my Canon 6D.
Just yesterday received my Canon R6 and 70 200 2.8 with an EF to RF adapter all from KEH using your coupon code! Very satisfied!!
Thanks for another wonderful video and all the prime content 😁👍💯📸
Thanks guys. Just subscribed to your posts. Love the humoring. Thanks for talking about the things that matter like how it fits in your hands
Loved this video guys! Really interesting. For me at a low price point my 7D and 400 prime takes some beating. I bought both of mine used a few years ago after you always recommended them and I’ve never looked back. To this day it’s still an amazing combination that takes stunning photos
Chelsea, c'mon! You DO HAVE a silent shooing with D850. You have a 30 fps silent mode, with crop and electronic shutter. See the manual.
True, though the AF in this mode is extremely poor. Even a Z6 with the original firmware had better AF than that
SL2 shooting mode in Liveview. I had to look that up - didn’t know that! This is great! Don’t know about the AF performance.
It is DX crop mode, but it shoots blazingly fast without blackout (!!) (contrary to the SL1 mode, which is is FX but blacks out major big time).
Thanks for the hint. When I find myself in the situation to shoot some wildlife, I’ll definitely try it out!!
PS1: the D500 does not have this.
PS2: Chelsea should demand a rematch! ;-)
If you enjoy MF then that may be an option....D850 LV focusing is next to unusable.
Used to have a Canon 80D and 5D iv with a 100-400mm. It was great. now have an R5 and R6 with the 100-500mm, 600mm, 800mm, 1.4x and 2x. Great range and lots of great results. No issues with battery life or over heating. Wonder about those bodies and lenses being weather sealed? I know some are but...
Nikon vs Everything else ;) Seriously though, while I love the mirror less tech I still enjoy my DSLR and probably wont change that for at least a couple more years as it still produces amazing photos and I still enjoy using it.
And being a Nikon it will LAST so you can let your Grand Children pass YOUR DSLR Kit down to their children long after the R5 made its last piece of toast in 8K
A Nikon DSLR is a reliable tool.
Same here..
nikon dslr with it's versatile and wide range of lens setup still give good performance at affordable price, and that is the big plus for majority hobbyist (because not all of us have infinite amount of cash).
Olympus EM1X with the 300 f4. Or Olympus EM1 iii are great
You know they hate Olympus. M1mii is cheaper than a6400. In Europe in some countries even 2 times cheaper than m1miii. I have two mii and one miii. Compare 6400 with m1mii- ridiculous.
I have an Em1 mark 2 with a 100-400 for wildlife and it’s great. ProCapture is a lifesaver!
@@andreasthegreat8509 I use 100-400 for astro and motorsport photography. I was skeptical, but this lens surprised me. Mine is much sharper at f8 than at f6.3 at 400mm. Did you notice it too? I don't know if it's just my copy. The difference is really noticeable. I think the 40-150pro with mc20 is sharper than the 100-400 wide open (both at 300mm). Sometimes I use 100-400 with mc-14. Unreal range!!
@@kamilrakowski23 strange, mine is pretty sharp vide open.
@@andreasthegreat8509 Thanks for the answer. Today I made another, but more controlled comparison (electronic shutter and camera on a tripod, iso chart 12233 and photos of the wall.) Already at f7.1 it is great, definitely better than wide open. I guess it happens sometimes. My 45mm 1.8 is a good example. At 1.8 it is really soft, but closed to f2 or 2.2 .. it's like day to night. Small difference in the aperture but big difference in sharpness. I also found something interesting about the 40-150 pro. Closing it down to f4 gives minimal improvement, but with a teleconverter there is absolutely no difference between f4, f5.6 and f8.
Regards!
Awesome video. Loved the advice regarding best type of camera given your budget.
Used D500 with used Nikon 200-500mm for 2k 90% as good as anything you can buy.
I have just discovered your videos and really appreciate your knowledge and objectivity.
Currently shooting K3-ii. I'd love a comparison between the D500 and the new K3-iii for wildlife
I bought a used D500 from KEH and a new 500mm PF lens from Tucson Camera Repair and that is my wildlife rig. I also have the 300 mm PF lens and a 1.4 TC to use as well.
Great video. Very entertaining and informative. Thank you.
Nikon D500 is the best value for money...
Love your videos. In my view, you skipped a few big price points which cover A7iii, Canon R6, R5 and A7Riv etc.
I found a used D850 a refurbished D4s on ebay. Both in mint condition with low mileage and each for around $2k. One for detail and reach and one for low light high ISO shooting. Using the compact and lightweight Nikon 500pf 5.6 as lens on both.
I've "gone mirrorless" with all but my trusty D7200. I never have to look for the controls, and it never lets me down when I have to move fast. The battery doesn't die on me, either. For wildlife and nature walks... I always take my D7200.
Nice video. Every time I think I should trade in my D500, I hear more good things about it. Time to upgrade the glass, instead.
How do you up grade the glass?
I really wish this would have discussed more about lenses and your options for those within different budgets, too.
As my holiday has been postponed until 2022, I have not yet purchased my camera (hopefully off to the Okavango Delta). Having watched several videos (ok, lots) and read a few articles (lots and lots) plus a mentoring session with a wildlife photographer the current choice is a D850 with the 200-500 lens. As a back up the D500 with something like a 70-200 (both could be second-hand). There is a camera exhibition in September where I'm hoping to get more hands-on exposure as well as talking to suppliers.
I'm mindful that there are rumours of a D850 upgrade so I will be hanging on as long as possible, probably until April 2022.
My main issue with mirrorless is battery life followed by other concerns such as lens choice and the electronic shutter.
Thanks for the video. I found it really useful.
I'm still using the Canon 7D Mark 2. Yes, it's an antique, but I still get decent-tack-sharp images.
Olympus E-M1x with 300/4 + MC-14. Best combination (for birds) in my opinion taking in image quality, IBIS, bird tracking, ergonomics, HHHR etc. etc.
ProCapture is wonderful!
i still shoot with Nikon D700 for wildlife and everyday, weddings it's better than Canon 90D which i had for 5 months sold it., Nikon is Champ in wildlife and DR, high ISO.
@M Tech yeah i loved the ergonomic of 90D but low light files and DR were not like even Nikon D3400. That surprised me most, i had D750 before.
For me (not shooting birds, but deer, foxes etc. early in the morning, walking through the forest) the low light capabilities, quiet shutter sound and low weight are more important than high pixel count or fast frame rate. The Nikon Z5 + 200-500mm with the FTZ adapter is just light enough and works fine for my needs. Of course the 500mm pf is better, but that comes with a higher price tag.
Always enjoy watching your reviews, and I'm happy my D850 is still rated good. Please keep it up.
I first got a D500, then a D850. I went back to the D500 actually buying another new one. I simply like it better for birds especially small birds.
D500 is the best APS-C camera, no other APS-C camera currently in production compares to D500.
I use a D7500 for small songbirds, and I never feel like I need a different camera. I use an 80-400mm because I find the 200-500 just too heavy. I probably should get a 500mm PF.
@@shang-hsienyang1284 Can't really agree on that. I have both lenses and the 200-500 is way slower than the 500PF. Like literally the 500PF is twice as fast. Not sure though how they perform on the D7500. The thing about the 500PF is its ridiculous sharpness. Because of that you'll spot minor imperfections much easier than on the 200-500 which becomes quite soft beyond 400mm (and is at no focal length nearly as sharp as the 500PF)
The 500 PF is AWESOME !! I had it, and now switched to Canon, and sorry they do not have something like that exceptional lens; just my 2 cents
I have to point out, seeing how you didn't, that the D850 has silent live view shooting and in AF-F mode is fast and utterly silent. I generally shoot on a monopod with a snug ball head when using bigger lenses, live view is quite easy to use in this way even for fast moving subjects, if you just got to have ultra quiet. This is a you can and I have but generally don't situation, I prefer to shoot through the viewfinder. Besides that the "shutter noise" of the D850 seems rarely if ever to "spook" birds or animals, oh they're aware you are there for sure, but even with silent shutters I am pretty sure they are still aware you are there. How many times have you focused on a birds eye only to find the little bugger is looking right at you? Yeah, they know you are there long before the shutter is tripped, you are simply not close enough for them to see you as a threat no matter how much noise your camera makes or doesn't make. If you want to know what real shooting "noise" is grab an old Nikon F2 with a motor drive and bang off a few rolls of film, even that clapping clattering banshee whine didn't often scare off wildlife.
All said and done on the usability side of things, do mirrorless silent shutter cameras produce better quality images than DSLR's? You don't seem to have fully addressed this question in the video. If your aim is to attempt to produce ultra quality very large print images the DSLR's and the D850 in particular is the answer, period. Anything less and it's pick what ever suits your fancy, most anything will produce "good" images.
I love my Nikon D7500 paired with a Nikon 200-500mm lens. I am still learning even after almost 2 years with them. I just got a set of tubes, I'm excited to see what I can do with them.
Wildlife:
Nikon D850 and Sigma 150-600. I had the sigma before I bought the D850 and it gets the job done pretty well
Shooting Nikon since 1978, I’m still firmly in the DSLR camp for wildlife (D6, D850, D500) except macro where I’m using the Z7II and 105MC. Hoping the Z9 lives up to the hype. Tony, most say the a1 acquires focus faster than the R5. Your thoughts? Thanks
I am deeply in love with my D850... I feel it is one of the most versatile...
Using my 90D and a telelens for macro...you can crop till you see the atoms....😄
Great Video and main point, how much are you prepared to pay for "upgrade". for most of us who are not full time professionals, our next best wildlife picture will not come from better gear but from being at the right place at the right time, with the best light, composition and being ready with your gear and have the skill to pull it off.
Thanks for that discount code. Saved some money on a RF lens for my Canon and agree if u see what u need on KEH buy it quick
Thanks Square space.
Love the comparison
Chelsea, what is your favorite focusing mode for the d7500? 9 points Dynamic, 3D, auto, group…? Thanks! :)
Hi Tony thx for many great videos. There are so many videos on YT for best mirrorless cameras for photography but I can’t find a video on best mirrorless camera for wildlife video. Can you make one for different budgets thx. I don’t have any gear at the moment and if money wasn’t a option I’d choose the Nikon Z9 but besides from its high price the 8k would require a expensive laptop as well. So for now I’m actually happy with 1080. But are looking forward on your recommendation. Thx
Great review. As stated it also depends on what you are shooting. It's not the same big mammals requiring pretty fast lenses and working during early days than birds. The relative importance of. "my af is faster" and "my camera is silent" go lower by a good margin when it's 5am, your are shooting bears or wolfs at a considerable distance maybe after following a pack for days. You need your. fast primes, you need a machine that will not hic-up and long battery. On the other hand for birds is exactly as shown in the video.
For wildlife you have to go pretty high-end mirrorless to get better performance than a DSLR...UNLESS you need to shoot video as well. As a retired newspaper photographer I loved shooting with my Nikon D700. However, my paper insisted on videos for online during many non-sporting events. I eventually tried the Leica V-Lux 114 for general assignment and it allowed to shoot video and still simultaneously
I love my D500 and D850 with the 300 and 500 PF lenses. I also use my 300 2.8 lens on dark days although it is getting heavier as I get older! I am waiting for the updated firmware for the Z611, hoping it will bring auto focus for wildlife eyes up to the R5 standard?? It would have other benefits like better low light images with the slow 5.6 PF. I would still use my DSLR's, at least the D850. I think it would be a lot nicer to get low to the water from my Yack , or to the ground images!
The G9 is a fantastic camera for the price. Combine it with the 100-300 II and you have a winner. You won’t be able to handle BIF’s though.
I think it's a bit harsh to say that you won't be able to handle birds in flight with the G9. It's just that you have better options even within the MFT system.
Really? Have you ever used the combo you've mentioned? I'd rather get an old D7200.
Andrei Maxim Agreed. Me not being able to handle BIFs is most likely a reflection of my skill level.
Shang-Hsien Yang I have a G85 and have used the G9 on occasion. I don’t see why it can’t go head to head with some of the options that Tony had short listed.
I love my Sony 200-600mm & Sony a6600. Great Combo❤
Olympus autofocus is frustrating ? em1 III EVERY FRAME is in focus even fast bird and em1x is even better.... ahhh you tried the prerelease with beta software maybe ? Olympus is a pioneer in the domain. 60 fps, pro capture, small size to shoot for hours, everything you need ....
The 2x crop factor helps a lot there, because it makes the DOF twice as deep.
Good for you 🙂
@@RodrigoBejarano not just good... Amazing!
I would still say 90D and 1dx3 would be better contenders on the DSLR front.
My choice as a weight/price/performance compromise is the Canon 90D with the EOS 400mm DOII lens. Portable and very sharp.
Nice Lens for sure >> Canon s only claim to fame the Great MK II and MK III big white glass .. Competed fairly with the Nikon ED Big timers
m1mii 990$. In Europe, half price of xt4. 10fps and buffer for 400 raw. 18 fps with electronic shutter and buffer for 130 raw. Pro capture mode. Brilliant ergonomics and best ibis, focus limiter build in camera. More megapixels does not mean better iq, because the pictures taken with the olympus are sharper than any picture taken with xt4 (buffer for 40 pictures !!) and fuji lenses. Olympus afc is more reliable than fuji afc. Xt4 and M1x? Not even close.
I use the Pentax K-3 Mark III with the HD DA 55-300 PLM or D FA 150-450. I'd be interested in your thoughts on the K-3 Mark III. It's not like any of the Pentax cameras of old (which I also have).
Thank you for explanation
Best sports dslr hybrid? I was going to go 1dxiii but have heard on numerous occasions of oil splatter problems on the sensor
Good review. No perfect camera for sure. Comes down to an individuals budget and how the camera feels in hand is extremely important also beyond overall performance. I shoot the Olympus system, EM1 X feels awesome in my hand but of course the sensor performance in low light for fast moving targets when fast shutter speeds are needed is way behind larger sensors. I rented a Canon R5, 100-500 and the 600 f4 lenses for a week. Autofocus was better, yes, but didn’t notice anything amazingly different for birds in the air, especially larger ones like ducks and bigger compared to the Olympus. Both systems struggled with small birds on the wing with a busy background. Bottom line for me is the R5 was dreadful to shoot for any length of time because of the ergonomics. My thumb joint became strained, would cramp up and hurt using back button focusing. No R5 for me for that reason alone. I will keep testing other systems, looking for that “perfect camera”.
Olympus Em1 with the 100-400 is wonderful!
Love this video. I’m new to photography and shoot birds so this was a great comparison for me. I currently have a d7000 and lenses for it. So it only makes sense to upgrade to either the d7500 or d500
I enjoyed the comparison/contrast of features and capabilities by camera type. I wonder though if you went through this based on lens selection would you end up with the same cameras? If you picked your favorite or preferred lens across price points would you have the same cameras or different in your hands for the video.
Awesome at the end . Equal revue :)
Sony A1 with my 600 F4 GM...epic, fantastic and the best for me! 👍
Same here who needs a new car !
Yeah, 20000$ combo. Who would guess it can be good.
I mean, that's the sum of money I spent on all photo/video gear in my entire life combined :D
I am using my beloved Nikon D500 with 150-600mm G2 Tamron glass
Talking about batterylife. My first digital was a Minolta Dimage 7. 30 - 40 pictures and time to charge or change battery. It used 4AA batteris I use to have 20 with me. Everyting wasnt better then.
Hey just watched the videos! I'm still looking as alway i'm with a nikon d5600 and a 200-500 5.6. Im thinking about upgrading have a couple questions obviously are nikon mirrorless yet any good. Any reason ti switch to them if im mostly 90% wildlife. Also as i have been looking at the d500 and the d850 i like the crop sensor of the d500 for the reach. At what point is the d850 a better buy? If the difference in price is 300-600 (used obviously) any other benefits over the d500? And greetings to Tony and Chelsea met them in 🇵🇷 san juan! Great people!
I like d850 for the price and resolution but d7500 is very usable in wildlife with much better video and very cheap 👍
How does the D7500 have better video than the D850?
@@lukes5533 well I’m not a pro videographer and relied only on autofocus, d7500 I believe is using phase detect like the d780 in video..I’m using it from time to time with my afp lenses..I believe the d850 is still using contrast detect in video…correct me if I’m wrong.
@@voodudelmobile5629 All Nikon Dslrs use contrast detect Autofocus for video except the d780 which gets the same internals from Z6 and uses phase detect in liveview.
I love my Canon 5DM4 so much and will continue to use but I am looking for a mirrorless for a back up camera
I am not yet convinced that EVF is the way to go. I have my X20 with OVF and X-E4 with EVF. On the X-E4 using the new 27mm f2.8 and have my X20 set at 28mm. Both set the SR+, Velvia film simulations, giving me best exposure settings for jpg images. Seems like my X20 is getting sharper landscape and a little more stunning sunset images. I believe it’s because of the OVF on my X20. JFYI
So I still have my DSLR Canon 5D Mark iii. Can y'all do a video with the vs. of long distance lenses, that can be used on my Canon. I wanting to purchase another lens, for my travel photography. But I don't know which lenses are the sharpest and I really don't want to spend a ton of money on several different lenses until I find the right one.
I’m using the Fuji XH1 with grip and the 100-400. The ergonomics are great, battery life is obviously not a problem and it’s all weather sealed, but continuous tracking is a few generations out of date. The XT4 would fix the AF but the ergonomics aren’t great with a big lens, the grip partly fixes this but is really expensive, so I’m waiting for the mythical XH2.
This might sound controversial, but Z50 + FTZ + Tamron 150-600 G2 is a great budget option. Obviously not as good as D500, but I have had excellent results with mine so far.
Works better with the Tamron 18-400, believe it or not. But the FTZ adapter does tend to get in the way and ads more weight too. From experience, I say the Z50 definantly needs INIS, as the VC in the 18-400 with the FTZ adapter doesn’t seem to work as well, compared to how it works on the D7200. The D500, with the 200-500, is the best for wildlife. But my D7200 is much better than the Z50. Mirrorless can never achieve the tracking ability of a DSLR, even with blackout free EVF. The Z50 battery is its Achilles heel. My D7200 sometimes runs weeks without a charge, even after a full days of shooting. Seems I’m always charging the Z50, like my iPhone.
@@ytr8989 Great comment. The issue with the 18-400 is that it is not very sharp at full zoom. The 150-600 G2 is great but the Z50 does sometimes get lost at 600mm and I have to turn the focus ring manually to assist the Z50 on what subject to focus on - the D4 did not experience this issue and was able to recover quickly. Aside from this, believe it or not the Z50 actually exceeded my expectations. Eye AF works quite well and the focus, while not D4 like, is still pretty good. I used the Z50 to shoot car track events and it did very well. VC actually works great on the 150-600 paired with the Z50 and I saw no difference whether mounted on the D4 or Z50. I have a D7200 that is now written off after it tumbled from a moving vehicle and it had good autofocus but unfortunately it was a bit slow in burst rate for fast paced action. I will say my D4 still has much faster and accurate AF - only downside is the sensors are crammed in the central area. The battery life of the Z50 indeed is not great; I achieve 600-800 shots per charge dependent on how I use it and also weather. I have 3 spare EN-EL25's now but even then it can't outlast the D4 which easily takes 6000 shots on one charge from personal experience. There is no doubt the D500 + 200-500 5.6 is the best bundle but in Australia brand new that's easily a $4000 bundle vs the Z50 Tamron FTZ bundle at $2800 including the 2 extra batteries. Nikon mirrorless AF has a long way to go before it equates the performance of their DSLR's. The only mirrorless cameras I've used that have DSLR like AF (or better) are the A9 II, R5, R6, and A1. Nikon will definitely introduce a more advanced DX Z body soon with IBIS, but for the price of the Z50 it makes sense why IBIS wasn't implemented. The tests with the Z50 were done with latest firmware V2.11. I remember trying the Z50 in 2019 with its first firmware version and it wasn't great, but they've sinced tweeked the algorithm to enhance its capabilities.
I have a Z50 with both kit lenses. I use it as a travel and family camera though and I only rarely do wildlife.
@@HybridBell That's probably another plus for Nikon mirrorless the full time manual override using either FTZ or native lenses. I don't think the Sony's or Canon let you do that without going back into the menu. Plus the focus peaking pops up to help out as well.
Love the Z50 and Tamron 70-200G2 combo I recently used at a wedding. I also have the Z6 which I mainly have the 35mm 1.4 attached to it. Next purchase is probably the Z7ii with the new 105mm micro. At the end of the day I don't think any other system beats the files that Nikon cameras produce. Just look at the D850 images at the end.
I shoot a lot of wildlife. I’ve had deer 15 feet away shooting with normal shutter (5DIV) and have yet to frighten a deer away. I shoot birds the same way and 95% never fly away. I don’t shoot weddings so my camera is rarely set on ‘quiet’. Perhaps I’m the exception that proves the rule, but I find shutter noise a non problem. Nice video, guys!
You tell ‘m how thing work in the real world. 👍
shutter noise 0 is a zero problem, if the noise is >0 then it is more than a zero problem and that is how it is. I agree with birds, about 1 out of 20 flies away because of shutter noise, some birds are particularly shy and some are not.
Not really a shutter issue but the mirror flipping out of the way to take the photo lol
good afternoon, I really want to start wildlife photography again and have been working with a canon 7d 8 years ago. At the moment I have no more stuff and I have to start from 0 again. What brand/model would you recommend? canon 7dii, 90d, 1dx (mkii) or are there better nikon option? I would like to spend about 1000,- for my body.
I use the Canon R6 and Canon RF 600mm F11, pretty good combo and world for me. I used to also use the Sigma 150-600mm c too 🙂
I'm so excited for the XH2. Don't let me down Fuji 🤩
Thanks for the post. How would a Canon 7D mark II compare with the Sony A6400 as they can be bought for a very good price second hand, ?
I love my Sony A7lll for wildlife and have gotten some pretty good results. i have the Sigma 100-400.
I enjoyed this one. Nikon ruled the world of DSLR cameras right at the end and then found themselves at the back of the Mirrorless pack. (ahead of Fuji though!) I still enjoy shooting with my Z50 FTZ and 200-500 f/5.6 which you guys never consider. All that said, I am loving the auto-focus on my R6 and still hoping for a flagship APSC Canon RF camera like the rumored R7. Thanks again, keep up the good work.
Just love my Canon 1DX mark iii ... thanks for another great show Folks :-)
M6 mark ii definitely for me thks!
You two rock!
I use the Sony A7rIII with the Sony FE 200-600mm. With the right focus setting and with practice, I always get sharp focus doing birding, even birds in flight. With 42MP, there's plenty of room if I choose to crop the photos and still maintain good resolution.
Same setup as me and its really a good one ☝️. Sharp and great focus.