Nikon mirrorless gear I’m currently shooting:

Z7 – Based on the same sensor as the D850, this is a pretty good travel camera due to its smaller size and much lower weight.  But it’s no D850!  It’s just slushy compared to the D850.  Much less wonderful AF, and the start up / wake up delay is maddening!

But in those rare occasions when I am doing video, the Z7 shines!

24-70/2.8 S – Nice, sharp lens.  Not as big or heavy as the F mount E lens, but sharper.

24-70/4 S – Great kit lens and sharper (though slower) than the E version.  Love how small it gets.  But it’s a pain to have to remember to extend it before you can use it.

35/1.8 S – Expensive, but good.  Haven’t used it much.  Certainly better than the 35/1.4G.

Nikon DSLR gear I’m currently shooting:

D850 – Wow!  What a great, great DSLR!  Had this body come out earlier, I would never have purchased the D500, as it has nearly all the speed, low light, and AF the D500 has, but with 46MP!  And a great improvement in every way over the D810.

• Excellent AF – Fast to acquire, accurate, always seems to know what is my subject.
• 9 FPS – Even though you have to buy (at least back before they were giving them away) the incredibly overpriced battery grip and D5 battery to get it, the additional battery life and fast shooting makes the D850 a great action camera.

D500 – A great body for action and wildlife.  10fps, excellent AF, very good low light.  And with the DX crop, keeps you from wasting sensor real estate if you don’t have a long enough lens or can’t get close enough to your subject.  (AKA, the crop sensor advantage.)  Even as good as the D850 is, when I saw a cheetah getting ready to chase, this is the body I reached for.

D810 – Until the D850, this was the most amazing body I’d ever used.  You’d think that the relatively minor changes from the D800 wouldn’t make that much difference, but they did.  The most important differences for me were:

• No AA filter – The pictures out of the body could cut you they’re so sharp.  Yes, there is a dramatic difference between unprocessed shots between the two bodies.  Certainly post-processing can reduce the difference.  But still…
• Improved AF – The focus system on the D810 is much better.  I especially notice it with pictures of people.  The D810 seems to be able to always know the subject, know where their eyes are, and focus on the correct one.  The difference is amazing.  And it helps with birds, too!
• Faster frame rate – My biggest issue with the D800 was that it was much slower than the bodies I was trying to replace with it.  Even though it was slower than the D700, that really didn’t matter too much since I didn’t use the D700 for much action stuff.  But the D300 could do 8fps with the D3 battery in the grip, so 4 fps (or 5fps in DX or 6 fps with the ridiculously priced grip and D4 battery) felt like molasses when shooting birds, whales, or any other wildlife.  The D810 gives you 5fps base, 6fps in DX, and 7fps in DX with the grip and battery.  That’s close enough to the D300 that the D810 replaced both the D700 and D300 in every way.
• Quieter – I didn’t think I cared until I used the D810.  Now any older Nikon body sounds like my Pentax 6×7.

D800 (IR) – When I got it, I thought I would never buy another body again.  The resolution was amazing and it did everything pretty well.  (A big gripe at the time:  But I have to say that Nikon is crazy if they think they can get by with charging what they do for the grip, D4 battery, and battery charger.  They want nearly 2x for the D800 grip, etc., than for the equivalent D700/D300 bodies.  That’s unacceptable.  So, for the first time since moving to Nikon in 1983, I bought a third-party battery (DSTE) and charger instead of the Nikon products.  Now that I have both the D800 and D810, I am still contemplating whether to get a third party grip for the second body.  Nikon, why are you making me consider this?)

After getting the D850, my D800 was surplus, so I had it IR converted to solve the issues I had with the D200.  Now with LiveView, HD video, greater dynamic range, and much higher resolution, this is the IR camera I have been waiting for!

Nikkor 14-24/2.8 – Yes, this is an very sharp lens, but I’m on again off again with it.  It’s really big and it doesn’t take filters. And it sure would be handier if it went to 35 or at least 28. And BTW, it doesn’t work well with IR, except for video where the major flare can be a nice stylistic effect.  Starting to show its age a bit.  Can’t wait for the Z replacement to come out!

Nikkor 16-35/4 – When I figured out I wasn’t thrilled with the 17-35/2.8 (took about 5 minutes) I decided to try this lens since it is nearly as wide as the 14, has a better range, and takes filters.  I like it a lot.  It addresses the shortcomings of the 14-24 pretty well, is adequately sharp, and is easier to carry.

Nikkor 20/2.8 AF – An old design, and not necessarily super-sharp, especially below f/5.6, but what a wonderfully easy lens to carry!  Whenever I’m limited by weight or size, I often used to carry this lens with the 28-300 to cover the wide end.  Compared to other modern lenses, it’s tiny!  Eager for the Z 20/1.8 to come out, but it’ll be 3x the size.

Nikkor 24/1.4 AF-S G – I enjoy shooting with this lens, especially for video.  It is adequately sharp, probably the best of the four f/1.4 lenses I have.  This lens is pretty large and heavy, though nowhere near as bad as the 24-70E!

Nikkor 24-70/2.8G – Adequately sharp, but big!  Before being replaced by the E, I shot more with this lens than any other.

Nikkor 24-70/2.8E VR – Much bigger and more expensive than the G.  Yes, it’s sharp and has VR.  But wow it is so big and heavy!  Now that the Z is out, this beast will not be weighing me down any more, except when I need multiple bodies for big projects.

Nikkor 28-300 – This is a surprisingly decent 11x zoom lens that is perfect for situations where you have to limit the size and weight of your kit.  You can read the reviews and know that it isn’t great wide open.  I try to always shoot the lens at f/11, which seems to be the sweet spot before diffraction begins to set in.  Since 28mm is nowhere near wide enough, I often pair this lens with the 20/2.8 mentioned above for a full-range kit.  And I love having the ability to go to 300mm since that gets me into the range where I can effectively shoot birds without carrying my 300/2.8.

Nikkor 35/1.4 AF-S G – Because of a rebate/sale, I bought all four f/1.4 Nikkor lenses.  I use this lens pretty often around the house for family events.  As is the case with all f/1.4 lenses, it’s actually pretty hard to shoot wide open or at f/2 and get consistently in-focus pictures.  And if I’m shooting at f/2.8 or below, why not have the flexibility of the 24-70?  And this lens is very large and heavy, in fact, nearly as big as the 24-70!  I wouldn’t purchase this lens today, as Sigma has a 35/1.4 lens that’s sharper and cheaper.

Nikkor 35/2.0 AF – Adequately sharp, and tiny!  I’ve had this lens forever, but I rarely use it after getting the 24-70 and 35/1.4.  It was a great lens for people and panoramas when I shot DX.

Nikkor 50/1.4 AF-S G – Because of a rebate/sale, I bought all four f/1.4 Nikkor AF-S lenses a year or two ago.  I have generally stopped using this lens, though I use it sometimes around the house for portraits when there’s not enough room for the 85.  None of Nikon’s F-mount 50mm lenses are very good.  And as is the case with all f/1.4 lenses, it’s actually pretty hard to shoot wide open or at f/2 and get consistently in-focus pictures.  And if I’m shooting at f/2.8, why not have the flexibility of the 24-70?

Nikkor 70-200/2.8G – I bought this lens under the same rebate/sale as the f/1.4 lenses I picked up when I started noticing the shortcomings of the earlier version of the lens.  It definitely is sharper across the frame and has less vignetting.  It’s fatter, but slightly shorter, and thus just barely can fit in the Think Tank Airport Security bag standing up.

Nikkor 70-200/2.8E – Even more expensive and slightly bigger than the G model.  But wow!!!  What a sharp lens!  Easily one of the sharpest lenses I’ve ever used!  Goes with me everywhere.

Nikkor 85/1.4G – Because of a rebate/sale, I bought all four f/1.4 Nikkor AF-S lenses a few years ago.  This was a lens I had always dreamed of having, and it’s not as magical as I imagined.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great lens.  But it just didn’t blow up my skirt like I thought it would.  As is the case with all f/1.4 lenses, it’s actually pretty hard to shoot wide open or at f/2 and get consistently in-focus pictures.  And if I’m shooting at f/2.8, why not have the flexibility of the 70-200?

Nikkor 85/1.8G – Days before the Z mirrorless cameras and lens roadmap were announced, I purchased this lens as my first step toward trying to replicate the 20/35/85 small prime kit I used before digital.  Don’t think I’ve ever used it…

Nikkor 200-500/5.6 – Rarely do you ever hear anyone say that a Nikon lens is a bargain.  But this one is!  You pick it up and know immediately it’s not in the same class as the exotics, but it’s a great range and surprisingly good optically.  My only complaint is that it is slow to acquire focus.  Very slow.  Every Nikon shooter should have this lens!!!

Nikkor 300/2.8 AF-S VR mk I – I upgraded to this lens from the AF-S version, and really like it.  Since most of my birding requires travel, and most of my travel is for business with birding as a secondary activity, it is important for my kit to be as small as possible.  The 300/2.8 gives me the flexibility and size I need.  Using the teleconverters gives me a lot of focal length options, admittedly, though, at the expense of ultimate sharpness.  Most of the time this lens has the TC-20E III attached, and stopped down one stop, it is adequately sharp.  The TC-14E III on this lens is quite sharp.  Since I shoot most of my birds hand-held, the VR is a nice addition.

Nikkor 800/5.6E FL – In early 2018, as I was trying to figure out how to purchase a 500mm to use with my D500 for birds, etc., I came to a realization:  The “crop sensor advantage” I had so often leveraged, was actually just a compromise caused by my not having a long enough lens or being able to get close enough to my subjects.  I figured it out when I got back to the computer and cropped my bird / whale photos I had shot with the D500 and ended up with 6-10MP final images.  They were good, but too small to print large.  It finally hit me that I needed a longer lens, and that with the D850 I could finally get a decent number of pixels on my subjects so I could print the large sizes I wanted for my office gallery.  This lens was a major step toward a solution.  Yes, it’s stupidly expensive!  And very heavy!  But wow, it’s super sharp and has the reach I needed.  My left shoulder is probably permanently shredded due to hand-holding this beast. And it’s really hard to travel with.  But it comes with its own cute little 1.25 TC, taking the EFL to 1000mm at f/7.1.

TC-14E III, TC-14E II, TC-17E II, TC-20E III – Great, great, good, and very good on the 300/2.8 VR.  Occasionally I’ll pack the TC-20E III to use with the 70-200 when I might need longer reach on a trip, but don’t want to pack the 300.  It works fine, though the long skinny lens + body is a bit awkward on straps around the neck.

I didn’t find out until after ordering the TC-14E III that there was very little performance difference over the mk. II.

Opinions about other gear I have used:

Camera Bodies:

D200 (IR) – I’ve always been interested in IR photography and had many disappointing (failed) attempts with various IR film stocks.  One thing I liked about my D70 was that Nikon hadn’t yet mastered the IR cut filters on their bodies so I could shoot IR using a filter on the lens.  When I bought the D300 and D700, the D200 became surplus so I had LifePixel convert it to deep IR.  I like shooting with it because you don’t have to worry about filters (and the resulting glacial shutter speeds) and you can actually see through the viewfinder.  But the limited dynamic range of the body requires you to do at least three-stop RAW brackets to eliminate the banding.  And without LiveView, focus is always a guess.  These days, I’d love to get at least a D700, or maybe even a D800, converted for a truly high performance body that has LiveView.

D300 – The D300 pairs wonderfully with the D700 since it uses the same batteries, grips, and QR plates. The D300 has nearly identical controls, has the same great focusing system as the D700 (in one way it’s even better), and it has the telephoto advantage of the smaller DX sensor, so it’s the perfect camera for birds (and whales).  Does 8fps with the EN-EL4A.

D700 – I LOVE the D700! It’s incredibly functional in all the ways I need. Super fast focus, incredibly low-noise at high ISOs, and, of course, a return to the good old days of being able to do real wide angle.

Lenses:

Nikkor 17-35/2.8 – I bought this lens as an alternative to the 14-24.  Better range, smaller, and takes filters.  But it’s not as sharp and it squeaks sometimes when it autofocuses.  See this for more.

Nikkor 18-70 DX – A surprisingly good kit lens.  I used this lens for years with no complaints.

Nikkor 18-200/3.5-5.6 DX Mk. I – A good lens when you want to carry just one. Not super sharp, but what do you expect for an 11x zoom? Creeps. I still use this lens as my main IR lens with the D200(IR)

Nikkor 50/1.8 – I wish I had liked it, but I didn’t. Too cheap feeling and the results didn’t impress me.

Nikkor 85/1.8 – My favorite lens for people back in the day. Sharp and a great look.

Tamron 90/2.8 Macro – Easily as sharp as the Nikkor Micros. Much cheaper. I hardly ever shoot macro so it’s fine. (I usually use the 300/2.8 + TC!)

Nikkor 70-200/2.8 Mk. I – Very sharp in the center. I’ve not had many issues with vignetting or softness at the corners with the D700 like others have.  I also shoot this lens with a TC on the D300 when I don’t want to carry the big lens and I get generally very good results.  The latest tests say the Mk. I lens is actually sharper in the middle than the new one and thus is better with DX and TCs.

Nikon 180/2.8 AF – This is one of the legendary Nikon lenses so I was excited when I picked one up.  I don’t know why, but I’ve never fallen in love with it.  I do have a couple of shots in my portfolio from this lens, as it was a frequent part of my early digital kit.  Now it sits on the shelf.

Nikkor 300/2.8 Mk. I – I have the first AF-S version, which has super-fast focus, but is heavy as a tank. (I have a permanent pain in my left arm from using this lens.) It is just an incredible lens and is always attached to the D300 (nearly always with the TC-20).  Sometimes there are distracting OOF specular highlights.  All reports say the 300 w/TC-20 is not professionally sharp, but until I can come up with the funds to get a 500/4 AF-S VR or the like, it’s the only way I have to get to 600.  Sitting on the shelf.

Nikon 300/4.0 AF – Very sharp and light.  Barely useful for birds.  Amazingly easy to get sharp telephoto shots with this lens compared to the much much heavier 300/2.8 lenses.

TC-20EII – Good match for the Nikkor 300/2.8 Mk. I.

Other stuff sitting on the shelf:  N90s, FE, Pronea 6i, Pentax 6×7 w/55, 105, 150, and a beautiful Takahashi 4×5 wooden field camera w/Schneider SA90/8 and Nikkor 150/5.6.

Current surplus gear:

D70 – with about 11k clicks.  But why would anyone want this?  And what would I use for pictures of all the other gear?

D200 (IR) – When I bought the D300 and D700, the D200 became surplus so I had LifePixel convert it to deep IR.  I liked shooting with it because you don’t have to worry about filters (and the resulting glacial shutter speeds) and you can actually see through the viewfinder.  But the limited dynamic range of the body requires you to do at least three-stop RAW brackets to eliminate the banding.  And without LiveView, focus is always a guess.

D300 – with about 19k clicks.  Perfect condition.  My daughter was using it a bit for stop-action videos, but hasn’t touched it for probably a year.

Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 AF DX – Thought I had given this one away…  I don’t love it, because it just didn’t seem to be super sharp.  But many people have gotten along with them just fine.

Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 AF – Wonderful lens.  Replaced it with the 85/1.4G.

Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 AF-S mk I – Excellent lens.  Great AF.  Completely refreshed internally with new AF motor.

Nikkor TC-20E II teleconverter – Excellent with the 300/2.8 AF-S.

Lowepro Rolling Computrekker – Wow I hate this bag!