Longtime Nikon F shooter (40+ years0 my main camera is a D750 which I used for nearly 10 years. It's developing a few issues and will probably need service. I just retired and will hopefully be shooting more so I looking to get into mirrorless because as others said DSLR are a dead end. Most of my glass will not work on the Z series. So I will be starting over. So do I stick with Nikon? Cost is a factor but I would like a smaller lighter system but would like to have coverage from wide to about 300mm and a nice macro lens. Can I achieve this with a budget of $5K
I bought a Nikon Z6 in 2019, having owned and used a D600 for several years. I was looking to get a smaller, lighter 'travel' cam to replace the little D3300 I'd bought for such purposes. That itself was an excellent cam, just a little lacking when it came to lower light situations. And I didn't find the DX lenses to be as good as the FX versions; my 35mm f1.8 DX just wasn't up to the same quality as my FX 50mm f1.8 lens. I had a 16-85mm DX lens, but again, that wasn't as good as my 24-120mm f4 for my D600. Oranges and apples, I know, but I felt the smaller format just didn't offer me what I wanted.
The Z6 turned out to be a revelation. Smaller and lighter, yes, but it's the image quality that blew me away. I'd always been very happy with the D600. The 24Mp sensor was excellent in low light. But the difference between the two mount systems is the quality of the lenses. The much shorter flange distance means better optical designs can be achieved; this is why Leica rangefinders were so popular. My 'kit' 24-70 f4 lens is fantastic, and the Z-mount 50mm f1.8 is another level better from even the best F-mount versions (which were already excellent). I've also added a 14-30mm f4, and the simply brilliant 105mm F2.8 macro. The Z6 itself is even better in low light, with the newer version of the same 24Mp sensor as in the D600, D750 and D780. The D600 was good to around ISO 6400; the Z6 is good for at least another couple of stops. I've had excellent useable results from ISO 51,200. That is simply astonishing. The D200 I'd had for a short while before I bought the D600, was good to ISO 1600. In good light, there's not so much between the two, but if you're pixel peeping, the Z6 has a slight edge. I work quite a bit in poor lighting situations, and the Z6 has more refinement and better control of noise, colours, edge contrast and that. Side by side though, you'd be hard pressed to tell the differencees; they're subtle and only really become apparent through use. Ergonomically, the DSLRs are better imo; especially with larger lenses. I use a few older F-mount lenses with the FTZ adapter, and they work perfectly fine. You say most of your lenses won't work on the Z series; do you mean older mechanical AF lenses? Because other than that, pretty much all F-mount lenses will work just fine on them, or at least as well on any DSLR body. The mechanical AF lenses just wont AF. Which I know, is very annoying.
For a $5k budget, you could easily get into mirrorless. A Z6ii body, perhaps, if you want something similar to your D750. A Z7ii if you want more pixels for say landscapes and that (not quite as good in lower light though). You could afford sometihng like a Z8 and a 24-120 f4 zoom, although that leaves you with nothing really to play with. Remember that older AF-S lenses, that is, lenses with built in AF motors, will work perfectly fine with the FTZ adapter. So you could get something like a 300mm F4 AF-S lens used, or even a f2.8 version if you want to spend the extra. If you're happy with MF at the wide end, where focus accuracy isn't as important, then there's loads of inexpensive options that will work with the FTZ adapter. So you can definitely get into ML for your budget, easily.
Moving to another brand is of course an option, although Nikon have caught up and are now surpassing Sony in terms of some of the lenses they are making. Very little real world differences, swings and roundabouts really. Canon would allow you to use loads of old EF lenses with an adapter. I stuck with Nikon because I could still use most of my lenses perfectly fine with an adapter. AndI'm very happy with the improved image quality the new S-Line lenses are delivering.
I still have my D600, I just rarely use it now. It's currently on loan to a friend, who wants to get back into photography. DSLRs are still perfectly capable photographic tools. And with the S/H market growing, will continue to be great for many years to come.
