I am upgrading my gear and I have a decision to make. I currently shoot mostly field sports and I am using the following camera lens combos, all Nikon:
D500 with a 300mm f/2.8 (long lens)
D4 with a 70-200 f/2.8 (mid range)
Z6 24-70 f/4 (non action/ portrait, team photos ect..)
I can either upgrade to a used D5 with a used 400 2.8 or buy a z9 and continue to use the 300. I cannot afford both a z9 and a 400 at this time.
I have always put glass in front of a camera body but I am not sure if a z9 changes that.
I mainly shoot MLS soccer and some D1 college sports.
What would you do?
Thanks for your feedback. I am leaning towards a D5 and a 400 f/2.8
Sell it all and go Sony......could not resist...I shoot a combo of two Sony A1s and then a Fujifilm GFX 100s medium format...prior to Sony I shot with Canon DSLR...
My recommendation...invest in the Z9 and use with the 300 and maybe add a 1.4x for when you need a little more reach. Then save the pennies and grab that four hundred...
Pretty confident you can use your Nikon glass via adapter with the Z9, so not sure I would sell all of your Nikon glass...sell the D500 and D4 for the Z9...do not know enough of the Z6 or your need for multiple bodies.
Only reason to recommend the above is your a Nikon shooter...if you were open, I would say make the jump to Sony A1s and do not look back...
I know it is easy to spend someone else's money but stick with Nikon.
Hope you can swing it financially but the Z9 and the older style 400 f/2.8 combo will make a huge difference in how you deliver action images to your clients.
As nice as the D5 and D6 are, for action photography, the Z9 is worlds ahead...eye AF, focus accuracy and frame rate.
I still have my D6 but it is seldom used now that I have dialed in the AF system on the Z9.
From regional track last night and district finals last week:
Haha I am not changing systems but thanks for the opinion. So it seems the better option is go for a z9, use the 300 for now and crop as needed and continue to save my pennies for an older, used 400 in the future.
carl_g wrote:
Haha I am not changing systems but thanks for the opinion. So it seems the better option is go for a z9, use the 300 for now and crop as needed and continue to save my pennies for an older, used 400 in the future.
carl_g wrote:
Haha I am not changing systems but thanks for the opinion. So it seems the better option is go for a z9, use the 300 for now and crop as needed and continue to save my pennies for an older, used 400 in the future.
Carl...
The D5 and D6 are great sports cameras but I would not be genuine if I told you those 2 cameras will produce like the Z9.
I even use the Z9 for my team pictures, portraits and photojournalism.
Although I think it is a less than desirable outcome (sticking with Nikon vs switching to Sony)......I think it gave a great opportunity for Lee to show off the capabilities of the Z9 with his track pics...
I hope you guys can read my (gentle teasing and having fun) tone in my note...
I prefer the A1 for the 50MP, but that Z9 seems legit...I have a few friends who are using them and they are impressive.
Although I think it is a less than desirable outcome (sticking with Nikon vs switching to Sony)......I think it gave a great opportunity for Lee to show off the capabilities of the Z9 with his track pics...
I hope you guys can read my (gentle teasing and having fun) tone in my note...
I prefer the A1 for the 50MP, but that Z9 seems legit...I have a few friends who are using them and they are impressive.
sony and canon both have led flicker reduction at high frequencies, i think that it can be done on the z9 with a firmware update, but afaik they haven't addressed it yet, so think about the venues you are shooting in:
I shot half of 2021 with the AFS 400 f/2.8 you mentioned in your PM with the D6 and the performance was outstanding.
If you are thinking of upgrading to an action Nikon DSLR, the D6 is the best.
In my opinion, you would be better off purchasing the 400 f/2.8 and matching it to a D6 than using the Z9 with a 300 mm and if you need longer reach, a 1.4 teleconverter would give you a 550 f/4 for your soccer games.
The only reason I say that is you need the reach on full-size soccer fields.
As great a camera as the Z9 is, the AFS 400 f/2.8 will take your images to a different level.
In an ideal Nikon World, a Z9 and the 400 f/2.8 is the ultimate field sport combo but economic reality has to be considered and the D6 is no slouch when it comes to action photography.
Me personally, I would snatch that lens up and create revenue with an upgraded pro body before it's gone and wait until funds are available for a Z9.
In this case...use the best you can afford to create the best images possible.
leewoolery wrote:
One of my associates picked up 2 mint D6's for $3000 each...both cameras look like they were never used.
He sold some D5's to help finance purchase.
He has a Z9, as well, but likes the D6 in some situations especially when higher ISO's are required.
Thanks So much!! A lot of decisions to make but it looks like I’ll go back to the original plan, get the glass first and then see where I end up with as far as a body. I am hoping that I might be able to swing both a 400 and a z9 but if not I can still use a D5/D6 and get great images
carl_g wrote:
Thanks So much!! A lot of decisions to make but it looks like I’ll go back to the original plan, get the glass first and then see where I end up with as far as a body. I am hoping that I might be able to swing both a 400 and a z9 but if not I can still use a D5/D6 and get great images
Carl:
If you know any photographers close by, borrow a D6 and see what you think.
I let one of my fellow sports shooters use my D6 for baseball last year and he was impressed at how much better the AF was over the D5's he used for years and he ordered one when he got home.
Roberts Camera in Indy found one for him last summer and it has been in revenue service to this day.
I was all set to be shooting with the D6 through fall of 2022 since, at the time, we thought the Z9 wouldn't be available until October.
The Z9 arrived 9 month earlier than expected but that is a different story.
If you know any photographers close by, borrow a D6 and see what you think.
I let one of my fellow sports shooters use my D6 for baseball last year and he was impressed at how much better the AF was over the D5's he used for years and he ordered one when he got home.
Roberts Camera in Indy found one for him last summer and it has been in revenue service to this day.
I was all set to be shooting with the D6 through fall of 2022 since, at the time, we thought the Z9 wouldn't be available until October.
The Z9 arrived 9 month earlier than expected but that is a different story. ...Show more →
Most of the Nikon guys I know either stayed with their D5’s or have now upgraded to z9’s. I have only witnessed 1 D6 in the wild
Perhaps I could see about renting one.
carl_g wrote:
Most of the Nikon guys I know either stayed with their D5’s or have now upgraded to z9’s. I have only witnessed 1 D6 in the wild
Perhaps I could see about renting one.
I found that the D6 was enough of an upgrade over the D5 that I didn't hesitate purchasing knowing full well the Z9 was on the way and I would lose a ton selling the D6...but I am glad I made that decision since the scheduled arrival of the Z9 was in limbo land.
Lee is spot on. Keep the D500. No manufacturer makes a crop camera as good and you wont get much for it anyway. Pick up a Nikon 200-400 either version, they are cheap now. Awesome combo for field sports in day light. For night sports there is no substitution for the 400 2.8, that is why every sideline is packed with them. Doesn't matter who makes it, Canon, Nikon and Sony are all awesome. I also switched to Sony but spent years with the 400 2.8 Vr and the incredible 400 2.8 FL. For kicks I brought out my old Nikon D3s, and 200-400 for a baseball game, still a wonderful tool. In this day and age of almost minimum wage sports pay, I wonder why we all pay for the latest gear, myself included, when there are TONS of used, perfectly capable camera/lens at fire sale prices. for the money you could get D6 , 400 2.8 FL and still save money for less than a new Sony 400 2.8! Check out the Buy and Sell and see the incredible deals on almost new DSLR gear. good luck w your decision.
Many of the sports photographers I know are getting the mirrorless cameras like the Nikon Z9 and the Canon R3. They already have the lenses and can adapt them to their new mirrorless bodies. I can't speak for the Canon but the guys that I know are very happy with their Z9's and say the adapted 400 f2.8 works great. I was shooting with the new 100-400S lens and i switched lenses for a while with him. He used my 100-400 while I used the 400f2.8. Believe me I would have a 400 f2.8 if I could afford it. The 400 F2.8 is everything its said to be.
Below are some of my sports images with the z9. I've used the 100-400 s, 70-200 f2.8 S and the 300pf and 500pf for sports. I use the 24-70 f2.8 for basketball also. The 70-200 F2.8 S is a much better lens than the 70-200 f2.8 G. I think the 24-70 F2.8 S is better than its older G counterpart.
The 100-400 is great in good light but once the shadows show and the light gets dimmer it is time to put it back in your bag.
I ended up buying a 400 f2.8 yesterday from the buy and sell forum. It is a US, A-FS II in mint condition, recently serviced . 😀 I got a great deal on it so now I need to figure out a new body.. I’ll pair this with my D4 for now. Thanks for all the great feedback guys!!!
-Carl
leewoolery wrote:
Carl:
As nice as a lens as the Nikkor 200-400 f/4 is, the "look" that you get from the 400 f/2.8 shot wide open is unmistakable.
I want the main subject isolated from the background and other players and F/2.8 does that even though the depth of field is narrow.
The zoom capability is useful for some sports but for soccer and American football, I am at 400 most of the time.
I don't recall ever stopping mine down.
Hope that AFS 400 you were looking at is still available.
...could not resist...I shoot a combo of two Sony A1s and then a Fujifilm GFX 100s medium format...prior to Sony I shot with Canon DSLR...
