Are DSLRs completely out? A 46 megapixel D850 is $2000 USD, the same as a Micro 4/3 OM System OM-1 Mk II. Yes, I know it’s big and heavy.
Same sensor and price as the Z7 ii. Unless you have a lot of really nice F-mount glass or need the extra ruggedness, I’d get the Z7ii, better glass in the Z lineup.
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And there are plenty of used options for high MP DLSRs which are considerably cheaper.
Well, I do own or have access to quite a few Nikon DSLR lenses, but my best ones are old, manual AIs lenses that don’t work very well with the latest bodies. They do work, but it is fiddly.
So, I guess if I was buying, I would look closely at the Z7 II. Thanks
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One thing to consider is that the AF of the D850 is significantly better than the AF of the Z7 ii. Not saying the Z7 ii is bad, and it has some features that the D850 doesn’t, like eye-AF. In that specific use case it’s a bit better. But the D850 is quicker and has better tracking. If I had to choose just one for wildlife or action, I’d definitely choose the D850. In fact, except for the third generation mirrorless cameras (Z50ii, Z8, Z9, Z6 iii, Zf), the latest generation DSLRs (D850, D500, D5, D6) are much better than the earlier Nikon mirrorless cameras in terms of AF - again with the exception of the eye-AF feature.
Now that the Z50ii has most of the AF features of the Z8/Z9 line (except for the Raw speed of course), it doesn’t make as much sense to get a DSLR solely for the price. Of course it still does if you want something DSLR-specific…after all the D500 is still more rugged than the Z50ii and has an OVF.
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Can you explain what you mean here? If you used the Z8 in APS-C mode, that 45MP image would become 20MP, which is essentially the same as just using a 20MP APS-C camera. There shouldn’t really be an image-quality penalty - just reduced resolution.
You could probably crop that 45MP camera by x2, which would create roughly a 12MP image, and you’d still have good resolution for most use cases, and it should be comparable to many older cameras and phones on the market, maybe even better because of the lens used.
So where does the “more contrast than detail” come in? Are you talking about more extreme crops or are you thinking that after a certain resolution, you’re just not getting enough detail?
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I wouldn’t pay more than 1300 for both a D850 or a d780… I do like the size of the old DSLRs more than the mirrorless cameras. My pinky hangs of the Z5 ii , Z6/7 Cameras… Z8 is slightly bigger than my current D750 but is very expensive.
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If you don’t want to tuck your pinky under the camera, you could try an L-plate, maybe?
That’s what I do with my X-T5. With an L plate / grip, it’s much more comfortable to hold, even if it’s heavier.
I know some people like big cameras, but I just can’t get over the fact that it’s almost 1KG just for the body. That’s medium-format size. I know it’s all-singing, all-dancing and by all accounts a great camera, but for a hobbyist like myself who likes hiking, I can’t see myself ever getting anything that big.
If those saying the Z8 has replaced the Z7 line are right, that would rule out quite a lot of people who want a higher res sensor but don’t want to carry such a large camera.
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I watched a Youtube video this morning that had a slightly different take on the Z7/Z8 future. I know these videos are AI generated and 99.9% BS but this one seemed to make sense to me and lined up with a few articles I have read. Probably just wishful thinking.
Lol for this ai generated video YouTube wants me to login to make sure I’m not a bot. 
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I just read that Nikon has secured the 4th largest booth at the CP+ Photo Show in Yokohama, Japan that starts this Thursday. We may be getting close to seeing what Nikon actually has in store for us.
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Then why on earth waste your time on it? If someone can’t be arsed to make a video, why should you be arsed to watch it?
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Tbh the whole leaks and fluff is not very interesting to me. I only care about official news as a lot of “leaks” are just made up nonsense for attention I guess.
I watch some videos because I am interested in what they have to say. I find that interesting, entertaining and NOT a waste of time.
What I would find a waste of time is making rude and ignorant comments telling people what they should and shouldn’t watch. That just doesn’t seem productive to me.
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I hate the AI-generated trend and usually avoid these videos like the plague. But some of them do have a script that has been written by a human, so the content isn’t always bad. To give the channel the benefit of the doubt, the person might just be uncomfortable on camera or with a microphone, so AI solves this problem for them. Who knows?!
If they’re right about a 61MP Z7III, I usually think 61MP is too much. But, Nikon does include reduced resolution RAW options, as opposed to Sony, so it could be a nice option. It would give you the option to shoot at 45MP for example for most scenarios but then you can go up to the full 61MP when you want. But this camera would probably be out of my price range until 5 years later anyway 
As for the rumoured Z90, I wonder if there would be anything unique about its form factor or whether it would just be a clone of their FF bodies. I like what they did with the ZF and ZFc, and I could see myself having a Z5II and a ZFc one day as a landscape/street combo kit. It’s fun to use dials sometimes. I also quite like that Sony/Fuji offer SLR styles and rangefinder styles. I know people usually prefer one or the other, but I like to shake things up a bit.
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Wouldn’t the 61mp gobble the market for the z8? I feel like the z8 should have been 61mp which would have been a step up from 45mp. It feels like nikon doesn’t know what its doing…just throwing everything at the wall to see if it sticks.
I’m a big dude so the weight from the body doesn’t really bother me. I do notice it from lenses but all you have to do is take a break every so often which I usually do on public transit or at a cafe.
The one place I respect for rumours is https://nikonrumors.com/ . They tend not to post unless they have a good source.
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I went from a D750 to a D6III. Their grips are pretty similar.