Nikon D7200 DX-format DSLR Body (Black)

NIKON D7200 REVIEWI have always appreciated it when others, especially early adopters/buyers, take the time to write a thoughtful review of their own experiences with cameras and other equipment that I am interested in, here on Amazon.Thus, my motivation for this review is to- pay it back.My photo interests are photographing wildlife, birds (especially hummingbirds), people & groups- pretty general stuff. While I do not make my living at photography, I have been studying and working at improving my photography for many years.Presently, I have and use the Nikon D300 & D600. Generally, I keep a long lens on the D300 (a DX-crop-sensor body) for immediate use if/when wildlife wanders by, as we live in a rural setting. The D600, (a FX or full-frame body) is my workhorse camera that I carry with me just about all the time. I had a D7000 (DX body), but gave it as a gift to my wife when upgrading to the D600. I really enjoyed using the D7000, but no getting a gift back once given!(If interested, you can view examples of my photography at: www dot flickr dot com/photos/pms_swim/ -- You will need to replace dot with a period (.) Amazon still strips out web addresses in reviews, I think).Anyway, I decided to get a newer DX body, as I have been using the D600 (FX) exclusively & would like to experience just a tad more reach a DX body provides with birds in flight with the lenses I use.Initially I purchased a refurbished D7100 (DX) -it seems like a nice camera, but the copy I got had a very dirty sensor & I returned it.Thus, I decided to buy a new body, but could not find a great deal to warrant the expenditure, at that point. This was before I heard about the D7200.So,that is how I came to pre-order a D7200, after reading about features, and so forth.I was attracted to the fast shutter speeds up to 1/8000 sec (my D600 only goes to 1/4000 sec),the faster frame rate & relatively larger buffer, the upgrade with auto-focus (AF).I am not into video yet, but note that the D7200 seems capable.Likewise, I am not sure I will use the wireless feature, but hope to explore it, soon.One obstacle I had to accept when ordering the D7200 is the lack of software support.In preparation for arrival of new camera, I updated my Nikon software on one computer:switching from View NX to the just released View NX-I, and from Capture NX2 to the new Capture NX-Dso I would have software on hand to read the D7200 NEF (RAW) photo files.You probably have noticed that there always seems to be lag time in getting upgrades to photo software (e.g. Adobe) that accommodates the photo files produced by new cameras.I also purchased an inexpensive OP/TECH USA SUPER CLASSIC uni-loop camera strap (here on Amazon) to replace the gaudy NIKON camera straps. In addition to appearing more low-key when out & about with the camera, it allows for easy switching to / from a wrist strap, and for the temporary removal of the neck strap when placing camera on a tripod, if desired.Another plus/factor in buying this camera is that it uses the same Nikon battery as the D600, so I have spares already on hand.Likewise, the SD/SDHC memory card slot(s) use the same memory cards I have a supply of.AND THE CAMERA ARRIVED TODAY! I was a tad concerned to see that Amazon only packed the camera box inside another box without any additional packaging (air space) materials, otherwise the out of the box experience was pretty great. I slipped a charged battery in place & 2 SDHC cards & formatted them, placed the 24-120mm, F/4 Nikon AF-S lens on.Then, I walked around the pond on a rare (of late) sunny day here in southwest Arkansas. (see photos).I was adjusting menus as I went. The AUTO setting produced nice photos in the shade, but was trying to POP UP the flash with bright backgrounds, so I switched to aperture priority & set the ISO about 500.Also, I am used to setting the AE-L/AF-L button on back as my AF on button, and use the shutter only for metering & shutter release. I had some initial confusion in doing this as the AUTOFOCUS menu scrolls up into MOVIE settings & I kept missing that detail. I eventually remembered how to set the AE-L/AF-L button & shutter release button correctly.Fortunately, one of the cats accompanied me on the stroll around the pond & proved to be a great model for trying AF with & without 3d tracking AF on. Using 3d tracking AF, II was able to fire away & capture most of the shots in sharp focus, as the cat rushed toward me. Without 3d tracing AF, II would only get the initial photo in focus. The autofocus is very quick. I also took photos of bees in front of their hive, birds in flight, fish on the surface of the pond and several flowers. The exposure and colors on the back of the camera (saving both NEF to card 1, JPG to card 2) look great. Now, over exposed several photos on this very bright day, but that was more camera operator error. I will want to try the AF later near dusk to see how camera operates in lowlight.I will try to post these examples (cat, fish on pond, daffodils, birds in flight, honey bees, peach blossoms) for your viewing. Note,I still need to open & review the camera manual. Nor have I loaded the photos into the computer to see what ViewNX-I or Capture NX-D do with the NEF (RAW) files.I will try to update if there is any interest. I will also try to answer any questions.UPDATE: for past couple of days, I have tried to strip the non-characters" from this review, but they keep showing back up, so i nuked review & tried to redo. We will see. sorry. best intentions gone astray.Using the 300mm, f/4 AF-S Nikor prime lens gives me hope that the autofocus will perform admirably. I took some photos of birds about bird feeder & will try to post them here, also. (NOTE: photos that I am attaching are from NEF files, converted via VIEW NX-I at about 60% balance quality/compression to jpgs. trade off size of file vs. helping you view details. I will also post to my FLICKR site at 100% (see address above in review). Also, I am having to learn how to use new Nikon Capture NX-D & View NX-I.

In other reviews I have told how much I dislike Nikon and their products. I think I have had problems with every thing I have bought from them!!! So why stay with a bad company??? Because Canon does not make a good travel lens.. I have Nikon's 18-200 and latest 18-300.. I wanted the lens, and had to buy a body to go with it/them.. So, that is how it goes.. I have a very low opinion of Nikon and their products these days.. In the 70s when I started in photos, Nikon was the best!!! Now, they are just hanging on, by my standards.. If it were not for the long zooms they have, I would be gone!!! But, it is the lens that hold me here.. When I bought the 18-300, a few months ago, I needed a new body for it as my D7000 had 100.000 clicks on it.. I do a lot of travel photos and needed to start my next trip with a less used body, so I bought the D7200.. The D7000 was a total pain in the butt, and I feared this one would be no better, but I just got back from Scotland with it, and while there, I shot nearly 7000 images.. It worked outstandingly well.. Was that an accident or has Nikon chosen to get their head out of dark places! But, there were no issues with the camera, and with the expanded sensitivity of the sensor, I was taking good photos in some very dim places, and they were sharp! For this trip, I had the D7200, the grip, the newest 18-300, and a SB600 flash.. It all travels as one unit.. I could have upgraded the flash to the SB700, but I do not like the idea of having the sliding switches on a big flash.. It is just tooooo easy for them to be changed by bumping or rubbing against something.. I suggest everyone avoid the SB700, and any other flash piece of equipment that has switches that can be easily changed by mistake.. When you are shooting on the run, you want everything locked down tight.. Those easy change switches will get you in way toooooo much trouble. Bottom line, the D7200 worked great on the Scotland trip. I used two Sandisk 128GB Extreme Pro cards in it and together I had a good working unit.. Could shoot like John Wayne and just keep on going!!! Shot over 6,000 images, most all were good. The bad ones were my fault. I strongly suggest the user of this body set it as I do. Set the focus to the 3D mode, set it to the exposure to the A setting, set the F-Stop to F-11, then go get the job done.. If you need more speed that you are getting, increase the ISO.. Start with 1600 and work your way up. If you reach the top, start bringing the A down to 8 or 7.1, or lower if really needed, which does happen, but rarely. As a travel photog, I find that large basic on this camera is great for all my needs.. Nearly 100 percent of my images will be seen on the internet only, so Poster size RAW files are not needed.. I find that RAW is hardly ever needed by most people, truth being known.. It is the right thing, for a few people, but a very few... If you are interested in this quality camera, then you are most likely looking for a better camera strap as well.. Based In ken Rockwell's suggestion, I got the UPSTRAP for this body. In fact I got the Kevlar strap, to make it harder for people to cut it.. The strap works great for me.. The pad on the neck part is so NON_STICK that is almost too good!!!! Costs 45 or 50 dollars, and I love it... But, it would be great if it came in a shoulder supported model.. Carrying a lot of camera weight for 8-10 hours a day on a strap around your neck is crippling.. I think my neck is now deformed... Back to the camera.. The short comings on this body is that the buttons and switches on the body cannot be locked. Just by bumping them on your shirt or jacket will cause unwanted things to happen.. It would be great if all these multi-task bodies had TOTAL LOCK options on them. They work great for studio work, but when you are riding, roping, swinging, paddling, jumping, sliding, and trying to take photos at the same time, things on this body go wrong, bad wrong.. The switched features are tooooo easily changed. If you are going to shoot 1500 action photos a day, be careful.. If you are just going to take 5 or 10 memory photos at a birthday party, no problem...