Upgrading from APS-C to Full Frame

[NeelModi]

Hi all

Please see my gear list for my current setup. The D7000 is over 10 years old, lenses bought over the years.

Body:
Nikon D7000 (crop sensor)

DX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 17-55m F2.8 DX lens
Nikon AF-S 35mm F1.8 DX lens
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 DX ultra wide-angle lens
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 Macro DX lens

FX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 FX lens
Nikon AF-S 85mm F1.8 FX lens

I'm considering moving up to a full frame Nikon Z5 with the NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. Some of my considerations:

• mirrorless system will be lighter to carry around
• better low-light performance (I shoot often in music venues)
• I can use my FX lenses (with the FTZ II mount adapter)
• my DX wide-angle will be useless
• I won't miss the top LCD screen as it's getting harder to focus on with my aging eyes
• I might miss the pop-up flash, haven't used it very often, but handy sometimes
• I don't care about video, I have a Lumix 4K camera that works just fine for me

I shoot mostly landscape/architecture, some astro, some portrait, and music events (often dark, usually no flash allowed).

I'm very happy with my current setup, but the camera is a little heavy and bulky to lug around, and I can't see the top LCD screen anymore without reading glasses, which would be annoying to take on and off while shooting. Mostly now I look through the viewfinder to see and tweak settings.

Questions:

• Can I use my Speedlight SB-600 with a Z5?
• Can I use my remote shutter Nikon MC-DC2 with a Z5?

Just wondering if this is a worthwhile upgrade? Henry's store here in Canada is having a pretty good sale, I can get a new Z5 with Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens and the FTZ II mount adapter for about $3K Canadian.

Thanks for any advice and feedback!

Neel

 

[MJ_Photo38]

Hi all

Please see my gear list for my current setup. The D7000 is over 10 years old, lenses bought over the years.

Body:
Nikon D7000 (crop sensor)

DX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 17-55m F2.8 DX lens
Nikon AF-S 35mm F1.8 DX lens
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 DX ultra wide-angle lens
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 Macro DX lens

FX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 FX lens
Nikon AF-S 85mm F1.8 FX lens

I'm considering moving up to a full frame Nikon Z5 with the NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. Some of my considerations:

• mirrorless system will be lighter to carry around
• better low-light performance (I shoot often in music venues)
• I can use my FX lenses (with the FTZ II mount adapter)
• my DX wide-angle will be useless
• I won't miss the top LCD screen as it's getting harder to focus on with my aging eyes
• I might miss the pop-up flash, haven't used it very often, but handy sometimes
• I don't care about video, I have a Lumix 4K camera that works just fine for me

I shoot mostly landscape/architecture, some astro, some portrait, and music events (often dark, usually no flash allowed).

I'm very happy with my current setup, but the camera is a little heavy and bulky to lug around, and I can't see the top LCD screen anymore without reading glasses, which would be annoying to take on and off while shooting. Mostly now I look through the viewfinder to see and tweak settings.

Questions:

• Can I use my Speedlight SB-600 with a Z5?

yes

• Can I use my remote shutter Nikon MC-DC2 with a Z5?

yes

Just wondering if this is a worthwhile upgrade? Henry's store here in Canada is having a pretty good sale, I can get a new Z5 with Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens and the FTZ II mount adapter for about $3K Canadian.

This is a pretty good deal. The 24-120 f/4S is a magnificent lens. You could check if they have kits with the 28-75 f/2.8 as well, I feel like you could use the f/2.8 in lower light (and everything above 70mm is already covered by your 70-300)

Consider maybe the Nikkor 14-30 f/4 S to replace your Sigma 10-20mm. I fear an equivalent lens in F mount (AF-S 16-35 f/4G) would be extremely bulky in comparison

You could sell your whole D7000 + the DX lenses you have to pay for a part of that new Z mount kit.

Thanks for any advice and feedback!

Neel

 

[LAPD]

Hi all

Please see my gear list for my current setup. The D7000 is over 10 years old, lenses bought over the years.

Body:
Nikon D7000 (crop sensor)

DX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 17-55m F2.8 DX lens
Nikon AF-S 35mm F1.8 DX lens
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 DX ultra wide-angle lens
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 Macro DX lens

FX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 FX lens
Nikon AF-S 85mm F1.8 FX lens

I'm considering moving up to a full frame Nikon Z5 with the NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. Some of my considerations:

• mirrorless system will be lighter to carry around
• better low-light performance (I shoot often in music venues)
• I can use my FX lenses (with the FTZ II mount adapter)
• my DX wide-angle will be useless
• I won't miss the top LCD screen as it's getting harder to focus on with my aging eyes
• I might miss the pop-up flash, haven't used it very often, but handy sometimes
• I don't care about video, I have a Lumix 4K camera that works just fine for me

I shoot mostly landscape/architecture, some astro, some portrait, and music events (often dark, usually no flash allowed).

I'm very happy with my current setup, but the camera is a little heavy and bulky to lug around, and I can't see the top LCD screen anymore without reading glasses, which would be annoying to take on and off while shooting. Mostly now I look through the viewfinder to see and tweak settings.

Questions:

• Can I use my Speedlight SB-600 with a Z5?
• Can I use my remote shutter Nikon MC-DC2 with a Z5?

Just wondering if this is a worthwhile upgrade? Henry's store here in Canada is having a pretty good sale, I can get a new Z5 with Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens and the FTZ II mount adapter for about $3K Canadian.

Thanks for any advice and feedback!

Neel

Seems like a good deal, but if weight is one of your primary concerns, you won't gain much with that switch. Body weight alone is pretty similar i think. Other than that it should be a very noticeable upgrade.

 

[ZilverHaylide]

Hi all

Please see my gear list for my current setup. The D7000 is over 10 years old, lenses bought over the years.

Body:
Nikon D7000 (crop sensor)

DX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 17-55m F2.8 DX lens
Nikon AF-S 35mm F1.8 DX lens
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 DX ultra wide-angle lens
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 Macro DX lens

FX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 FX lens
Nikon AF-S 85mm F1.8 FX lens

I'm considering moving up to a full frame Nikon Z5 with the NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. Some of my considerations:

• mirrorless system will be lighter to carry around
• better low-light performance (I shoot often in music venues)
• I can use my FX lenses (with the FTZ II mount adapter)
• my DX wide-angle will be useless
• I won't miss the top LCD screen as it's getting harder to focus on with my aging eyes
• I might miss the pop-up flash, haven't used it very often, but handy sometimes
• I don't care about video, I have a Lumix 4K camera that works just fine for me

I shoot mostly landscape/architecture, some astro, some portrait, and music events (often dark, usually no flash allowed).

I'm very happy with my current setup, but the camera is a little heavy and bulky to lug around, and I can't see the top LCD screen anymore without reading glasses, which would be annoying to take on and off while shooting. Mostly now I look through the viewfinder to see and tweak settings.

Questions:

• Can I use my Speedlight SB-600 with a Z5?
• Can I use my remote shutter Nikon MC-DC2 with a Z5?

Just wondering if this is a worthwhile upgrade? Henry's store here in Canada is having a pretty good sale, I can get a new Z5 with Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens and the FTZ II mount adapter for about $3K Canadian.

Thanks for any advice and feedback!

Neel

The Z 24-120 lens is supposedly outstanding, as a Sony user, wish I had something like it as an option.

Not sure what your budget is for camera and glass combined, whether you intend to sell some or all of your DX glass, and what you could get for it, but I'm wondering, whether it might be worthwhile to buy a Z7 (i or ii), the high-resolution sensor would let you get reasonable results in crop mode from your DX glass, either long term or simply for a transition period while you flesh-out your new system with full-frame glass (mirrorless or used DSLR glass)?

 

[MJ_Photo38]

Hi all

Please see my gear list for my current setup. The D7000 is over 10 years old, lenses bought over the years.

Body:
Nikon D7000 (crop sensor)

DX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 17-55m F2.8 DX lens
Nikon AF-S 35mm F1.8 DX lens
Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 DX ultra wide-angle lens
Sigma 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 Macro DX lens

FX Lenses:
Nikon AF-S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 FX lens
Nikon AF-S 85mm F1.8 FX lens

I'm considering moving up to a full frame Nikon Z5 with the NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. Some of my considerations:

• mirrorless system will be lighter to carry around
• better low-light performance (I shoot often in music venues)
• I can use my FX lenses (with the FTZ II mount adapter)
• my DX wide-angle will be useless
• I won't miss the top LCD screen as it's getting harder to focus on with my aging eyes
• I might miss the pop-up flash, haven't used it very often, but handy sometimes
• I don't care about video, I have a Lumix 4K camera that works just fine for me

I shoot mostly landscape/architecture, some astro, some portrait, and music events (often dark, usually no flash allowed).

I'm very happy with my current setup, but the camera is a little heavy and bulky to lug around, and I can't see the top LCD screen anymore without reading glasses, which would be annoying to take on and off while shooting. Mostly now I look through the viewfinder to see and tweak settings.

Questions:

• Can I use my Speedlight SB-600 with a Z5?
• Can I use my remote shutter Nikon MC-DC2 with a Z5?

Just wondering if this is a worthwhile upgrade? Henry's store here in Canada is having a pretty good sale, I can get a new Z5 with Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens and the FTZ II mount adapter for about $3K Canadian.

Thanks for any advice and feedback!

Neel

The Z 24-120 lens is supposedly outstanding, as a Sony user, wish I had something like it as an option.

Not sure what your budget is for camera and glass combined, whether you intend to sell some or all of your DX glass, and what you could get for it, but I'm wondering, whether it might be worthwhile to buy a Z7 (i or ii), the high-resolution sensor would let you get reasonable results in crop mode from your DX glass, either long term or simply for a transition period while you flesh-out your new system with full-frame glass (mirrorless or used DSLR glass)?

if he switches to a Z5 + 24-120 + FTZ, he would have 24-300mm range + 85mm at f/1.8.

More than enough to capture everything he needs. The IBIS and full frame sensor in the Z5 would be much more than enough to compensate for the constant f/2.8 of the 17-55mm lens (which has no stabilization, neither does the D7000)

Only thing he'd need would be a 50mm f/1.8, either Z or F mount it doesn't really matter (the Z mount one is really really good, but the F mount one is more than enough for the 24MP sensor on the Z5, and it's only like 100 bucks used)

Only thing he would really be missing is the 10-20. I don't know how often does OP use that lens, but it can be replace dby the 14-30mm f/4 pretty easily.

I don't think a Z7 to have a high res DX mode is that worth it, especially with the initil kit ie would have with the camera.

 

[ZilverHaylide]

Yeah, looking more closely at what glass he has, I think you're right.

 

[NeelModi]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I did end up with the Z5 and the 24-120 F/4 S lens. It's certainly an upgrade from my D7000, everything I've shot so far has been tack sharp and very little noise even at high ISOs. I'm very impressed and happy.

The issue I'm having now is that I picked up an older Sigma 14mm f/2.8 D EX HSM Aspherical lens on ebay for pretty cheap, but it doesn't seem to want to talk to my Z5. It gives me errors, says there's low light even though there's clearly not. When I slapped it on my D7000, it worked perfectly. I found a website that lists all lens compatibility with the FTZ, and this lens is missing from the list. I guess it is a lot older, from 1998 or so. Did I goof with this purchase?

 

[MJ_Photo38]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I did end up with the Z5 and the 24-120 F/4 S lens. It's certainly an upgrade from my D7000, everything I've shot so far has been tack sharp and very little noise even at high ISOs. I'm very impressed and happy.

The issue I'm having now is that I picked up an older Sigma 14mm f/2.8 D EX HSM Aspherical lens on ebay for pretty cheap, but it doesn't seem to want to talk to my Z5. It gives me errors, says there's low light even though there's clearly not. When I slapped it on my D7000, it worked perfectly. I found a website that lists all lens compatibility with the FTZ, and this lens is missing from the list. I guess it is a lot older, from 1998 or so. Did I goof with this purchase?

Hey, this lens has an aperture ring, so you most likely need to put it down to the minimum aperture to have it working (seems to be f/22 on this lens).

Autofocus is internal to the lens, it should work.

If neither of these things work, then maybe a return should be considered.

 

[ZilverHaylide]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I did end up with the Z5 and the 24-120 F/4 S lens. It's certainly an upgrade from my D7000, everything I've shot so far has been tack sharp and very little noise even at high ISOs. I'm very impressed and happy.

The issue I'm having now is that I picked up an older Sigma 14mm f/2.8 D EX HSM Aspherical lens on ebay for pretty cheap, but it doesn't seem to want to talk to my Z5. It gives me errors, says there's low light even though there's clearly not. When I slapped it on my D7000, it worked perfectly. I found a website that lists all lens compatibility with the FTZ, and this lens is missing from the list. I guess it is a lot older, from 1998 or so. Did I goof with this purchase?

Hey, this lens has an aperture ring, so you most likely need to put it down to the minimum aperture to have it working (seems to be f/22 on this lens).

I believe the lens (this type of lens) has to be set to its minimum aperture BEFORE it is attached to the adapter.

Z 7 & Z 6 | Digitutor | Nikon Consumer

imaging.nikon.com

Autofocus is internal to the lens, it should work.

If neither of these things work, then maybe a return should be considered.

--
(G.A.S. and collectionnite will get my skin one day)

 

[MJ_Photo38]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I did end up with the Z5 and the 24-120 F/4 S lens. It's certainly an upgrade from my D7000, everything I've shot so far has been tack sharp and very little noise even at high ISOs. I'm very impressed and happy.

The issue I'm having now is that I picked up an older Sigma 14mm f/2.8 D EX HSM Aspherical lens on ebay for pretty cheap, but it doesn't seem to want to talk to my Z5. It gives me errors, says there's low light even though there's clearly not. When I slapped it on my D7000, it worked perfectly. I found a website that lists all lens compatibility with the FTZ, and this lens is missing from the list. I guess it is a lot older, from 1998 or so. Did I goof with this purchase?

Hey, this lens has an aperture ring, so you most likely need to put it down to the minimum aperture to have it working (seems to be f/22 on this lens).

I believe the lens (this type of lens) has to be set to its minimum aperture BEFORE it is attached to the adapter.

https://imaging.nikon.com/imaging/support/digitutor/z_7_z_6/techniques/201801_22_06_ml.html

This is possible. LAst time I've used a lens that needed to be set to minimum aperture to activate the post (or the AI ring) around the lens mount, that was back in the DSLR days. Haven't used a lens like that with my Z cameras at all.

It's also possible that the lens is not communicating well with the FTZ adapter, and the adapter thinks there is no lens attached, leaving the aperture lever down, like it does when a fully manual lens is attached.

Many possibilities for sure, but if OP wants to know for sure, the only thing he can do is to se thte lens to minimum aperture and then see if that unlocks things. If it doesn't it might be wise to send the lens back / sell it and search for something else.

 

[NeelModi]

I can confirm the aperture ring was set to maximum F22 when I mounted the lens. Again, on my D700, the autofocus works just fine. But on my Z5 with the FTZ II the autofocus doesn't take, it just goes in and out endlessly trying to lock. I can set the F-stop just fine. I can use manual focus and it works just fine.

It doesn't seem like there's any firmware update available for the FTZ II. Is it too new for Nikon to issue one yet?

Thanks

Neel

 

[MJ_Photo38]

I can confirm the aperture ring was set to maximum F22 when I mounted the lens. Again, on my D700, the autofocus works just fine. But on my Z5 with the FTZ II the autofocus doesn't take, it just goes in and out endlessly trying to lock. I can set the F-stop just fine. I can use manual focus and it works just fine.

It doesn't seem like there's any firmware update available for the FTZ II. Is it too new for Nikon to issue one yet?

Thanks

Neel

Sadly I don't think that's an FTZ issue, this might be a lens firmware issue more than anything.

 

[ZilverHaylide]

I can confirm the aperture ring was set to maximum F22 when I mounted the lens. Again, on my D700, the autofocus works just fine. But on my Z5 with the FTZ II the autofocus doesn't take, it just goes in and out endlessly trying to lock. I can set the F-stop just fine. I can use manual focus and it works just fine.

It doesn't seem like there's any firmware update available for the FTZ II. Is it too new for Nikon to issue one yet?

Thanks

Neel

Sadly I don't think that's an FTZ issue, this might be a lens firmware issue more than anything.

 

[NeelModi]

I can confirm the aperture ring was set to maximum F22 when I mounted the lens. Again, on my D700, the autofocus works just fine. But on my Z5 with the FTZ II the autofocus doesn't take, it just goes in and out endlessly trying to lock. I can set the F-stop just fine. I can use manual focus and it works just fine.

It doesn't seem like there's any firmware update available for the FTZ II. Is it too new for Nikon to issue one yet?

Thanks

Neel

Sadly I don't think that's an FTZ issue, this might be a lens firmware issue more than anything.

I think you are likely right about it being a lens firmware issue.

After all, I remember the old routine that would periodically play-out back in DSLR days: Nikon or Canon would release a new body; it'd be discovered that certain third-party lenses (or some features of them) didn't work on the new body; then depending on multiple factors, including probably how expensive, how old, and how many of the lenses had been sold, the third-party lensmaker might or might not promise a lens firmware update; eventually (if promised) the update would arrive. And back in those days before lenses had USB ports or docks, a firmware update meant you had to send the lens in to a service center.

The important point, though, was that Nikon and Canon had never made any promise to keep their cameras compatible with third-party lenses. So when any incompatibility would be discovered, it always fell on the third-party lensmaker to correct (or not correct) it, via their firmware update.

When the third-party DSLR lens gets mounted on the FTZ or FTZ-II, that's analogous to mounting it on a new camera. And if it doesn't work, or work fully, that's of no concern to Nikon, they never promised that it would.

I think the OP is probably S.O.O.L., with regard to the lens working with full functionality, as there is probably zero chance that Sigma will issue a firmware update to make an old lens work on an FTZ. So he can either return it to the seller if permitted by terms of the sale, or keep and use it in manual mode, or re-sell. It being quite a wide angle, focus isn't critical, and manual focus may be quite usable, given that it's a mirrorless camera on which it'll be mounted.

Hi there

I did recently take the Sigma lens to my local service centre, they kept for over a week, but they gave it back to me as-is, telling me they couldn't update the firmware. So I'm stuck with a nice lens that I can only focus manually with. Not a biggie, but I'm also looking at other wide-angle lenses that will work better. I'll be selling this one locally, hopefully for about the same I bought it for.

 

[Bob A L]

I won't be much help, but for reference I use two old Sigma EX HSM lenses from around the year 2000 that I had with my dslr's on the FTZ and my Zfc and Z30 and they are flawless. These lenses of mine do not show up on the compatibility list for Sigma and the FTZ either.