I shoot with the Nikon D850 and could not be happier with it. I purchased it in 2022 as an upgrade from my D610. I have used the D850 in a wide range of circumstances and conditions and it has always performed extremely well. When Ken Rockwell (https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d850.htm) first reviewed the camera back in 2017 he stated: “The Nikon D850 is Nikon’s top technical performance camera of all time. It’s the best Nikon ever for nature, landscapes and portraits with its extraordinary technical performance, …” From my experience with the D850 I completely agree with Ken. It’s a joy to shoot with. I have found Ken’s work to be helpful and recommend the link above if you want a detailed review of the D850.
For Nikon shooters like myself the future is most assuredly the new “Z” line of mirrorless cameras. However I for one do not have the budget nor the need to make the switch to mirrorless just yet. The D850 does everything I need and more. Plus the price of and availability of used FX lens makes it appealing to hold off on upgrading for at least a couple more years. Speaking of lenses, I primarily shoot with either the AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VRor the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR Lens. For birding and wildlife I use mostly the AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6 and over all I am very happy with the lens. Living in the PNW I am often shooting with overcast skies and with the f/5.6 I find I am often shooting at higher ISO levels. However, the D850 handles higher ISO ranges well and that coupled with noise reduction software when needed produces images that are satisfying for me even at higher ISO settings.
I am hoping to purchase a used 600 mm f4 prime lens in the not too distance future. I rented one for a recent shoot and was really happy with the results. It is just a better quality lens then the 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR and it pairs better with 1.4 tele-converter as well. Getting close enough to fill the frame with any wild animal is always a challenge so I am looking forward to having the extra range provided by the 600 mm prime.
I use the Benro Mach3 Extra Long Aluminum 4 Series tripod. This is a heavy duty tripod that is solidly built. It can support up to 45 pounds of gear. No, I would never take it backpacking as it weighs close to seven pounds. However, it works great for the drive-up and walk-a-mile or less type of shoots I most often do. I also have the Benro MAD49C Adventure 8X Carbon Fiber Series 4 Monopod which is what I will use if I need some support but will be walking a longer distance.
I top either of these with the Benro GH5C Carbon Fiber Gimbal Head when needed. Paired with the Benro Mach3 4 Series tripod it makes for a very stable setup that can handle any gear configuration you could want. I ended up will all Benro support equipment more by happenstance than design. I looked for what I thought were the best values for each item in my budget range and it just turned out to be Benro in each case. Either way, I am happy with my current support gear.
