This is yet another prime example of why right to repair is so damn important!

One mistake I made was selling gear and buying new before I got the most from the old. Buying new gear will not improve your skill. Go out and shoot every day and get better with the gear you have. That's the enjoyable part of photography. Reading reviews and forums is important but know when to turn everything off and get outside!

"Grey Market" is a name made up by 'official' sellers in their respective countries in order to force people to buy expensive, overpriced gear from them. All my camera gear since my Nikon D5200 was "Grey Market" and I never had any issues with them all, I currently own a D850 and D780 complete with scary "Grey Market" lenses. I have saved thousands of pounds in avoiding over priced camera gear.

0:23 Tony: "Hopefully this will save you thousands of dollars." Me, looking at my sickly bank account. "That will definitely not be a problem."

I find it amazing that in 2021 manufacturers still get away with refusing to repair things because they were bought in a different country. As if people don't move around a lot nowadays. And it's one thing to say the warranty isn't valid in another country, but it's another to refuse to even sell the parts to a repair shop so you can't even pay to get it repaired.

I am a big believer in buying used, especially if you are a professional who takes advantage of professional service programs.

I use a crop camera (Nikon D500) with a full frame lens (Nikkor 200-500mm), combination you recommended , with no problems and excellent results.

Tony and Chelsea, I just wanna say that I love your videos. You guys put so much work into them and you passion really shines right through. I'm a new photographer and still have much to learn, but I have gained so much from your videos and podcasts. Keep up the good work!!

The greatest mistake I have seen is buying an expensive camera and lenses to make up for poor technique.

I started off on film with a Pentax 35mm film camera & went to college with it. Learned printing, developing film etc. Had it for years. It hit the biscuit. I went through a bunch of point and shoot pocket digital cameras and these were early. I was never satisfied and gave up photography for a while. A few years ago I received a Nikon D3400 entry level camera as a gift from family to encourage me to get back into things. It has no wifi and no mic jack and has other limitations. However.. it has been great. I’m on a budget. I saved up to purchase two third party speedlites & controller, a 50mm 1.8 and two of my children started hockey so I picked up a 70-300 ( which is variable aperture). I watched your video on shooting in snow, spot metering, exposure compensation etc which helped with the ice surface and bad images I started to get. That fixed that issue really fast. The camera battery beats anything on the market. Most cameras get 300 shots or 500 shots, I’m doubling that. And I have more than one battery. I can go through six hockey games in a tournament and not run out of power ( that’s if the team reaches the finals). Over the last several years I’ve added soft boxes, umbrellas, continuous lighting and an external audio recorder to have better sound. Regardless of what people think of Entry level and 11 focus points, & 5 frames a second, I’m getting amazing images 24 megapixels . If I had a choice to upgrade, I’d be looking at a D7500 so I can use my lenses I own and other features I don’t have. These features have nothing to do with the image. It’s my eye and my composition and how I use the exposure triangle. I’ve watched KZfaq videos .. get this, get that, oh this softbox is the best etc. Oh click the link and “ I get a commission or buy my presets “ I’m not buying the sales pitch. I could use an f:/2.8 lens fixed aperture zoom. But I’m on a budget. So I use the equipment I have and adapt. That better lens might give me an extra stop or two of light and bokeh. I’m doing just fine and I’m here to challenge that because there’s nothing wrong with my images as far as exposure goes. I look at things to either improve, motivated, or looking at something I haven’t considered photographing & how to do it. I photograph a lot of different things. Lots of fun. Love the challenge. Like to challenge myself. I like to push the limits of my equipment to get the best results I can. I’m always learning something new. I have a diploma in archives. I consider myself a documentary photographer because I am recording a moment in time, an event, people or place. There’s a story to capture. Can I do that with what the subject is projecting to me? OR do I have to use my skills to interpret that for the viewer when I press the shutter? Thanks for the video.

Tamron service is great! I have a 15-30mm f/2.8 (old model) and they updated the firmware so it would work with the Nikon Z-mount adapter (FTZ). All it cost was shipping and I am very happy with it.

Great video thanks, some really interesting points raised here, thanks for sharing your experience.

I enjoy shooting 35mm color film. Being 21 years old and native to digital photography, I find film much more satisfying and rewarding to me. I have been doing this for about a year and one of the mistakes I made was wanting a camera that did everything. I would buy and sell over and over, looking for a camera I was truly satisfied with. It finally dawned on me that there was no camera that was going to be great at everything I wanted to shoot. So, I bought a Nikon N90 for fast moving objects with its sharp autofocus, a Canon AE-1 Program for amazing still life and macro photos, and an Olympus OM-1 for its small and lightweight body and to take more casual photos with. I also enjoy the fact that the shutter doesn't require a battery. Just realize sometimes that perfect all in one camera you may seek doesn't exist. And while, each of these cameras can do it all, they may not do it as well as others will.

I have bought a lot of gear used online and I can knock on wood say I have never had an issue with a single item. The one thing I have done on every occasion is get to know the user of the gear who is selling it. most of the gear has been expensive bodies and lenses so its my expectation that the user is a practicing photographer. Red flags are people selling expensive gear who wouldn't know a F stop if it hit them in the face. I have asked to see their Instagram page to see if they have work they produced with the gear. I think this has saved me from buying something that is questionable or even worse could be a fraud.

You guys are awesome! thanks for your time and all the great content you give your viewers.

Still harping on about not using full frame lenses on APS-C bodies eh. Funny, my Nikon D500 doesn't seem to mind - it is a joy to use with my 300mm f/2.8 + 1.4 TC. I know many people also use the D500 with the Nikon 200 - 500mm f/5.6, both of these lenses are full frame and these combos produce the goods. Even my old AF-S 300mm f/4 D is an amazing match with the D500.

The Canon EOS R and RP is my backup camera. This duo has worked so well for me in my business. When the R5 & R6 came out, I felt like there was no need for me to upgrade to those cameras when my current two were completely fine. I won’t make anymore money using those cameras. I invested in the RF glass instead.

Good video! Now I have been buying quite some used gear, but always from sellers around where I live so that I can test before buying. Recently bought a new camera. Spent hours in a store discussing with store employees and customers + handling the gear. I very nice experience

Thank you both for what you do, your #1! Thank you for introducing me to KEH, sold an older camera Nikon 1 J5, and the lenses for it and my lenses for my D7000 and got just enough to get 2 used lenses for the D7000. I got the Nikon 18-140 and the 50mm F1/8 so it should be fun to see what I can do with these lenses.

Thanks for this guys. It really did give me some useful advice to consider. 👍👍

I always buy used gear and if I don't get on with it I'll sell it on, usually for about the same money. That way I get my gear fix on the cheap. By the way, my favourite combo is the D500 with the 200-500mm so mixing fx and dx isn't a problem for me. Good vid though guys

Great video. Thank you for sharing your experience.

Thank you guys for being professional enough to account for your mistakes and making it aware too other photographers about being a little more cautious when purchasing equipment, especially if it's expensive gear! I wanted to get into mirrorless several years ago but the cost of the lenses were super expensive. To this day, I still shoot with an aps-c camera simply because I like the gear that's readily available for it.

Good discussion. With due respect, two big issues I had with professional reviewers when I was upgrading from my D750: 1 - Pro reviewers don’t give nearly enough weight to the cost of changing brand systems. The Sony xxxx might be superior to the Nikon yyyy is some areas, but most people with a big investment in lenses won’t see that improvement as worth a wholesale change. 2 - For my work as a non-vlogger, I really don’t care if the Sony/Fuji has a flip screen and the Nikon does not. I’ll almost never need it even if a vlogger thinks it’s indispensable.

There is a lot of muddy thinking about value. The concepts I am exploring are not specific to photography: they are used by fortune 500 companies to buy everything from paper clips to new buildings. A FEATURE: is a characteristic specific to a product or service, but has no inherent relationship to any specific user It can be be expressed by the phrase: "this is what we have, is it any use to you?" A BENEFIT: is specific to the potential purchaser and represents something that will either improve their performance, or mitigate a limit to their performance. This could be expressed by the line by the Spice Girls: "Tell me what you want, what you REALLY, REALLY want!" VALUE: is only achieved when you can map a feature to a benefit. So, to give an example. A camera has an ability to shoot 4k video - that's a FEATURE. However, since I don't shoot video it does not map to a benefit I need, so it has no value in my buying evaluation. The following process works: 1. Establish Your Criteria: Define BENEFITS you want, rank them in priority: MUST HAVE, Want, would be nice... 2. Research for Products: Find products that have FEATURES the match your benefits list 3. Compare and Filter: Remove any that don’t match your “must have” criteria 4. Reduce the list to 2-3. 5. Evaluate: Try out the gear with a hands-on evaluation 6. Make your purchase: Shop around for good deals from reliable vendors that support local warranties. As regards advice for camera buyers: I contribute to a couple of fora ( yes, I admit it!!! I was a professional but am now retired), and see frequent inquiries on the theme of 'what camera should I buy?' As mentioned, I inevitably see these requests with the absolute minimum of information provided (which tells you something), yet members (some very senior) respond (without further clarification) with a recommendation based on THEIR shooting situation. I resist this, and instead suggest the following questions for the potential purchaser to consider, and hopefully answer, if they want a valid response. 1. If you have camera gear, what specifically are its limitations that hold you back from taking the images you want? If they don't know, it might well serve them better to invest in education, via on-line on local courses and workshops, camera societies or for those just starting, question #5 becomes relevant... 2. What is the budget? So many people over-invest in gear that offers them no benefit (as per the above) and blow their budget, or are tempted to keeping upping the investment. They are encouraged by the GAS community, who believe that the latest iteration of gear will unleash the hitherto latent talent that lies within them. I was working with an educational facility that was conducting a series of courses on photography. Despite clear guidelines that the right camera should have controls for aperture and shutter priority, and manual and that the maximum size was 1500 pixels on the long dimension of an image, students were being persuaded to put themselves into debt to get the latest and most expensive gear. GAS is different from those who engage with the gear from a purely technical perspective as they are not necessarily seeking to leverage a photographic performance benefit. 3. What Subjects will you take: This helps to identify the types of equipment - e.g. video or not, general-purpose, travel, wildlife, portraits - all of these will give clues to the consultant about Fields of View, sensor dynamic range etc. (impacting lenses and sensors). For specific purposes, or to evaluation gear, renting equipment may be a much better solution. For that once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Masai Mara to shoot the great migration, not having to invest in a suitable super tele lens, transport it to Africa, use it and return it may not be the best solution: especially if one is not likely to need that type of gear again. Many such travel companies can arrange renting of gear at the location of the shoot, thus reducing investment and risk. 4. What Will you PRODUCE: I rarely see this question asked, yet it is arguably the MOST significant question! It takes a lot greater investment to provide the gear for high end Art (with a capital A), large, hi-res prints, than for social media sites that are likely to downsize images or digital displays. In the end, the final output is what it is all about. For those looking at part-time professional work, the challenge is balancing an often limited budget with a need to be able to provide images in the event of unexpected situations or gear failure. 5. What are your intentions: People take photos for a huge range of reasons: from purely social and casual photography: where the priority is not the taking of images, but the engagement. Parents with kids, school events, social events. Then there are students in photography who likely have limited budgets and are yet to confirm their specific career and gear choices. Enthusiasts who may be engaged in competition for example, and finally professionals for whom the camera is a tool to produce products or services (although they are unlikely to be engaging in this process). Each of these perspectives will have a different value-set and priority, and establishing those can make a huge difference. When looking at a long-term engagement, the gear as a system is worth considering, as changing brands can be an expensive process... 6. What are you prepared to carry: Depending upon the activity, large and heavy gear may not be appropriate. For example: for travel, one may want more compact and lighter gear to reduce risks during transit and offer more convenience. Multi-day hikers may well choose a similar type of gear as it has to compete with hiking equipment in the pack but may also have to be more rugged. As we age, or have injuries, less is often more. In the end the best camera is the one you are prepared to carry with you. 7. Ergonomics and Interface: Simply looking at specs and reviews does not offer the experience of manipulating the controls and menus of a camera. I have seen people pay out significant sums for gear and then hate how it feels and operates in the hands. They either have to sell it and get something else (at a cost), or suck it up and get used to the limitations.

thanks for this. All my DSLR bodies are used: Canon 40D, 5D (orig) 7D (orig) and 70D. I have lenses that span 10mm to 400mm, most are secondhand. Have rarely been disappointed buying gear via ebay.

That "don't put ff lenses on crop bodies" is just for pixelpeepers. Sorry, but gradually switching to FF works for sooo many people, and the quality difference might be completely irrelevant for most people. "Image" comes from imagination, not from pixel-perfection.

Good job on the video. Great color, lighting and sharpness!

You did it again, your ideas kept me from impulse buying. I have yet figured what I want. I think I need to use my existing gear and identify really what I would like. Or need. Great job for me, not so much for the camera store.

When I decided to go mirrorless to replace my old 5DII I was looking at the available lenses first for FF mirrorless systems. For travel and generic shooting I like the 24-105 range, so to be able to get such a lens was crucial. Thus, Nikon was out. Taking photos should be fun, I borrowed a Sony and I couldn't get around the ergonomics (maybe I'm too much used to Canon). Sony was out.

Helpful Video, I just noticed your chapter tiles...that is the first time I've seen it in that form...Pretty Cool!

Thanks for the candid and informative talk.

14:00 - 100% agree that not every consumer needs the latest and greatest. I'm trying to buy a Nikon from 2013 or another from 4+ years ago.

Great as usual. After nearly 40 years using SLRS and DSLRS, My biggest mistake was going micro4/3 to cut weight, not because of sensor size but because of really terrible autofocus. Still, with experience in ancient manual focus, starting with an SRT-101, and practice with the touch screen, I overcome. I then got a good cellphone camera and now rarely use the camera. I’m thinking of getting a new camera with eye detect since all cameras seem much more manageable in weight, but I often think why bother when my cellphone pictures with a little processing are sharper than many of the great photos of the past. Oh, what to do? I am a gear head so be sure I will eventually buy more stuff. Keep up the incredible work. You guys are the best.

Well. It really depends. I mean you can get parts from grey market as well. And if one is a DIY guy, it's not that difficult to just do the repair by yourself. I bought a a6000 which ended up being broken when it arrived. No worry, I just tore it apart and found out that it was the sensor and shutter both which were not working since someone had let salty water in from the bayonet. I ordered new parts from ebay, washed the existing parts in bathroom sink from the salt residue, put it together and I have had it for 4 years now and it's still kickin'. And not only I have a functioning camera, I also have a fun story to tell. And the knowhow to fix it again.

Tony and Chelsea, I enjoy your videos and find you give good advice. You gave good advice on not buying FX lenses for DX cameras and vice versa. For most things that is good advice. I'm not sure it is all the time though. I have a D7500, a camera I really like, and wanted a telephoto lens for multipurpose use. 70-300mm seemed to be the ideal range for me so I looked at Nikon's offerings. They have both a DX and FX version of the same lens with the DX version being much less expensive. When I compared the two I didn't like the plastic lens flanges on the DX version and the ones on the FX one were metal. I liked the additional half a stop speed, f5.6 vs. f6.3, as well. So I spent the extra money and got the FX lens. I have been pleased with the results. It focuses quickly and accurately when shooting my grandson's soccer games and has good resolution for when I need a telephoto lens for other work. As my grandson is getting interested into photography I got him a used D3300 with the kit lens. He does great with that combo just starting out. I decided to add a telephoto lens to his kit so I got a used DX version of the 70-300mm lens, the very same one I had rejected earlier. Before I gave it to him I tested it by shooting some soccer and found that the lens focused just as quickly as the FX lens. However, wide open it has a visible amount of vignetting, something the FX lens didn't have on the D7500. In addition, I found that since both lenses were being shot wide open the added half a stop was helpful. Given that I don't shoot indoor sports or evening sports I think I made the right choice for me. In all fairness both lenses do the job well, I do prefer the more sturdy construction of the FX lens and its more even exposure. But for low end shooters like myself either would work. However, I don't regret buying the FX lens.

Great vid and some really excellent advice. The only point I’d debate is FF lenses on APS bodies. Certainly I’ve found the D500 with a 300PF with a 1.4TC or a 200-500mm Nikon lens works brilliantly. Maybe these are the exceptions rather than the rul?

Very informative video! I am falling in line with the adapter stuff right now, but I will be carrying some DSLRs over with me, so I might be leaning on the mirrorless lens for the mirrorless body and sticking to the DSLRs for the older lenses. I am hoping to get some more miles out of my 600mm prime, but I’ll see how rough it is. I can definitely attest to the attacks on a forum from the fan boys! I wanted to let people know about a support issue, and everyone took it personally instead of realizing I legitimately had been snubbed on an electronic switch I was using on a light. Some people just can’t handle the truth about their favorite toys!

I was a landscape photographer until Covid I used a Pentax K70 for photography. I started walking the beach and started doing bird photography. I upgraded my kit by buying a used a used Pentax K3-11 from KEH camera it has double the focus points of the K70 I also upgraded my lens by buying a new Pentax 55-300 PLM WR lens which has a fast autofocus system. In a few years I may upgrade with the new Pentax K3-3 with a much faster autofocus system when the prices become more reasonable

I went total Micro 4/3 and my main output was stills. I ultimately sold all my Nikon gear as my 810 with an 80=200 2.8 was to heavy for my 74 year old hands. I unloaded everything and bought a new A7RII for the Megapixel count dealing with the small batteries. I also got a A7III, I know a new one is coming I like last years state of the art. I got the F4 Trio the 12-24 was used but clean. I put Sony warranties on the new gear. The 2.8 Trio was just too heavy and expensive for me. I decided to get the inexpensive 35 1.8 and 75 1.8 24 F2.8 Rokinon Samyang fixed. These will be travel with the long lens in a shoulder bag as needed. I got used Sony battery grips for them, they were better than the cheap plastic ones. I am going to save up for when a A7RIII gets cheap, and I am looking for a 100-400 Sony used next year.

My strategy for looking through reviews is to look for similar negative reviews. If one person says the lens has slow AF then maybe that was user error or they got a malfunctioning lens or something. If a dozen people say the lens has slow AF, maybe it has slow AF. Almost every product has positive reviews if it has enough reviews, and positive reviews don't often get specific.

I run a D800e and a senior friend of mine says - I have some wonderful old lenses in the upstairs in a box - so I went up and got them - Olympus OM , broke my heart - then she said - look in the bottom and there is an "F" mount adapter . Have to do everything Manual - and manual focus but I shoot that way anyhow - they are sharp as a tack - made in the late 60's , early 70's I'm told . Great video ! Enjoyed it !!!

I buy new gear only. I will buy third party accessories and lens but I am picky about the brand, buying mostly based on previous experience. For certain items such as adapters, batteries, and remotes I buy camera manufacturer only as I have found 3rd party are hit or miss. As someone who has been shooting for many years, I agree there is no perfect camera or perfect lens. Your advice to figure out what camera and lens work best for you is spot on.

Loved the tips but the Lighting and colors look fantastic and had me captivated.

I have the opposite of 'confirmation bias' - I spend hours researching something until I'm sure it will be good, AND then when I get it, complain endlessly about how disappointed I am because it didn't hold up to my high expectations. LOL. A frustrating bad habit to have. I agree with buying just what you need and maybe buying two cameras for different tasks - especially if you can get one cheap-ish. However, I really struggle to do this, as I keep mentally spending incrementally more for slight gains, until I eventually buy that expensive version that is more than I need...

Always check out the layout of the buttons, dials, and knobs. I’m a very dedicated back button focus shooter, and the placement of the af-on button on the back of my full size Nikon was perfect. I switched systems to the lighter, smaller Olympus (which I love), but I assumed the placement and size of the button to be used for back-button focus on the OM-D M5 MkII would be the same, but it is bad. The button can be enabled for BBF but not a comfortable experience.

Hi. Great video. What do you think of using vintage Zuiko lenses on a Sony A6400?

What Tony says is so true, when I got my 5DS-R I also got the 24-70 2.8 and the 70-200 2.8 L Lenses. Although I do portraits and fashion, I once was taking a photo of the Red Moon a couple of years ago, so I said maybe my 75-300 standard zoom lens will get better images. After all it was 300mm FF vs 200mm FF right. But after taking the images, I was surprised that cropping the images from the 200mm lens gave me far better results than the 300mm. Just like one of Tony's 200 years ago video about the perceived MP of the lenses, this proved Tony right :-) The L lens (2016) has far more perceived MP and thus resolution than the $380 (at it's time, 2007) lens Just in case, not to dis my old 75 - 300mm lens, at the time it took the most awesome images from my Rebel T5i, and for anyone starting out, it is a great lens, and after that I went on to the Canon 50mm 1.4 for around the same $360 price, those were my favorite go to lenses at that time and I still use the 50mm on my 5DS-R and get ridiculously spectacular results, the lens that will never die LOL

5:22 I think this can go both ways. I went this route and it worked great for me but I stayed in the Nikon system. I purchased old used fx glass to put on my D90. I didn't buy any bundled kits... Bodies only and lenses only. Ebay was my go-to when I couldn't afford new. When I eventually got a D700 I didn't stop using the D90 (or the D200, D7000, etc) I'd take both. Having the FX glass meant I didn't have to also buy new lenses which I didn't have the budget for. As I sold more jobs, I made enough to buy better gear and recover faster. At some point I started buying pro bodies so the dx cameras were rotated out but it allowed me to ease into fx with the hassle of selling gear. Being able to get a 80-200mm f2.8 used for the price of a kit lens made me images that would get clients. Maybe this is good for the hobbyist, but I went in it to make money. I started with nothing, so making very specific choices in gear allowed me to take on more business and grow to the point where my income could afford better gear (which in turn sped up my workflow).

I use third-party batterys for a long time with my Sony A6600. Of course they have only around 80% of the capacity. But they work for a long time and 2 batterys costs a third of one original battery. And they put a charger on top of the package which works very reliable.

I've had pretty good luck with after market batteries. I was able to buy 8 batteries for the price of 1 Canon. Though I did notice different brands are better than others. I've had good luck with Wasabi batteries. You can't recharge them as many times as the Canon ones and they show a noticeable decrease before they fail, but cost to benefit for a hobbiest is worth it to me. Especially because I left a Canon battery in my pants when I put them in the wash. I'd rather destroy a $10 battery than an $80 one. I'm just a hobbyist though, I don't have the pro experience to know if the little extra reliability of an OEM battery makes that big of a difference on a paid shoot.

Thanks for the 2 "cheap" cameras versus the one really expensive camera idea. Will probably help me a lot in the near future.

I was taken in by the beautiful Fuji bodies and lenses. I was a Canon user with EOS Pro bodies and L glass. Canon was not in the mirrorless market. I bought an pair of XT-3 bodies, a holy trinity set of glass plus a couple of primes and the 100-400 as well as some Fuji flashes. I just didn’t love it. The images could be amazing but I never felt the Fuji was a seamless extension of myself. I was always fussing with the controls and the wonky menu system. I continued to use my Canon gear too and almost always used it for paid event photography. On a whim, I picked up Canon RP with the RF 24-105 f4L. I knew in an instant I was going to remain a Canon shooter and more specifically, a Canon Mirrorless shooter. Right after the R6 and R5 were released, I did a complete swap of the Fuji gear, Canon DSLRs and almost all of the Canon EF glass keeping just the 200 f2 and the 400 f4 DO II. I couldn’t be happier. However my bank account took a bit of a hit with my sidestep to Fuji.

D500 from B&H currently selling for &1,596.00. Just bought one and I love it....my first high-end DSLR. Purchased for wildlife photography. Will use this camera with the Nikon 200-500 5.6.

My experience which shocked and annoyed me. I'm a duffer who had been away from photography for years. Had a Canon AE-1 whihc was not a pro-body but, drop down a flight of stairs, take pictures in a hurricane, drop in the toilet (kidding on the last one, but you get the point) and it worked! When I got back into photography, the loose definition of "weather-proof" shocked me. Bought a crop sensor Rebel, worked for about a year, and then there was a slight mist... got it fixed, got it fixed again - figured it was a lemon and bought a newer "low" price Rebel T6i - same thing in a matter of months! Not a knock on Canon, just a knock on me for not knowing what the current definition of "weather-proof" is. An expensive lesson in the "death by 1000 cuts" type of way; bodies and repairs at reasonable prices added up to the cost of a pro-level full frame.

Great advice... thanks for sharing.. cheers 😀

Informative video. I am hesitant to purchase used lenses from people rather than companies even though I have sold lenses on eBay in the past. I've made a few mistakes too. I purchased the Panasonic G9 which is a great camera but it was too large for my hands and it slowed down my photography too much so that was sold. I tried Olympus, many people rave about how great and light the system is but I didn't have that experience so that was sold. Now, I am back with a DSLR and that is fine.

I really agree with your advice regarding using multiple cameras. I tried getting the one perfect camera for everything and it never worked. I now own a pre-owned Sony A7rii for landscapes and architecture, a pre-owned Lumix GX80 for hiking and a lot of analog gear with equivalent characteristics: Pentax 67 and several 35mm Minoltas. Beeing able to switch cameras even helps me keep the photography hobby fun and interesting, because they all come with different shooting styles.

If you’re a Nikon nps member just ask for the serial number and add it to your gear list. It will either give the green checkmark indicating that’s it’s a USA model or it will give an error.

I liked the tip: know the type of photography you want to do before buying any camera systems beyond an entry-level camera

The colours looks fantastic. (I haven’t watched this channel for a few months)

i had a sony a7ii but the eye AF never really worked fast enough for action photos, eg competitive ballroom dancing. so i changed to the A6400 as it uses the latest eye AF used on the A9. my images went up to 95% in focus. i wanted an 85mm lens or 105mm 1.8 lens which are not available for APSC so i bought a full frame 85mm Zeiss Batis which gave me awesome results. i know it gives 127mm f2.7 but this works as i dont have any other prime options for APSC Sony

Something similar happened to me when I purchased my Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens. I went through Amazon, The vendor I picked had the same price as others and said the lens came with Tamron's warranty. Except when I went to register the lens, Tamron would not accept the registration, saying I bought it from a camera shop that was not a licensed Tamron dealer. They wanted to keep 20 percent of my payment as a restocking fee, so I decided to keep the lens -- without the warranty. I also complained to Amazon, which did remove that vendor's Tamron lens listings. I hope I don't ever need the warranty.

about pricing the full kit, it's so true for comparing aps-c vs full frame cameras, learned it the hard way.

I have two camera, one APS-C, a 7dII and 5diii, the 7dii was brought new years ago, and 5diii was second hand from a dealer, I use the 5diii for landscapes and night photography with a 1.4 sigma lens second hand, and I use 7dii for wildlife with second hand 5.6 400mm canon lens as recommended by you. The sigmas great, but i am not doing portraits, often manual focus for the stars!

On using third party - I use third-party batteries produced by RavPower and ArtMan for my Canon mirrorless. To be honest they work great. Never had an issue. Third party flashes? Flashpoint are really great. Third party lenses? Depending on the specific lens, third party can be better. Tamron SP 35mm f/1.4 is one of the best 35mm primes on the market. And Sigma’s 135mm f/1.8 is the best there is at that focal length.

This video would be very useful for me a year ago, I bought a full frame sony camera and didn't know about the meaning of APS-C lens thought is was just about the field of view and later I understood that the resolution of my images was divided by 2! 🙄

Just bought Canon R5 with RF 50mm f1.2 lens. What zoom lens would you recommend to buy for everyday personal use?

which would you recommend the canon rf 50mm f1.8 stm or the canon ef 50mm f1.4 usm for the canon rp and yes i already have the adapter so that's not an issue

I loved using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2,8 L II USM Lens and Canon Speedlite 580EX II Flash for Day and Night Photography, Landscape Photography, Travel Photography, Food Photography, Portrait Photography, and Architectural Photography; where the subject looks sharp and focused along with great background blur effect. Plus, this is a reliable workhorse that is great for professionals and amateurs alike.

Thx for a great video - the whole talk about features I think is one the most important ones. Find out what you need and don't get lost in specs. on things you do not use :-)

I have bought grey Nikon everything. Saved ££££ Here in the UK it is a right rip-off how much extra is charged, not just on cameras, but everything. The retailers I purchased from did not disclose they were grey (naughty but I knew they were buy the price difference). They did offer their own UK warranty. I have never had to use it, so don't know how good it would be. Maybe other peeps have? I managed to damage as SD card slot on one camera, I dropped it off at Nikon service in SW London (alas they have moved and drop-off is no longer possible, only post) and collected it a while later, no issues with repair, only a large bill for a complete new board. (It was out of warranty by that time anyway and my fault for using a cheap micro USB adaptor) I requested the old board back and it looks a simple repair as the SD card slot is just a standard surface mount component.

I love photographing wildlife but I only have the old EF 100-400mm Mark I. I am looking to upgrade but I can’t afford the RF 100-500mm. I have the EOS R6. What lens would you buy out of the new RF 100-400mm, the RF600mm or the RF800mm? Or something else? Thanks in advance for any advice given.

I work with manual focus full frame lenses on APS-C using focal reducers and achieve excellent results.

This is why I'm waiting to go mirrorless FX. I like my Sigma 150-600mm which works fine on my DX body (Nikon F-mount), so I would have to use an adapter since there's no native 600mm Z lens. I plan to stay with Nikon, but for now I'll keep my DX body a little longer until the lens choices expand.

I bought a used Hasselblad X1D a couple of years ago. I started with the 45P as it is in my "affordable" price range. I've added an HC 50-110, CF 500, and as of today a CF 140-280 all used off of EBay. We live next to a park and I have wanted to be able to blow up wildlife pics and see the details of animals that walk by our house. I had doubts about using 34 year old lenses designed for 6x6 film cameras or a 20 year old lens designed for 6x4.5 film cameras with a modern 44x33 mm medium format digital sensor and its electronic shutter. Happily it works and many of the pics have turned out great! Should we call this "Hasselblad on a Budget"? Hey, that may make a good video!

Most folks that buy a low end body don’t buy high end glass . Usually FF glass is phenomenal on apsc bodies because you get the best part of the lens quality within the apsc circle of light but not always. And I now realize on the Micro four thirds with the metabones adapter why we are getting flaring . Thanks for that tip .

I am still a novice with my Nikon D5500 and have a Sigma 18-35mm you recommended. Way better set up than the kit lens.

In the old days, the lens was "independent" from the body. Now, it is an integrated system, with Auto Focus, and Stabilization. Especially in body and lens stabilization working together.

I only buy manual focus lens, usually Nikon, with this pattern: When buying lens on Ebay, make sure the buyer commits to clean aperture, smooth focus (and Zoom), no scratches, haze, fungus or balsam separation. Send the seller a message if it's not clear in the ad and make sure you get a message in Ebay, not email. The main sellers from Japan will always state this. Never rely on photos for optics quality. If the lens you receive does not match what the seller stated, you can return it, and do so at the sellers expense, regardless of what their ad says. You may have to file a buyers complaint with Ebay, but if you are reasonable, you will win. What I often do when I receive a problem lens is take the high value of the lens if it had been freshly CLA'd, subtract what I suspect a CLA will cost, and then offer to buy at that price. If the seller offers an appropriate refund, I'll then have the lens CLA'd and end up with a lens that should last a long time. If there was a problem with a modern Fujifilm lens, for instance, I would just send it back. See Tony's grey market warning.

I am with you on third-party batteries, but I have so many third-party accessories that are great and saved me a ton of cash. My speed lights are third-party and provide more than 90% of the function of a name brand, but I paid well under $100 each. Also saved a bunch on TTL cables and a set of radio flash triggers. 😁

Great video. I am Fujifilm Camera System, very pleased with the system. As a side project, I just love the Canon EOS 5D IV, now that canon and canon users are jumping to their mirrorless and are no longer making EF Lenses, I am going to purchase a couple of 5D IV about 4 premium EF Lenses, at a very good price.

The only adapters I use are for my old Minolta manual lenses and my old Canon FD mount lenses. I love how so.e of those shots come out.

Informative video. If there is one thing I kind of disagree with is buying full frame lenses for APS-C body. Some good quality, decently priced full frame lenses (especially primes) are quite good on APS-C body because of the maximum corner sharpness and less amount of vignetting.

Nice to hear your stance on batteries. My name brand Panasonic batteries still work great 10 years later, and Wasabi and kastars are hit or miss

I use a Sigma f2.8 70-200mm on my Nikon d7500 and it's my go to for outdoors. Seems quite flexible. On the other hand, I bought a sigma f4 24-105mm full frame to replace my kit lens and that was a mistake. I didn't have the 24 mm when needed.

I'm getting a sony a-mount a77ll as my first digital camera. I'm going to be utilizing my minolta a-mount full frame lenses but the a77ll has a croped sensor. Can't find info on this. Dose sony make a-mount lense for a-mount apsc camera?

Oh Chelsea and Tony! , this was so relevant to me and I just don’t know what to do! As you may remember, I’ve been following all your FB, Books, Reviews and been a Stunner forever! Here’s my situation… 1. I am not a techie. 2. I used Canon since I began serious photography. 3. I liked my Canon 6D MK 2, the fourth Canon I owned. Then a Lumix Ambassador suggested an S5, with a 24-70 pro lens. I got excited and bought it. Cdn.$5,000 approx. Well after 9 months I’m still struggling. It’s so complicated. Half of me says “persevere”, you’ve spent the money. The other half says “cut your losses and buy a Canon R6”. I don’t make videos. And the voice on my shoulder says try a new hobby you’ll never be a photographer. (My main interest is macro). Any advice for someone whose budget is limited and who is on the point of quitting! Thanks!

What camera and lens I should buy for wildlife photography? Nikon D500+200-500 or Nikon D850+500 mm

Not sure I agree on the Mix and Match so much. For professional photographers, sure, but as an amateur, you are working within a tight budget and there is no "return on investment". This is a hobby and you buy the best you can, when you can. Frankenstein it if you have to. I got my first DSLR in 2004 (Nikon D70) then upgraded in 2011 (D7000) and 2021 (D850). I wanted to move to full frame in 2011, but at the time, the D7000 had video, whilst the Full frame of the time (D700) did not. Yes ... as Tony said, I always said that I would move to full frame, but years later .... 17 years....I finally did. My first few lenses were the Kit lens (18-70) the "Nifty Fifty" 50/1.8 and a trashy 70-300 - why? Because they were cheap and it's all I could afford at the time. As I took photography more seriously, I started to invest, slowly, one lens at a time, in only FX glass. If I had bought DX only glass, then that eventual step up to an FX camera would have been prohibitive. Now I have my D850 along with a 50/1.8, a 24/1.8, a 105/2.8 micro and an 80-200/2.8. It all matches now, but I was playing the long game, and I do not need to throw away or replace any old DX glass. 1 - Could I have sold the old gear? Not really. My wife uses a D5200 and my 12yo daughter borrows the D7000. They have a few DX lenses and I've given them the 18-70. I miss the upgrade funds, but the lenses are not wasted. 2 - Why not go mirrorless in in 2021? I did not even consider it. Tried it a few years ago, and the poor EVF and low battery life were a no go. The new Nikon Mark II line up looks awesome, and maybe I should have waited a year .... but then again, compared to a D850, the Z7MkII + an FTZ adapter would have been cost prohibitive. The D850 and all my glass will still be good for another 10 years :)

Best to go to a camera shop to handle the camera. Be clear what you want to use it for. Decide the must have features. I got my M50 for the viewfinder the mike jack good autofocus and the articulating screen. You may have different requirements.

Get the correct camera for what you mostly do as an amateur. I use to take a lot of pictures when I was young. Even though I had nice Nikon film cameras, I used my Yashica T4 living in Japan 1997-99. It took great pictures and people didn’t mind. Of my digital cameras, the two I use most traveling is Sony 100-IV and Leica Deluxe 4. The nostalgic camera that I had from 1967 to 1982? was my Leicaflex SL w/50mm. When you got the lighting correct for me it was heaven. Miss that camera even with that metering system.

New to the channel; this is my first "tandem vid".....but *ILOVE you guys already* !!!

I have EOS 80D and I use both EF and EF-s lenses. No matter what, noise is a big drawback to my eye... How "sufficient" or not is EOS RP/6D mkii? Will this give me much more image quality or I should go for EOS R? This is mainly portrait-landscape photography.

I borrowed nikon d5100, used it for a while and was totaly satisfied with the results camera produced. But I had to return it, so recently bought used Nikon D7000 + 50mm 1.8d for 240$ and Sigma 17-50/2.8 for 200$. I miss articulating screen a little bit, but with this purchise I got more professional camera(althought a little bit outdated) which fits my needs and I enjoy photography more.

I have a fujifilm xt-4, I just added a 27mm pancake for travel.. It kinda seams perfect for all things 😍

Know what you mean about 3rd party lenses, many many years ago I had a Rollie SL35E with a Tamron 17mm full frame fisheye that delivered stunning results on ilfochrome 200 (later used Fuji as I couldn't get the ilfochrome) so when I purchased my Nikon D7200 a while ago I bought a Tamron 10-24mm lens as I had good results from a previous Tamron lens. The results though were ok, not great, lacking in saturation so, I bought a Nikkor 10-24mm lens and the difference was marked, better colours, better saturation, all told a much better lens so even with previous good experience you cannot always rely on consistent results from the same manufacturer.

Hey Tony & Chelsea. Love the channel. I know you are opposed to adapters but have you had a look at the megadap ETZ11 it looks good and is a way of expanding a virgin Z line of lens with E mount Sony and third party alternatives. Would love your thoughts as I have a Z6 and I’m an enthusiast not a pro and would widen my lens options. Thanks 🇦🇺

Early in micro four thirds, older four thirds lenses were helpful. I have four, including Olympus's weird four-pound 35-100 mm f/2.0. Impressive optics.

I can't afford a R6 right now. Meanwhile in need of another full frame, I got a used 1DX I to replace my 7D2 for indoor sports - great deal and still a good camera :D Shot pro national league handball with 1DX + 70-200 f/2.8, 6D1 + 300mm f4 L IS and 7D2 + 24-105 f4 MK2. Upgrade plans are 2 x R6 with 70-200 and 300mm f/2.8 as main bodies. The rest will be backup. Amazing what the old 6D can do at 800 lux :D