Replacing old with...old? D-90 to D850.

[gassed]

Hello,
I'm looking for insight and clarity. Or just the voice of reason.
I currently shoot a Nikon D90 in a Nauticam NA-DA90 housing. It was a huge investment some 15 years ago but has survived 1000's of dives. This last trip both of my strobes flooded. Never happened before. I also noticed the lenses in my 10.5 fisheye starting to de-lam (bubble in lens). My 60mm macro lens is starting to get sloppy in the geartrain. In essience the rig is showing its age.
Obvously a lot has changed in 15 years. 4/3 seems to have come and gone as the "Hot new thing". Now it seems mirrorless is hot but many are still shooting (or gone back to) DLSR. Maybe that is changing too?
I was thinking about going to the D850. Seems a bit long in the tooth but it ticks the boxes. It is interesting that so much has changed in the industry but one of the hottest cameras is 8 years old! That said, It will work with my existing ports and lenses. Its getting a bit more cost effective. Focus sounds light years better thatn the D90. I also know Nuaticam as a system and am comfortable with it., etc.
So,

• How much better are the images with the D850. Is it worth $10K with a Nauticam Housing?
• I've missed out on many great shots due to slow focus, will the 850 standout on autofocus using DX glass?
• Even though I have ports its tough to stomach the price of Nuaticam. But I feel I will always miss it if I go with Ike. Though I have never shot anything in an Ikelite housing. Thoughts?
• Is mirrorless really close when it comes to taking over? Seems battery life and other issue may lean to DLSR? Or should wait a year or two?
• Or just buy strobes and wait for the old rig to die?

Obviously there are no correct answers but I am open to your opinions. Fire away! This is the kind of thing that keeps me awake at night......

 

[weeksd]

Depends on your final product you wish to achieve. If publication work is your goal. Upgrade. If prints for yourself, just replace strobes. My buddy uses his nikon d90 in a aquatica housing and i use a nikon d60 also with aquatica. The d60 has 10.2 megapixels I have never been tempted to upgrade. I use a ikelite AI strobe with a nikonos sb 105 strobes using full manual mode in camera. These strobes are from film days. The strobe uses a nikonos bulkhead to the housing. I have a ikelite 100A substrobe which was my backup and has never seen water as my ikelite AI has never failed. And its 35 years old with tens of thousands of shots. . I would sell for $80usd plus shipping. Sync cord is available at any retailer. To see sample of my nikon d60 camera produces.

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[BoltSnap]

Now it seems mirrorless is hot but many are still shooting (or gone back to) DLSR. Maybe that is changing too?
I was thinking about going to the D850. Seems a bit long in the tooth but it ticks the boxes. It is interesting that so much has changed in the industry but one of the hottest cameras is 8 years old! That said, It will work with my exsiting ports and lenses. Its getting a bit more cost effective. Focus sounds light years better thatn the D90. I also know Nuaticam as a system and am comfortabel with it., etc.
So,

• How much better are the images with the D850. Is it worth $10K with a Nauticam Housing?
• I've missed out on many gerat shots due to slow focus, will the 850 standout on autofocus using DX glass?
• Even though I have ports its tough to stomach the price of Nuaticam. But I feel I will always miss it if I go with Ike. Though I have never shot anything in an Ikelite housing. Thoughts?
• Is mirrorless really close when it comes to taking over? Seems battery life and other issue may lean to DLSR? Or should wait a year or two?
• Or just buy strobes and wait for the old rig to die?

Why on earth would you want to go back to a D850? If you want to stick with Nikon, I would stick with Nikon myself, get what they have that fits your budget, Z6iii and up. If you can wait for a few months, wait for the Z7iii, which is supposed to be awesome. The Nikon Z90, an APSC camera, is also rumored to be out before the end of the year. All the latest technology and readily available support.


I have a 15-year-old M4/3 camera and am waiting for the new flagship from OM to come out by the end of the year with higher resolution (if rumors are correct). I'll also consider the upcoming Nikon Z7iii if the rumors are right about the resolution and the other features they claim it has.

 

[gassed]

The D850 would be a big move froward from my D90. Better sensor, less noise, batter focus. These are the things I dont like about the D90.
I also have glass and ports that will work with this camera. Going mirrorless mean new ports, new glass, new expence. Also seems to lack battery life. We do 3 -5 dives a day. I am used to swapping strobe batteries mid day but not so ahppy about opening the housing on the boat for battery swap. I am not super interested in video but who knows.
So basically I am looking at the 850 as it fits some older parts and it has outstand reviews for an UW shooter.
But you do have me thinking about waiting a bit to see what happens next.
Thanks!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Merry and I love our D850s. I have yet to see a photo from one of the newer Nikon Z cameras that is as good.

 

[davehicks]

The D850 is still a top-notch camera. The Z8 and newer Nikon Z camera are every bit as good (sorry Phil) and the functionality and utility is even better in several ways. Image quality is pretty much identical, however. The ability to shoot the WWL-C was a big incentive to retire my D850 from underwater use. I am keeping my D850 housing as a backup system.

I am sure you can find a good deal on a D850 and housing. Use it with confidence! It will be a huge upgrade over the D90.

 

[tbone1004]

Hello,
I'm looking for insight and clarity. Or just the voice of reason.
I currently shoot a Nikon D90 in a Nauticam NA-DA90 housing. It was a huge investment some 15 years ago but has survived 1000's of dives. This last trip both of my strobes flooded. Never happened before. I also noticed the lenses in my 10.5 fisheye starting to de-lam (bubble in lens). My 60mm macro lens is starting to get sloppy in the geartrain. In essience the rig is showing its age.
Obvously a lot has changed in 15 years. 4/3 seems to have come and gone as the "Hot new thing". Now it seems mirrorless is hot but many are still shooting (or gone back to) DLSR. Maybe that is changing too?
I was thinking about going to the D850. Seems a bit long in the tooth but it ticks the boxes. It is interesting that so much has changed in the industry but one of the hottest cameras is 8 years old! That said, It will work with my exsiting ports and lenses. Its getting a bit more cost effective. Focus sounds light years better thatn the D90. I also know Nuaticam as a system and am comfortabel with it., etc.
So,

• How much better are the images with the D850. Is it worth $10K with a Nauticam Housing?
• I've missed out on many gerat shots due to slow focus, will the 850 standout on autofocus using DX glass?
• Even though I have ports its tough to stomach the price of Nuaticam. But I feel I will always miss it if I go with Ike. Though I have never shot anything in an Ikelite housing. Thoughts?
• Is mirrorless really close when it comes to taking over? Seems battery life and other issue may lean to DLSR? Or should wait a year or two?
• Or just buy strobes and wait for the old rig to die?

Ovbious there are no correct answers but I am open to your opinions. Fire away! This is the kind of thing that keeps me awake at night......

In order

-There is 4x the amount of megapixels in the image off of a D850 so if you need to crop or blow something up you will certainly notice coming off of a 12mp sensor. Moreover the base ISO is much better so images shot at base iso are going to be much cleaner. You're going to notice.
-If you're on screw-drive the motor is much more powerful and is capable of focusing much faster.
-Wallet preference, no real strong opinions
-Mirrorless has taken over, plain and simple, it is better. This is not really up for debate as proven by the manufacturers not making DSLR anymore. Better AF, better video, and you get to see the exposure live so you will have less missed shots due to exposure being off. Battery life is nowhere near as good as a DSLR because the idle consumption is much higher, but you can program the standby off times to where you can get a full day of diving in so long as you aren't doing constant video but video time is no worse than on the D850. Waiting a year or two won't change anything significant provided you buy a current body, Z8/6iii/5ii


@MaxBottomtime Can you attribute your comment to the fact that it is mirrorless? If you can I'd love to see the evidence there. To imply that the Z's can't take as good of an image because they're mirrorless is ridiculous.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I didn't say it was because they are mirrorless. I see hundreds of photos posted every day from Z cameras, and I have yet to see a single photo that would make me move from my D850.

 

[tbone1004]

I didn't say it was because they are mirrorless. I see hundreds of photos posted every day from Z cameras, and I have yet to see a single photo that would make me move from my D850.

that's a very different statement and one that I wouldn't disagree with. The Z would undoubtedly improve your keeper rate if you are shooting with the mirror, no change if you're shooting from the back screen. The only thing undoubtedly better would be video, but for stills there really isn't a reason to move unless you want to jump into the Z glass.

 

[BoltSnap]

Waiting a year or two won't change anything significant provided you buy a current body, Z8/6iii/5ii

I agree with you on most of what you said in the same paragraph, which is surprising, but I disagree with you here VERY much. The wait isn't a year or two; it is a few months, and specifically for the "rumored" Z7iii with its very high resolution and reasonable prices, as alleged. I would wait until Q1 of 26 for certain. If nothing, I'd go for the current version of the Z8 at that time.

No one is doubting that the D850 is a great camera, among the best during its time, but the benefits of the mirrorless system (including Z lenses) are not open to doubt. The modern system is going forward and bringing better products, where the D850, although great during its time, is just not going anywhere. Why buy a product that is a few years not in production, EoL, and isn't going to be updated, while current technology is going into a new direction? Just doesn't make any sense technically and economically.

BTW, there is also the anticipated Z90.