So here’s what it took to upgrade my working camera system (in chronological order):
- Computer: A new camera will produce larger files. To move all that extra data around effectively I needed more processing power and more memory. Otherwise there’s going to be a lot of waiting around. Now this was actually forced on me with my old one dying but in fact doing this first makes a lot of sense so you’re ready for the files when the new camera comes.
- Lightroom Upgrade. I was getting by with an older version with one-off purchase. I need an upgrade for a newer camera RAW files.
- New Main Body – obviously. I chose a Nikon D850. Second hand from a large dealer in the UK. Reasonably low shutter actuations and 12 month warranty.
- XQD and SD cards. New camera takes different cards. And bigger, faster cards to manage those larger files.
- XQD card reader. I prefer to download cards from a reader rather than connecting the camera to the PC every time.
- Spare cards. So having got one to start off with, I shopped around for spare cards. With the costs of the XQD cards I’m only carrying limited spares. With the D700 I had a bank of CFs available.
- Screen protector for the LCD. I use the thin ground glass, stick-on ones.
- Spare Battery. I bought a third party spare which came with a USB charger which allows me to charge at home and at work as a bonus.
- L-Bracket for the tripod. The ability to mount the camera vertically on the Tripod is really useful. L-Brackets are fitted to each body so you need a new one for a new body.
- Upgrade my 50mm. So this was always my weakest lens (although not a bad one) and the higher resolution and faster focusing of the new camera has shown it up to the point where I can justify the upgrade. The others look good for now but the 50 needed to be changed. Again, take advantage of a good second hand market across the EU. Lots of people buy these lenses and end up not using them much (unless they take portraits professionally).
- Battery / Vertical Grip. I used the vertical grip the whole time on the D700 but I am enjoying the reduction in weight not using it on the D850. I rarely needed the extra battery. So I wasn’t going to bother. But for jobs when I’m shooting a lot of head shots the vertical grip is useful. Then I got a deal on a third party grip in the US so I got it just for those jobs where it helps, rather than to be permanently attached.
- File Backup / Archive. Those larger files are now eating disc space as well. I Archive all the original RAW files as well as maintaining an archive of the finished client files. I made some changes to the way that works to make it more cost effective per GB and bought more disc space.
- Backup / Second body upgrade. Initially I just used the D700 but it’s very different to the D850 (and uses different cards and batteries). As I get more used to the new camera, the D700 is a less effectively back-up / second camera. Ideally you’d buy an identical body as backup but that’s a lot of cash. In the end I bought a D500 second hand. Same cards, same charger, very similar functional layout, same focusing system. Crop sensor!
- More cards. My two bodies now use the same cards and batteries so I need another spare.
- Another screen protector for the D500.
I think that’s it. For now!
Do I need a couple of DX lenses (including a standard zoom) for the D500? Maybe but I’m not yet convinced. I have an old 17-70 DX which will do and the 17-35f2.8 sits quite well on it too – for the uses I have for it.
Otherwise my existing lenses cover me and are all good. Most have a replacement which is ‘better’ but also is going to cost me considerably to upgrade – even if I sell the old one – and realistically the benefits are pretty marginal. The most obvious is my 85f1.4D which is a little battered and not optimised for modern high res digital but it’s not a main lens (I use the 105f2.8 a lot).