The time has come for me to replace my trusty Nikon D1h. It’s done me well for over 10 years and thousands of shutter activations, shooting a tonne of wakeboarding and rugby, but the batteries are holding less and less charge and replacing them is getting tougher.

My compact got chewed by the dog and, despite being fixed, has never fully recovered. I did like the smaller size of the F100d (the D1h is over a kilo with a lens), but did not like the way it took a long time to focus, meter and take the shot.

I like the way that SLRs work, so my mind has been turning to a smaller SLR like the GF’s canon 350d, just one that has less battering and a charger.

What’s good these days? I’d like to have a full frame, but that’s not essential. Video is good, but I am not that fussy about 4K. Lenses? Meh. I have a few Nikon F mounts, but nothing super expensive any more and it is likely to keep on a relatively small 25-55 low light. I don’t plan on spending on another 300mm f2.8.

Suggestions?

Fujifilm X-T3 is doing rather well if you can go down to a crop sensor – to be fair it would probably produce considerably better results than an old Nikon D1h anyway 😉

Full frame is just expensive, and I say that using a D850 most the time… but in all honesty most the time when I am out I can get by with the Fuji… or even a m4/3 Olympus…. If you don’t get on with the EVH then perhaps one of the higher end Nikon crops may be worth a look – Nikon D7500 is, I think, the new one.

They just released an X-T30 which is a cheaper version of the X-T3, looks to be popular.

Did you mean SLR in the truest sense of the term because obviously the Fujis aren’t SLRs. I still much prefer an optical view finder over an electronic one, even comparing with the very best EVFs on the top full frame and medium format cameras.

If you want a FF SLR I don’t think you’d go wrong with a second hand Nikon D800. The D750 apparently has a significant issue with some part of it or something so avoid that second hand.

If you really want small, Olympus is hard to beat. The EFF really isn’t bad at all, the image quality is very good, given the size and pixel density of the sensor. The lenses are small too for the equivalent focal length.
I don’t know a lot about the Nikon family of products but surely if you go with a newer Noon body you’ll be able to keep some of your existing lenses/flash? Or do they change their mounts every 6 months?

As your a Nikon user I’d have a look at whatever DSLR they do that’s the size of the old D40.
My old D40 is well used & when it dies I’ll have a look at what the current version is.
I use a D7200 for proper pictures,but it’s to big for shoving in the Camelbak..

Or do they change their mounts every 6 months?
Not unless things have changed recently,when I first I bought Nikon one of the things that sold the brand to me was the compatibility of their lens’s.
I use my AFS lens’s on my F100,D40 & D7200 all fully compatible.

Best to go to a shop and try some options. There are some great small cameras that may actually be too small (eg some of the Olympus MFT ones). Also the lens obviously makes a big difference.
Fwiw my D7500 is lovely but isn’t small, my wife’s d5600 is lovely too and much smaller, and its kit lens is small and sharp.
If I was to move I’d look at Fuji.

I’d say Nikon d5300 though to d5600 look great for a light cropped sensor DSLR. But they are poor for video AF. Apparently tap to AF is good with the new AFP lenses. But they won’t follow focus during a clip. Canon with dual pixel tech and mirrorless with on chip phase detect is the way to go for video AF. Well unless you are really serious and do it manually

But Nikon have cheap but good ultra wide, standard and 70 300 in AFP. All are cheap, good optically and fast focusing. So I think Nikon are in the game for stills

I’m no expert and I’m still working out what everything does but am really happy with the Sony A6000 I bought last year. Digital veiwfinder but a really small camera with the standard lens on (not so much with the 55-210mm lens on)

Another vote for Nikon d5600.

Cheers all. We have a Fuji at work (but it was expensive), so that new XT30 might be worth a look. Failing that, I think I need to get myself to an actual shop to look at what’s available.

Specs might be good, but if it doesn’t feel right, it’s not going to be used.

Specs might be good, but if it doesn’t feel right, it’s not going to be used.

Indeed – i really dislike holding the x-t20 – it just doesn’t feel natural at all, I don’t like the evf and the touchscreen response is terrible.

By comparison my Panasonic g80 has a much nicer evf (partly because it’s bigger), handling is much better. Definitely go and try some.

Similarly I can’t get on with the a6000 and a6300 – so much of the control is via a menu system without touch.

Fwiw I have the X-T20, with the Meike grip and thumb doodah it handles great (for me). Without it it’s a pocketable camera (with the 27mm lens). This for me was a big selling point. I’m now by a massive factor more likely to have the camera with me.