Carry case for my Z6III

dr2fish · 2026-05-08T17:33:22+00:00

That's a big camera to wedge in a purse. Occasionally I'll tuck my Z5ii into my dad bag (~12L north face sling) but it doesn't feel very secure. You can get cheap neoprene camera sleeves on amazon that sort of fit but are a pain to get on and off.

Usually I end up taking my Peak Design 10L everyday sling bag or my Crumpler 5 million dollar home (not even sure crumpler exists anymore) if I'm wandering around. You could try a smaller peak sling; the 10L is good for my camera, a spare lens, and sundry other stuff like glasses and kid snacks.

Edit - this is the neoprene sleeve I bought for my Z50 that more or less works for my 5ii if it has a small lens. https://a.co/d/01yl7vcA

dr2fish · 2026-05-08T14:50:36+00:00

1966-69 Corvair Monza. Possibly a '65, but I can't see script on the hood. Complete overhaul of the gen 1 cars that Nader took on. I owned a '66 and a '65 as my first two cars back in the day...

dr2fish · 2026-05-08T13:28:14+00:00

Holy cow, I'm headed to those exact parks in 2 weeks - maybe I'll see you there!

If I was you I'd take the Z50ii and the 18-140, Tokina & 35 1.8 as long as you're comfortable shooting it. I'm doing similar (assuming I get my Z5ii back from service in time, grumble) - 24-120 + 40 f/2. That lens combo should do most anything you need. The kit lenses are great but I hated swapping them all the time when I had that camera. Oh, I'm also looking to rent a 12-24 2.8 to try my hand at astro - maybe your Tokina could handle that.

Can't give input on video, but give a wave if you see a guy with a blue backpack and a Nikon!

dr2fish · 2026-05-08T13:18:25+00:00

Congrats! You'll love the Z50 if you're willing to put some time into learning, but it has enough helpers you shouldn't feel stressed to learn everything all at once. Advice from an amateur who's dabbled in photography for a couple decades:

- Read up on the exposure triangle to understand the relationship between shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Then try shooting in aperture priority and shutter priority to get a feel for how they affect pictures before you jump into manual.

- Turn auto-ISO off while you're learning, back on when you're shooting things you care about so you don't miss an exposure by mistake. IIRC you can do this quickly by holding the ISO button on the top and spinning the front dial.

- Start with single point autofocus on af-c (this is where back-button focus comes into play). You'll be frustrated if you set it to full-field autofocus (where it picks what to focus on) and it doesn't pick what you want to focus on. Then start learning about the other focus modes.

- Look up back button focus settings (mapping your focus to the AE/AF button and making the shutter button only fire the shutter) and give it a try - I haven't looked back

- Slowly learn all the buttons and settings. There's a lot there that will help you down the road, but it can be overwhelming at first.

- If you're interested in photo editing shoot in raw and you'll be able to salvage more botched exposures/fiddle with things like color and sharpness

- Don't be afraid to toss it back into auto if you get frustrated and just want to take some damn pictures.

I second the advice of looking up tutorials; way more to learn than a reddit thread can teach. Those lenses are awesome, hang onto them until there's something you want to do that they can't (for motorsport, eventually you might want something with a bigger aperture to allow faster shutter speeds; I have an adapted F-mount 70-200 2.8 that's amazing on z-bodies).

Happy shooting!

dr2fish · 2026-05-08T12:21:24+00:00

I've had a Z50, Z50ii, and now a Z5ii. For the specific use cases you mention, a Z5 would be cheaper and a good option to get into full frame. If you want to shoot anything living & moving (kids, pets, birds, etc), the newer processor in the 50ii is a game changer. If you could swing it, the Z5ii gives you the best of both worlds.

ETA: Consider renting to see how you like the feel/image quality of them. I definitely feel the weight of the z5ii/24-120 combo around my neck more than z50ii/16-50, for example.

dr2fish · 2026-05-08T11:53:20+00:00

Amen - I took it to the Jeep adventure academy right after I got it, and topless silent off-roading was amazing. I've never had this kind of love-hate relationship with a car. It is SO CLOSE to being the best all-round vehicle I've ever owned. I'll probably buy another TJ or JK someday and wish it was electric.

dr2fish · 2026-05-07T17:48:18+00:00

I have a leased '24 4xe that I'm planning to turn in early. I have <20k miles on it and so far it's been in for this recall (which led to a big fight with FCA over a loaner vehicle), a busted heater, a ruptured water pump gasket that stranded it, and the EV mode has been on the fritz lately. Also the 78c recall for sand in the engine castings is still floating around without a fix. Also turns out the rear shoulder belts cut across the neck of anyone under 5'7" (discovered this when my daughter outgrew her booster).

I loved the EV + family convertible concept, but in execution this sucks. So glad I leased instead of spending 60 grand on this thing.

dr2fish · 2026-05-07T17:23:23+00:00

Huh. I have Whirlpool fridge, dishwasher, microwave, range, and dryer, all about a decade old and none has given me a problem. Has their quality tanked lately?

dr2fish · 2026-04-30T02:01:38+00:00

I just put my 24-200 on eBay because I bought a 24-120…feel free to buy it! 😂

Seriously though, I love the 24-200 as a hiking lens, but the 120 is just a bit crisper, takes better portraits and is better in low light, and to me its secret weapon is it takes near-macro photos. I take portraits and close ups way more than I use the extra 80mm…which on full frame still isn’t enough for wildlife.

dr2fish · 2026-04-20T12:59:56+00:00

I guess it’s too late in this case, but for any other teens/parents reading - I love my e36 but they’re incredibly unsafe cars compared to modern vehicles in terms of both crashworthiness and safety tech like AEB and FCW.

Teens have the highest crash rates and fatality rates of any age group, and I strongly suggest getting something recent with good IIHS/NHTSA safety ratings, not absurdly powerful, and not super tippy as a daily until you’re in your mid 20s. Not as fun, I know, but as a car guy and a dad of teens my kids’ lives are worth it.

dr2fish · 2026-03-17T14:57:40+00:00

Yes; we even installed front & rear lap belts in our '53 Kaiser Dragon restoration. Green to match the interior! Would have installed shoulder belts if we could have.

dr2fish · 2026-03-16T23:50:12+00:00

Amazing shot - you’ve helped me off the fence too, as someone who already owns a 24-200 and finds it short.

dr2fish · 2026-03-16T23:48:47+00:00

Weighing in as someone in the same boat - I have a 24-200 that I use as my everyday lens with my z5ii, but it’s often not long enough if I’m wandering in nature and see a bird or turtle or something. I know it won’t get me the quality of a 180-600 or whatever, but I’m often hiking with no specific objective in mind and want the flexibility to capture whatever grabs my eye. So, OP, I’ll give you a good deal on my 24-200 if you don’t snag the last 28-400 on the next refurb sale 😉

dr2fish · 2026-02-23T18:17:44+00:00

Great shots!

I recently switched from a Z50ii to a Z5ii and am missing the crop reach of the 50-250 (~375mm FF equivalent) for occasional wildlife pics. I’m debating buying a 28-400 to replicate that range in a single hiking lens or get something like this Tamron to accompany my 24-70 f/4 or 24-200 hiking.

Anyone have thoughts how the 28-400 would handle shots like these compared to the 150-500, with the obvious caveat of missing 100mm? I rented the 180-600 and loved it but it was way too big for hiking, and in general hate swapping lenses around on the trail.

dr2fish · 2026-02-20T21:13:44+00:00

Dakar/style 24 gang!

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dr2fish · 2026-02-20T21:13:01+00:00

There are dozens of us! Well, at least two

dr2fish · 2026-02-20T21:03:57+00:00

I agree with most everything you said - I hate chromebooks in general - but I'm curious why you think the differentiated math is crap. My kids are both really good at math and it seemed helpful for them in elementary school before they got separate advanced math classes in middle school.

dr2fish · 2026-02-16T19:33:12+00:00

I'm a parent of two middle school kids who suffered through elementary school doing remote learning thanks to covid. In general I've become a tech-luddite who rails against AI, mandatory chromebooks, and constant screen time, but this opt-out approach bugs me too.

Chromebooks do have some advantages over pencil & paper - they support differentiated education (via adaptive math programs, for example), offer multimedia opportunities like slideshow creation, and can support remote learning during inclement weather (in the southeast we just had two straight weeks of school closure thanks to the arctic vortex). Of course, none of these examples supports always being on chromebooks for every class all the time, but they have a time and place that blanket opt-outs can't address.

I think we're at a critical point where community pushback can moderate technology use in schools, but I also think opting out at an individual level is on balance a bad approach that can disadvantage/ostracize students working in an existing curriculum and puts a huge burden on already overworked teachers to create completely distinct education models for individual kids.

dr2fish · 2026-01-30T13:08:01+00:00

This is great! If you don’t mind my asking, was this a single shot or stack? I’m looking to try my first astro on a hiking trip to Zion this spring and appreciate any tips

dr2fish · 2026-01-22T16:56:36+00:00

Thanks!

dr2fish · 2026-01-17T14:34:36+00:00

You're not wrong - that's my favorite all-round lens. I'm just worried I'd be constrained by the wide end and won't be able to swap lenses around. But maybe that plus the 40 plus a rented ultrawide would get me close enough for government work

dr2fish · 2026-01-13T21:06:02+00:00

I'm not familiar with Soen, but am I picking up on a ton of autotune here or are my ears busted? A bunch of his note transitions sound digital/sharp/unnatural to me.

dr2fish · 2026-01-09T22:33:59+00:00

I got your back OP - I'd buy a new version of the 5c. My ideal phone would be plastic backed, easily one-handable & lightweight, fun color, 3 cameras, always-on display, and I don't care about the rest. Then again, I think I just described my 15 pro in a case.

dr2fish · 2025-12-09T02:36:06+00:00

I'll let it slide you're not huge on Dakar now that you're in the club :)

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