{"id":135618,"date":"2020-04-03T11:56:33","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T10:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amateurphotographer.co.uk\/?p=135618"},"modified":"2020-04-03T11:56:33","modified_gmt":"2020-04-03T10:56:33","slug":"used-and-approved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/technique\/used-and-approved\/","title":{"rendered":"Used and approved"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Used cameras are big business at the moment, with second-hand specialists such as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mpb.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MPB<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ffordes.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ffordes<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wexphotovideo.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wex Photo Video<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.parkcameras.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Park Cameras<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.graysofwestminster.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Grays of Westminster<\/a> reporting brisk trade. You can put this down to great customer service, combined with the natural desire of photographers to want to save money, particularly with economic pressures pushing up the price of new camera gear. With this in mind, we thought we\u2019d see how some of our regular AP contributors got on with some older cameras and lenses, now available at a great price.<\/p>\n<p>Our four contributors are all well-respected photographers in their chosen fields: landscape photographer James Abbott, wildlife and nature photographer Andrew Fusek Peters, macro expert Tracy Calder and street\/travel photography guru (and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nikon.co.uk\/en_GB\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikon<\/a> Ambassador) Mark Seymour. As you\u2019ll see, their experiences were generally positive, so if you\u2019re looking to buy used, their experiences make interesting reading, as well as giving some pointers on things to look out for with older gear.<\/p>\n<h2>James Abbott: landscapes<\/h2>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135629&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 650px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135629\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-landscape-silhouette.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras landscape silhouette\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-landscape-silhouette.jpg 630w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-landscape-silhouette.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-landscape-silhouette.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-landscape-silhouette.jpg?resize=562,375 562w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">For landscape photographers where fast AF is not so important, James reckons the A7R is a solid used choice. Credit: James Abbott<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<p>James borrowed a <a href=\"http:\/\/amateurphotographer.co.uk\/reviews\/compactsystemcameras\/sony-alpha-7r-review\">Sony Alpha 7R<\/a>, which you can currently pick up second-hand for about \u00a3500 to \u00a3650, depending on condition. He used a range of lenses with the body, including the 16-35mm f\/2.8 GM and a 70-200mm f\/4. \u2018I was immediately struck by how small the A7R is. In fact, it\u2019s not much smaller than newer Sony models, but it just felt more compact. The whole idea with mirrorless cameras was that they were going to be so much smaller than DSLRs but that doesn\u2019t seem to be the case any more, even with Olympus.\u2019<\/p>\n<h3>Image quality<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018Considering the camera is seven years old, the image quality is really good. You can push and pull the raw files and although the dynamic range could be wider, image quality is still impressive. I didn\u2019t notice a huge difference between its 36MP sensor and the 42MP chip in the A7R II. In some ways the A7R is easier to use than the newer cameras as the menus are a bit simpler. There are fewer options so it\u2019s easier to find key settings.\u2019<\/p>\n<h3>Autofocus and ISO<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018Higher ISOs generate noticeably noisier images than the A7R III, as you\u2019d expect, but it\u2019s not that bad. The AF however is definitely slower. It doesn\u2019t lock on as snappily and changing AF points was hard work, with lots of button pressing and moving AF points up and down. Fortunately, I mostly focus manually for landscapes, so it wasn\u2019t a major issue. If you were shooting action, wildlife or even portraiture, were you to want to move the AF point to the eye closest to the camera, it could be a bit of a fiddle. Returning to ISO, I pushed one shot, up on Derwent Edge in the Peak District, to ISO 800 at f\/4 and the results weren\u2019t too bad. It may have been the subject, but the image did have blue sky in, and blue is the noisiest of three RGB channels. The image was taken in near pitch darkness except for the moonlight hitting the rocks.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135636&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 650px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135636\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-stones.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras stones\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-stones.jpg 630w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-stones.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-stones.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-stones.jpg?resize=562,375 562w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">A good example of the Sony A7R\u2019s still decent ISO performance. James took this at ISO 800 and the image is clean and very usable. Credit: James Abbott<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h3>Handling and battery life<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018The A7R is well built, but there are some handling niggles. When using the virtual horizon it\u2019s only available in the camera settings view, so you can\u2019t see your composition when levelling up \u2013 it makes it tricky but not impossible. Also, the LCD didn\u2019t feel as accurate as those on newer cameras. When using exposure compensation, the histogram wasn\u2019t moving as much as I expected, but again that might just have been the conditions.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I reviewed this camera when it first came out, and the position of the shutter button still bugs me \u2013 it\u2019s too high, positioned on top of the camera. Battery life, meanwhile, is not great. We are talking about half a day of shooting on a full charge, compared to two days with my A7R III.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I would still recommend the original A7R for landscape photography, though the sluggish AF performance makes it less suitable for other genres. Still, if you put a gun to my head and said I could only use this camera for the next few years, I wouldn\u2019t lose any sleep over it. Sony lenses are not particularly cheap, but they are exceptionally sharp. There is also a good choice of glass from third-party makers.\u2019<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>James Abbott is a landscape and portrait photographer based in Cambridge. He\u2019s also a freelance photography journalist and editor specialising in photography techniques, tutorials and reviews. See more of his work at <a href=\"http:\/\/jamesaphoto.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.jamesaphoto.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Andrew Fusek Peters: wildlife<\/h2>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135630&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 650px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135630\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-long-tailed-tit.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras long-tailed tit\" width=\"630\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-long-tailed-tit.jpg 630w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-long-tailed-tit.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-long-tailed-tit.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-long-tailed-tit.jpg?resize=170,170 170w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-long-tailed-tit.jpg?resize=562,562 562w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-long-tailed-tit.jpg?resize=150,150 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">Andrew pushed the ISO to 1600 for the image of this long-tailed tit and the image is still very usable for print, with relatively little noise. Credit: Andrew Fusek Peters<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<p>Andrew borrowed an original <a href=\"http:\/\/amateurphotographer.co.uk\/reviews\/compactsystemcameras\/olympus-om-d-e-m1-review\">Olympus E-M1 Mark 1<\/a> body, which he used with the Olympus M.Zuiko 300mm f\/4 lens. You can pick up the E-M1 for around \u00a3250. \u2018That is a great price for what is still a capable camera in many ways,\u2019 he explains. \u2018But the E-M1 does feel like a prototype for the Mark II, as some of its ideas weren\u2019t fully developed.\u2019<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Image quality<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u2018The 16.3MP Micro Four Thirds sensor is quite long in the tooth now but you can still get quite a lot of detail from the raw files. It\u2019s the in-body image stabilisation (IS) that really stands out, however, it\u2019s still extraordinary. I could go as low as 1\/8sec and still get sharp shots of a roosting tree creeper (though the camera was also on a dodgy tripod which I was also having to secure by hand). The IS also came in very useful when taking pictures of starling murmurations in a strong wind. This is still one of the camera\u2019s strongest selling points.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135635&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 565px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135635\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Shelduck.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras Shelduck\" width=\"545\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Shelduck.jpg 545w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Shelduck.jpg?resize=300,347 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Shelduck.jpg?resize=346,400 346w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 545px) 100vw, 545px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">The AF system on the camera was hard work, reckons Andrew, making action shots of wildlife a frustrating process. Credit: Andrew Fusek Peters<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h3>Autofocus and ISO<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018On the negative side, the AF system really shows its age, especially with fast-moving subjects or in low light. It\u2019s just slow, and using multiple AF points is not very intuitive, which is not what you need as a wildlife photographer. I did manage to get some good shots for this project, such as the ones of the starlings and woodpecker, and I would be happy to send these to my newspaper and magazine clients. But it was a lot of effort. For every sharp shot I got, there were lots of unacceptably soft ones. The E-M1\u2019s AF system doesn\u2019t always lock on as reliably as you\u2019d hope, and requires a disproportionate amount of effort to get good results. It\u2019s also a shame that Pro Capture never made it to this camera, as it enables a \u201cshoot burst\u201d of 60 frames per second \u2013 a godsend for wildlife photographers. The ISO performance was better and I managed to get a relatively clean shot of a long-tailed tit at ISO 1600, which is not bad for a 2013 camera. In many ways, the ISO technology is ahead of the AF.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135638&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 650px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135638\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Woodpecker.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras Woodpecker\" width=\"630\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Woodpecker.jpg 630w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Woodpecker.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Woodpecker.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Woodpecker.jpg?resize=170,170 170w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Woodpecker.jpg?resize=562,562 562w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Woodpecker.jpg?resize=150,150 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">For every sharp shot Andrew had a lot of duffers, but the camera delivers with this image. Credit: Andrew Fusek Peters<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h3>Handling and battery life<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018This being an Olympus, the build quality is really solid, but the battery life goes down quickly. To conclude, this camera could pass muster as a reasonably priced second-hand pick-up for landscapes, or other genres where you don\u2019t need such fast AF, but for wildlife I really need a camera that gives me that extra bit of help. With the release of the E-M1 Mark III, the Mark II is now plunging in price, so it would seem a better second-hand buy than this original model.\u2019<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Regular contributor Andrew Fusek Peters is a highly regarded wildlife and landscape shooter whose work regularly appears in national newspapers. He has been highly commended twice for British Wildlife Photographer of the Year. See more at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.andrewfusekpeters.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.andrewfusekpeters.com<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Tracy Calder: macro<\/h2>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135634&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 440px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135634\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-rose.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras rose\" width=\"420\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-rose.jpg 420w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-rose.jpg?resize=300,450 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-rose.jpg?resize=267,400 267w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">For macro work, where you often focus manually or use a tripod, Tracy reckons the X-T1 is a solid used buy. Credit: Tracy Calder<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<p>Tracy borrowed a <a href=\"http:\/\/amateurphotographer.co.uk\/reviews\/compactsystemcameras\/fuji-x-t1-review\">Fujifilm X-T1<\/a>, which you can now buy second-hand for around \u00a3220-\u00a3250. She used it with the 80mm macro f\/2.8 lens, which costs about \u00a3800 second-hand. She says, \u2018Basically I still really like this camera, and it\u2019s very well suited to macro work. Most of the advances in the range have centred on AF or video, and are not so relevant to me as a manual focus macro specialist. The solid SLR-type body and design is reassuringly sturdy and there is a good balance of auto and manual controls. Although the camera is six years old, it\u2019s still got plenty of appeal, with some important caveats.\u2019<\/p>\n<h3>Image quality<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018It stands the test of the time. You can get a lot of detail back from raw files, and using a macro lens I don\u2019t tend to crop in so much anyway. Photographers in other genres, however, might want more resolution. With higher-quality JPEGs, you generally get good and accurate exposure, white balance and colour rendition. I also really like the film simulation modes, which definitely add to your creative arsenal.\u2019<\/p>\n<h3>Autofocus and ISO<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018The AF is not super-fast by today\u2019s standards, but this is not such an issue for me. There are several really useful options for manual focusing as you can use dual view (shows full screen, plus a magnified view in a small window to the side), along with split screen and focus peaking. I only pushed the ISO to 800, and it was fine at that level. Some might want more advanced low-light technology, but it\u2019s good enough for my purposes.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135633&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 440px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135633\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-pestle-and-mortar.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras pestle and mortar\" width=\"420\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-pestle-and-mortar.jpg 420w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-pestle-and-mortar.jpg?resize=300,450 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-pestle-and-mortar.jpg?resize=267,400 267w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">Straight out of the camera JPEGs are well exposed, white balance is accurate and the level of detail is good. Credit: Tracy Calder<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h3>Handling and battery life<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018The X-T1 has a really solid feel, as it\u2019s made from magnesium alloy and is very grippable. The handgrip feels great, as I don\u2019t have big hands. As for the tiltable LCD, it\u2019s ok, but not particularly practical for shooting in portrait format, and the 4-way controller is too flush to the camera\u2019s body. As a result it\u2019s spongy and awkward to operate. The EVF is workmanlike, featuring 2.36 million dots compared to the 3.69 on the X-T4, and you need to take your eye away from the viewfinder to use some of the controls. Having six customisable function buttons comes in very handy, however. I also like having the exposure and ISO dials on the top of the camera, although they can be fiddly to operate against your eye. Battery life, meanwhile, is so-so by modern standards. As for the 80mm macro lens, I find it a bit plasticky and over-priced, though it is consistently sharp. I do wish Sigma and Tamron were able to make lenses for Fujifilm mount, as I really like their macro lenses!\u2019<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Tracy Calder is a former Technique Editor of AP and is an accomplished macro photographer, having written several books on the subject. She now runs the Close-up Photographer of the Year competition. For details see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cupoty.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.cupoty.com<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Mark Seymour: street\/documentary<\/h2>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135628&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 650px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135628\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-cartwheel.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras cartwheel\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-cartwheel.jpg 630w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-cartwheel.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-cartwheel.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-cartwheel.jpg?resize=562,375 562w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">Mark was impressed by the ISO performance. He pushed it to ISO 6000 and still got a very usable shot. Credit: Mark Seymour<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<p>Mark borrowed a <a href=\"http:\/\/amateurphotographer.co.uk\/reviews\/dslrs\/nikon-d750-hands-review\">Nikon D750<\/a> DSLR, which he used with a 35mm f\/1.8 Nikkor lens. You can pick up a used D750 with a warranty for about \u00a3600, so it\u2019s a solid second-hand full-frame choice. \u2018It is still a bloody good camera,\u2019 Mark enthuses. You only notice its shortcomings because we have got used to the D850 and the latest Nikon mirrorless models in the Z series. For a pro or enthusiast, the D750 is ideal as a back-up as it\u2019s so reliable and stable. You know it won\u2019t let you down.\u2019<\/p>\n<h3>Image quality<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018That sensor size, 24MP full frame, is something of a sweet spot,\u2019 says Mark. \u2018The camera generates a great raw file, with lots of detail, but doesn\u2019t clog up all your storage, so it\u2019s an ideal size. To be honest, even as a professional photographer, your images aren\u2019t printed bigger than A4 very often. Landscape and advertising photographers might need more resolution but it works for me.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135631&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 650px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135631\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-market.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras market\" width=\"630\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-market.jpg 630w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-market.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-market.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-market.jpg?resize=562,375 562w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">Mark reckons the D750\u2019s 24MP full-frame sensor hits a \u2018sweet spot\u2019 for resolution and file size. Credit: Mark Seymour<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h3>Autofocus and ISO<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018I didn\u2019t have any problems with the AF. It is nowhere near as fast as the D850 or the latest Z-series mirrorless models, but is certainly no slouch. I used back-button focusing and the camera coped well with most situations during the shoot. ISO performance is still pretty good \u2013 after all, the D750 is not a particularly \u201cold\u201d camera, and came out in 2014. I could push the ISO up to 6400, shooting at f\/5.6 and 1\/60 second inside the Tate Modern gallery, and still get decent images.\u2019<\/p>\n\t\t<div id=&quot;attachment_135637&quot;  class=\"c-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 440px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-135637\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Tate-Modern.jpg\" alt=\"Used cameras Tate Modern\" width=\"420\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Tate-Modern.jpg 420w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Tate-Modern.jpg?resize=300,450 300w, https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2020\/03\/Used-cameras-Tate-Modern.jpg?resize=267,400 267w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/>\t\t\t<p class=\"c-caption__text\">A classically composed image from inside the Tate Modern, again making use of higher ISOs. Credit: Mark Seymour<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h3>Handling and battery life<\/h3>\n<p>\u2018The handling was fine, and Nikon menus are consistent through the range so you don\u2019t need to waste time figuring things out. The build quality is sturdy; although it\u2019s not up to the Nikon D5 or D6 standard, the camera still feels like a decent bit of kit. What really impresses me about the D750, however, is the battery life. Whether I am shooting weddings or street, it just seems to go on forever, and it\u2019s even better on the newer DSLRs and mirrorless models. The biggest downside of the D750 is live view because this function is not as good as the latest models in terms of resolution and ease of focusing.\u2019<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Mark Seymour is a highly successful wedding photographer, and Nikon UK\u2019s first ambassador in this genre. He is also a keen street and travel shooter as well as a workshop leader doing street photography workshops. See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.shootthestreet.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.shootthestreet.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We sent four eminent, experienced photographers a range of used cameras and lenses. 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