Nikon D5300

The EVF is amazing. Also, the raw files off of my Z camera are just gorgeous. On my Nikon D5300 they were good but very flat, obviously required tweaking to make them right. On the Z, the colors even in RAW are just incredible, seems so accurate plus gives you the flexibility to edit how you want.

Like its predecessor, the D5300 is a well-rounded camera that delivers excellent image quality, and as such it's our new Editors' Choice for entry-level D-SLRs. The Nikon D5300 D-SLR is a modest upgrade from the previous model, but it's just as worthy, making it our Editors' Choice for entry-level D-SLRs. Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox

But you don’t need to upgrade all the way to a brand new D5600 or better. With your upgrade budget you could get (say) a used D5300 off eBay and still have enough left over to afford a good lens. Just a thought (and I’d still say that if you’re only getting one, get the lens). Among the lenses you’re looking at, I’d definitely recommend the Nikon 200-500.

No reason at all to get locked into the Nikon system (and I am a Nikon user). I would highly recommend looking at Mirrorless. Either Fuji or Olympus. You can get a lot more camera than a D5300.

The vignetting would be absolutely horrendous, and you'd be cropping your images so much you'd be better off with the APS-C sensor in your D5300. By way of example: The 72mm filter has a surface area of 412.5mm², whereas the 58mm filter only has a surface area of 267.6mm².

I’ve been working with a D5300 for four years now and I love it. It’s a great camera for the price, and I do photography and video. With the right lighting and lens I’ve gotten great shots.