The DX Kit is Complete - For Know

 

Nikon D7500, Nikkor 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 VR G

I picked up a couple more F mount lenses on Friday, which leaves me with an essentially complete hiking kit for my D7500, and a mostly complete one for the Z7.

What were the lenses?

The 10-20mm f4-5.6 DX VR AF-P and the 80-400mm f4-5.6 VR G AF-S

That gives me a solid 3/4 lens kit for the D7500 covering 15-600mm effective, with the 24-85VR subbing for my Tamron 17-50 in this case as it fills the gap between the 10-20 and 80-400 better, and a 3/4 lens kit for the Z7 covering 21-400mm (the Zeiss 21, 24-85VR and 80-400). In both cases the fourth optional lens is the Tamron 90mm Macro, although for regular close focus work (flowers, some bugging) the 80-400 does just fine. 

The 10-20 is tiny, surprisingly good optically and has VR, making it a good alternative to my go-to lens for years in this space, the Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6 HSM, which I've owned multiple copies of over the years. The Nikkor is the better of the two optically, and noticeably so, which I'd hope for being a 10+ year newer design, plus significantly smaller and lighter, but less well built. I'm impressed so far, and it's small enough to handle well on the Zfc. 

The 80-400G is everything I'd hoped the Sigma 100-400 would be on my A7IV last year, but without the disappointment I got from the Sigma. Both are sharp lenses, but the Nikkor is sharper, handles better, has better AF and the stabilization works well (which the Sigma didn't).

Collectively I spend slightly less for both lenses than that Sigma cost me last year. Shooting modern DSLR glass has a clear value advantage these days, especially if you choose lenses which adapt easily to mirrorless as I am currently doing (AF-S and AF-P lenses for Nikon, AF-I Nikkors also adapt well but generally only includes lenses I don't have a huge need for, while AF Nikkors lose AF). 

I still need a decent UWA zoom for the Z7, but I'm leaning towards the 16-35VR here. It's decent but unexceptional optically, but handles well, has VR and sells for very reasonable pricing. 

I'm currently planning to continue to build up my modern F mount collection. Great class, great prices. Sure, Z glass is almost always better, but it's also usually far more expensive than it is better (the 50's excepted, Nikon didn't really design an exceptional 50mm offering between the 50/1.2 AI-S and the Z 50/1.8 S, I'll probably skip the Nikkor 50's and just get a 58G if I find one for the right price), plus I'm really enjoying shooting the D7500, so I may add some more late-model DSLR's to the kit if I continue to enjoy the D7500 long-term. Notably a D850 and maybe a D500, the latter I've long wanted because of my longstanding love for the D200 and D300.