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Sound Advice: Going with new camera tech is better than getting a new lens

Tribune News Service
June 12, 2020 at 3:11PM

Q: I have a Nikon D5100 DSLR and would like to get a longer lens for photographing wildlife and landscapes. I was looking at the Nikkor 24-300mm FX lens, but I don't know how it would pair with the D5100, which is a DX camera body. What about the Sony RX10 IV camera as an alternative? How do you think image quality compares between the two, and do you have suggestions for a long focal length camera like the Sony? I do not want to spend more than $1,700.

A: You can use a Nikon FX lens on a DX camera body without compromise. It is going from DX lens to FX body where there are drawbacks.

That being said, your D5100 is nearly a decade old — a long time in an era of rapid technological advances — and I think a new superzoom camera with a fixed zoom lens would be a good way to go. I strongly suggest the Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 Mk. II (shop.panasonic.com). It is one of the most delightful pieces of photographic equipment I have ever used (and I have owned and used quite a bit). I wrote about it a year ago and it is still at the top of my list.

It has a 20 megapixel, 1-inch sensor. It is paired with an ultra-sharp 24-400 mm Leica lens and extremely effective image stabilization. The image and video quality is off-the-charts good, and I have had a very high "hit rate" of good images, even in difficult conditions. I would choose it price-independent over the $1,600 Sony RX10 IV, and the FZ-1000 Mk. II is under $800. It shoots high-quality 1080p and 4K video, as well, and the video from my last vacation looked spectacular even enlarged to 75 inches on my TV.

Workaround is easy, but ...

Q: I have an old Sansui QRX-6001 receiver that I had refurbished not too long ago. Do you know some way to add a remote volume control to this receiver, or a device that would accomplish this?

A: Look online for the MCM Custom Audio 50-8394 Line Level Volume Control IR Remote. It takes a line level electrical signal and changes the output level, which changes the volume. It consists of a small receiver box and a remote, and it sells for about $55.

To control everything playing through the receiver (including the receiver's tuner), insert the device in the tape loop input/outputs and press the tape monitor button. Turn the volume up to 75% and adjust the volume with the remote control.

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As simple as that is to do, I must add that a jury-rigged solution such as this, done to add functionality to old components, has limitations. I understand the urge you have; I've done this myself in order to keep using my old stereo preamp while setting up surround sound. But eventually I realized that the best solution was to buy a new preamp that excelled at both surround sound and stereo audio. If having a remote is important to you, I suggest you consider buying a new receiver with a remote control and use the Sansui in a second system.

Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.

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Don Lindich

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