Four 'Unforgettable DSLRs' I Want to Talk About Now That Mirrorless Cameras Are in Their Prime, and Where They Best Fit

Modern cameras have become surprisingly convenient, and we are entering an era where anyone can take photos without failure.
However, I believe that back in the days when we could feel the mirror flipping up at our fingertips and were chasing raw light through an optical viewfinder (OVF), there was a 'dense time of confronting photography' that is different from today.
This time, I would like to look back at four masterpiece cameras that I still love dearly, along with the realistic shooting experiences of that time. Now that we enjoy such convenience, I want to reconsider where these cameras truly belong.

1. Nikon D500

The ultimate completed form of APS-C for moving subjects, with which I once raced alongside a 500mm f/4 lens.
A 'little dynamite' that overturned the common sense of the DX format (APS-C) by featuring the same 153-point AF system as the flagship 'D5' of that time.

My personal experience and where it fits best: drinking scenes of white-throated needletails, flight of birds of prey
What makes it one-of-a-kind: I paired this camera with a 500mm f/4 lens to chase the fleeting moments of white-throated needletails skimming the water's surface to drink, or the intense flight of birds of prey. First of all, the AF is incredibly powerful. Although it uses the same image processing engine as the D5, I remember feeling that the overall operation was even snappier and more agile because the sensor size was smaller (APS-C). Including the advantage of the 1.5x focal length multiplier due to the APS-C sensor, I still believe there is nothing better as a 'super-telephoto, moving-subject-specialized machine that maximizes hit rate to the limit,' and I still take it out to shoot quite often.

2. Nikon D850

The impact of ISO 64. The 'ultimate all-rounder' that the history of DSLRs reached.
A monster machine that achieved a high level of both high resolution and high-speed continuous shooting, becoming one of the 'final destinations' for digital DSLRs.

My personal experience and where it fits best: landscapes, studios, and animal photography with a battery grip attached
What makes it one-of-a-kind: The true value of this camera is, above all, the breathtakingly rich tonal descriptive power produced by its base sensitivity of 'ISO 64.' It is tenacious even in scenes with high contrast, and its reliability in landscape photography is immense.

Furthermore, if you equip it with a battery grip and a D5 battery (EN-EL18 series), it becomes capable of high-speed continuous shooting at 9 frames per second, despite its ultra-high resolution of 45.75 megapixels. It is the ultimate destination as a tool, living up to the name of the 'completed form of a DSLR,' with the flexibility to handle even casual animal photography without difficulty.

3. Canon EOS 1DX

A violent yet lovable shutter sound. The absolute sense of reliability that spoils the user.
A full-frame flagship that swept the front lines of sports and journalism around the world, starting with the London Olympics.
My personal experience and where it fits best: harsh moving-subject photography, scenes where you cannot miss a split-second chance
What makes it one-of-a-kind: That alarmingly loud shutter sound that could almost be called violent—'Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba!' The photos produced along with that sound, which was pleasant to the ears, were all surprisingly stable.

The most surprising thing about the 1DX was that even without meticulously fine-tuning the camera's detailed settings, you could achieve a high hit rate just by pressing the shutter. It was truly 'performance that spoils the user,' and there was a joy in being able to immerse myself in shooting with full confidence in the equipment. Even touching it now, the unique presence and certainty of that flagship make my heart race.

4. Canon EOS 5D Mark II

The completed full-frame form that crushed the complaints of the first generation, and a textbook that teaches the basics of photography.
An epoch-making camera that literally changed the history of photography and video by sparking the Full HD video revolution with 'EOS Movie'.

My personal experience and where it fits best: snapshots, portraits, and a camera for 'learning the basics of photography'
What makes it one-of-a-kind: It appeared as the completed form of the full-frame camera of that time, having almost perfectly addressed the complaints of the original 5D.
While modern cameras have evolved in terms of software (dynamic range and noise processing), I actually don't think the way high-sensitivity noise appears on the 5D Mark II is all that different compared to modern cameras. If you perform appropriate noise processing during RAW development, it still has enough potential to compete on the front lines today.

Because it lacks unnecessary assist functions, using a simple full-frame camera from this era is the best way to learn if you want to study the basics of photography, such as exposure, composition, and shooting, from scratch.

Knowing the basics because we enjoy the convenience

Thanks to advances in digital technology, cameras have become increasingly convenient. AI-based subject recognition and powerful image stabilization have made our shooting dramatically easier.
However, I think 'becoming convenient' and 'leaving everything to the machine' are similar but different things.

I believe there is a decisive difference in the 'final output' of a photograph between someone who knows the 'basics'—such as the camera's exposure mechanism, how to read light, and the sense of distance to the subject—in their body while enjoying the latest convenience, and someone who leaves everything to the machine from the start.

The four cameras I looked back on this time are all wonderful partners that taught us the 'joy and basics of taking photos.'
There must be an origin of photography there that cannot be experienced with the latest mirrorless cameras.

By the way, there are still many other bodies sitting there that I haven't introduced yet, so if you'd like, I'd be happy to introduce them if you have requests. Thank you.