Finally ditching my N90s - D5100 or D7000?

[topflightpro]

Hi all,

I am finally going to upgrade to a Digital SLR and shelve my Nikon N90s. I'm a former semi-professional photographer - I used to be the photo editor at my college paper back in the 1990s and did some photo work while working as a reporter several years ago.

Anyway, I am looking to get a DSLR camera for my wife and I to use for taking vacation photos or shooting our bicycle races. It's going to be basic amateur stuff.

That said, I am now not sure whether to get the D5100 or the D7000.

From what I have read, the D7000 will work with my existing lenses: Nikon 24mm 2.8, Nikon 80-200 2.8 and Tokina 28-70 2.8, while the D5100 will not. But, I can buy a D5100 with the Nikon 18-55 and 55-200, IIRC, for less than the D7000 body.

My concern is that the D7000 will be too much camera for our current needs, and that my wife will not enjoy the weight of the camera and lenses.

What are your thoughts? If I go with the D5100, I'll probably donate my current lenses back to my college newspaper to either use or sell for other camera equipment.

Thanks.

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[2WheelPhoto]

D7000 all day. Hold both bodies in your hand and look at the controls/layout, that alone will help you decide.

[EchoingWhisper]

D7000, even that I have D5100, you'll save more in the long term buying D7000.

[cgipson1]

I would highly recommend the D7000.... it really is nice! Does a wonderful job, and the controls and layout are really good. Much better then the D90 or the D5100

[Nikon_Josh]

If you did Pro work, you don't want a entry level camera with features blacked out. You want a D7000, simple as that!

[sm4him]

Another vote for the D7000.
Maybe.

I have a D5100, but after just six months, I already want to upgrade to the D7000. I actually thought about buying it initially, but didn't, partly for the reasons you've mentioned--I was afraid it would be "too much" camera for me, the camera body alone was more than I spent on my entire initial setup.

But in retrospect, I kinda wish I'd made that jump. It would NOT have been too much camera, not when you already understand the basics of photography. For a complete rank "newbie" sure, it might be too much, but not for someone who's been doing photography for a while and understands the basic technical stuff.

The lack of the internal motor in the D5100 is the single most limiting aspect of it, in my opinion. And while I haven't bought a flash yet, because I'm still learning how that will all work on the D5100, my understanding is the D7000 has better off-camera flash capabilities.

So, what's the maybe?
If you have NO interest in "rekindling" a more serious photography hobby, and your wife has no real experience or interest in taking it further--if ALL you want is a glorified point-and-shoot, then sure, go for the D5100.
I'm NOT saying it's just a glorified point-and-shoot, I am enjoying mine tremendously, I really am. I'm just saying that if you are going to get very far into photography as a hobby again, you might as well think long-term and spring for the D7000.

Or, you can buy MY D5100 and *I'll* buy the D7000!

[365]

This was something I posted the other day....

For those who are looking to get a d7000 be VERY careful!!! Some of them have SERIOUS focus issues!! I just took mine into the shop for the second time because it is focusing to the left. For example if I focus on an eye I get the ear sharp and crisp. And if I shoot With the camera vertical maybe the hands or shirt will be in focus...or maybe it doesn't focus at all it is absolutely frustrating! I've owned a d50 and a d90 and NEVER had this kind of trouble!!! There are forums upon forums about auto focus issues with this camera if you are thinking of buying one you might want to do a google search on the issue first!!!

Im still waiting to get mine back its going on 4 weeks now. Luckily I bought it from best buy so they will either fix it or replace it. But as soon as I get it back (fixed or replaced) I'm going to sell it and buy d300s which is what I should have got in the first place! This is a camera I don't feel I can trust and I'm more than happy to get rid of it!!! Sry for the rant but I would hate for someone else to have to go through this with such an expensive camera...seriously, I would have been better off keeping my d90 I would have saved myself a lot of grief, time, money, and most important a lot of precious photographs!!!

[Nikon_Josh]

This was something I posted the other day....

For those who are looking to get a d7000 be VERY careful!!! Some of them have SERIOUS focus issues!! I just took mine into the shop for the second time because it is focusing to the left. For example if I focus on an eye I get the ear sharp and crisp. And if I shoot With the camera vertical maybe the hands or shirt will be in focus...or maybe it doesn't focus at all it is absolutely frustrating! I've owned a d50 and a d90 and NEVER had this kind of trouble!!! There are forums upon forums about auto focus issues with this camera if you are thinking of buying one you might want to do a google search on the issue first!!!

Im still waiting to get mine back its going on 4 weeks now. Luckily I bought it from best buy so they will either fix it or replace it. But as soon as I get it back (fixed or replaced) I'm going to sell it and buy d300s which is what I should have got in the first place! This is a camera I don't feel I can trust and I'm more than happy to get rid of it!!! Sry for the rant but I would hate for someone else to have to go through this with such an expensive camera...seriously, I would have been better off keeping my d90 I would have saved myself a lot of grief, time, money, and most important a lot of precious photographs!!!

I know you are doing a good deed here by warning people about this issue and I commend you for doing so!

But all companies have QC issues from time to time, just because you have bought a bad one dosen't mean the OP will get a bad one if that makes sense? For your issue, I can guarantee there will be a 1000 people who bought one and didn't have a problem. For a start, the issue you speak of is so well spread that I am yet to hear of it??

As we all know, everyone runs on to the internet when something goes wrong with their camera to spread the word but they don't run online and tell everyone when they buy a camera that is working perfectly! I'm not attacking you for warning people, but I am adding balance to the issue. If your D7000 is not working properly after warranty repair, its simple... tell Nikon they have sold you a defective product and that they need to send you a new one!

[MLeeK]

This was something I posted the other day....

For those who are looking to get a d7000 be VERY careful!!! Some of them have SERIOUS focus issues!! I just took mine into the shop for the second time because it is focusing to the left. For example if I focus on an eye I get the ear sharp and crisp. And if I shoot With the camera vertical maybe the hands or shirt will be in focus...or maybe it doesn't focus at all it is absolutely frustrating! I've owned a d50 and a d90 and NEVER had this kind of trouble!!! There are forums upon forums about auto focus issues with this camera if you are thinking of buying one you might want to do a google search on the issue first!!!

Im still waiting to get mine back its going on 4 weeks now. Luckily I bought it from best buy so they will either fix it or replace it. But as soon as I get it back (fixed or replaced) I'm going to sell it and buy d300s which is what I should have got in the first place! This is a camera I don't feel I can trust and I'm more than happy to get rid of it!!! Sry for the rant but I would hate for someone else to have to go through this with such an expensive camera...seriously, I would have been better off keeping my d90 I would have saved myself a lot of grief, time, money, and most important a lot of precious photographs!!!

There is a bad one in every camera bunch. It happens. However, you are the first post I've seen on this for the D7000. Not that there aren't others, but they are very few and far between. Overall the D7000 is an outstanding camera.
The biggest reason to go with the D7000 for me would be the built in focus motor. The D5100 does not have it and there are many lenses that are then only manual focus on it. Awesome legacy lenses and some of the extremely great off brands that can save you a ton of money in the end. To add to that the lenses that Nikon makes with the motor in them specifically for the entry level's have more cost than the counterpart without the motor... in the end you don't save anything and you have a few less features with the D5100.

[greybeard]

I'm using the D5100 and it is outstanding at what it does. It does have a flip out video screen which I find useful for waist level viewing for stills and videos. The D7000 does not have this. The D7000 has a pentaprism as apposed to a pentamirror. The D7000 has a bigger and brighter viewfinder. The D7000 is tougher built and is weather sealed which the D5100 is not. The D7000 will auto focus with older Nikon AF lenses while the D5100 will not. A long time wedding photographer friend of mine ditched his film RB67 and now uses a D7000 with a D5100 backup. He compares his results to 6x7 medium format results he had been working with for 25 years. He is very happy with both cameras. I have a 28x80, 80x300, and a 50mm 1.8 older Nikon AF lenses. When you mount them on the D5100 the metering works just fine but you have to manually focus them. Depends on what you are shooting. Things that are standing still are no problem but anything moving is real hit or miss. I'm going to bite the bullet this summer and get either a D7000 or one of the newer model Full Frame models due to come out soon. You really can not go wrong with either the D7000 or the D5100. The D7000 is designed for the serious amateur and several professionals are perfectly happy with them. The D5100 is really a stripped down D7000 that happens to have a nice flip out screen.

[365]

I know you are doing a good deed here by warning people about this issue and I commend you for doing so!

But all companies have QC issues from time to time, just because you have bought a bad one dosen't mean the OP will get a bad one if that makes sense? For your issue, I can guarantee there will be a 1000 people who bought one and didn't have a problem. For a start, the issue you speak of is so well spread that I am yet to hear of it??

As we all know, everyone runs on to the internet when something goes wrong with their camera to spread the word but they don't run online and tell everyone when they buy a camera that is working perfectly! I'm not attacking you for warning people, but I am adding balance to the issue. If your D7000 is not working properly after warranty repair, its simple... tell Nikon they have sold you a defective product and that they need to send you a new one!

I totally get what you are saying. I'm not trying to bash Nikon and take no offense to your comment. What I was hoping is that anyone wanting a d7000 to check it out first and make sure it's working! I guess I should have said that. I've had to deal with this focus issue and learn to compensate for several months because I've had so much going on (my kids birthdays/ christmas and what not) I haven't had the time for it to be in the shop and it has really sucked the joy out of photography for me because I've missed so much. Plus the fact that I spent so much money on it has me a bit raw I guess. I know there are plenty of people who own a perfectly awesome d7000 but I also know there are many unhappy owners as well. My problem exactly is probably not as wide spread as the back focus issue which is what I have read so much about. A google search will bring up quite a bit of info. Any how I personally wouldn't want to risk so much money on a camera that may or may not work and if I had known the issue before hand I would have stuck with my d90 until I was ready for the d300s.

And btw I didn't come on line just to spread the word lol I'm new around here and just thought I'd comment in hopes of helping someone. Hopefully I'll be able to help with other things someday but for now that's all the experience I have to share

[djacobox372]

You have some great lenses, MUCH better then kit lenses--you definitely want a camera that can utilize them.

If the d7000 is too steep, consider a d90, it can use your lenses and costs much less then a d7000.

[greybeard]

Going from a D90 to either the D5100 or the D7000 doesn't seem like all that much of an upgrade to me. The specs of the D5100 and D7000 are better though they are really only marginally better. What is it that the D90 doesn't do that you think will be improved by either the D5100 or the D7000?

[Nikon_Josh]

I know you are doing a good deed here by warning people about this issue and I commend you for doing so!

But all companies have QC issues from time to time, just because you have bought a bad one dosen't mean the OP will get a bad one if that makes sense? For your issue, I can guarantee there will be a 1000 people who bought one and didn't have a problem. For a start, the issue you speak of is so well spread that I am yet to hear of it??

As we all know, everyone runs on to the internet when something goes wrong with their camera to spread the word but they don't run online and tell everyone when they buy a camera that is working perfectly! I'm not attacking you for warning people, but I am adding balance to the issue. If your D7000 is not working properly after warranty repair, its simple... tell Nikon they have sold you a defective product and that they need to send you a new one!

I totally get what you are saying. I'm not trying to bash Nikon and take no offense to your comment. What I was hoping is that anyone wanting a d7000 to check it out first and make sure it's working! I guess I should have said that. I've had to deal with this focus issue and learn to compensate for several months because I've had so much going on (my kids birthdays/ christmas and what not) I haven't had the time for it to be in the shop and it has really sucked the joy out of photography for me because I've missed so much. Plus the fact that I spent so much money on it has me a bit raw I guess. I know there are plenty of people who own a perfectly awesome d7000 but I also know there are many unhappy owners as well. My problem exactly is probably not as wide spread as the back focus issue which is what I have read so much about. A google search will bring up quite a bit of info. Any how I personally wouldn't want to risk so much money on a camera that may or may not work and if I had known the issue before hand I would have stuck with my d90 until I was ready for the d300s.

And btw I didn't come on line just to spread the word lol I'm new around here and just thought I'd comment in hopes of helping someone. Hopefully I'll be able to help with other things someday but for now that's all the experience I have to share

No problems, I can see your not bashing Nikon. I just thought I'd make my point that I don't think your issue is in the majority but it is a good thing for people to be aware of! I am assuming if problems such as this become widespread, Nikon will try to resolve the issues in future productions of the camera. My personal advice to you is to write a letter to someone at the head office of Nikon to make them aware of it, if lots of people do this then Nikon will then be forced into resolving the issues more efficiently.

Anyway, welcome to the forum.

[Netskimmer]

Going from a D90 to either the D5100 or the D7000 doesn't seem like all that much of an upgrade to me. The specs of the D5100 and D7000 are better though they are really only marginally better. What is it that the D90 doesn't do that you think will be improved by either the D5100 or the D7000?

He has N90's