What do you recommend upgrading to?

pixmedic · Jul 10, 2015

I would get a camera with a built in focus motor.
I would look at used, low mile D7100's, or in a super budget pinch, D7000's.
A camera with a built in motor will allow you to pick up older pro glass for about the same price as new consumer lenses.

astroNikon · Jul 10, 2015

Since she's a professional
I wouldn't get anything lower than a d7100
she'll gain alot of capability from the dual control wheels,
in body focus motor (for lens selection), Focus control, etc. and she'll be able to use her current lenses.

same as PixMedic's recommendation.

Solarflare · Jul 14, 2015

According to DxOMark, you would gain about a third to a half stop of high ISO performance if you switch form D3100 to D7200 (ISO 919 vs ISO 1333) or D5500 (ISO 1438) or D3300 (ISO 1385) or D7100 (ISO 1256). Thats really not that much.

The D3100 was the last 12 bit APS-C camera from Nikon; more recent models gained 14 Bit A/D conversion. That gives better dynamic range, but not better High ISO.

Of course additionally you'll be getting higher ISO settings on newer cameras; the D5500 for example offers 25k ISO natively (that means the analog signal is amplified to that level before the A/D converter sees it) and also offers ISO 50k and 100k, but the later will be black/white only.

If low light is frequently your issue, you might want to think about getting a larger sensor and bright prime lenses. For example Nikon D600 (used; there is an issue with dirt from the shutter, but if it appears, Nikon will change the shutter) with the quite affordable f1.8 primes (20mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm); a 28mm-50mm-85mm or 20mm-35mm-85mm or 20mm-28mm-85mm trinity would probably get you far; possibly trade the 85mm for an 105mm f2.8 VR micro or the 50mm for an 60mm f2.8 micro if you want to do macro photography. That (a D600 with 3 f1.8 primes) would set you back ca 2k$, though.

Theres also f1.4 primes, but they get really expensive (and frankly the f1.8 primes are all optically slightly better, except the 85mm f1.4 is considered by some the bokeh king of Nikon).

Theres also great glas from secondary producers like the Sigma 35mm f1.4 "Art" or the Tamron 90mm f2.8 VC macro or the Zeiss Distragon T* 2.8/21mm ZF.2 (the later is manual focus only, like all Zeiss glas for Nikon).

Thats the setup I'm currently using (D600 with 28mm+50mm f1.8, plus zooms) and I'm quite happy, at least compared to the D5100 I had before.

Unfortunately, for APS-C, Nikon doesnt really offer much in respect to primes. Theres really only the AF-S 35mm f1.8 DX.