Camera Upgrade

[Eyetattoo]

Looking to upgrade my D3000 and looking at either the D5300 or the D3500. Any insight on which I should choose or maybe another option? I use it mainly for sports photography and some nature photos. Thanks!

 

[Jeff1548 48]

Why does it have to be Nikon ???

 

[Eyetattoo]

Why does it have to be Nikon ???

Doesn't "have" to be but would be nice seeing as we have a telephoto lens for the Nikon.

 

[ac12]

What is your budget?
Any reason for sticking to those 2 models?
Are you shooting any indoor gym or outdoor night games under lights?

This generally calls for HIGH ISO capability.​

What lenses do you have?

The lens you have affects how high you need to raise the ISO. A slow kit lens will require a higher ISO setting than a FAST pro or prime lens.​

For the various sports, where are you sitting/positioned, relative to the players you are shooting?

 

[Derrel]

Ehhhh...D5300, or a used D7200. Stick with Nikon if you want to...it's a good camera maker....I've shot Nikon since the early 1980's, and Nikon d-slrs since 2001...I also spent about around $10,000 on a Canon 5D system and multiple L-glass lenses (24-105,70-200/2.8,135mm f/2), 20D and 5D bodies, 50/1.8,50/1.4,85/1.8,135-2.8 Soft Focus, 100/2.8 EF macro, Sigma 18-125 zoom, SB 580 EX-II...500D close-up lens....ehhhh....I sold almost all of that Canon stuff...still shooting Nikon...

 

[Eyetattoo]

What is your budget?
Any reason for sticking to those 2 models?
Are you shooting any indoor gym or outdoor night games under lights?

This generally calls for HIGH ISO capability.​

What lenses do you have?

The lens you have affects how high you need to raise the ISO. A slow kit lens will require a higher ISO setting than a FAST pro or prime lens.​

For the various sports, where are you sitting/positioned, relative to the players you are shooting?

More outdoor than indoor, on the sidelines for our sons football games. Indoor will be wrestling and basketball, again pretty close. All youth sports.

Budget would be under $900-$1,000.

Below are the lenses I have.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[greybeard34 7]

If you are shooting sports you might look for a deal on a refurbished D7500. It will shoot 8 frames per second and has a 50-100 shot buffer depending on camera settings. This would be a really nice upgrade from your D3000 and your current lenses will work just fine with it.

https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-20-9MP...84640&sr=8-2&keywords=nikon+d7500+refurbished

 

[ac12]

What is your budget?
Any reason for sticking to those 2 models?
Are you shooting any indoor gym or outdoor night games under lights?

This generally calls for HIGH ISO capability.​

What lenses do you have?

The lens you have affects how high you need to raise the ISO. A slow kit lens will require a higher ISO setting than a FAST pro or prime lens.​

For the various sports, where are you sitting/positioned, relative to the players you are shooting?

More outdoor than indoor, on the sidelines for our sons football games.
Indoor will be wrestling and basketball, again pretty close. All youth sports.

Budget would be under $900-$1,000.

Below are the lenses I have. View attachment 166378View attachment 166379

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

How old is your son?
I don't know how to interpret "youth sports," late elementary, middle school, or high school?
Age affects how FAST they move; varsity high school moves a lot faster than pop-warner.
Even in high school, there is a BIG difference between the freshman and the varsity teams, and the JV and varsity teams.

Is the football during the day or night?
At my high school, football starts at 4:30pm for JV (transitions from sun to dark and under lights) and 7:30 for Varsity. So Varsity is always at night under lights
If your son is in HS or close to it, he may end up playing at night under lights, so that should be a consideration.

Wresting is indoors but slower moving.
Basketball is indoors and fast.

Both of your lenses should be OK, unless you push it.
Neither lens is particularly good under low light conditions. But that is the nature of consumer lenses.
The faster PRO lenses are generally more expensive, sometimes very EXPENSIVE. Though there are exceptions.

I would go with a D5600 or D7200.
My own setup is: D7200 + 18-140.

https://www.adorama.com/inkd7200k.html​

Or a D5600 + 18-140.

https://www.adorama.com/inkd5600bk1.html​

Or buy the body alone, and use your old lenses.

I use the 18-140 on the football sidelines, for day games. It has enough reach to get almost across the field, and is wide enough to handle the action when they come close. But it is a bit slow for night games, where I have to crank up the ISO to 12800.
Your 55-300 would work fine on the field, except when they come in close. Similar to the 18-140 it will be fine during the day, but will struggle in night games.

While I have used the 18-140 in the gym, I was fighting the low light. I had to raise the ISO to 12800. Your 18-55 will work also, at a high ISO.
For basketball, I would get either:

• The Nikon 35/1.8 prime lens (this is the lens that I currently use for basketball on my D7200)
  
• Tamron 17-50/2.8 zoom. (The similar Sigma lens, the zoom ring turns in the opposite direction than Nikon zooms, confusing ).
  • https://www.adorama.com/tm1750nkaf.html

Either lens should work for wrestling also. But it has been years since I shot high school wrestling.

If you get the D5600 body only, you will have enough left to buy the Tamron 17-50/2.8 and meet your budget.
And use your 55-300 for daytime football.

My own preference, as I bought it, is the D7200.

 

[Eyetattoo]

What is your budget?
Any reason for sticking to those 2 models?
Are you shooting any indoor gym or outdoor night games under lights?

This generally calls for HIGH ISO capability.​

What lenses do you have?

The lens you have affects how high you need to raise the ISO. A slow kit lens will require a higher ISO setting than a FAST pro or prime lens.​

For the various sports, where are you sitting/positioned, relative to the players you are shooting?

More outdoor than indoor, on the sidelines for our sons football games.
Indoor will be wrestling and basketball, again pretty close. All youth sports.

Budget would be under $900-$1,000.

Below are the lenses I have. View attachment 166378View attachment 166379

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

How old is your son?
I don't know how to interpret "youth sports," late elementary, middle school, or high school?
Age affects how FAST they move; varsity high school moves a lot faster than pop-warner.
Even in high school, there is a BIG difference between the freshman and the varsity teams, and the JV and varsity teams.

Is the football during the day or night?
At my high school, football starts at 4:30pm for JV (transitions from sun to dark and under lights) and 7:30 for Varsity. So Varsity is always at night under lights
If your son is in HS or close to it, he may end up playing at night under lights, so that should be a consideration.

Wresting is indoors but slower moving.
Basketball is indoors and fast.

Both of your lenses should be OK, unless you push it.
Neither lens is particularly good under low light conditions. But that is the nature of consumer lenses.
The faster PRO lenses are generally more expensive, sometimes very EXPENSIVE. Though there are exceptions.

I would go with a D5600 or D7200.
My own setup is: D7200 + 18-140.

https://www.adorama.com/inkd7200k.html​

Or a D5600 + 18-140.

https://www.adorama.com/inkd5600bk1.html​

Or buy the body alone, and use your old lenses.

I use the 18-140 on the football sidelines, for day games. It has enough reach to get almost across the field, and is wide enough to handle the action when they come close. But it is a bit slow for night games, where I have to crank up the ISO to 12800.
Your 55-300 would work fine on the field, except when they come in close. Similar to the 18-140 it will be fine during the day, but will struggle in night games.

While I have used the 18-140 in the gym, I was fighting the low light. I had to raise the ISO to 12800. Your 18-55 will work also, at a high ISO.
For basketball, I would get either:

• The Nikon 35/1.8 prime lens (this is the lens that I currently use for basketball on my D7200)
  
• Tamron 17-50/2.8 zoom. (The similar Sigma lens, the zoom ring turns in the opposite direction than Nikon zooms, confusing ).
  • https://www.adorama.com/tm1750nkaf.html

Either lens should work for wrestling also. But it has been years since I shot high school wrestling.

If you get the D5600 body only, you will have enough left to buy the Tamron 17-50/2.8 and meet your budget.
And use your 55-300 for daytime football.

My own preference, as I bought it, is the D7200.

Great info! Our oldest is in 6th grade so 2 more years of pop warner, 1 year in the day, 1 half day half night. Our High School also plays under the lights. Our youngest is only 6 and will start playing next season or ne next.

In looking at each camera I'm learning towards the D5600 because of the articulating screen for when we want to video or take pictures of us.

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[Solarflare]

Looking to upgrade my D3000 and looking at either the D5300 or the D3500. Any insight on which I should choose or maybe another option? I use it mainly for sports photography and some nature photos. Thanks!

According to your signature you already have a D5300 ?!?

In your shoes I would go for a used D7100 and upgrade the glas to an AF-S 17-55mm f2.8 DX.

 

[Dao]

Is there something with your current setup that you want to improve? Did you came across some issue or difficulty to capture some photos you want or photos did not come out as you expected?

Upgrade can solve some problem. That include camera body, lens, lights and accessories as well as knowledge.

If your nature photo require a wider view or longer reach, a lens upgrade may help. (Lens with shorter focal length for wider view and longer focal length for longer reach)

If your sports photo can reach the subject fine but it is either blur or noisy, then a lens or camera upgrade could help. (Newer camera handle noise better so that you can shoot with higher ISO with faster shutter speed or a faster lens, a lens with wider aperture, can gather more light at a given time so that you can shoot with faster shutter speed and still able to obtain a correct exposure)
Noise comparison at higher ISO (They do not have D3000, so I choose the D3200 in the following link)
Studio shot comparison: Digital Photography Review

Sometimes, I do like to have a top camera display for convenience so that I can change some settings easier and faster. That means a higher end camera such as the D7xxx series from Nikon mentioned above.

 

[Eyetattoo]

Is there something with your current setup that you want to improve? Did you came across some issue or difficulty to capture some photos you want or photos did not come out as you expected?

Upgrade can solve some problem. That include camera body, lens, lights and accessories as well as knowledge.

If your nature photo require a wider view or longer reach, a lens upgrade may help. (Lens with shorter focal length for wider view and longer focal length for longer reach)

If your sports photo can reach the subject fine but it is either blur or noisy, then a lens or camera upgrade could help. (Newer camera handle noise better so that you can shoot with higher ISO with faster shutter speed or a faster lens, a lens with wider aperture, can gather more light at a given time so that you can shoot with faster shutter speed and still able to obtain a correct exposure)
Noise comparison at higher ISO (They do not have D3000, so I choose the D3200 in the following link)
Studio shot comparison: Digital Photography Review

Sometimes, I do like to have a top camera display for convenience so that I can change some settings easier and faster. That means a higher end camera such as the D7xxx series from Nikon mentioned above.

Main reasons for wanting to upgrade are:

Would like to be able to capture video as well as pictures.

Sometimes the camera misses the focal point at our kids sporting events. (focus set on a player, camera focuses in on yard markers/fans on opposite side of the field)

Buffering on our D3000 is a issue for burst shots.

No live screen or articulating screen on the D3000.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[jaomul]

You are swaying towards the 5600. I had the 3100 and really liked it, the 5600 is better in a lot of areas, high iso and resolution,cso it's a good camera (in my opinion)

I think you would do better with a d7200 all around but it's more expensive and has no swivel screen.

I would suggest you sell your Nikon 55-300 and but either a Tamron 70-300mm USD or Nikon's new dx 70-300 af-p. The lens you have is a nice imager but one of the slowest lenses available to autofocus, reducing your hit rate when used for any spoets

 

[Eyetattoo]

You are swaying towards the 5600. I had the 3100 and really liked it, the 5600 is better in a lot of areas, high iso and resolution,cso it's a good camera (in my opinion)

I think you would do better with a d7200 all around but it's more expensive and has no swivel screen.

I would suggest you sell your Nikon 55-300 and but either a Tamron 70-300mm USD or Nikon's new dx 70-300 af-p. The lens you have is a nice imager but one of the slowest lenses available to autofocus, reducing your hit rate when used for any spoets

Ok thanks! Is that new Nikon lens you mention the one in this package? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MR2D0OG/ref=twister_B01N0XD2J3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ac12]

Is there something with your current setup that you want to improve? Did you came across some issue or difficulty to capture some photos you want or photos did not come out as you expected?
. . .
Upgrade can solve some problem. That include camera body, lens, lights and accessories as well as knowledge.
. . .

Main reasons for wanting to upgrade are:
. . .
Sometimes the camera misses the focal point at our kids sporting events. (focus set on a player, camera focuses in on yard markers/fans on opposite side of the field)
. . .

You NEED to study how the AF system works on your camera.
Then you have to experiment/play with the camera to see how the different AF modes behave in real life.

If you use zone/area focusing, the camera can select something in the zone other than YOUR subject. In zone focusing, the camera (not you) selects what to focus on.
Example, using zone focusing on a shot of the QB between other players, the camera may focus on the other players, and NOT the QB. You have no control over what the camera chooses to focus on.​

Then you need to select the appropriate mode for the shoot. One mode does not fit all situations.

Zone focusing will work great in some situations and totally fail in others.​

Because I have to pick an individual player out a tight mass of players, who are wearing the same color uniform, I shoot single point AF. This lets ME choose who to focus on.
But that also means that I have to track the player, not the camera.

So you need to practice to learn how to track the player, and hold the AF point on the player. This requires a lot of practice.

One way to practice tracking is to go to a park that is next to a road. Get a few hundred feet from the road and practice tracking the cars moving on the road. As you get better at tracking, move closer to the road, so the apparent speed of the car increases.​

In sports like football, I do not zoom in TIGHT on moving subjects. I find it difficult to track a running player if I zoom in tight. I will zoom out a bit so that I can see things around the player, this gives me the visual clues to help me track better, and I will crop the picture in the computer.​

As for missing focus.

On fast moving sports where I have to quickly change subjects, there is a decent chance that I will miss focus, and put the AF point, on the background, and not the subject. In which case I have a focused background and an out of focus subject. So you need to practice changing subject quickly and nailing the focus. Again it takes practice, lots of practice.
There is also the situation where you change subjects, the lens is still focusing when I fire the first shot in a burst. So the subject is out of focus on shot 1, but in focus on shot 2 and later. Note some lenses focus slower than others.

Example, shot of the QB throwing a pass, then you quickly switch to get the receiver catching the pass.
Can you nail focus on the receiver?​

Shooting sports well is not easy. You have to put in the time to learn the game and how to shoot at least decently. To shoot well requires a LOT of practice.

I had one of my yearbook students ask me why I was still shooting soccer after the soccer deadline had past.
I told her that I needed to practice, to get better for next year.
​

And don't just stay in one place, example 10 yards in front of the line of scrimmage or at the end zone.
Walk all around the field, to see what other angles you can find to give you a good picture. Get a variety of different shots.
Despite shooting football for MANY years, this year I discovered a new position (thanks to the hint of Ron on this forum). I go 40-50 yards in front of the line of scrimmage, to get a more head on view of the players and runners. I used a 70-200, you can use your 70-300.
I also started shooting from the visitors side of the field, so that I was shooting towards my bench. This put MY bench in the background, rather than the visitors bench.