Changing up my kit.. I need help!

[striving4mediocrity]

So I've been reading for a while and finally joined.. now I need help.
I shoot Nikon and have a fairly thorough technical understanding, however, I've run into issues regarding my kit. I just don't know the proper set up to get the most for my money! Lately I've been scouring Craigslist for deals and buying, even if I don't necessarily need, under the assumption that I can sell the equipment on eBay and make a profit. I only buy if I'm 100% sure that I can make a profit re-selling.

Well here's what I have now:
D7000 (on loan from my school)
D90
D3100
18-105mm VR
18-135mm
18-55mm VR x2
70-300mm x2
70-300mm VR
50mm1.8
SB-600
SB-800

Obviously there is a ton of overlap. I only really use the 18-105mmVr, 70-300mm VR, and 50mm. (I use the flashes once in a while.) As I have to give my beloved d7000 back at the end of the semester, which lenses should I sell? What body should I aim for? And should I start switching over to faster lenses? (Right now I'm leaning towards selling everything but the 18-105mm VR, 70-300mm VR, and 50mm)

Thanks for the input you guys

 

[Derrel]

A good motto for you might be something like, "Keep the best, sell the rest." For example, you have two 70-300mm lenses; ditch those and keep the 70-300 VR.

The 18-55 lenses, both of them, are dead weight if you ALSO have an 18-105 mm VR and an 18-135 zoom, so, there's another THREE lenses to sell, keeping either the 18-105 VR OR the 18-135.

The Nikon flash units are another matter: I've bought a number of Nikon-branded higher-end flash units, some of which are pretty old now, going back to the 1980's, and they still work. The SB 800 is a fine flash unit, and was a high-ticket item, and its value, its utility, is high, provided that you actually USE it.

Higher-end flashes, like the SB-800, hold value pretty well, and are reliable, so, it's a bit different with those than it is these low-end lenses; the price originally for the SB-800 is higher than for the majority of the other equipment you have, so act accordingly on that piece of gear. The SB 600 and 800 might last another 20 years. If you want to sell the flashes, do it soon. Otherwise, keep them for "the long haul".

 

[goodguy]

I will pretty much say what Derrel said.

To Keep
18-105mm VR
70-300mm VR
50mm 1.8
If you need 2 flashes then keep them both and if not then keep the 800

Everything else can be sold.

 

[striving4mediocrity]

That's kind of what I was thinking.. So, body-wise: I love the d7000 I've been using. However, I also like having two bodies (I shoot Division I football games for a university media organization). My d90 is getting old and the d3100 doesn't do much better (is just smaller.) Selling both of those and all my extra lenses is enough to put me in range of a much nicer body, what should I go for? D7000/7100 or is there something newer that is in the same general price range? (I'd probably have to put in a bit more money which isn't a huge deal)

 

[astroNikon]

I was going to chime in earlier but everyone else said it all !!
repeat of goodguy
To Keep
18-105mm VR
70-300mm VR
50mm 1.8

once you start fiddling with flash though, you'll want at least 2 flashes, so keep them

then sell the rest and BUY what you can, whether a D7000 or D7100

 

[goodguy]

That's kind of what I was thinking.. So, body-wise: I love the d7000 I've been using. However, I also like having two bodies (I shoot Division I football games for a university media organization). My d90 is getting old and the d3100 doesn't do much better (is just smaller.) Selling both of those and all my extra lenses is enough to put me in range of a much nicer body, what should I go for? D7000/7100 or is there something newer that is in the same general price range? (I'd probably have to put in a bit more money which isn't a huge deal)

Absolutely go for the D7100, awesome camera!!!
Of course if you cant afford it then the D7000 is great too.

 

[Derrel]

That's kind of what I was thinking.. So, body-wise: I love the d7000 I've been using. However, I also like having two bodies (I shoot Division I football games for a university media organization). My d90 is getting old and the d3100 doesn't do much better (is just smaller.) Selling both of those and all my extra lenses is enough to put me in range of a much nicer body, what should I go for? D7000/7100 or is there something newer that is in the same general price range? (I'd probably have to put in a bit more money which isn't a huge deal)

The D7000 is a good "value" right now. The D7100 offers higher MP count and a more-advanced AF system. I do not personally "like" the viewfinder on either of those cameras, but I am over twice your age and wear eyeglasses and my preference favors very strongly a REALLY GOOD viewfinder image in my camera much,much more so than many people do, so to me, I would rather shoot a camera that's maybe not technically as new, or as good as camera X or Y, but which has a significantly better view through the eyepiece. I've handled and looked though basically every Nikon on the market...to "me" the pentamirror models in the 3000- and 5000- series have bad eye-level finder images. They are really poor thru the eyepiece; the LCD screen is another matter. If you're gonna compose using Live View, or shoot low-angle, then maybe the rotating screen model of the day will hold some appeal to you.

If you want to shoot "sports" and "PJ stuff" in college, like I did, I would buy at least a D700, preferably a D3 or D3s, used. A used D700 is close to the price of a new D7100, and is IMHO,a MUCH better tool. Better finder, good AF, good file size, good per-pixel image quality, plenty of rezz for newsprint or web, and just in general a faaster-handling camera with an actual "buffer", which the D7100 is weak on in RAW mode.

 

[astroNikon]

and "PJ stuff" in college, like I did,

???

Note to self: Be careful of handling Derrel's old school photo albums, some might be too hot to touch

 

[Derrel]

Photo Journalism stuff...what, you're too young to know that term? Jeebus...

 

[astroNikon]

was thinking "PJ" Pajamas stuff .. you know .. with the sorority house ...

Oddly enough I was the roommate of the Ensian yearbook editor for Univ of Michigan for a few years so the "other "PJ" stuff makes sense too. LOL

I'd like to say I'm too young .. except I wear glasses too because of age like you.