D600 or D7000 with some details to my concerns.

[rodnunley]

I shoot with a D5000. I have two kit lenses and a DX f1.8 35mm prime lens. I shoot mostly model photography and portraits. Babies, pregnant mothers, boudoir and the like. I enjoy street photography and some landscapes but mostly shoot people.


I like shooting at night when I can but my D5000 is not the best for this. Though night shooting is not in my top three types of shoots.


I like my D5000 but hate how few focal points it has. My concern with the D600 is how tightly cropped the focus points are.


I am really not sure if my money would be better spent on a D7000 (or some other camera) and a great lens or a D600 and the kit lens it comes with.
Could I get some opinions from the collective?

 

[rodnunley]

Also ... What would shooting with an FX lens on a DX body do to my pictures? I was thinking that if I went the D7000 route I could get an FX lens to be ready for my eventual FX body (years away).

 

[HallieD]

Is your main goal for upgrading better low light perfomance? Do you have a speedlight?

The FX lens will be fine on your DX camera, but the other way around, not as a great. not 100% sure about the 600, but I know the 800 goes into DX mode with DX lens attached, but Ive not liked the final image, or having to stay in the "box" for the cropped area.


If the 5000 is meeting most of your needs, Id say invest in glass, first, then choose your camera body. Maybe think about the 50 or 85mmm primes, because of your portrait work. Or a zoom like the 24-70. If price is an issue, the new Tamron 24-70 is out, and has VR which none of the other 24-70s have. Ive been very happy with it, and its been my main go to lens.

 

[Derrel]

Also ... What would shooting with an FX lens on a DX body do to my pictures? I was thinking that if I went the D7000 route I could get an FX lens to be ready for my eventual FX body (years away).

Well...there's nothing wrong with an FX-capable lens on a DX body, except that lenses like the 24-70 are NOT wide-angle on DX bodies...in many cases there ARE NO DX lenses in Nikon's lineup...in fact the VAST majority of the lineup is NOT DX, but FX-capable lens models. I think the D600 is a pretty neat camera. I would rather have it than a D7000. OF course, it costs almost twice as much...but it is FX...buuut...the D7000 is just about the very best performing DX sensor camera, so...

 

[rodnunley]

So frustrating. I am really torn.

 

[orb9220]

I wouldn't worry or be torn. As can always do the D600 used down the line. The D7000 has so much more in day to day usability with the additional controls & features and next giant step up over the D5000. Allowing for cash left over for flash or always a good idea better,faster glass!

Generally my feeling is if you can't define exactly why you need something a.k.a D600 then you probably don't need it yet. It's a generality I know but for me I find mostly true.
.

 

[rodnunley]

The advantage for a full frame camera for me would be that I do a lot of indoor tight space shooting. And a full frame just opens up the space for me.

 

[txtowman]

D7000 and glass hands down! I too have the d5000 and I am just short of "getting" it. I need a little more reach, and some of the older but excellent glass works well with the d7000. It has the in body focus motor and commander mode that will make it so much better. It really helps to get the flash off the camera and commander mode does that. I also like the U1 & U2 settings.

 

[orb9220]

The advantage for a full frame camera for me would be that I do a lot of indoor tight space shooting. And a full frame just opens up the space for me.

As the same as a Dx with a wider lens? wondering as a mute point in my eyes. So still don't see the need for full frame? But it's quite possible I'm just missing something about the Fx vs Dx that doesn't apply to my needs yet. Or that something you Need?
.

 

[greybeard]

D7000 and glass hands down! I too have the d5000 and I am just short of "getting" it. I need a little more reach, and some of the older but excellent glass works well with the d7000. It has the in body focus motor and commander mode that will make it so much better. It really helps to get the flash off the camera and commander mode does that. I also like the U1 & U2 settings.

^^^^^^ for the price of the D600 you can get a D7000 and a nice prime to boot.

 

[rodnunley]

D7000 and glass hands down! I too have the d5000 and I am just short of "getting" it. I need a little more reach, and some of the older but excellent glass works well with the d7000. It has the in body focus motor and commander mode that will make it so much better. It really helps to get the flash off the camera and commander mode does that. I also like the U1 & U2 settings.

^^^^^^ for the price of the D600 you can get a D7000 and a nice prime to boot.

That is my debate. I could get the D7000 and faster glass or the D600 with a kit and then save up and get glass as I can.

I just wonder if I'll grow out of the D7000 too fast?