DSLR for Grandma.

[Granddad]

My wife has been working with me for my shoots for years but has never got into the actual photography side, now she's retired and has given up some of her other activities she's interested. I'd like to get her a Nikon ('cos I have Nikon and we can interchange lenses) but I haven't kept up with new models for two or three years now. She'd like something lighter and simpler than my D700 that she can be my 2nd shooter with. I'd have said a used D7000 but I know things have moved on. Budget suggests that a used last year's model might be a good idea, maybe around £400 -500 ($500 - $650). Any suggestions will be gratefully investigated.

 

[robbins.photo]

My wife has been working with me for my shoots for years but has never got into the actual photography side, now she's retired and has given up some of her other activities she's interested. I'd like to get her a Nikon ('cos I have Nikon and we can interchange lenses) but I haven't kept up with new models for two or three years now. She'd like something lighter and simpler than my D700 that she can be my 2nd shooter with. I'd have said a used D7000 but I know things have moved on. Budget suggests that a used last year's model might be a good idea, maybe around £400 -500 ($500 - $650). Any suggestions will be gratefully investigated.

D7100 rocks. Gives you both command wheels, takes great pictures, just couldn't go wrong there.

Depending on whats available for a couple of bucks more you might be able to find a good used D600 as well, it too is a phenomenal camera for the price.

If she doesn't mind using just the one command dial D5500 might suit her nicely, me I'd much prefer the 7100 because I found having that second dial just too invaluable.

 

[jcdeboever]

A used Sony NEX 5 or 6, Sony A6000 with Nikon adapter? Just thinking out loud.... for smaller options. The Nikon D3300 is small and light in comparison to the D7200. My nephew has a NEX3 with the 50mm 1.4 AI and a glass filled adapter and it takes real nice images. However, it's manual focus but easy, it shimmers parts yellow when in focus, pretty cool I thought.

 

[Derrel]

Nikon D3400, small,light, has NFC and Bluetooth, can transfer 2-megabyte images to a smart phone, which is kind of fun, and is a new capability. Might not be a feature she uses, but who knows? Social media transfers to Facebook or Instagram or one's own web site or blog...no more "smartphone photos off the back of the camera" to share pictures with others with the D3400.

Yeah...D7000 was the last of its generation at 16MP on APS-C....newer cameras, 50% more MP, newer sensor technology, more ability to recover shadows while keeping highoights protected...now moving into the 14 to 14.5 EV total DR on 24MP APS-C...things have indeed moved on. Plus....you'd be able to utilize her camera on some occasions. Price here in N. America is 2 lenses, including the NEW AF-P motor 70-300, and the 18-55, for $499 USA in a bag. Not sure if the UK has such a price on this kit.

Orrrrrr, go "old tech", like a used D40 for $169 US or even less from the big,big clearing house dealers. 6Mp on BIG pixels, APS-C.

Nikon hwre has a LOT of NOS, or New Old Stock, one, and even two generations removed from the latest gene, cheap, brand new, from the big box retailers.

 

[PaulWog]

D7100 for sure. You can't see out the viewfinder of some smaller cameras, the viewfinders are too small. D7100 had a good viewfinder.

Possibly a used d610 if that fits in the price range... probably won't though

 

[tirediron]

Take Grandmom to the store and let her choose the one that she likes. Model is of far less importance than one that "works" for her. Getting a camera that's too big for her hands, or just isn't comfortable is NOT going to win you any brownie points! I know one female photographer that shoots with a D3 because "she needs to" (she doesn't, but image is everything... I guess), however she has very, very small hands and can't properly operate either command dial while holding looking through the viewfinder. Not thinking you're going to get C in C Home Fleet a D3, but the theory applies.

 

[Granddad]

Thanks guys, you've given me plenty of ideas to work on. We're going to town tomorrow so I'll probably follow John's advice and get her to handle a few ... assuming we can find anything in the range, online sales have decimated our local camera shops. Having said that I'll be checking prices of what she likes against online prices and good used prices. I bought mine in a shop which went bust 6 months later so my theory of ongoing service went bust with it.

 

[Derrel]

Take Grandmom to the store and let her choose the one that she likes. Model is of far less importance than one that "works" for her.

YEAH....tirediron is right: in another life, I used to sell cameras at retail, at a well-stocked store with lots of models, from all the big names. My experience was that women tended to prefer smaller, lighter models than men did, for who knows, exactly, what reasons. I NEVER sold an F4 to a woman...they loved the many smaller, lighter, more-nimble-feeling models.

D7100 for sure. You can't see out the viewfinder of some smaller cameras, the viewfinders are too small. D7100 had a good viewfinder.

Possibly a used d610 if that fits in the price range... probably won't though

On these suggestions: used D610? YES. Great image quality, period. Uses FX-type lenses, can shot DX lenses as well. Decent viewfinder. Built on the D7000 chassis and substems originally as the D600; different, tougher, better shutter as the D610 incarnation, so it is smaller than a D700, feels lighter too. D7100: best 24mp camera at its price range. Sensor is very good except slight banding on wayyyyyyy under-exposed and then lifted shadows, otherwise not much to worry about. Viewfinder image magnification on the smaller Nikon 3xxx and 5xxx cameras has been ticking upward every generation; compare a D3100 vs a D3400, it's better, but still the 3xxx and 5xxx are penta-mirror cams; the others have all-glass pentaprism, so a better thru-the-viewfinder image. Used D600 bodies sell for less than 610; as I understand it, you can get a 600 replaced by Nikon with a 610 by complaining about it, based on Nikon's guidelines. Sort of a make-good-concesssion Nikon made to its loyal customers.

As far as "what works" though, for your wife; the 5xxx Nikons have the flippy screen.Some people reallllly like the flippy screen! The Sony A6xxx models have the rear LCD as viewfinder. A LOT of people are happy with, or like, or love, framing up their photos on a BIG, 3" or 3.2: rear LCD type screen. In some ways, I think that might lad to better photos, esp. for the novice/intermediate"--by looking at a BIG, flat, 2-D image on a high-grade modern LCD screen...this metaphor for hoew to frame up a picture has some strong merit. I think it might actually lead to better composition than say, squintimng through a peephole finder on a Leica M3.

 

[SquarePeg37 8]

+1 for the 7100. Shop for a refurb. And yes yes yes for trying one out in person.

I do miss my flippy screen from the 5100. It saved some wear and tear on the old knees!

 

[Granddad]

I do miss my flippy screen from the 5100. It saved some wear and tear on the old knees!

A flippy screen sounds like a good idea for ME! I can get down for those floor level shots but getting back up again is a different kettle of fish entirely!

 

[Derrel]

I shot some for-sale shots last night for e-Bay using a Canon digital camera with a flippy screen...I found it super-handy!! I was able to turn the danged screen around, and SEE how my items looked as I was arranging them on the shooting table! It was pretty sweet, far different than my normal big Nikon way. And you know, I KNOW the flippy screen does encourage more low-angle shooting than an eye-level camera. Drop to a knee, rest the baseplate on the knee, and be able to compose without being a contortionist...also, pretty stable too. Same for low-level close-ups/macro type shots: I think a waist-level or other "look-down-to-frame" type viewfinder might really lead to more dynamic, more-innovative compositions. Like looooooow-level landscapes, form 2,3 inches above the ground. And so on.

But to me, and I've wondered about this: is seeing a LARGE, flat, 2-Dimensional image a better way to compose than seeing the image through one's eyeball, and contemplating the composition "in the brain only"? I mean this seriously.

 

[SquarePeg37 8]

But to me, and I've wondered about this: is seeing a LARGE, flat, 2-Dimensional image a better way to compose than seeing the image through one's eyeball, and contemplating the composition "in the brain only"? I mean this seriously.

It's a good question and something to consider. In the end I'd have to say no, it's not. But, IMO, when you have bad knees or bad back or there are space issues with getting the angle you want, using the flippy screen is preferable to using the viewfinder and compromising the angle.

 

[Designer]

My wife has been working with me for my shoots for years but has never got into the actual photography side, now she's retired and has given up some of her other activities she's interested. I'd like to get her a Nikon ('cos I have Nikon and we can interchange lenses) but I haven't kept up with new models for two or three years now. She'd like something lighter and simpler than my D700 that she can be my 2nd shooter with. I'd have said a used D7000 but I know things have moved on. Budget suggests that a used last year's model might be a good idea, maybe around £400 -500 ($500 - $650). Any suggestions will be gratefully investigated.

I recently upgraded to a D7100, and traded in my D5000 which was working perfectly, but since you're over there, and not here, there might be another one available in your area that was very gently used. They are smaller and lighter, but lack the focusing motor for the older AF lenses.