Going for a major camera upgrade

[n.hubb22]

Alright, I've on the verge of going for a camera upgrade. I purchased a D3000 a little over a year back and have taken thousands of pictures with it. I am looking to further myself in the photography world. In my future I am going to be ideally shooting concerts, sports and landscapes. I am looking for good high iso performance, fast quiet focusing, low noise at high iso.

I have been looking at D7000's. I've been told this will be like going from zero to hero (D3000 to D7000). My sister just bought one and she loves it (she just opened her own business). I have read a lot about AF focusing issues with this camera, and also spots that are showing up on some of these cameras.

I am looking for input here, i'm in the market for about 1300 on a body, and i'm looking to spend 7-800 on glass.

As far as glass i'm looking at 50mm f/1.4 G, would use this primarily for concert stuff, possibly some landscape. I do want to get a wide angle as well, but i don't really have 1,600 to throw at a lens right now.

Any and all comments and suggestions are appreciated.

And no I am not dead set on Nikon, I have just been using their products for a few years and had no issues. I guess i'm just more familiar with them.

Thanks

 

[tevo]

I have a D7000.. and once you learn to use it its an amazing camera, no doubt. I hardly get any grain at 400 ISO, and I shoot it with a 20 year old Vivitar flash and get great pictures with it.

Can't really say much on glass other than the kit lens it comes with.. which isn't bad! It has plastic bayonet mounts which bother me a little bit, the AF isn't perfect, and having a bigger aperture would make it nicer. BUT, it seems as though you are going to buy a new lens anyways, so best of luck with that! I shoot an old Nikon E series 50mm f/1.8 and the pictures are brilliant !

 

[MTVision]

What do you have for lenses now?? Anything you have now will work on the D7000 - which I hear is a fantastic camera! THe Nikon 50mm 1.4 is an amazing lens for 500.00 - I have one. I'd stick with Nikon since thats what you are familiar with and since you already has some glass - even if its just the kit lenses

 

[Tee]

Have you looked into a thrid party lens for sports? The Tamron 28-75 2.8 might be a better alternative than 1 prime lens and will fit your budget. With that being said, given your specs and type of photography you're interested in, it may not be long before you start salivating for an FX body. Keep that in mind when buying glass.

 

[n.hubb22]

What do you have for lenses now??

Ive got the kit lens it came with (18-55, this lens sucks) and a 55-200.

I've played around with my buddies 70-300 which I love, and think it would be a great lens for doing sports stuff.

Have you looked into a thrid party lens for sports? The Tamron 28-75 2.8 might be a better alternative than 1 prime lens and will fit your budget. With that being said, given your specs and type of photography you're interested in, it may not be long before you start salivating for an FX body. Keep that in mind when buying glass.

I haven't really looked into 3rd party lenses. I don't have anything against them, just never really looked at them. Does the 28-75 perform well in low light? with it being a 2.8 i assume its going to be better than anything i've got currently.

With respect to an FX body, which i believe these lenses on a DX body will loose some of the crop factor (I think that's what it is anyways). What lenses would fall into this description.

 

[Tee]

I haven't really looked into 3rd party lenses. I don't have anything against them, just never really looked at them. Does the 28-75 perform well in low light? with it being a 2.8 i assume its going to be better than anything i've got currently.

With respect to an FX body, which i believe these lenses on a DX body will loose some of the crop factor (I think that's what it is anyways). What lenses would fall into this description.

If you have a goal of eventually upgrading to an FX body, I would recommend purchasing FX glass. When I stepped up from a D3000 to a D90, I purchased glass for an FX body so when I eventually upgraded to the D700, I only had to purchase the body.

I had the Tamron lens for a year and it was definitely a step up from the kit lenses. Since you're looking at sports and concert photography, you may want to look into a more versatile lens that doesn't break the bank as opposed to a prime.

 

[Kerbouchard]

For what it's worth, you can pick up a Nikon 35-70 2.8 for around $300 bucks. You can pick up the Nikon 80-200 2.8 inside your budget, also.

If you decided to go all used, you could pick up the 35-70 2.8, the 80-200 2.8, a Nikon D90, and an SB600 within your budget.

Since you are coming from a D3000, 18-55, 55-200, I would say that kit is about the only way you will get a 'major' upgrade within your budget. I think a D7000 just stretches your budget a bit too much to get the other things that you will need for what I would consider to be a 'major' upgrade. On a side note, all of that gear will hold it's value pretty well and is compatible with any FX body you might decide to get in the future.

 

[n.hubb22]

In regards to an FX body, i don't necessarily have plans to do so at this point. I would, ideally, like to keep whatever camera i do purchase for at least a couple of years. I am upgrading right now because i feel limited by the D3000. Just an entry level DSLR and I want to be able to do more with my camera.

Any suggestions on a lens that would compliment a D7000 that isn't a prime lens? Good for concert and sports...landscape on the side?

**Kerbouchard, I don't really want to get used gear. If i'm going to be upgrading I want to know that the gear I do get is only susceptible to what I do it, not what someone else may have done to it. If and when I do upgrade my body, which I hope to do in the next week or two, I can pay it off in 2-3 months, and will be open to purchasing more glass at that point. I don't necessarily need to do my "major upgrade" all at once.

 

[raffile]

I have one of these. They are very nice. I did just notice some spots on my lens that seems to be dust on the inside of some sort. It hasn't affected my photos at all though. As far as auto - focusing problems I have noticed one small thing if there is something in the way of the object you are trying to focus on (SOMETIMES) not always, it will focus on that object in front of the other.

For ex: When I first got the camera I was taking a picture of a butterfly on a flower, there was a very small piece of grass in front of the flower and the camera focused in on it and not the actual butterfly on the flower. The butterfly and flower was blurred out and it looked like I was taking a picture of a weed.

Sort of weird and that usually never happens. But something to think about...

But other than that, no problems at all. Great camera!

 

[tevo]

What do you have for lenses now?? Anything you have now will work on the D7000 - which I hear is a fantastic camera! THe Nikon 50mm 1.4 is an amazing lens for 500.00 - I have one. I'd stick with Nikon since thats what you are familiar with and since you already has some glass - even if its just the kit lenses

This ^^^

Best choice I ever made when obtaining my Film SLR's was going Nikon, since I can use every lens I buy with every camera I own.