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Help me buy a camera please

Which camera setup would you recommend?

  • D3100 with 18-55mm, 70-300mm, and 35mm lenses

    Votes: 12 36.4%
  • D90 with 18-200mm lens

    Votes: 21 63.6%

  • Total voters
    33
  • Poll closed .
I own a D90 my self and can't be any happier, for my needs its perfect. And the lens it comes with is really nice, i have the 18-105mm that originally came with it and im still happy but the 18+200mm i imagine is much better. So go for the D90 IMHO
 
Actually, the VR on the Nikon lenses should usually be turned off.

The most common mistake amateur photographers make is not using a tripod.

The D90 and the D3100 are both entry-level cameras.

The SB-400 is not much more useful than the built-in pop-up flash. The SB-600 is much more useful.

I'll have to look into the SB 600 as well then. I also have a few of these these crazy-bright super8 film lamps which I could setup for indoor lighting as well.

I do have a tripod, but there are certainly times I'd leave the camera at home before hauling around a tripod, so VR seems like it be nice for those hand held shots when the tripod isn't around.

Thanks!
Scott
 
Play with a D90 and a D3100 b4 you purchase. Having movie capabilities on the camera is always a plus. From the sound of things you dislike bigger and heavier apparatus so bringing the camcorder along sounds a little contradictory, however my iPhone does a better job on the movie aspect :)... People always tend to forget they have a mini camcorder in their pocket at all times with all the new cool gadget mobile phones.

I did play with both and there are things I liked about both.

I rarely use video on my current cameras and when I do it never does more than sit on my computer. That said, with a baby, I expect video to be more important. But I still expect the camcorder to do most of the video, even if I only bring it along for special occassions or when I can through it on a stroller, leave it in the trunk, etc.

Thanks!
Scott
 
A fast prime is an absolute must have for baby photos.

If u go with the d90 you could go with a 50mm af-d 1.8, which is $100 cheaper then the 35mm afs; this would help make the d90 more affordable. Also the 70-300mm Ed af is about $50 cheaper used then a 70-300mm afs kit lens and the Ed version is better!! Ad these lens savings up and the d90 cost about the same as the d3100.

The 35mm would be a preferable focal length for the crop sensor camera, but the 50mm would work as well--you just need to stand back a couple more feet
 
I doubt you'd be upset with the video quality of the D90. And it is a superior camera. In my opinion there is no comparison. The D90 is absolutely what I would choose (and seems to me what most everyone here is suggesting).
 
Hello everyone, just wanted to say thanks to everyone who offered their advice.

I went ahead and ordered the D90 over the weekend along with the 35mm f/1.8 lens.

My reasoning:
1. I like the extra accessibility to the controls.
2. I like the internal motor for more lens options (like the Tokina 11-20mm)
3. I preferred the larger viewfinder
4. The better lcd seems like a bonus

I kept switching back and forth, things I liked about the D3100:
1. D3100 body (new) is $150 cheaper than the D90 (factory demo from Cameta).
2. New sensor, newer technology
3. The size difference didn't make a big difference for me, but the lower weight in the D3100 was a plus

Thanks again!
Scott
 
I think you will look back and be 100% happy with your decision.
 
I think you will look back and be 100% happy with your decision.

Thanks John, you were convincing ;)

I think I would probably be happy with either camera, I just think that the D90 seemed like the best combination of price and functionality for me.

I plan to start with just the 35mm since it is so highly recommended and it seems like it will work well for baby photos. Then later add tele (70-300mm) and maybe eventually a wide angle zoom.
 
I'd go with the D90 in a heartbeat.

I owned the D3100 for about a month and hit many of the limitations you may experience if you do more than your basic shots. I upgraded to the D7000, but the D90 would be a solid pick as well. For me the D3100 had these issues:

Battery life wasn't great
Back display wasn't as high res
Seemed really slow writing long exposures to the card
No auto-bracketing feature at all for HDR
No top digital display to review settings
No exclusive dial for aperture control
No built-in motor for auto focus with some legacy glass

I'm sure there are other limitations I ran into, but those above were dealbreakers to me so I sold it and moved on.
 
Hello everyone, just wanted to say thanks to everyone who offered their advice.

I went ahead and ordered the D90 over the weekend along with the 35mm f/1.8 lens.

My reasoning:
1. I like the extra accessibility to the controls.
2. I like the internal motor for more lens options (like the Tokina 11-20mm)
3. I preferred the larger viewfinder
4. The better lcd seems like a bonus

I kept switching back and forth, things I liked about the D3100:
1. D3100 body (new) is $150 cheaper than the D90 (factory demo from Cameta).
2. New sensor, newer technology
3. The size difference didn't make a big difference for me, but the lower weight in the D3100 was a plus

Thanks again!
Scott


Best choice in between the two. You will really enjoy this camera.

Congrats on your purchase.
 
Congrats! D90 is a great camera and one to keep for a long time. I got mine maybe 1 year ago, upgraded from a d40 and cannot be happier. The only thing missing right now is lenses, and accessories
 
Thanks for the congrats everyone. I thought I'd post a few of the pictures I've been playing around taking of my dog. Both taken with the 35mm. Couldn't be happier with the camera, look forward to it warming up so I can get outside and get some more practice.




Bernie2.jpg










Bernie1.jpg
 
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