Help me upgrade!

Antebellum · Jan 15, 2015

I currently have a Nikon D5000 and it has served me very well over the past few years and 70000 actuations, but it's time to upgrade.

I mostly shoot horses and race cars and I've noticed over the past year that I'm really strugging with lower light sports shots. I've been going back and forth about upgrading into a full frame, but I've read pros and cons and just haven't made my mind up yet. The only downfall to going full frame would be replacing all the glass.

I'd like to get into a body for less than $3,000.

I open to any and all recommendations!

Microbois · Jan 15, 2015

On the DX side, you may want to wait a little bit as rumors are getting stronger for an upcoming new D7200 body in the next couple months. You will certainly get better low light performances from this new body, as well as a higher frame rate. Some rumors are saying 8 i/s, others say 6 i/s, but one thing for sure, it shouldn't be less than the actual 6 i/s of the D7100 at the moment.

On the FF side, considering your budget, the D750 would be a great choice, but you have to decide for yourself if you want to reinvest in some FF glass. The D610 would give you more room in your budget for a decent lens.

Designer · Jan 15, 2015

All your glass? None of your current lenses would work on a "full frame" body?

If you have to upgrade your lenses, you probably should add up the cost of new body and new lenses.

goodguy · Jan 15, 2015

The D750 with good lenses will be exactly what you want and need, best camera for the money! but you will need to decide if you want to invest or not.
D7100 will be a big jump from the D5000 but with slow glass it will not give you what you are looking for and if you will invest in fast glass for the D7100 then you are back to asking yourself if you want the full frame D750.
Indeed they are saying the D7100 should be replace soon by the D7200.
Just one more info on the D7100, it shoots 6FPS and has a small buffer but if you will put it on 1.3 crop mode it will shoot 7FPS and if you will set it on JPEG Fine you should get more then 20 frames till the buffer fills up which is almost 3 full sec of burst, not a huge lot but is very helpful if needed.

Antebellum · Jan 15, 2015

Thanks for the feedback. I hadn't thought about holding off for the D7200 so that's definitely an option.

How much difference would I notice between the D750 and the D810? I could get into a D810 right at the $3,000 mark and it's not a tremendous amount more than the D750.

As far as low light action shots go, would I see a huge difference between the D7200 and the D810 using equivalent lenses?

sm4him · Jan 15, 2015

How much glass IS "all the glass" you have? I'm suspecting you probably don't have a huge amount tied up in your glass currently, since A) you say you're struggling with low light, and B) none of it is evidently anything you could/would keep with a FF camera.

So--the options given so far are good ones. Unless you have a LOT of glass, I'd say it might be a good time for you to decide whether to stick with crop bodies or go FF.

From everything I've heard, that D750 is the "bomb" when it comes to sports shooting. BUT, can you pick up a D750 (OR a D800) and still afford the GOOD glass you'd really need to take full advantage of your equipment?

If it were me, I would either:
1) Wait a couple of months and see if the D7200 comes out, then go with either it or the D7100 and spend the rest on some really nice glass OR
2) Spring for the D750 now (although *I* would look for used/refurb) and then start saving for good glass.

Personally, I'd probably lean toward Option 1. In fact, I pretty much did. Went from a D5100 with a few variable-aperture lenses, to a D7000. Then added a 50mm f/1.4 lens. Then added a 70-200 f/2.8. Then an older 28mm f/2.8. About to add a 35mm f/1.8 to the mix.
Now I'm start to consider upgrading the body again. I'll probably stay with crop bodies, but if I do, it'll be because I want to, not because I don't have the glass for FF.

Microbois · Jan 15, 2015

Antebellum said:
How much difference would I notice between the D750 and the D810? I could get into a D810 right at the $3,000 mark and it's not a tremendous amount more than the D750.

The D810 is indeed around 3K$US, but you're getting into a 36 mpx sensor instead of 24 mpx. The D810 has a slower frame rate than the D750 though. With the D810, you would have no more money left in your budget to buy a decent lens too...

Antebellum · Jan 15, 2015

My lenses aren't going to come out of the money I have set aside for a body. I've got another stash set back for glass.

goodguy · Jan 15, 2015

Antebellum said:
Thanks for the feedback. I hadn't thought about holding off for the D7200 so that's definitely an option.

How much difference would I notice between the D750 and the D810? I could get into a D810 right at the $3,000 mark and it's not a tremendous amount more than the D750.

As far as low light action shots go, would I see a huge difference between the D7200 and the D810 using equivalent lenses?

Both the D750 and D810 are not pure sports cameras.
The D810 is more of a studio camera with huge files and tons of potential details.
The D750 is a general use camera and will suit better sports photography then the D810
The D750 has a slightly improve auto focus system over the D810
The D750 is a bit better in low light then the D810
The D750 has 6.5FPS while the D810 has 5FPS
I believe you can get the D750 for less then its official price, a store in my neighborhood had it for 250$ less official asking price about a week ago.
The huge file sizes of the D810 can be a pain if you don't need them.
Dont get me wrong the D810 is an amazing camera with unmatched DR and shadow recovery but its not what I would choose for your need.
The extra cash between the 2 cameras better invest in good fast glass.

I took my D750 for a Hockey game few weeks ago with few of my co-workers and I got amazing results of the players and the cheerleaders that kept jumping all the time not playing nice to my camera, had to keep shutter speed fast and ISO high, still got clear, sharp, wonderful results.

Microbois · Jan 15, 2015

goodguy said:
Antebellum said:

Thanks for the feedback. I hadn't thought about holding off for the D7200 so that's definitely an option.

How much difference would I notice between the D750 and the D810? I could get into a D810 right at the $3,000 mark and it's not a tremendous amount more than the D750.

As far as low light action shots go, would I see a huge difference between the D7200 and the D810 using equivalent lenses?

Click to expand...

Both the D750 and D810 are not pure sports cameras.
The D810 is more of a studio camera with huge files and tons of potential details.
The D750 is a general use camera and will suit better sports photography then the D810
The D750 has a slightly improve auto focus system over the D810
The D750 is a bit better in low light then the D810
The D750 has 6.5FPS while the D810 has 5FPS
I believe you can get the D750 for less then its official price, a store in my neighborhood had it for 250$ less official asking price about a week ago.
The huge file sizes of the D810 can be a pain if you don't need them.
Dont get me wrong the D810 is an amazing camera with unmatched DR and shadow recovery but its not what I would choose for your need.
The extra cash between the 2 cameras better invest in good fast glass.

I took my D750 for a Hockey game few weeks ago with few of my co-workers and I got amazing results of the players and the cheerleaders that kept jumping all the time not playing nice to my camera, had to keep shutter speed fast and ISO high, still got clear, sharp, wonderful results.