Lights or Camera?

oDDball · Jan 13, 2011

I’m looking at either getting a camera upgrade or a light upgrade.
I currently have a D5000, it works for pretty much anything I do because most of it is just messing around for fun, taking pictures of my kids, random road kill found on the streets, and just general B.S.

I also have some old super crappy Promaster flashes that operate at either full or 1/16 power and a RF-602 radio trigger setup.

My flashes really tend to annoy the piss out of me because they are either too bright or too soft depending on what I am doing. My camera also bugs me because I am sick of flipping through the menu mode to change half of the settings. So, I guess I am really about equally irritated at both.

Here is the dilemma…. should I go with the better camera so I can have better user friendly controls, or pick up some nice speed lights?
I’m thinking a D7000 maybe, haven’t looked into it too much yet, or else some SB-600’s and a 900.

If going with the camera, should I hold out a few months and go with the D700?
Might do some Alien Bee’s, but I like the portability of the Speed light’s and don’t plan on being indoors that often.
Any input, thoughts, suggestions, experience would be awesome!

Gruen Photo 7 Design · Jan 13, 2011

if you are comfortable with your camera's capabilities, go with the flash.
i would recommend the oem version, or at least using that as a bar for other brands

Light Artisan · Jan 13, 2011

Get a couple Nissin Di866 flash units, that way you can do wireless TTL flash if you want (Di866 can act as a master on your D5000).

Otherwise, if you're set on a new body already the D7000 is an awesome piece of machinery.

John Mc · Jan 13, 2011

Im just making an observation,but it look's like you dont know how to fully use the Camera yet,or how to use Flash's correctly. I'll admit the Flash's are what i'd got for.But probably a better lens first.

Are you using the camera in manual when using flash?
At full power and its still overexposed,you can move the Flash's back,or even diffuse them. Theres many thing's you can do to compensate over/under exposued image's. On of them being Practice. A better Camera wont help you get good exposed shot's, Practise will. Just keep at it and experiment

Robin Usagani · Jan 13, 2011

It would really bug me too if you can only shooot at full power or 1/16. Why is that? I say flash first. You can always use the flash for your next camera.

BuS_RiDeR · Jan 13, 2011

I also think that if you are satisfied with your camera, you should look into lighting/flash.

oDDball · Jan 13, 2011

I do know how to use the camera, that is where part of the frustration is with having to flip back into the menu. It’s not all that often but is enough to bug me. As far as the flashes, moving them closer or farther away, that isn’t always an option.

Still, trying to get the look you want with multiple lights and only two power settings gets pretty annoying after a bit when I don’t want to light up the entire area. If I was going for turning night into day, these would be killer. I use them more for accent lighting, not for portraits, guess I should have said that in the start. Some portrait and people stuff but not a lot….

Wait… I was just wondering lights or camera. If you had issues that bothered you, but you still performed just fine…. Which area would you knock out first, lights or camera? I can make it all work how I want to, just takes a little fiddling with my setup.

Robin Usagani · Jan 13, 2011

oddball, correct me if im wrong because Im not a nikon user. Your camera only has 1 wheel? If that is true, there should be a button that you can press to switch from aperture and shutter when you operate the wheel so you dont have to look at the screen menu.

oDDball · Jan 13, 2011

Yes Sir, that is correct. I'm mostly talking about the ISO and white balance. It isn't a huge issue. There is no button to push and spin the wheel for those, you have to go into the camera functions and change them.

All I am wondering is if given the two inconveniences, which would you want to eliminate first. Messing with camera settings(ISO and white balance), or dealing with, and having to set up just for 2 flash power options on multiple units.

I party am interested in a new camera that way my wife can use this one without getting confused on how to turn it back to auto and changing a lens when she wants to use it if I am not around. Just not sure if I can justify it.

Tight Knot · Jan 13, 2011

oDDball said:
Yes Sir, that is correct. I'm mostly talking about the ISO and white balance. It isn't a huge issue. There is no button to push and spin the wheel for those, you have to go into the camera functions and change them.

All I am wondering is if given the two inconveniences, which would you want to eliminate first. Messing with camera settings(ISO and white balance), or dealing with, and having to set up just for 2 flash power options on multiple units.

I party am interested in a new camera that way my wife can use this one without getting confused on how to turn it back to auto and changing a lens when she wants to use it if I am not around. Just not sure if I can justify it.

I would recommend going with the new camera. First of all, you will use the camera quite a bit without the flashes, plus your wife is happy because you gave her your camera, and to top it all off, you can buy the lights 1 at a time if necessary (with the foreknowledge that you will have to buy lights, and it is easier to plan a few smaller purchases for the lights over a period of time, than 1 big purchase for the camera) , and they will work for both your new camera and your wifes "new" camera.

bluetibby1 · Jan 13, 2011

Just a little thought I used my Fn button (front right, below flash -/+) on my d3000 to set my timed shutter release to my iso. I'll look when i get home about what to press in the menu to set it up, but you d5000 should be able to do the same thing. Just a thought.
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