Nikon d90?

[JustJazzie]

My current gear-
FF Nikon
28-105 af-d
50 1.8 g
Sigma 150 macro (non os)
Tamron 70-300 vrii

Sony nex 7
50 1.8 e mount

I've been considering ditching my Sony for a while. With the addition of the 70-300, I grow increasingly frusterated with the fact that I can't share lenses between camera bodies (yes I know I can get an adapter but I loose AF unless I spend more than I'd like to invest considering I will never support Sony again) my Sony rarely gets touched lately, though I have been wishing had a little more reach for bird watching on my property.

My Sony is missing a rubber grip, and Sony wants to replace the entire back casing to replace it, so I am not comfortable selling to anyone but a camera busniess who understands what they are getting themselves into.

If KEH's quote is correct, I can do a swap for my Sony gear for a d90, that would work with my lenses.

What important to me?

Sony shoots at 1600 iso "clean" 3200 is a stretch but doable. I wouldn't want to downgrade in this area.

Fast, accurate auto focus.

Obviously, I want to share lenses so I need the build in focus motor.

Easy to access settings.

Keeping in mind that this will be mostly a backup camera, as well as for wildlife and maybe sports (I never print large. Maybe 8x10 for these genres) would the d90 serve me better than the nex 7 with one lens?

 

[jaomul]

I really like the d90 but the nex 7 does have the edge at higher iso, having said that I think real world difference are small.

I'd think the d90 is a better fit, easily giving 8x10 or bigger. It's a great camera

 

[goodguy]

I wouold get a Nikon D3300 over the D90, its got an excellent sensor and processor, its got very little goodies but overall its a very capable camera and I would take it anyday over this old D90, it will kill it in high ISO and overall image quality.
The D3300 is currently so cheap I bought one and I find I use it a lot even though I too have a FF Nikon.

 

[JustJazzie]

I wouold get a Nikon D3300 over the D90, its got an excellent sensor and processor, its got very little goodies but overall its a very capable camera and I would take it anyday over this old D90, it will kill it in high ISO and overall image quality.
The D3300 is currently so cheap I bought one and I find I use it a lot even though I too have a FF Nikon.

I considered that but only 1 of my lenses will AF with that body.

 

[JustJazzie]

I really like the d90 but the nex 7 does have the edge at higher iso, having said that I think real world difference are small.

I'd think the d90 is a better fit, easily giving 8x10 or bigger. It's a great camera

What do you consider the "Max useable Ido" of the d90?

 

[goodguy]

I wouold get a Nikon D3300 over the D90, its got an excellent sensor and processor, its got very little goodies but overall its a very capable camera and I would take it anyday over this old D90, it will kill it in high ISO and overall image quality.
The D3300 is currently so cheap I bought one and I find I use it a lot even though I too have a FF Nikon.

I considered that but only 1 of my lenses will AF with that body.

Well then I wouldnt get anything less then the D7000, D90 just an old camera, yes its still capable, I checked your Flickr you do lots of portraits, if you plan on shooting it on 100ISO then its ok, if you plan on using it on general use I would look somewhere else.

BTW I like your portraits, some are very nice

 

[jaomul]

I really like the d90 but the nex 7 does have the edge at higher iso, having said that I think real world difference are small.

I'd think the d90 is a better fit, easily giving 8x10 or bigger. It's a great camera

What do you consider the "Max useable Ido" of the d90?

3200 is usable I think. I originally (first Dslr) bought a Canon 50d having debated the d90. My friend at a similar time bought the d90 and once I got a go off it I was very sorry with my choice.

She has sent photos to me that were taken at 3200 and they looked great (she knows how to get the best out of a cam) - I know this because we used do a monthly comp against each other for fun

 

[JustJazzie]

I wouold get a Nikon D3300 over the D90, its got an excellent sensor and processor, its got very little goodies but overall its a very capable camera and I would take it anyday over this old D90, it will kill it in high ISO and overall image quality.
The D3300 is currently so cheap I bought one and I find I use it a lot even though I too have a FF Nikon.

I considered that but only 1 of my lenses will AF with that body.

Well then I wouldnt get anything less then the D7000, D90 just an old camera, yes its still capable, I checked your Flickr you do lots of portraits, if you plan on shooting it on 100ISO then its ok, if you plan on using it on general use I would look somewhere else.

BTW I like your portraits, some are very nice

Thank you! Unfortunately a D700 is completely out of the budget. I will keep using my DF for portraits. This would be backup/if I crave extra reach for wildlife.

I really like the d90 but the nex 7 does have the edge at higher iso, having said that I think real world difference are small.

I'd think the d90 is a better fit, easily giving 8x10 or bigger. It's a great camera

What do you consider the "Max useable Ido" of the d90?

3200 is usable I think. I originally (first Dslr) bought a Canon 50d having debated the d90. My friend at a similar time bought the d90 and once I got a go off it I was very sorry with my choice.

She has sent photos to me that were taken at 3200 and they looked great (she knows how to get the best out of a cam) - I know this because we used do a monthly comp against each other for fun

Nice! I would be more than happy with useable 3200! I appreciate your thoughts, thank you!

 

[SnappingShark]

what about 5300?

 

[Derrel]

I don't see that adding a D90 really brings all that much to your gear lineup, except an older camera body that uses a crop-frame sensor, but a sensor that is significantly outperformed by much newer, higher MP-count and flat-out simply better, 24 million pixel sensors in the newer D3xxx and D5xxx and D7xxx variants. If you're getting the D90 for its crop-frame sensor and the apparent "reach" that would give, I think that's a mistake: just use your current Nikon Df's better per-pixel-level sensor, and crop the images...and get better image quality than the D90 can do, and at higher ISO levels.

The ex-wife has a D90....ehhhh....it was a fine, fine camera, in its era, but it really is from an earlier era, when sensors were improving rapidly, but before the new era of sensor development really raised the stakes substantially. The issue is you have some lenses with screw-drive focusing, so the D3xxx and D5xxx bodies are not a viable option for autofocusing.

I dunno...the Sony has its native-mount 50mm lens...maybe keep it for what it does best, and use one camera, the Df. Honestly...I think for most uses, I prefer to use just one camera, the best one I have for the tasks I do most. I've had two-camera setups, several of them in fact, and it's a bit of a pain most of the time. I grew up with primes, and can change a Nikon's lens in a few seconds in most situations, so to me, the lens swapping issue is a non-issue.

I really could not tell you what to do...I don't see that adding an older d-slr is really that big of a net positive...it might not even hit the positive side of the balance...the Sony is probably better at some things than the D90 is.

 

[JustJazzie]

what about 5300?

no in body focus motor.

I don't see that adding a D90 really brings all that much to your gear lineup, except an older camera body that uses a crop-frame sensor, but a sensor that is significantly outperformed by much newer, higher MP-count and flat-out simply better, 24 million pixel sensors in the newer D3xxx and D5xxx and D7xxx variants. If you're getting the D90 for its crop-frame sensor and the apparent "reach" that would give, I think that's a mistake: just use your current Nikon Df's better per-pixel-level sensor, and crop the images...and get better image quality than the D90 can do, and at higher ISO levels.

The ex-wife has a D90....ehhhh....it was a fine, fine camera, in its era, but it really is from an earlier era, when sensors were improving rapidly, but before the new era of sensor development really raised the stakes substantially. The issue is you have some lenses with screw-drive focusing, so the D3xxx and D5xxx bodies are not a viable option for autofocusing.

I dunno...the Sony has its native-mount 50mm lens...maybe keep it for what it does best, and use one camera, the Df. Honestly...I think for most uses, I prefer to use just one camera, the best one I have for the tasks I do most. I've had two-camera setups, several of them in fact, and it's a bit of a pain most of the time. I grew up with primes, and can change a Nikon's lens in a few seconds in most situations, so to me, the lens swapping issue is a non-issue.

I really could not tell you what to do...I don't see that adding an older d-slr is really that big of a net positive...it might not even hit the positive side of the balance...the Sony is probably better at some things than the D90 is.

I was hoping you would chime in! The Sony definitely has a few positives, like focus peaking, on its side. It's nice to hear confidance in the df with cropping even though it lacks high MPX. And the reach is really the main reason I was thinking it.

Thanks for your 2¢!! I appreciate it!