Which camera to save for?

iOwen · Apr 24, 2012

Hey I am a armature photographer with a 5100 looking to save for a semi pro camera. Which body should I choose?

sleist · Apr 24, 2012

To be honest, Nikon's line up of cameras is a confusing mess right now. The most professional feature set in a DX body has a 4 year old 12 mp sensor. The entry level offering has a 24mp sensor. The D300s should be replaced, but when the replacement is announced, it will be months to before anyone can get one. No one knows for sure if it will be DX or FX ...

If you have $3000, get the D800 - you'll be waiting a while and you'll need another couple thousand for lenses..
If you have $1200, get the D7000 - but that has the same sensor as the D5100. If the D7100 is announced next, then you kind of wasted some cash.
If your have/want to spend $1800-$2000, there is no really good upgrade that won't have you either wasting money or compromising.
The D700 is $2199 but is impossible to find. A great camera, but you'll need new glass which has you spending $3000 on a 4 year old camera - may as well get the D800 at that point.

You could buy used, but even the D300s used is still too pricey. There's nothing to replace it with yet if you own one (or you're on the D800 wait list).

As a D90 owner looking to upgrade, I'm standing pat until I see what shakes out over the summer. Hopefully it won't die or get stolen.
If I had a D5100 right now, I would enjoy it and wait.

My 2 cents.

PapaMatt · Apr 24, 2012

I agree with you, Nikon is all over the place at this time. I will keep what I have for now, it works for me. I would just sit tight and see what happens later>

Mach0 · Apr 24, 2012

sleist said:
To be honest, Nikon's line up of cameras is a confusing mess right now. The most professional feature set in a DX body has a 4 year old 12 mp sensor. The entry level offering has a 24mp sensor. The D300s should be replaced, but when the replacement is announced, it will be months to before anyone can get one. No one knows for sure if it will be DX or FX ...

If you have $3000, get the D800 - you'll be waiting a while and you'll need another couple thousand for lenses..
If you have $1200, get the D7000 - but that has the same sensor as the D5100. If the D7100 is announced next, then you kind of wasted some cash.
If your have/want to spend $1800-$2000, there is no really good upgrade that won't have you either wasting money or compromising.
The D700 is $2199 but is impossible to find. A great camera, but you'll need new glass which has you spending $3000 on a 4 year old camera - may as well get the D800 at that point.

You could buy used, but even the D300s used is still too pricey. There's nothing to replace it with yet if you own one (or you're on the D800 wait list).

As a D90 owner looking to upgrade, I'm standing pat until I see what shakes out over the summer. Hopefully it won't die or get stolen.
If I had a D5100 right now, I would enjoy it and wait.

My 2 cents.

Helluva suggestion. Never thought of it that way. Lol

murklemark · Apr 24, 2012

Possibly the best advice I've heard so for Nikon upgrades, put my wait for a 2nd hand D700 in perspective.

sleist said:
To be honest, Nikon's line up of cameras is a confusing mess right now. The most professional feature set in a DX body has a 4 year old 12 mp sensor. The entry level offering has a 24mp sensor. The D300s should be replaced, but when the replacement is announced, it will be months to before anyone can get one. No one knows for sure if it will be DX or FX ...

If you have $3000, get the D800 - you'll be waiting a while and you'll need another couple thousand for lenses..
If you have $1200, get the D7000 - but that has the same sensor as the D5100. If the D7100 is announced next, then you kind of wasted some cash.
If your have/want to spend $1800-$2000, there is no really good upgrade that won't have you either wasting money or compromising.
The D700 is $2199 but is impossible to find. A great camera, but you'll need new glass which has you spending $3000 on a 4 year old camera - may as well get the D800 at that point.

You could buy used, but even the D300s used is still too pricey. There's nothing to replace it with yet if you own one (or you're on the D800 wait list).

As a D90 owner looking to upgrade, I'm standing pat until I see what shakes out over the summer. Hopefully it won't die or get stolen.
If I had a D5100 right now, I would enjoy it and wait.

My 2 cents.

sm4him · Apr 24, 2012

I have a D5100 and really no advice on upgrading; the advice to 'wait and see' seems about as good as any, really.
I'm hoping that however things shake out, something will come along over the next year or so that will make so that I can buy a used D7000 for a great price.

On another note:
An 'armature' is the rotating coil or coils of a dynamo or electric motor.
An amateur is someone who engages in a given activity as a pastime and not a profession.
Since 'armature photographer' seems to be a ludicrously specific field, I am guessing you are actually the latter, an amateur.

Sorry, I know it was probably just a simple case of mis-typing, but I just couldn't help myself.

lauraxlovegood · Apr 24, 2012

Haha, I didn't even catch the misspelling. As far as the advice on here, makes me wonder if I should be saving for a canon instead... Unless you know about their market as well. But I'm stuck between wanting to try a canon first or a nikon.

sleist · Apr 24, 2012

Needing to upgrade a camera and wanting to upgrade a camera are two different things. I'm not sure where the OP stands on that question, but I think that if someone really needed to upgrade a camera, then they would know what features they needed and would not have to ask - or would at least provide more details. If the OP has a list of reasons why the D5100 is unable to provide the required results, he/she should post them and perhaps get some more detailed advice. It doesn't change what I said above, but if a needed, missing feature can be had on an existing body then it may be worth the money to get it now.

If this is just NAS, then I think waiting is the best option.

2WheelPhoto · Apr 24, 2012

Nikon's lineup is quite simple

Markw · Apr 25, 2012

Wow. I've had my head in the upper rafters of Nikonerry for so log, I missed the fact that the D5100 had the D7000 sensor. With that being the case, I would say there really is no upgrade path for new cameras unless the problem you're looking at is a build quality issue.

As for overall, remember that there is still the spectacular D3s you could look into. I know it's quite a chunk of change, but so is anything else above the D7k mark. The D700 may be an upgrade option (you can find them used for like $1700-1800 if you look hard enough. That also opens the doors for the D3 for around $500 more. Personally, I would save for a D3s. That being said, I bought the D800.

Also, no one even asked what lenses you had. If you're not shooting with great glass, invest in that. You'll be needing that much more than a new camera most likely.

Mark

iOwen · Apr 26, 2012

sm4him said:
I have a D5100 and really no advice on upgrading; the advice to 'wait and see' seems about as good as any, really.
I'm hoping that however things shake out, something will come along over the next year or so that will make so that I can buy a used D7000 for a great price.

On another note:
An 'armature' is the rotating coil or coils of a dynamo or electric motor.
An amateur is someone who engages in a given activity as a pastime and not a profession.
Since 'armature photographer' seems to be a ludicrously specific field, I am guessing you are actually the latter, an amateur.

Sorry, I know it was probably just a simple case of mis-typing, but I just couldn't help myself.

Hahahah no worries! Typing on my iPhone so my spelling is always un reliable

thanks for the great advice everyone! Gunna wait it out and hopefully snag a good deal in the near future

SouthwestDreams · Apr 26, 2012

murklemark said:
Possibly the best advice I've heard so for Nikon upgrades, put my wait for a 2nd hand D700 in perspective.

sleist said:

To be honest, Nikon's line up of cameras is a confusing mess right now. The most professional feature set in a DX body has a 4 year old 12 mp sensor. The entry level offering has a 24mp sensor. The D300s should be replaced, but when the replacement is announced, it will be months to before anyone can get one. No one knows for sure if it will be DX or FX ...

If you have $3000, get the D800 - you'll be waiting a while and you'll need another couple thousand for lenses..
If you have $1200, get the D7000 - but that has the same sensor as the D5100. If the D7100 is announced next, then you kind of wasted some cash.
If your have/want to spend $1800-$2000, there is no really good upgrade that won't have you either wasting money or compromising.
The D700 is $2199 but is impossible to find. A great camera, but you'll need new glass which has you spending $3000 on a 4 year old camera - may as well get the D800 at that point.

You could buy used, but even the D300s used is still too pricey. There's nothing to replace it with yet if you own one (or you're on the D800 wait list).

As a D90 owner looking to upgrade, I'm standing pat until I see what shakes out over the summer. Hopefully it won't die or get stolen.
If I had a D5100 right now, I would enjoy it and wait.

My 2 cents.

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