Which camera

[Bjarvis29]

I currently have a D3000 and I'm looking to upgrade. I am torn between buying a new D5100 with a 18-55 kit lens for $750 or buying a recertified D90 (body only) for $675. I already have a few lenses (DX format: 18-55, 55-200, 50 1.4, 18-105; I also have a 50 1.8 that isn't DX). Any help is appreciated

 

[JAC526]

Wait and save and buy a D7000.

I'm not sure how much of a real "upgrade" those two cameras are.

If you can't wait I'd say go for the D90. Unless video is important and then maybe the 5100 is the better choice.

 

[Bjarvis29]

I can wait, although I would to benefit from the faster shooting either of those cameras would offer. I am planning to shoot a lot of high school sports starting next summer

 

[IgsEMT]

For my flavor, anything w/ one control knob (such as d5000, 5100, etc etc) is useless. Surely, there are marketing reasons for that, but thats just my opinion.
Good Luck

 

[sm4him]

I have a D5100, and I absolutely love it (in a "this is my first DSLR" kind of way...). But if I had a D3000, I would NOT bother to spend money "upgrading" to the D5100 OR the D90, which I've also used on a fairly regular basis. They ARE upgrades to your camera, but in my opinion, they're not significant enough to warrant the cost. Unless, as JAC526 mentioned, video is really important to you. Save your money, ask for camera fund contributions for Christmas, do whatever you have to do to just go ahead and upgrade to the D7000. That's what I'll be doing, maybe not this year but at least by next year at this time!

 

[Bukitimah]

I think the D3100, D5000, D5100 and D90 are fairly chose cousins. Of course their prices tell you they each got this little bit extra. For me, I would consider what I need most before I 'upgrade'. Of course what I think is important now may not be the case in months to come.

Video is good to have but in my opinion, camera is not a video cam. I would use a compact camera if I need to video but I want my cam to take the photo I want to achieve.

 

[KmH]

The D90 has a screw drive lens focusing system in it, the D3000/D3100/D5000/D5100 don't

The D90 has Nikon's CLS Commander mode for using Nikon speedlights with off camera flash, the D3000/D3100/D5000/D5100 dont't.

Nikon's factory in Thailand, where they make all of their DX cameras and DX lenses, is under 6 feet of water. New Nikon DX gear will soon be in short supply.

Canon's and Sony's Thailand camera facilities are also floooded.

 

[MLeeK]

I can wait, although I would to benefit from the faster shooting either of those cameras would offer. I am planning to shoot a lot of high school sports starting next summer

You are upgrading from one entry level camera to another. Yes, there are some definite improvements from the D3000 to the D5100, but if you do that you will be back here in 6 months, a year TOPS wanting to upgrade from that... That's a lot of wasting money and upgrading. If you are going to upgrade out of an entry level camera make sure it's an UPWARDS move.

If you are planning on shooting high school sports indoors in any gym or on a night light football field you are better served by upgrading lenses. You will NEED to have f/2.8 lenses in any high school gym and on any football field at night or neither the D5100 nor the D3000 is going to do much of anything for you. Your images will be underexposed using anything other than your 50mm and you will quickly find that it is pretty OK for something like volleyball, but for basketball or football? It's WAY too short and you NEED the zoom. At f/5.6 on your zoom end? Your shots won't be usable because they are underexposed and raising the exposure will cause noise issues you can't fix.

 

[MLeeK]

The D90 has a screw drive lens focusing system in it, the D3000/D3100/D5000/D5100 don't

The D90 has Nikon's CLS Commander mode for using Nikon speedlights with off camera flash, the D3000/D3100/D5000/D5100 dont't.

Nikon's factory in Thailand, where they make all of their DX cameras and DX lenses, is under 6 feet of water. New Nikon DX gear will soon be in short supply.

Canon's and Sony's Thailand camera facities are also floooded.

Canon's Thailand factory is only printer related. Thank, God! Not so good looking for either Sony or Nikon... theirs are both camera related factories. Then again, Canon is still recovering from the Tsunami...

 

[csy690]

I can wait, although I would to benefit from the faster shooting either of those cameras would offer. I am planning to shoot a lot of high school sports starting next summer

You are upgrading from one entry level camera to another. Yes, there are some definite improvements from the D3000 to the D5100, but if you do that you will be back here in 6 months, a year TOPS wanting to upgrade from that... That's a lot of wasting money and upgrading. If you are going to upgrade out of an entry level camera make sure it's an UPWARDS move.

If you are planning on shooting high school sports indoors in any gym or on a night light football field you are better served by upgrading lenses. You will NEED to have f/2.8 lenses in any high school gym and on any football field at night or neither the D5100 nor the D3000 is going to do much of anything for you. Your images will be underexposed using anything other than your 50mm and you will quickly find that it is pretty OK for something like volleyball, but for basketball or football? It's WAY too short and you NEED the zoom. At f/5.6 on your zoom end? Your shots won't be usable because they are underexposed and raising the exposure will cause noise issues you can't fix.

I couldn't agree more, D3000/3100/5000/5100/90 all have the same auto focusing sensor and system, the CAM-1000 with 11 focus point and 3D tracking, the CAM-1000 with give you the same shooting performance unless you goes to the D7000 that us the new CAM-4800 with 39 focus point. So save the money on a better len.

If you are shooting sports events, you need a faster lenses to handle those especially the Nikon lenses with the active VR mode like the 18-200 VR, 70-300 VR, 28-300 VR. Of course a faster f/stop is also preferrable, but with the high iso selection on today's DSLR, you can use that to compensate a slow f/stop.

One last thing to consider, the continuous shooting rate, D3000/3100 at 3 fps, D5000/5100 at 4 fps, D90 at 4.5 fps and D7000 at 6 fps. If 3 fps is ok for now, keep the D3000 for a little longer until you find the D3000 reach its limit, then upgrade at that future time.

 

[coggonobrien]

hello folks, i am in the same boat as well. My wife (the talent) is going to purchase a second camera. She has done quite well with her d3000 the last 13 months but is gaining more wedding business and needs a second camera. In addition her next wedding is going to do the photo booth thing which puts me behind the camera for that end and taking second pictures through the event. She has located a used d80 for $350 which looking at the specs to me is a far cry from an upgrade. Is her best bet to purchase the d7000? Also any recommendations for a good general use lense to couple with it for low light reception shootings. sorry for the amateurish questions as that is what I am. She's just tied up with student teaching so I'm trying to research for her.
David