After getting married and being convinced by my wife that we can't afford 2 camera systems (Me Nikon, and her Canon) I decided to sell all my Nikon gear because of course she won Well, after 2 years of reluctantly shooting Canon, I got the go ahead to jump back to Nikon. I can't really explain it, I know it's just a tool to create with, but there's just something about Nikon that feels like home, the settings, the feel, I don't know lol. So, only question is at this point, do I go D300s or D7000. The last Nikon I owned was a D200, so am thinkin the D300s is the only way, but am curious if anyone else was in my position recently, and what way they went? I will also be buying a 17-55 2.8 or 28-70 2.8 as my first lens back. Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
I say if you can wait for a few more weeks, get the soon to be announced D600. It is rumorware till now, but Nikonrumors.com has a great track record and I think it will be announced in the upcoming Photokina as predicted by Nikon Rumors. Read more about it there.
I have a D300, which has now become a backup to a D800. I have used a friend's D300s, and can tell you that it is a great camera. You can't go wrong with it. However, as technology marches forward, I believe keeping up has become a norm... not required though. Have you looked at the new Nikon D3200? It is DX and has ample MPs. If you are not a pro shooter, and you don't own any legacy Nikkors, it is a camera to check out. If you plan to stay with DX, then get the 17-55. If you want to get FX, then you should go with the 28-70 aka The Beast. On DX, 28 mm is really 42mm POV and if you do a lot of landscape, it will be really limiting.
Now that I have confused you more, all I can say is good luck and welcome back home at the Nikon land
Big and heavy F2.8 zoom lenses? Not much fun to carry but may become important if you are going to be doing event photography. You might like the new 24-85 if you need a zoom for some reason. Otherwise, the new 85 F1.8G is very nice.
If you plan on ANY higher ISO shooting...the D7K is your answer. Just turned my D300s for a 2nd D7K.
I'm an FX guy on the clock but the D7K's do most of my spec work. Once learned, the new 39 pt AF is
pretty damn good. My in focus shots hover in the 98% range for rodeo/BIF. The 17-55 is the bomb on
this body. Gorgeous files from the D7K's sensor and none of the 'blue sky' noise that plagued the D300's
The real beauty is in the price ~$800 for the body/$900 for the lens. Check our B&S, wife will be happy too!
Alright so it appears the D7000 is the winner here, but if I added in the anticipated D600 to the mix...probably worth waiting for? With children high ISO shooting is very likely in my future much more than it is now I think
For currently existing DX bodies, D7000. However, if your body will be seeing a lot of action, I'd hang back a little and wait for the anticipated D300s replacement. The D300 series is getting a little long in the tooth, so it won't be too long until something replaces it.
The rumored D600 sounds interesting if you want to go FX. Maybe you can rent first and see!
I'm kind of back and forth on FX, guess I need to decide that first. While my wife normally shoots landscape, I shoot portraits, and people (with the occasional landscape of course). I will be the only one using this camera. What pushes you guys from DX to FX? I haven't done a lot of research here yet, so any other thoughts would be much appreciated.
The D7000 is a great performer, and price has been lowered.
My wife would never tell me what camera to shoot with
I would suggest you shoot with what you want else your pictures will suffer. If the camera is more than a simple capture device that makes all cameras the same, then any camera will do. But, if the camera is a tool to help you express your creativity, then what you shoot with is personal, and important, as well as an essential ingredient to making great pictures.
Anything announced at photokina won't be in your hands till after first of year at best. Get a body now for your needs. The d7000 is one amazing camera for the price.
1fstwrx wrote:
I'm kind of back and forth on FX, guess I need to decide that first. While my wife normally shoots landscape, I shoot portraits, and people (with the occasional landscape of course). I will be the only one using this camera. What pushes you guys from DX to FX? I haven't done a lot of research here yet, so any other thoughts would be much appreciated.
Better noise performance is the biggest asset of FX. The d7000 does very well for noise performance, for a DX camera and might be just fine for your needs, depending on the light levels you plan to shoot. FX also has about a stop less DOF, given the same field of view, which is often helpful for subject isolation when shooting portraits and people, especially with mid-range zooms like the 17-55 or 28-70.
I've shot a lot of portraits and candids with DX cameras, but if I were going to use only a mid-range zoom for that, I'd want an FX camera, for the better subject isolation. The better high ISO performance of FX is also a plus for low light shooting for candids. But, if you aren't into very low light candids, then either format would work well with the lenses cited. I also believe that either format would work okay for landscapes, with the lenses you cite.
If you're not in a rush, I'd wait a while, to see what Nikon announces later this year. If you don't want to wait a few months, then I'd suggest picking between the d7000 and the d700. Both are very capable cameras. I must admit to having a certain bias toward the d700 for the build and performance of the body, which is almost identical to the d300. But, I'd be happy with the d7000 too. Both are capable of producing excellent images.
Thanks so much for all the feedback!! I think the benefits of full frame are what I'm looking for, so will likely be waiting for the 600 and going that route.
Alright, one last option to throw out...New d7k since the D600 is outta my price range? Or go with a used d700? I am VERY wary of used bodies as I was ripped off a few years back, but would entertain it, since the D700 seems to be a substantial upgrade for not much more $$$? Just looking for last thoughts before I set out to buy, and thanks again all!
hhhmmm...if you're looking for a quality used D700 it'll be in the ballpark with a new D600...somewheres around $1,700...ish...love my 700, wouldn't trade it straight across for a new 600 no way no how
As said previously, however, i have not read in detail, get the D700. I am an amateur,this is handheld, while my teen daughter did her driving practice, pops was being a bad example, and not paying attention!
This is with the manual focus 85mm f/1.4 AIS!
Anyone regret going DX instead of FX? I feel like saving a little longer and getting FX would mean I'd actually be willing to spend money on lenses instead of knowing in my head I will go FX sometime in the future so no point in buying these expensive lenses for the DX body. I shoot primarily portraits, little landscape, but mostly people so the benefits of FX seem warranted, just curious if anyone else was recently in the position I am in, and how they decided? D7k or D600, because most D700s I see are going for 1700, at that point it would be dumb (in my opinion) to not just wait another couple paychecks and get a D600. I like shooting primes, so having little lens budget and shooting the 50 1.8 until I get more glass doesn't bug me at all, as it would probably be one of my primary lenses anyways. Thanks again for all the input and any last insight before I pull the trigger!
Well, after 2 years of reluctantly shooting Canon, I got the go ahead to jump back to Nikon. I can't really explain it, I know it's just a tool to create with, but there's just something about Nikon that feels like home, the settings, the feel, I don't know lol. So, only question is at this point, do I go D300s or D7000. The last Nikon I owned was a D200, so am thinkin the D300s is the only way, but am curious if anyone else was in my position recently, and what way they went? I will also be buying a 17-55 2.8 or 28-70 2.8 as my first lens back. Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
