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09/05/2014 03:11:26 PM · #1 |
I have a Nikon D3100 kit. I recently found a used (great condition) D90 with Nikkor 50 mm f 1.8 lens for $399. Is this a worthy consideration for a next step upgrade from my starter kit?
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09/05/2014 03:35:54 PM · #2 |
Absolutely!!! The D90 was my first "real" serious camera, and so much fun to use. My motto has always been to not upgrade until I run into whatever limitations the camera has. It took me a while to run into those :)
BTW, I still use it. I've dedicated my 10.5mm fisheye to it. |
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09/05/2014 04:30:07 PM · #3 |
| I'm happy with my D90. I'll also add that the 50mm 1.8 is a very underrated lens. |
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09/06/2014 05:17:45 AM · #4 |
I have a d60 that I so love... the D90 is a great camera you'll love it... great price with a great lens!
I thought the 3100 was newer than the d90 or do I have that backwards? |
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09/06/2014 06:00:31 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by jgirl57:
I have a d60 that I so love... the D90 is a great camera you'll love it... great price with a great lens!
I thought the 3100 was newer than the d90 or do I have that backwards? |
D90 is from 2008. D3100 is from 2010. D90 is definitely an upgrade, though. Prosumer build and features, and the sensor from the D300.
Message edited by author 2014-09-06 10:06:04. |
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09/06/2014 06:41:55 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by tanguera:
Absolutely!!! The D90 was my first "real" serious camera, and so much fun to use. My motto has always been to not upgrade until I run into whatever limitations the camera has. It took me a while to run into those :)
BTW, I still use it. I've dedicated my 10.5mm fisheye to it. |
+1...it took a few years, I think 4 more or less, before I began to outshoot my D90. Great step up for you. |
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09/06/2014 07:12:38 AM · #7 |
| I have a D90 and someone mentioned that I need to upgrade the ageing camera. I am now looking at the D7100 . What do you clever peeps think? |
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09/06/2014 08:23:14 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by Ammie:
I have a D90 and someone mentioned that I need to upgrade the ageing camera. I am now looking at the D7100 . What do you clever peeps think? |
Nobody needs to upgrade a camera if it still works fine for you. But since you asked, and I've had both, here's my take:
Pros: higher resolution, better focusing.
Cons: Not as good in shadow recovery. The D600/610 blows it away in all respects except in oil spatter (and the focusing grid...which is better in the D7100)
Compared it to an OMD EM-1 or EM-10 (though only 16mp) it's about on par noise wise (but better resolution wise).
So, from my own point of view, while I did upgrade the D90 to the D7000, and then bought a D600 AND bought a D7100 (thinking the lack of a AA filter would matter--it doesn't). I'm not sure it's worth it. We all have different needs, but to me the D7100 is still "big" as a travel camera, and not nearly as good as full frame as a pro camera.
Depending on your lens setup and needs: for a portable rig, why not consider one of the mirrorless cameras? That's the future IMHO. Or a full frame camera (mirror or mirrorless) for better image quality if you don't mind the bulk. Though both of those options requires a new lens investment, whereas the D7100 does not.
Message edited by author 2014-09-06 12:23:58. |
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09/06/2014 03:32:35 PM · #9 |
Thanks Ann
As for the D7100>.. I actually went in the store and I thought and swore that is what I wanted because I spent months on end researching cameras.. when I had it in my hands it was way to big for me to even handle and for me.. it was just plain too big.. I have a lot of issues with my tendons in my hands and wrists, so having a camera I can actually handle and actually hold is a huge, huge, thing for me, especially because almost all my shots are hand held. It depends on your needs and what you wish but I would also highly suggest going to best buy or a camera store and actually put it in your hands and play with it.. I spent hours in the stores playing and to me that is what made my decisions on my next camera.
My best friend owns the D7100 and loves it and swears by it. |
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09/06/2014 06:19:33 PM · #10 |
Just my .002 cents worth... Ammie, if you feel like you're outshooting the camera, that is that it can no longer keep up with you and your shooting style, you may want to look at upgrading. I love my D7100, love the great ISO performance (in which I found the D90 very lacking) and oh yes especially the 6fps frame rate. Now when I do action and studio shots I can get shots I couldn't have gotten with the D90.
But, like Julie says, there is no substitute for actually getting your hands on one. Take along your lenses or at least the walk-around lens to the camera store and try it on a D7100. See if the size and weight will work for you. Once I did this, it was a no-brainer. Even with the battery grip, it's a great fit for me.
As for going full-frame, well that's going to mean great resolution in images, but also gigantic file sizes...and a physically much larger camera body. I know that I'm still getting used to the weight of the pro series 70-200 f2.8, but imagining that weight combined with a body much bigger and heavier than the D7100 is definitely giving me pause. And you will probably have to change up your lenses if you go ff. But as I haven't even had my D7100 even a year yet, I'm in no hurry to go ff or mirrorless for awhile!
Hope this brain dump helps! :-)
Message edited by author 2014-09-06 22:22:19. |
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09/06/2014 08:48:24 PM · #11 |
I can't help wonder if we are all being taken for a ride by technology ? I have a friend who still shoots film, B/W with a Leica Range finder camera, and boy his images are just amazing. The Camera would be 40years old if it is a day, and he hasn't grown out of it photographically yet.
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09/06/2014 11:52:17 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by snaffles:
Hope this brain dump helps! :-) |
Oh yes it does, thank you. I am outshooting and overshooting the D90. After 4 years I really think I should "upgrade"
Depending on the price I will also consider D610.
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09/07/2014 02:12:34 AM · #13 |
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09/07/2014 04:39:05 AM · #14 |
| I made the same move 3 years ago and have not looked back. |
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09/07/2014 05:28:16 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by Ammie:
Originally posted by snaffles:
Hope this brain dump helps! :-) |
Oh yes it does, thank you. I am outshooting and overshooting the D90. After 4 years I really think I should "upgrade"
Depending on the price I will also consider D610. |
When I bought the D7100 I traded in my D90 and its battery grip, it got me about $375 off the price of the new camera. And I made the store price-match the lowest price I could find :-) |
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09/07/2014 07:47:40 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by snaffles:
As for going full-frame, well that's going to mean great resolution in images, but also gigantic file sizes...and a physically much larger camera body.
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The D7100 and D6x0 bodies are almost exactly the same size and weight, and both are 24MP, so the file sizes are nearly the same as well. What's different, and what Snaffles is getting at, is the lens sizes. To shoot the same things requires longer lenses, which are usually bigger, heavier, and more expensive. The 24-85, still a small, light, cheap lens by FX standards, weighs twice as much as the 18-55, and is twice as expensive. Same with the 70-300 and the 28-300, vs their 55-200 and 70-300 counterparts. And those are the smaller, lighter, cheaper FX zooms.
Anyway, I just got back from a photography trip to Alaska. People there had everything from Nikon 1's to D800's. I got some fabulous images with my D800, which I'm still editing. I also got some fantastic images with my Sony RX100 II. My spouse got some fabulous images on my old D300, some better than what I got. We both got a backache from carrying my gear. A couple of the pros on the trip had switched to micro 4/3 Olympus, and were getting great images, without the backache. And the guy who had the Nikon 1 got such good wildlife pics that I am planning on taking a Nikon 1 instead of my 300 f/4 on the next trip. His entire setup was about half the weight of just my 300mm lens and 2x teleconverter.
TL;DR don't forget the size, weight and price of lenses when considering the switch to FF.
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09/07/2014 02:49:16 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by Ammie:
I have a D90 and someone mentioned that I need to upgrade the ageing camera. I am now looking at the D7100 . What do you clever peeps think? |
I up graded to the D7100 and love love it... Still have one of my D90's, there is a difference the 7100's are fantastic in low lighting conditions, and less noise at all ISO's I'd sell my last D90 for another D7100, but It still does a good job, I feel it's only big restriction is noise on dark light or high iso's... They're little work horses! |
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09/07/2014 02:52:12 PM · #18 |
All:
Very good dialog and some great insights for us novices.
I pulled the trigger and purchased the D90. I am giving it the test drive this week. I love many of the features over my D3100 and I am getting a lot out of the 50 mm f 1.8 that came with it. The only thing I have noticed thus far is that I miss the 2 MP loss between the D3100 and D90, but the versatility and options of the D90 are thus far proving to overshadow that fact. As a last note, I think the D90 is validating some shortcomings of the DX lenses that came with the D3100. Those will have to be on the next wish list...
Thanks again.
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09/08/2014 08:54:32 AM · #19 |
I held out for as long as I could before going full frame.
I wish I would have spent less on DX stuff, and just moved up earlier.
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