Upgrade time for the second camera...

skater

New member
We have a D7000 that we love. That camera is staying. But the D70 is showing its age...

The D70 is a workhorse, but we run into its limits - for example, we both took some pictures at a hockey game, and the D7000's pictures flat-out beat the D70's, in part I think because the D70 just doesn't have the higher ISO that's helpful, especially with cheap glass. (The 100-300 zoom for the D70 in particular was a cheap lens - it's one of these and I'm suspicious of that ONE review... yes, it can do a reasonable job, but come on - it was cheap when it was new.)

So the wife and I were batting around upgrade ideas. I'd like to replace that Quantaray zoom as part of the deal. (I suggested getting that 80-200 mm Nikon zoom and moving the 55-200 to the D70's bag, but that just got a smile and no answer... :) )

The D70 kit lens is the 18-70, which seems like a decent lens, albeit a bit dated without features like VR. The D7000 has the 18-105 and 55-200. (I know these lenses can be moved around, but this how I remember them and think of them.) We also have a Tokina 11-16 that we love and a 50 mm 1.8 that I love but rarely get to use. I'd like to get a 35 mm 1.8 at some point, possibly selling the 50mm to to do it.

I want to stay with a body with the built-in focusing motor. I think that excludes the D3000 and D5000 series cameras. It basically leaves the D7000/D7100/D90, and the D600/D610, and above, right?

One option was going with the D7100. I'm definitely interested in the lack of the AA filter. It also has the advantage of using the same batteries as the D7000. Only downside to this is that the D7100, being newer, is still fairly expensive - we could pick up a used or refurb D7000 for a lot less.

Another would be going to an FX body, but then we'd need FX lenses to go with it, and the DX lenses likely wouldn't produce good results with them (right?). In other words, will an FX body with a DX lens do as well as a DX/DX setup? The thought being that future lenses would be FX, but I wouldn't want to replace everything right now.

A third option would be to buy a better zoom lens and stay with the D70. But after using the large LCD of the D7000, it's hard for me to even look at the LCD on the D70. I have trouble determining whether my shot focused correctly on the D7000, so the D70 is a nightmare in that respect for me. So I think the D70 replacement is the way to go, I'm just not sure with what.

(We were at the Air & Space Museum in DC a couple weekends ago, and she had the 18-105 or 100-300 lens on the D70, while I had the Tokina 11-16. I'd often ask her to take pictures of some of the farther-away artifacts since I'd just get a room-wide shot if I did it. That was much easier than changing lenses back and forth, or dealing with two cameras! ;) )

So, what would you do? We're not in a time crunch here. To give a money ballpark, let's say we want to stay around $1000, but can spend up to $1500 if the deal is right.
 

skater

New member
Side note - I'm irritated at the automatic link crap. I had ONE link in that post (the word "these") - the others are added by the linkspam software. Sorry for it looking like I'm spamming everyone with links. Couldn't the linkspam software at least do something different so we knew which links were real and which added?
 

Deezey

Senior Member
Sounds like you really want to get rid of that D70. Forget FX for right now. Wait and get glass for it first. For me, that leaves you between the D7000 or D7100. Given that choice I would just pick up a D7100. Right now that D7100 with 18-140 is just shy of 1300.
Or get it with the 70-300 for just a bit more.
 
I would say go with a used D7000. that way there would be no learning curve for either of you. With the exception of the D7100 the D7000 is hard to beat in the DX lineup
 

SteveH

Senior Member
Hi Skater,
My understanding is, that really you will need to either replace the D70 with another DX body, or replace your lenses too.
The D7000 will happily use FX (Non-DX) lenses, but an FX body will need to shoot in DX mode to use your DX lenses... Which effectively crops the sensor down to DX format and means you spent money that you aren't benefiting from.

I would personally get the 7100 and replace the cheap zoom.
 

skater

New member
The D7000 will happily use FX (Non-DX) lenses, but an FX body will need to shoot in DX mode to use your DX lenses... Which effectively crops the sensor down to DX format and means you spent money that you aren't benefiting from.

Well, presumably we'd buy an FX lens or two to go with it, so we'd have similar setups to what we have now for most uses. I was more concerned about the 11-16 and the 50 mm that we wouldn't be replacing - but it sounds like they would still work as well as they do in the DX cameras. Of course two FX lenses are going to be pretty pricey, too.

I would say go with a used D7000. that way there would be no learning curve for either of you. With the exception of the D7100 the D7000 is hard to beat in the DX lineup

Yeah, but no new toys to play with. ;) I hesitate to buy two of the same model. Learning curve isn't an issue for us - I mean, yes, we'd have to learn a new camera, but we don't mind. That's part of the point of photography, learning something new. :)

Sounds like you really want to get rid of that D70. Forget FX for right now. Wait and get glass for it first. For me, that leaves you between the D7000 or D7100. Given that choice I would just pick up a D7100. Right now that D7100 with 18-140 is just shy of 1300.
Or get it with the 70-300 for just a bit more.

I want to stop using the D70. When we decided to buy the D7000, my original plan was that we'd ditch the D70 to offset the cost of it, but my wife was like, "No...I'll still use it!" Since the D70 has been with me so long (I bought it right after they were introduced, and it was my DSLR until we bought the D7000 in 2010), I sort of hate to get rid of it, but it's definitely not my go-to camera. I dread having to crop its photos, though - "Oh, look! 1 megapixel! Honey, don't print that picture, please."

I think y'all are right...we should go with a D7100, or at least a D7000. Aside from the cost, the other thing that makes me hesitate on the D7100 is wondering whose camera it will actually be - mine or hers. ;)
 

Bill16

Senior Member
There was one DX model option I didn't see mentioned, that might be worth consideration if money is tight. The D300 is also a work horse with the built in focus motor, and has a great pro feel! I love mine, and @fotojack has a lot more experience and knowledge about this model if your interested in more info about it! I have the D90 too, but the D300 has some real cool extra quality features over the D90 even though I think the D90 is great! :D

As to the D7000 or D7100 I can't say much, since I haven't had a chance to own either one of them. But from all I've heard they are awesome models if you can afford that big of a jump up in upgrade for your back up Nikon! :D

Personally, I will go full frame from where I am now. But I'm in no hurry after getting my D300! It has really filled my needs very well for some time to come, and the pro qualities at the price I paid for mine $740.00 with just over 7k accuations made it an awesome choice for me! :D
 

Eduard

Super Mod
Staff member
Super Mod
Nothing wrong with the 18-70 on any of the DX bodies either. One of my all-time favorite lenses.
 

Steve B

Senior Member
Another vote for the D7100. That being said, if you intend to add an FX body at some point in the future buy FX lenses when you buy new glass. It will save you money in the long run.
 

skater

New member
There was one DX model option I didn't see mentioned, that might be worth consideration if money is tight. The D300 is also a work horse with the built in focus motor, and has a great pro feel! I love mine, and @fotojack has a lot more experience and knowledge about this model if your interested in more info about it! I have the D90 too, but the D300 has some real cool extra quality features over the D90 even though I think the D90 is great! :D

Hey, that's an interesting idea - pick up a D300/D300s and a lens to go with it - a nice foothold in the full-frame world. Future lenses would be full frame as well, then by the time we're ready to replace the D7000 we should be in good shape... Hmmm...

Edit: Oops, the D300 is DX, not full frame.

hmmm....you can brathe new life into the D70 by doing an IR conversion. Just saying.

Another interesting idea. I've seen the results, and they look interesting, but I'm not sure it's interesting enough to me to want to permanently convert a camera.

Nothing wrong with the 18-70 on any of the DX bodies either. One of my all-time favorite lenses.

Yeah. When we were looking at the D700, a guy at a now-dead camera shop told me the 18-70 was actually a pretty decent lens, pointing out that it has the metal mount ring. At the time, I didn't know that many of the kit lenses now use plastic there.

Another vote for the D7100. That being said, if you intend to add an FX body at some point in the future buy FX lenses when you buy new glass. It will save you money in the long run.

Yeah. The only lens we've purchased recently was the Tokina, and on that we got a good deal from a friend who was switching to full frame. Come to think of it, the aforementioned (and dissed) Quantaray zoom is actually a full-frame lens - I bought it to use with my N65.
 
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