Hello all!! I live on the north shore of Lake Erie near Port Dover Ontario. I have a couple of Nikon film cameras. A F90X and a F401. I have a Nikkor AF 35-105MM lens and a Tamron AF Aspherical LD 28-200MM lens. I'm looking to buy a digital camera and thinking of the D5300. Can I use my present lenses on one?? Also this would be my first digital SLR camera. Do the digital cameras have the same manual control over speed, light, focus like the film camera or is everything automatic with very little user creativity allowed??? Excuse my ignorance about the digital SLR cameras.
New commer from Ontario with question!!
- Thread starter Richard65
- Start date
Welcome!
You may want to look at the D7*** range of cameras. The D5300 doesn't have a in built focusing motor so can't auto focus with a lot of the older lenses. The D7000, D7100 and the newest D7200 on the other hand have a focus motor and will also meter etc. with older lenses.
Modern DSLR's offer you full control over aperture, ISO, shutter speed focusing etc so you should have no worries about that.
You may want to look at the D7*** range of cameras. The D5300 doesn't have a in built focusing motor so can't auto focus with a lot of the older lenses. The D7000, D7100 and the newest D7200 on the other hand have a focus motor and will also meter etc. with older lenses.
Modern DSLR's offer you full control over aperture, ISO, shutter speed focusing etc so you should have no worries about that.
The nikon lens won't autofocus on that body. Not sure if the tamron has a focus motor in the lens. Some Nikon bodies have an autofocus motor in the body, some don't. The bodies that don't have the motor need an af-s lens to autofocus. Newer af-s lenses have a motor in the lens and can be used on either body type.
You can go as manual as you want with the d5300, but its a little more work. Since you mention shooting that way, please look at other bodies too. You might prefer a d7100 or d7200. There are more direct controls, including a front and rear command wheel. The top lcd display is nice too so you can quickly see what is going on and make changes to settings. The d7x00 also have a focus motor and your lenses will autofocus. The d5300 is more menu driven.
Also be aware of crop factor. Your lens' apparent zoom will be x 1.5. So you might be unhappy with the low end. That is 28mm will give a field of view like a 40mm. You could also consider a full frame body like the d610 or d750, but more $$. They would give the same field of view that you are familiar with.
You can go as manual as you want with the d5300, but its a little more work. Since you mention shooting that way, please look at other bodies too. You might prefer a d7100 or d7200. There are more direct controls, including a front and rear command wheel. The top lcd display is nice too so you can quickly see what is going on and make changes to settings. The d7x00 also have a focus motor and your lenses will autofocus. The d5300 is more menu driven.
Also be aware of crop factor. Your lens' apparent zoom will be x 1.5. So you might be unhappy with the low end. That is 28mm will give a field of view like a 40mm. You could also consider a full frame body like the d610 or d750, but more $$. They would give the same field of view that you are familiar with.
Hi and welcome to nikonites! All I can add is there are a couple Nikon models you might consider that have focus motors and are more pro oriented than the D5300! The D300 a pro body which has a crop sensor that was just mentioned but cheaper than the D7100! Then there is a D700 also a pro body that is full frame, the best feeling Nikon I've ever owned, and a great camera in my opinion! 
donaldjledet
Senior Member
Welcome to the club.
Enjoy
Enjoy
sonicbuffalo_RIP
Senior Member
Welcome to Nikonites! I highly recommend buying the refurbished D7100 unless you want to splurge and spring for the newest D7200. I think the D7200 is just a more expensive, but not necessary toy. I don't care about wifi or stuff like that right now. I just want to shoot good clean pictures. I also recommend the 18-140 mm Nikor lens. Great lens for the price.
RocketCowboy
Senior Member
Howdy and welcome to Nikonites!
looks like your question has been answered a few times already, so as an owner of both the D5300 and D7100 I think you'll like the controls on the D7100 better since you're coming from film.
looks like your question has been answered a few times already, so as an owner of both the D5300 and D7100 I think you'll like the controls on the D7100 better since you're coming from film.