Upgrade? D7000 from D3100

TL Smith

New member
I currently have a D3100 (with the two kit lenses) and really like it. Noticing a lot of folks have the D7100...I'm not unhappy with the D3100 but wondering if the grass is greener???
IF I sold the 3100 I wouldn't mind spending the extra bucks for a nicer camera, better features,etc. But would there be a huge difference, enough to warrant going ahead and upgrading?
I am not a professional photographer, no wish to change careers,etc. BUT I'd like to be able to take photos worth showing to family/friends.

My plan/idea is to sell the 3100 with it's kit lenses and then buy the 7100 body. I have a Sigma 17-55mm lens and a friend loaned me his Nikon 70-300mm lens, which has been a ton of fun and I'm not going to be happy to give it back when he realizes I still have it. He'd probably sell it to me, which would be great.

Please advise.




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I had a D3100 a D5100 still have a D7000 and a D7100. There is a big difference in the D7100 and a D3100. I speak from experience I can tell the difference in the D7000 and the D7100 using the same lenes
 

aroy

Senior Member
I currently have a D3100 (with the two kit lenses) and really like it. Noticing a lot of folks have the D7100...I'm not unhappy with the D3100 but wondering if the grass is greener???
IF I sold the 3100 I wouldn't mind spending the extra bucks for a nicer camera, better features,etc. But would there be a huge difference, enough to warrant going ahead and upgrading?
I am not a professional photographer, no wish to change careers,etc. BUT I'd like to be able to take photos worth showing to family/friends.

My plan/idea is to sell the 3100 with it's kit lenses and then buy the 7100 body. I have a Sigma 17-55mm lens and a friend loaned me his Nikon 70-300mm lens, which has been a ton of fun and I'm not going to be happy to give it back when he realizes I still have it. He'd probably sell it to me, which would be great.

Please advise.

.

Great images have been taken with all sorts of cameras - cell phones, P&S, DSLR and mirror less. A camera is just a tool, the image is your creativity. First of all identify what you do not like about the D3100. Is it the image sharpness, or the resolution or the controls (or lack of them)?

. If it is image sharpness, then you may have to upgrade your technique. The D3100 produces razor sharp images with good lenses.
. If it is resolution, then you can go either D3300 or D5300 or D7100. I like the D3300 for its small size, light weight and decent battery life.
. If it is controls, dual SD cards and a host of other features, then D7100 it is.

The current 18-55 kit lense is much superior to the one supplied with D3100. Borrow one and see if that gives better images.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I had a D3100 a D5100 still have a D7000 and a D7100. There is a big difference in the D7100 and a D3100.
Agreed. And I too speak from experience of having multiple Nikon bodies in the house.

I'm not saying you can't take great picture with a D3100 because you most certainly can. But that being said, and assuming you do your part, I think you will find you're taking a lot *better* pictures a lot *more often* when shooting with a D7100. The removal of the OLPF makes a striking difference all by itself. On the technical side 7100 has significantly greater color depth, way better resolution and significantly better dynamic range when compared to the D3100.

....
 

Nero

Senior Member
I don't read it as gospel but just as a starting point to see the nuts and bolts. But I do love seeing it in a side by side comparison
Well you should always take stuff you see on the Internet with a grain of salt but it's fun to see just how different models measure up. Plus, while not perfect I find them to be pretty accurate.
 

alfaholic

Banned
Some time a go I had the same dilemma, and decided to upgrade at the end.
D3100 was my first SLR so I never really went through all hard times while ISO400 was too high, so I took for granted everything I read about it and how good it is, but at the same time I never really understood all that hype about IQ because my photos were all bad, maybe mediocre at the best.

After some time of learning how to use it properly I upgraded to D7000, and the first thing I noticed is how better it is at high ISO, and even ISO100, not to mention everything else about build quality and materials, but I was at the beginning again.
Now after some time I learned so much and I can say that D3100 is great camera, for me it has much better button placement than D7000, but I think if you can afford it you need to upgrade.
As someone here told me, it will not make you a better photographer, it will do maybe the opposite at the beginning, but it will give you different view on things, and you will learn more and do your best to get better.

Then again, if I can go back and choose to keep D3100 and buy two good lenses instead of upgrading to D7000, I will think hard...
 
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