- Ready To Upgrade -

[emm2600]

I was referring to 3k budget for a camera body. I can get lenses as I go along and use my old D5200 or the even older D40 I have until I have lenses for the new camera. Then sell the older camera's to help replace the funds that were used for the new camera.

If that would be the situation i'd suggest considering reversing the order. If you picked up your FX lens(es) first you could use them on your current bodies and enjoy the investment instantly rather than having a full frame body sitting around gathering dust waiting for the full frame glass.

 

[Torok.Designs]

If that would be the situation i'd suggest considering reversing the order. If you picked up your FX lens(es) first you could use them on your current bodies and enjoy the investment instantly rather than having a full frame body sitting around gathering dust waiting for the full frame glass.

They can be used on my DX? If so then this was amazingly helpful as I didn't think of that.

 

[Torok.Designs]

Lenses then are the next level. What's a good lens to have for these types of photography?

Automotive, cars standing still as well as rolling shots.

Sports, mostly soccer, sometimes swimming.

Animals.

I've played around with a 18-55 and 55-200 on my D5200 and want to try to find something sharper. Primes maybe?

 

[Torok.Designs]

Delete

 

[Marcel]

Why not get a 70-200 2.8 VRII and use it on your actual 5200? I just don't get your point of wanting a D800E and then have no great lens on it. The camera is only part of the equation, the most important part being a few inches behind the lens. At first I thought you had this pile of cash you needed to dispose of but then you mention that you have to save before you get the D800... I still believe you'd be better getting lenses and then see what you need.

Wants vs needs have to be watched carefully otherwise you end up never happy and your photography never improves. Results should be more important than the tool used to create it.

 

[Torok.Designs]

Why not get a 70-200 2.8 VRII and use it on your actual 5200? I just don't get your point of wanting a D800E and then have no great lens on it. The camera is only part of the equation, the most important part being a few inches behind the lens. At first I thought you had this pile of cash you needed to dispose of but then you mention that you have to save before you get the D800... I still believe you'd be better getting lenses and then see what you need.

Wants vs needs have to be watched carefully otherwise you end up never happy and your photography never improves. Results should be more important than the tool used to create it.

I definitely want to get good lenses for the 800e. I just can't get all of those at once haha. I pretty much have enough saved up now for the camera body itself without selling my D5200 or the D5200 lenses.

What I'm thinking is, get the D800e body and then a AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4g. (This is a good lens for automotive right?)

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Camera-Lenses/2180/AF-S-NIKKOR-50mm-f%2F1.4G.html

Then use the 800e with that 50mm and my 5200 with the other two I have depending on what I'm going out to shoot.

All the while I'll try to sell the 5200 and the two lenses for it and use that money for a second lens for the 800e.

 

[Torok.Designs]

And the reason I want to upgrade when i'm not a pro is that I love photography as a hobby and maybe it will even become a side job in the future, but I do want to get better and I plan on buying more lenses as time progresses. I'd rather not keep a DX camera and buy lenses for it and then after I have more lenses decide it's time to upgrade to an FX. I feel like the lenses for the DX would then have lost me a lot of money.

I guess one way to think of it is that if I stuck with the d5200 then I feel like I'll surpass the camera. If I get the 800e then I'll be trying to catch up to it. Make sense?

And if I have an FX and get good lenses then I can keep those lenses knowing they are better than the ones I could have had on the DX. If i'm wrong about anything please let me know!

 

[Marcel]

Just before I give up, the 70-200 2.8 VRII IS a FX lens. It would last you forever and would give you more possibilities with your present 5200 than having the D800 with just a 50 1.4.

I rest my case since I'm not buying.

 

[Torok.Designs]

Just before I give up, the 70-200 2.8 VRII IS a FX lens. It would last you forever and would give you more possibilities with your present 5200 than having the D800 with just a 50 1.4.

I rest my case since I'm not buying.

Oh I apologize. I don't know many of the lenses off the top of my head and you referred to the 70-200 with the 5200 so I assumed it was a dx lens. I didn't realize you were going back to the topic of getting the lenses first.

​So for a first lens for the 800e you suggest the 70-200 2.8. I'll look into it. Thank you very much.

 

[Steve B]

For what you want and the way it sounds like you are going to use it, I would suggest you get the D800 instead of the D800e. I know there are people on this forum that use the D800e for an all around camera but Nikon suggests using it when you have control over lighting, such as studio work. I went through the same debate with myself a couple of months ago and after doing some research decided that the D800 was a better fit for me even though the price difference is only about $300. Either camera is going to be a huge upgrade from what you have but I think it would be a better use of the $300 to use it to get better quality lenses. The D800/D800e are very unforgiving of poor quality glass.

 

[Torok.Designs]

For what you want and the way it sounds like you are going to use it, I would suggest you get the D800 instead of the D800e. I know there are people on this forum that use the D800e for an all around camera but Nikon suggests using it when you have control over lighting, such as studio work. I went through the same debate with myself a couple of months ago and after doing some research decided that the D800 was a better fit for me even though the price difference is only about $300. Either camera is going to be a huge upgrade from what you have but I think it would be a better use of the $300 to use it to get better quality lenses. The D800/D88e are very unforgiving of poor quality glass.

Thank you Steve. I see people posting that they wished they had waited for the 800e rather than have gotten the 800 though?

 

[Steve B]

For most people you are never going to see the difference. Unless you print really large or crop the #$** out of an image, you aren't going to be able to see the difference in sharpness. If I nail the focus on my D800 I can blow the picture up a long way before I see any softness.

 

[emm2600]

What I'm thinking is, get the D800e body and then a AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4g. (This is a good lens for automotive right?)

Automotive wise it would depend on what kind of shooting you like to do. For rolling action, unless you are trackside on the barrier you might find 50mm just doesn't have enough reach. Ditto for wildlife and sports - a 70-200mm (maybe with a teleconverter) would probably be more effective overall.

Also a final note playing devils advocate again: I went from a kit 18-55/55-200 combo to high quality fast zooms myself and found it effectively quelled my desire for a new body. I'm still on 12mp bodies and until i get a reason to upgrade (something breaks/i need or want to start shooting for poster size prints/etc) i'm happy to stick with 'em.

 

[Torok.Designs]

For most people you are never going to see the difference. Unless you print really large or crop the #$** out of an image, you aren't going to be able to see the difference in sharpness. If I nail the focus on my D800 I can blow the picture up a long way before I see any softness.

Hmm ok thank you. I'll look into more reviews between the two

Automotive wise it would depend on what kind of shooting you like to do. For rolling action, unless you are trackside on the barrier you might find 50mm just doesn't have enough reach. Ditto for wildlife and sports - a 70-200mm (maybe with a teleconverter) would probably be more effective overall.

Also a final note playing devils advocate again: I went from a kit 18-55/55-200 combo to high quality fast zooms myself and found it effectively quelled my desire for a new body. I'm still on 12mp bodies and until i get a reason to upgrade (something breaks/i need or want to start shooting for poster size prints/etc) i'm happy to stick with 'em.

Sorry I was referring to rolling shots from another car. So pretty close range.

 

[Moab Man]

You've heard all these suggestions, it might really be worthwhile for you to do a couple rentals of the different models to try them out (small investment) before making the large investment purchase.

 

[Torok.Designs]

You've heard all these suggestions, it might really be worthwhile for you to do a couple rentals of the different models to try them out (small investment) before making the large investment purchase.

I went to a store and played around a bit with a 50mm 1.4 af -s for a bit. After thinking about it i'm going to take some of your advice and get the lens first and use it on my D5200.

I've decided to go with the 50mm 1.4 af -s unless anyone wants to persuade me to go a different route before tomorrow. I found it for $350 new instead of $480.

 

[Moab Man]

Good glass goes a long ways to improving a camera. I remember the first time I shot with a prime, wow! Completely changed the quality of my pictures.

 

[Torok.Designs]

Good glass goes a long ways to improving a camera. I remember the first time I shot with a prime, wow! Completely changed the quality of my pictures.

Good choice over a higher or lower mm prime?

 

[Moab Man]

All depends on use. I have a 35, 40, 50, & 90. Each has its use. Small compact area to work in the 35 is great. More room or needing to keep my distance I use a higher mm.

The 40 and 90 are macros.

 

[Torok.Designs]

Thanks for the help, I went ahead and ordered the 50mm 1.4g AF-S. I had found it for $375 on amazon but that randomly disappeared a couple hours before I decided to go ahead with it, bummer.