Upgrading from D50 to ???

[Tosh-27]

Hi guys and gals,
Please excuse my total ignorance in this subject but i'd like some assistance in upgrading camera's for my wife.

My wife is the one into her photography not me, but i'd like to upgrade her camera as a surprise for her birthday and needed some advise as what to get.
Once I've done this then i'll hand over the details for this forum and she can get involved properly.

She currently has 2 Nikon D50's with various lenses. She'd like to move up to the next level and get into photography a bit more in depth (all as a hobby I might add).

I've read a bunch of reviews and quite frankly got lost. Some say D7000, some say D90, some say D3100.

Can anyone suggest a good camera to go for (will prob be second hand) Found a D7000 for $550Aus but then also found a D7000 with standard lense for $1249Aus and just gave up.

Any help will be really appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Marcel]

D 7000 would be good, but for the IQ/price ratio, the D90 would be great too. It's all in the $ you're ready to spend.

 

[mikew_RIP]

Welcome to the forum,are you sure its a good idea to do it as a surprise,i would be pleased if my wife bought me a step up camera but i may think if i had known i would have had a xyz

 

[J-see]

I'm not sure what AUS$ are worth but maybe a new D3300 instead of a used other wouldn't be bad either. Great sensor for a cheap price and it does anything a cam should do.

 

[BackdoorArts]

If you can afford it then by current technology because the sensors are truly that much better now than they were when the 3 cameras mentioned were produced. D7000 is 4 years old, the D90 is at least 5.

 

[TedG954]

Depending on your budget..... The D5300 or the D3300. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Horoscope Fish]

At this point in time I think the D5300 hits the price vs. performance "sweet spot" in the Nikon DX lineup.

I upgraded my girlfriend to one not all that long ago and it never ceases to amaze me. If I couldn't shoot with my current D7100, I could be very, very happy shooting a D5300 instead. If the D5300 is simply out of the question, drop back to the D3300.

....

 

[LensWork]

One consideration has to be which lenses does she currently have because if they are screw-drive type lenses (the D50 had an -in-body focus motor), then D3XXX & D5XXX bodies will not AF her lenses.

 

[J-see]

Check your lenses indeed. Manual focus is occasionally better but I'm always happy when I switch lenses and the cam does that for me.

The 3300 and 5300 are practically the same cam. Another LCD, some focus points and something else I already forgot. Nothing I needed when buying so I decided for less is always more in my pocket.

 

[RON_RIP]

I use a D7000 and I love it. But in your circumstance the D3300 might serve your wife better but a refurbished D7000 will use a lt more lenses than either the 3000 or 5000 series cameras so you need to explore that side of it. If you posted what lenses she has and which are her favorites we could probably advise you better.

 

[donaldjledet]

The D5300 is a good choice but like others said check to see what Lenses she has for VR to work with.

 

[WayneF]

Why shouldn't the camera be her choice? I'd think she has ideas about what she wants. You can make a surprise out of that decision too. A gift certificate or something, or just a promise.

I'd hate for my wife to select my camera. She doesn't know or care, but I do! Her selecting a camera for me based on what some guy on the internet said seems a really poor plan.

Why shouldn't your wife choose her own camera?
Get her started on the forum, and let her discuss it with the guy.

 

[Tosh-27]

Hi Folks,
Thank you all so much for your input with my questions. I really appreciate the help and the patients as I have no idea about any of this stuff.
I hadn't realised getting a camera was such a personal thought process. But then as someone that knows nothing about camera's I guess you wouldn't think like that.
It'll take away some of the surprise if I get my wife to just go choose a new camera but then I suppose she'll get exactly what she's after.

My budget will be about $1,000 Aus. would that get her a good upgraded body?
Also would her lenses fit? She has the following:
AF-S Nikkor 18-35mm 1:35-5.6G ED
AF Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4-5.6G
AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8G

Again I have no idea what any of that means hence coming to you lovely people for help.
It would be nice if I could have done the leg work for her so at least I can say have a look at the ………. or the ………. as they are compatible with your current kit.

Again thank you all so much for your help and patience with this all.

 

[RON_RIP]

Hi Folks,
Thank you all so much for your input with my questions. I really appreciate the help and the patients as I have no idea about any of this stuff.
I hadn't realised getting a camera was such a personal thought process. But then as someone that knows nothing about camera's I guess you wouldn't think like that.
It'll take away some of the surprise if I get my wife to just go choose a new camera but then I suppose she'll get exactly what she's after.

My budget will be about $1,000 Aus. would that get her a good upgraded body?
Also would her lenses fit? She has the following:
AF-S Nikkor 18-35mm 1:35-5.6G ED
AF Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4-5.6G
AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8G

Again I have no idea what any of that means hence coming to you lovely people for help.
It would be nice if I could have done the leg work for her so at least I can say have a look at the ………. or the ………. as they are compatible with your current kit.

Again thank you all so much for your help and patience with this all.

If you live close to a good camera store it sounds as if a gift certificate from there and a trip for your wife to the store is going to be the right ticket. Make sure she takes her lkit along and she can match her lenses to a camera body that suits her hands and requirements. Just put a bow on it and all will be well.

 

[WayneF]

Not knowing prices there, I looked online, and found Teds Cameras, www.teds.com.au with stores in five states there. I don't know anything about the store, I was just looking for prices.

Nikon prices are (body only, no lens)

D3300 $550
D5300 $850
D7100 $1250

If the budget could be stretched to the D7100, that would positively thrill her. It has all the features, not missing anything. There is nothing not to like. Lots there to grow into. It is the top of the line of the DX models (DX like the D50 - but larger FX go on up a few thousand dollars more).
It is much more camera than the D50, both in features and in image quality.

I realize now you said AF-S on the 50mm and the 18-55mm. The AF-S lenses will work on any Nikon model now.

If the 70-300 was new enough to be marked AF-S, it would work on any of the models. But there were non-AF-S 70-300 too.
All lenses would work fine on the D7100 - no issues - which is a savings that could help with the D7100 price.

The deal is there used to be a lens focus motor in the camera body, which drove the focus. D50 had that motor. Non AF-S lenses worked this way.
Then Nikon invented the AF-S lenses which have a motor in the lens to focus (via electrical interface, and they focus faster too).

The top end models, including the D7100, still have the body focus motor, and any lens works fine. All you have would still work, and AF-S works too.

The D3300 and D5300 do not have the body motor, so they require an AF-S lens to do auto focus.

 

[MrVee]

Whats her style? Whats your budget? Video or not? D7000 is awesome. Nikon D300 are great for stills an there priced generally low also check the shutter count before you buy. You dont wont a body with 150k or more, unless is dirt cheap my opinion. Put glass at the top of your priority. 1.4f,1.8f 2.8f stop lenses. Primes lenses are very good and reasonably priced. Good luck.

 

[Browncoat]

Kudos for being supportive of your wife's shutterbug hobby. I know I'm always thrilled to open a photog-related gift.

But I have to agree with a few others above...I'm not too sure that buying her a camera is a good idea. She may be perfectly happy with the D50, and just want a shiny new lens. Or maybe a flash. Or maybe she has her eye on an upcoming workshop. I'd be leery of gifting a camera unless you've heard her name drop specific models.

A gift card or surprise visit to the camera store might be a better way to go.

 

[Deleted]

I agree with sons of the others. A camera is a personal decision. I would definitely let her do the leg work & choose the camera. For instance, she may like the option to jump to FX full frame. She really needs to go through the process herself.