Frequency of new DSLR cameras released

Why did you upgrade your camera body?

  • Wear (shutter count, age, etc)

    Votes: 1 11.1%
  • Theft replacement

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Broken/ no longer works properly for some reason

    Votes: 1 11.1%
  • NEEDED better functionality/features (Frame rate, low light performance, Megapixels, etc)

    Votes: 5 55.6%
  • Just because I wanted to

    Votes: 2 22.2%

  • Total voters
    9

carguy

Senior Member
With the new D7500 hitting the streets and me diving into 35mm SLR cameras recently, I started thinking.

Yes, technology advances rapidly, but taking a look at the Nikon DSLR timeline below compared to the SLR timeline (Source: Wikpedia), new cameras are hitting stores so frequently, perhaps too frequently?

I came up with a poll below to find out why Nikonites upgrade camera bodies. We aren’t talking about adding a second body, these should be HONEST answers to why YOU upgraded a body with a new model. This poll is for those who buy NEW and second hand/refurbished. This is about replacing your current body with a newer model and why.

I'll start. I upgraded from a D40 to a Nikon refurbished D7100 because I needed better low light performance to shoot indoor sports and concerts.
 

Attachments

  • TimelineSLR.png
    TimelineSLR.png
    52.2 KB · Views: 266
  • TimelineDSLR.png
    TimelineDSLR.png
    49 KB · Views: 196
Last edited:

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
I originally bought my D70 in March of 2004 as this was Nikon's first consumer-level DSLR (I wanted a Nikon to be able to use my assortment of Nikon compatible film lenses). When the D200 was announced in Nov. 2005 and I got to play with one at a photography show I bought one due to it's increase from 6 to 10 MP and its more professional build quality and controls. I skipped the D300 and D300s because I didn't feel the jump from 10 to 12 MP and the other updates sufficient to warrant the cost of the jump. So I waited (and I waited) for the D400. Finally after 10+ years with the D200, I started to look for a replacement and had just about decided on the D7200. Then I heard about the D500. At first I was elated, but then I found out the D500 was only 21MP vs. 24MP for D7200. Plus the D500 lacked the builtin flash which is useful for quick shots, fill flash, and as a flash commander. About the only advantage the D500 had was faster frame rate and a bigger buffer as well as a little better build and very slightly better high ISO performance, but since I did not do much high speed action photography, I did not believe the D500 was worth about twice the price so I got the D7200 and am very, very pleased. The D7300/D7500 and D760/D850 rumors do not excite me.

 

Stoshowicz

Senior Member
I may upgrade from the d7100 to the d500 for the improved tracking,which I think may be quite a bit better , as advertised,, and they look really smooth at the lower ISOs , , and I have a lot of clicks on the shutter of the 7100 already. But its not really a pressing issue with the price weighing against the upgrade.
 

pforsell

Senior Member
I've bought a couple of bodies every 4 years. Last film bodies were F5 and F100 and every single-digit facelift body after that. That is D1H and D1x, D2Hs and D2x, D3s and D3x, D4s and none, next year D5s and hopefully the rumored D5x.

I think the rate of new bodies to the market is good, and has been stable for almost 2 decades. By 4 years the bodies are getting a bit long in the tooth anyway. Hence I voted 'wear'.

The rate of consumer bodies need to be faster. A new body announcement gets free press and makes the manufacturer look relevant. Every few months a new version with a new mix of features, with higher end AF and sensors slowly trickling down to help amortize the development costs. Consumer marketing 101 at its purest. Nothing wrong with that, consumer bodies are what makes Nikon its money. The single digit bodies are a halo product and possibly make no money at all.
 
Last edited:

Danno

Senior Member
I bought my D7200 to replace a D3200. I wanted to upgrade functionality. D7200 had better low light and enhanced features like bracketing. I bought the D700 at a very good price. I had been wanting to move to full frame, but financially it was out of reach.

Right now I am more than happy with both and to not intend to upgrade for a while. I would prefer to spend money on glass.
 

sonicbuffalo_RIP

Senior Member
Well....I always wanted to keep my foot in the door of Nikon, even though I've spent quite a bit on SONY glass. I decided now was the time to unload or upgrade my D7100 for a better performing model that should last me quite a long time. I like the tracking aspects of the 500, and the build quality. Not sure why Nikon went away from CF. Maybe @BackdoorHippie can enlighten us.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Well....I always wanted to keep my foot in the door of Nikon, even though I've spent quite a bit on SONY glass. I decided now was the time to unload or upgrade my D7100 for a better performing model that should last me quite a long time. I like the tracking aspects of the 500, and the build quality. Not sure why Nikon went away from CF. Maybe @BackdoorHippie can enlighten us.

Your guess is as good as mine. I haven't been tracking what Nikon has been up to but the D7500 seems a bit of a white elephant given the price point when looking at the D500. Not sure what you mean by "went away from CF".
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
compact flash....you taught me that in an earlier post.

Ah. They moved away from that on all consumer cameras (Dxxxx) from the beginning. It's the pro grade stuff that they migrated to the XQD card. I believe that was a Sony development and some deal was struck to put them in DSLR's. Reminiscent of the betamax format - "better" but a solution looking for a problem.
 

TKC_D500

Senior Member
I bought the D40 when it first came out and literally wore it out. By the time the shutter started sticking and the repair shop told me that it was "just plain used up!) the D90 had just been announced. I preordered one from my local camera store and was one of the first people they sold one to. It was love at first click! I loved everything about it. Just as with the D40, it did everything I needed it to do so I never saw the need to upgrade until... the announcement of the D500. By this time I had 66K + shutter count on my D90 and was expecting it to die at any moment. Unfortunately the price of the D500 meant no preorder this time so I started saving. I did pick up a decent D300 just in case, though. I purchased the D500 in August and have been very happy with it. BTW, the D90 shutter failed and just over 68K actuations! Not to bad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top