upgrade from D3200

Hi all,

Just after a bit of advice if possible.

I bought the D3200 as a way into DSLR Photography and it's served me very well, I have the 16-85 lens and also the 35 1.8g prime.

I do feel I am outgrowing the camera though and am in the market for an upgrade.

I feel I have gone as far as I can with the D3200 and would like more options/greater flexibility and control that a camera further up the chain can give me. I also shoot a lot of pics indoors (I have a flash) so ISO performance is important to me; as well as the obvious IQ.

With this in mind I was looking at either the D7100 or even the D600. However, with the 2 great DX lenses I already have and not being a full time pro, am not really concerned about having to jump to full frame. Also, with the D7100 being released, prices on the D7000 have reduced.

My question is, should I go for the D7100 (or D600) or is there a big enough difference between the D3200 and the D7000 to justify buying that and having a couple of hundred pounds in my pocket to buy more glass?

Thanks in advance,

​Ryan

If you're not going FX or full time pro, then I'd say go for the D7000/7100.

Which of the two does really depend on whether as you say, save a few hundred pounds for more glass and get the D7000, or go for the D7100 and stick with current lenses.
The 16-85 is a very capable all rounder, coupled with your 35mm, so another question would be, what other glass are you looking at?

I would get the D7100 and stay DX. That should address the greater high ISO lower noise performance.

To FX or not to FX is the big question... If you're going to stay with the DX format I can't say enough about the D7100. I still think about going all out and buying an FX body one day, but since I started shooting with a 7100 I find myself doing that a *LOT* less.

thanks all, I really do love the 16-85 but I must admit, there have been occasions that I really wanted/needed a constant aperture, something like the Tamron 28-75 2.8; having the D3200 I'm struggling to find one of these as the camera has no built in focus motor. I know Tamron did bring out a lens with the motor built in but they are harder to find and more expensive. The focus motor is another big reason for me wanting to switch from the D3200, it would open up a world of lenses for me.

If I went for the D7000 I may even then have money over to buy something a little wider as 28 on a crop sensor isn't perfect for walkaround photography.

If I pushed myself to the D7100 I'd just keep the lenses I have now and probably be very happy also.

I just don't know if pushing to the D7100 is worth it if the D7000 can do the same job. I know specs don't mean everything but the D7100 does come out on top in every review.

From what I've read too, ISO performance on the D7100 is great where as there may not be much difference between the D3200 and the D7000; don't know how true that is?

Stumbled across this thread: D7100 High ISO Samples (100 to 25600) and thought you may find it enlightening. Then again, maybe not, but links are free either way...

What exactly does your D3200 not do that you would like for a camera to do.

Horoscope Fish said:

Stumbled across this thread: D7100 High ISO Samples (100 to 25600) and thought you may find it enlightening. Then again, maybe not, but links are free either way...

Click to expand...

thanks for this - personally, I thought the shots looked quite good although it seemed there were still a few people on that thread who thought the D7000 was still better, or, which is where I am stuck, they came to the conclusion that although the D7100 was better, it wasn't a great enough leap to justify the extra.

Nikon D3200 vs D7100 - Our Analysis

Nikon D3200 vs D7000 - Our Analysis

Nikon D7100 vs D7000 - Our Analysis

Tracsoft - Don Kuykendall said:

What exactly does your D3200 not do that you would like for a camera to do.

Click to expand...

I think the AF system is ok but it seems a lot better on the D7k models, with fast moving kids and sports photography, it does miss sometimes.

It's not brilliant past ISO 1600

Has no built in focus motor which limits my lens choice

Pentaprism viewfinder would be an advantage to me

- I've lost count at the times I've read those exact comparisons! I'm pretty sure that technically, the D7100 is a better camera but if I had the D7000 with a faster lens would that even things out and make ISO performance less of an issue....?

Go with the D7100 if you can. If you compare the 7100 to the D600, the only real benefit you are getting with the 600, is slightly better image quality because of the full frame sensor. Other than that, the 7100 is a better camera spec wise: Nikon D600 vs D7100 - Our Analysis
That better image quality will most likely not be noticeable with the naked eye. We are talking about a a very slight improvement in dynamic range and better color depth. Again, these are very negligible and i don't think it will be noticed by the naked eye. I think you have to have very specific reasons for going to full frame.
As for the folks on DPReview who are saying they think the D7000 still performs better at those posted ISO numbers, they must be dreaming. The noise in the 7100 files will be lower than equal files from the 7000. Again, it may not be noticeable with the naked eye - you will most likely have to pixdel peep a bit.
Both cameras are great. If you need to or want to save money, go with the 7000. If you want the best DX camera in Nikons line-up right now, go with the 7100.

ryanp said:

thanks for this - personally, I thought the shots looked quite good although it seemed there were still a few people on that thread who thought the D7000 was still better, or, which is where I am stuck, they came to the conclusion that although the D7100 was better, it wasn't a great enough leap to justify the extra.

Click to expand...

What pushed me into the 7100 (over the 7000): The 7100 has more focus points (51 vs 39), more cross-type focus points (15 vs 9) and more color depth (the 7100 has .7 bits better color over the 7000 which is actually quite significant). There's more I could mention but those were the "biggies" for me. Not one of those features, all by itself, would have been enough to get me to drop the extra dime, but when I added them all up it did. But that's me...

I know the decision is a difficult one and I hope I'm not just muddying the water for you!