I've been shooting with a D80 for the last 4 years. It was my first DSLR. Before that I had a 1970's Canon that I used purely for hobby. I have 1-2 sessions per week and mainly do family/children/newborns. I use mostly natural light. Whenever possible I shoot outdoors although lately I have been using my sunroom as studio. I'm thinking of an upgrade but would love some feedback on which camera to upgrade to. My business has quadrupled in the last year. I don't look for this to be a full-time job but would love to have 3-4 sessions per week.I appreciate any feedback.
Upgrading Cameras
- Thread starter jesshopes
- Start date
AC016
Senior Member
Any current Nikon DSLR is an upgrade from a D80, lol. Could you tell us a bit more? What exactly are you looking for in a camera? Just by what you said, I would say just continue in the same family and go get a D7000 or a D7100. Oh yeah, tell us what your budget may be as well. Thanks
Yes, I realize that my D80 is not a "good" camera. It's what I could afford at the time. I've learned a lot using this camera and it has served me pretty well.
I am pretty happy with how it shoots outdoors. Lately I feel like the sharpness of my images isn't what I want it to be. I don't think that the images are any less sharp than they used to be, necessarily, I am just more picky. I'm especially interested in getting something that gives me some versatility indoors with lower light. I (as a favor) shot a wedding of a friend's sister last year. Very VERY small wedding in the gathering area of a church. The images were okay but I had the ISO turned way up to compensate and there was so much noise. Took quite a lot of editing. I'd love a camera that had good reliability in such situations
I would like to stay under $2000. I'd really just like a solid upgrade. I know, though, that buying a more expensive model doesn't necessarily mean that my user-faults would be magically fixed.
Hope that helps.
I am pretty happy with how it shoots outdoors. Lately I feel like the sharpness of my images isn't what I want it to be. I don't think that the images are any less sharp than they used to be, necessarily, I am just more picky. I'm especially interested in getting something that gives me some versatility indoors with lower light. I (as a favor) shot a wedding of a friend's sister last year. Very VERY small wedding in the gathering area of a church. The images were okay but I had the ISO turned way up to compensate and there was so much noise. Took quite a lot of editing. I'd love a camera that had good reliability in such situations
I would like to stay under $2000. I'd really just like a solid upgrade. I know, though, that buying a more expensive model doesn't necessarily mean that my user-faults would be magically fixed.
Hope that helps.
AC016
Senior Member
Hey, I never said it was a bad camera. I have one myself. Yes, it is certainly no low-light champion. If you don't want the latest and greatest, you can look at a D7000. They are a bargain right now. Very good in low light. You may also want to invest in some fast glass - you can shop used and get D lenses, which will work just fine on a D7000.
Thanks for the advice. I think I would rather pay a few hundred $ more and get the 7100. I bought the D80 and almost immediately wished I would've just gone for the D90. But I don't necessarily have a concrete reason why. Maybe I think going with the "latest" of a particular model will last me longer?
I currently have the following lenses:AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D, AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED
Will these work with the 7100? Lenses are a whole nother issue. I actually love the 55-200 the best for saturation and clarity...it's just not great for portrait work in a studio setting. Everyone raves about the 50mm (which my DH bought for me on the recommendation of a camera shop owner) but I hate it. I just can't get good images with it no matter how much I research or practice.
What would you consider "fast glass"
I currently have the following lenses:AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D, AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED
Will these work with the 7100? Lenses are a whole nother issue. I actually love the 55-200 the best for saturation and clarity...it's just not great for portrait work in a studio setting. Everyone raves about the 50mm (which my DH bought for me on the recommendation of a camera shop owner) but I hate it. I just can't get good images with it no matter how much I research or practice.
What would you consider "fast glass"
AC016
Senior Member
All your lenses will work on the D7000 or the D7100. Fast glass would be something like your 50mm. THe rest of your lenses would be considered a bit slow. It has to do with the max aperture. Check out some of the threads around here on wedding and portrait photography. Okay, if you have the extra bucks, get the 7100.
You hate your 50mm because it's the D model.
And yeah, if you can afford it, get the D7100. Well worth the money.
What is the difference between the two?
No difference in IQ the "G" model has the motor built in as the "D" needs the camera to drive the auto focus. I have both I much prefer the "D" version (just my preference) however if you use "video" the G is much better because you don't pickup any motor sounds like you would with the D.
In DX, nothing. The 7100 is the best DX camera Nikon sells. The next step after the 7100 is to move up to FX. But you will need new glass for that as your DX lenses won't cover the FX sensor. Only the 50mm would work and you said you hate that one. But I'm curious, what issues do you have with the 50?
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I was using it today and had the aperture set at every possibility. It didn't really seem to make a difference.
And wouldn't I want to be able to have it "wide open" to use it for a wedding or other indoor/low-light event? People say that it is one of their favorite lenses for such uses but set at 5.6 it seems like I wouldn't be able to get good images.
Please tell my why you think this
So I'm a little confused...or maybe a lot confused.
It all depends on which lenses you have. In general, lenses that are DX will not cover the full frame sensor. Any other Nikkor lens that does not have DX written on it, should work on the D600 and 800. DX lenses are specifically made for the cropped format.