DCole

Want to buy a d7000 but....

I have been doing research on a new camera and want to get the d7000. Tonight was my kindergartener's Christmas concert in a gym with decent lighting and I was using a basic point and shoot camera. I, of course, was disappointed with the bluriness and poor lighting because using the flash was not an option (too far away). Will the d7000 meet my needs for these types of pictures along with tball games and anything else that comes with raising a boy? Also, would the video on the 7000 give me a quality video and sound for the concert? Sorry if I did not use dsr terminology.....this will be my first dsr.

The d7000 is a great camera, but you will need to put in some time to learn some photography basics so that you can make the most of the camera. If you are not looking to get too deep into things, some of the other models would be good too, like d3200, d5200, and d5300. These cameras use a more menu driven user interface. Still great cameras, just less pro-leaning features. The d5x00's have a swing out screen that is helpful with video. I can't comment on how the d7000 will handle the sound, I almost never shoot video.
As for the indoor school shots, you can do better than the point and shoot, but the camera is not magic. You might need to use a higher iso and/or get a faster lens.

Great camera, but like nickt said, you have to learn photography.

I love this forum. So quick to reply with helpful people! Thank you.

I should have mentioned I have been using a 35mm camera for a many years and have taken photograph classes....but have never used a "real" digital camera before-just the point and shoot digital. If you still think I should start with a more basic SLR camera, please say it. I will take the time to play with what I buy before I start taking "real" pictures

Again-thank you for taking the time to assist.

You'll be surpassed by what a DSLR can do in low light. Think about the size of the sensor on your point and shoot. It's small and compact, and about the size of your pinky nail. I know there are some that are bigger, but for the average one, the sensor is about the size of your pinky nail. The sensor is what basically captures the light and detail. Now the size of the sensor on the D7000 is about the size of a stamp. So think about how much more light it's collecting. This will enable you to use slightly faster shutter speeds and eliminate some of that blur. Also the ISO on DSLR's can handle some pretty high settings and still produce nice pictures. Hope this helps, and good luck!!

DCole said:

I love this forum. So quick to reply with helpful people! Thank you.

I should have mentioned I have been using a 35mm camera for a many years and have taken photograph classes....but have never used a "real" digital camera before-just the point and shoot digital. If you still think I should start with a more basic SLR camera, please say it. I will take the time to play with what I buy before I start taking "real" pictures

Again-thank you for taking the time to assist.

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You should be fine with a d7000 then.

Re: Want to buy a d7000 but....

DCole said:

Will the d7000 meet my needs for these types of pictures along with tball games and anything else that comes with raising a boy? Also, would the video on the 7000 give me a quality video and sound for the concert? Sorry if I did not use dsr terminology.....this will be my first dsr.

Click to expand...

The D7000 can definitely fulfill your described needs. However, regarding low-light without a flash and sports photography I would recommend purchasing the camera body and purchase fast lenses to meet the photography needs you described. You may want to consider the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens; Sigma or Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8; I'm not sure whether the ball games are during the day or at night. If they are day games I recommend Nikon or Tamron 70-300mm lens. If you are shooting night sports/games you may want to consider the Tamron or Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8.

There are many video reviews on Youtube of the various lenses and many written reviews on line as well. I hope this is helpful. I wish you the best with your decision. The D7000 is not more than you can handle. A user manual and there is enough information on the web for all you may want to know regarding the use of the D7000.

We all must start somewhere. The D7000 is an excellent start.

The D7000 will handle your requirements no problem but almost no camera will if you don't pair it with the appropriate lens. First that comes to mind is a 70-200mm F2.8. Brand new the Nikon is quite expensive but the older VR version can be had for around $1300. Sigma and Tamron have brand new offerings for about that money and of course cheaper used.

The D7000 is my first dslr and I'm glad I went with it. I think that if I had purchased something more basic instead, I would have always wished that I had the D7000.

The problem with D7000 as your first DSLR is simply your expectations. You have (semi)professional piece of gear, at the same time you are watching other peoples (professional) work with the same gear and then you realise something is wrong with your photos. You simply can not comprehend what that camera is giving to you because you do not have previous experience with some bad cameras, either old, analog, cheap, or rusty cameras - whatever, in order to make a real comparison. You expect to get the same results as experienced people with their D7000, but then at the same time you do not understand what that hype is all about, because everyone on the internet is bragging about D7000 and image quality, but you do not see it in your camera, hmmm.
D7000 is a great camera, but keep in mind that you need to spend many hours shooting, and learning hot to get the best from it. I am still on that road...

Just beware, what your eyes saw as decent lighting could be not enough for good shutter speed action photography. Trial and error will teach you for sure. Once you get a setting for a particular sport and gym, use manual settings so that your meter doesn't get fooled when you turn around or have lights hitting the lens.

here are some Friday night high school football shots with my D7000. Some of these were taken at ISO 12800 which is as high as the camera goes. I was able to stop action in a high school stadium at night with it. http://nikonites.com/project-365-daily-photos/17730-dons-d7000-daily-dabblings.html#post214268

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If I were truly in your position regarding an upgrade, I would purchase the Nikon D7100 because of the superior autofocus system, low-light capability, and 1.3 addition crop feature. The 1.3 crop factor would be awesome for sports with a 70-200 f2.8 lens. At the 200mm rage and the additional 1.3 crop factor you would the equivalent of a 400mm field of view. This would definitely save on purchase more expensive glass in my opinion. I saw refurbished D7100 on Amazon for approximately $900 with a one year warranty.

Nikon D7100 - YouTube