D5300 or D7100 + lenses question

Hello!

I'm just new to the forums so I hope someone is willing me to help me anyway. My previous camera broke and as I want to get more serious about photography I decided to purchase my very first DSLR. I can't decide wether to get the D5300 or the D7100 so any advice on this will be greatly appreciated but my main question is what lenses to get. Originally I wanted to get the D5300 or D7100 with the 18-105 VR and the Tamron 70-300 VC USD.

So far I have mainly done travel/landscape photography and some macro photography but am now also getting interested in portrait photography.

Would I need to get a different lens for each of these categories?

Besides the 2 lenses mentioned above, I have also been looking at the 35mm or 40mm lens for portrait photography. But I read that the 35mm is better with low light, while the 40mm is better for macro.

Too many options! I don't have the money to get 10 different lenses so if anyone has any advice, yes please

Thanks!

The 5100 and 7100 will both give you outstanding images with great quality lens in front of it..If you are getting into Portrait photog seriously then Fast glass is a must...2.8 or lower...The 85mm 1.8g or 1.4g is the glass to get for Portraiture...For a general purpose lens the 24mm-70mm 2.8g is the glass you need...Good Luck with your decision..

I shoot with a D7100 and my girlfriend shoots with a D5300. Having had ample time to play with both, I have to say the real winning combination is the D5300 with the 18-140mm. I say that without taking anything away from the D7100. The '7100 has more options and more stuff that I like but if you don't need all the bells and whistles of the '7100, or if your budget is a concern for this purchase, the D5300 is an outstanding choice. If you've got the scratch, the '7100 still rules in my book but if I couldn't have my '7100, I could be very, very happy with a D5300; it's just THAT good.

As for lenses, I'd suggest getting the 18-140mm "kit" lens for starters if you can; that's an amazingly good and flexible lens. For your second, I would suggest the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G. Either the D5300, or the D7100, paired with those two would make for an awesome combination.

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If you have the funds, I would go with the 7100. It also has the built in focus motor, so you can use lenses that would otherwise not auto focus on the 5300.

I have the d7100(wouldn't give it up for a 5300) but I'm looking for a used $300 d5100(2 generations older then the 5300) just to have the flip screen. I like taking photos NOT from eye level sometimes and the flip screen lets me get shots from ground level up and from over my head down or over a crowd(I'm only 5-6). I had a d5100 when it was new and sold it for a d7000 and really miss the d5100.

Blacktop said:

If you have the funds, I would go with the 7100. It also has the built in focus motor, so you can use lenses that would otherwise not auto focus on the 5300.

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I'll second this. The internal focus motor of the D7100 is important if you are looking down the road to get more serious and have the flexibility of both DX and FX lens choices. Incidentally, I've done a recent comparison with my friends D7100, the D800 and the D4 and will be posting an image quality review of these cameras using similar lenses, and I was very impressed with the D7100. When mated with a good quality prime lens, you are looking at top notch image quality.

For portraits on a budget there's nothing to compare with the Nikon 85 mm 1.8G AF-S. Normal lenses or slight wide angles like 35mm do not make good portrait lenses on account of distortion. 85mm or longer lenses help to flatten perspective just slightly so that the person looks pleasing in their proportions. On the D7100, which is DX format, the 85mm will be equivalent to 127.5mm. You could also get, for less, the 50mm 1.8G AF-S which is a great low-light lens and would be roughly equivalent to the 85mm (75mm equivalent).


For macro you might consider the 55mm 2.8 AI-S Micro Nikkor...I got a superb condition one for $135 off Ebay". It is a legend among manual focus lenses and for macro you don't need autofocus (and most of the time it isn't helpful).

http://nikonites.com/prime/21778-micro-nikkor-55-mm-f2-8-ai-s-nikon-d800-nikon-f4.html

For travel/landscapes a wide angle can be useful, perhaps a wide-angle zoom. A great new one is the 18-55mm 3.5-5.6 AF-S DX ED II. Brand new it is only $119:

AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II from Nikon

I have the first gen version for my wife's D7000 and it is a very capable lens for wide angle work.

With the 50mm 1.8, 55mm 2.8 macro, and the 18-55mm wide to medium tele zoom, you would have an extremely lightweight package to go with your D7100 and still have super image quality across the spectrum. Later on when you move to FX format, the 50 and 55 lenses will still be superb lenses to have and you could then invest in an 85mm 1.4 or 1.8 lens.

Keep in mind also that the D5300 is mostly plastic body whereas the D7100 has magnesium alloy components similar to the full magnesium bodied FX cameras, so it is a more robust camera for travel.

For a DX camera, I'd go with a 50mm lens, myself. I think that's about the right focal length for portraiture.

I'll just add that the Nikon 70-300 VR would be my choice over the Tamron when you get the long zoom. It's a great performer at a very reasonable price.

The 50mm f/1.8G is a very sweet lens

Get the D7100. It has an inbuilt motor, so you have AF with all those "D" lense. For example the 50mm F1.8D is as good and lot less expensive than its "G" counterpart. The D7100 is a more rugged camera.

Portraits, as suggested get the 85mm F1.8 lense. On a DX sensor the "D" is slightly better. On the FX the "G" has better corner sharpness.
General photography, as suggested, get the latest 18-55 VR-II lense. It is exceptional, and barring where you need exceptionally sharp images or low light it is hard to beat.
Macros, unless you are doing product shots, any thing shorter than the 105mm will be too close (and spook) the subjects. Hence the 105mm F2.8 is optimum.
Telephotos, depending on what you shoot, it is either a prime - for low light and reach, or a zoom. Just remember that zooms will always be softer at the long end compared to primes. My favourite is the 300mm F4 prime.

Welcome to the forums! Either one is a wonderful camera, but I would also vote for the D7100 if you can swing it. You can use AF lenses as well as AF-S, it's got pro controls, it's weather sealed and... I could go on. No articulating screen though.

Welcome....and if you're not confused by now....I don't know why? So many choices and so many theories on which lens is better than the other. the tricky part is just remember that good glass has more advantages than spending the extra on a camera body. bodies don't hold their value for long. Good luck!

One more question: would any of the lenses mentioned above work for concert photography as well?

Right now I'm leaning a bit toward the D5300 - I'd love to get the D7100 but the D5300 is a bit cheaper which means I could buy an extra lens. And my photography teacher (I only did a course) said what's in your head is more important than the body of the camera to make good photos =).

Ohw; last question (I promise) - if I would get the D5300 with a 85mm and a 70-300 lens, would it be smart to get the 18-105 lens as well or wouldn't I really need that one if I get those other 2 lenses?

wendy84 said:

One more question: would any of the lenses mentioned above work for concert photography as well?

Right now I'm leaning a bit toward the D5300 - I'd love to get the D7100 but the D5300 is a bit cheaper which means I could buy an extra lens. And my photography teacher (I only did a course) said what's in your head is more important than the body of the camera to make good photos =).

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In the long run you will save more money getting the "D" lenses which are mostly as good, but cheaper as they have no in built motor. Another plus point of motor less lenses is that they have fewer electronics/electricals to go wrong. You can even go for the older manual focus AIS lenses, as they will meter in the D7100.

For concerts, especially where you are not allowed a flash, faster primes would be best. I used the 35mm F1.8 in a concert recently and it was perfect. The only problem with fast primes (or for that matter with all primes) is that you have to find a place and position your self there to get the best field of view, unlike zooms you cannot change FOV. What you get for that disadvantage, is better IQ and faster aperture/lower ISO.


Taken with 35mm F1.8 at ISO 1600, at -1EV, so effectively at ISO 3200.

While you are on a budget (Who isn't?) I'd focus on what you photograph more often and get the lenses to suit - Unfortunately there is no lens that will do everything.

I'd try and resist the temptation to try and cover everything right away. The 18-105 is good to start as it will do landscapes at 18mm, and is good for portraits etc at the longer end.

For concerts, the 35 or 50mm 1.8 G's are good as they are great for low-light, and they are cheap for what you get and are useful "Every day" lenses.

Also, don't forget that you can rent lenses to try before you buy - The range of lenses available is HUGE, so take your time, enjoy the process and build your collection around what you like to capture. You will constantly be learning, so there is no harm in starting with one or two lenses and building from there

Hi Wendy....

ideally what you want to do is to get 1 lens for wide coverage, then something for the mid range, and finally, something to cover long distances. An added plus is to buy something for macro photography. What you want to strive for is lenses that don't overlap coverage with what you already have. The 2nd factor is that you want your lenses to be capable of shooting in low light (like for concerts). I'm sure you already know most of what I've said. I recommend that when checking out lenses, go here, as it is one of, if not the, most thorough reviews for cameras and lenses. Good luck.

I will just add one thing : there are not so many direct test, but since I am browsing through mid-range DSLRs for the last 6 months or so, I can say that the picture quality of D5300 is no worse than D7100.. D5300 has autofocus system from D7100, new processor engine, and photos show that.

I didnt want to go with kit lens for start, I went with cheaper body and 2.8 sigma glass..1.8g 35 or 50mm is in wish list

We will see the results.

Get "hands on".
The camera you are most comfortable with will probably give you the best pictures.

I've had the D7000, D7100, D5100 and much prefer the D5300
The improved swivel LCD and capability to shoot twice the High ISO in low light make it an easy choice.
Shooting 1080 P60 Videos at 12,800 ISO is very important to me
and no I do not do it for slow motion but a much better image of anything moving in poor light.

UPS came today with a big box of camera goodies =D.
Thanks so so much to everyone for helping me and giving me advice ^_^.
In the end I went for the D5300 with a Nikkor 18-105 and the Tamron 70-300 VC USD. I didn't get a prime yet as I couldn't choose one so I will try some different primes before purchasing one. I also got a Kata Sling Backpack that I haven't figured out yet but I'm sure I will haha.

Thanks again everyone! :heart:

wendy84 said:

UPS came today with a big box of camera goodies =D.
Thanks so so much to everyone for helping me and giving me advice ^_^.
In the end I went for the D5300 with a Nikkor 18-105 and the Tamron 70-300 VC USD. I didn't get a prime yet as I couldn't choose one so I will try some different primes before purchasing one. I also got a Kata Sling Backpack that I haven't figured out yet but I'm sure I will haha.

Thanks again everyone! :heart:

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Sweet combination... It doesn't get much better than that!

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