Nikon D5100 or Nikon D7000

Hi i'm new here and would like some help choosing between cameras.

So I've had my D3000 for over a year now and i love it but i feel its time for an upgrade.

I have been doing various research and i have come up with the D5100 and the D7000 both cameras I really like, but the problem i'm having is deciding if it is worth spending that much money on a D7000 when i could just buy the D5100 and have money left for lenses. If it came to it i would just save up for the D7000 as its a camera i really like the look of and Photography is something i want to do for a living, whether my standard is good enough to fork out the money for a D7000 i don't know.

I also don't know if its worth spending over £300 more on the D7000, obviously you get what you pay for but what would you say

If you wanted to see any of my pictures check out my deviant art craiggriggs on deviantART This might help in advising me as i really don't know what camera to get.

What would you suggest? Any comments would be much appreciated

Thanks

The D7000 has an autofocus motor in the body, which opens up a whole new world of older Nikon lenses and is more rugged with a 3/4 magnesium body. The D5100 has shares the same sensor, but you will not have the "autofocus" for older lenses if that is something that appeals to you. I just went ahead and purchased the D7k when I switched to Nikon ad I don't regret it one bit. I can't tell you how to spend your money, but my vote is for the D7k. It's a camera you will have for years and eventually when you want to upgrade from that it will serve as an excellent back up body.

With the current pricing, I would go with the D7000.

Yeah i like the idea of having a more durable Camera and being able to use older lenses, but that's a big IF i ever buy an older lens. But i do really like the idea of the D7k having the screen on top which is handy if i i'm having to get really low down but then the D5100 also has the flip out screen, I do feel however if i was to get the D7k that i would have a camera that i would have for a long time to come. I do have to save up for them though so it could mean that by the time i am ready to buy there's new cameras on the market haha

There will always be a newer, better camera on the market, but there will not always be a newer, better lens. That being said, the D7000 and D5100 are in a different class. The 7k has two programmable user modes, focus fine tuning for each of your lenses, better focusing systems, and more buttons...buttons that are programmable, buttons you will quickly learn to use to your advantage instead of menu-diving. I thought I'd miss the swivel screen, but I really don't.

They'll both take excellent photos, but one of them will do it faster, not just framerates, but to be able to QUICKLY change settings. If you're only doing landscapes...go for the 5100 and some nice sharp FX glass, as you'll probably yearn for a full-frame one day. If you're doing sports, go for the 7000, I find it works great for sports.

Exactly couple of weeks ago, i had the same problem, whether to opt for D5100 or D90 or D7000. Several guys advised me on that aspect and that thread went on for over 7 pages when I made the final decision.

In my case, i was migrating from point and shoot camera which i used to the core for over 4 years and it still takes amazing pictures. What matters is how the thing feels in your hand. I held both 5100 and 7000 and for my hands i felt like 7000 is quite the choice. So, despite all odds, i went ahead and selected my d7000 and it changed my approach towards photography. I would love to shoot kids, landscapes, portraits, birds, full of action etc.. not restrictive to a particular area. I have this tendency of getting things ASAP the moment i start thinking about them, that's the reason why i could not control my emotions for waiting a month to see about the new launches. Who knows the upgrade to D7000 may be even more costlier.

Like all those who suggested, and which paid off really, go to a nearby shop, feel both cameras and get the one which best suits you. Ultimately, at the end of the day, you are the person who have to weigh your pockets and you are the one who is going to spend your hard earned money. The big difference between d5100 and d7000 is the navigation.. Most commonly used settings are all engraved on the body in 7000 whereas 5100 is completely menu driven. Choose wisely and both are good cameras

You can check out for d90 if you want a better feel, just to add to your confusion That may be released in 2008, but still is a solid camera. I wanted to take 7000 and can take the regret of not having d90 smoothly instead of having d90 and regret not having d7000 That's my psychological behavior

For your reference, here is the link to the thread which i created earlier....
http://nikonites.com/d7000/7002-d7000-vs-d90-vs-d5100-helppppp.html

Yeah i feel like i am leaning towards the D7000 as i also don't want to be restricted to 1 type of photography, i do love landscape shots, how are the D7k's at landscape? Unfortunately my local camera shop is over 2 hours away and i don't get there very often so picking them up and feeling isn't really an option for a while. I Think i will just save up my money for the D7k and then when it comes to it hopefully they will be cheaper and i can get myself a nice lens the other thing i was thinking is that i want to get a Sigma 18- 200 f3.5-6.3 dc lens, is it worth buying the camera with the kit lens or should i just buy the body and get the sigma, or should i just forget about the sigma?

From what I have learnt and what I feel, the kit 18-105mm that comes along with d7000 is pretty good. Instead of investing on other lenses, you can go for nikon's 70-300mm AF-S VR lens.

It completely boils down to your pocket and choice

From my Galaxy S2 (Tapatalk 2)

yes the 18-105 is good quality but a bit lacking in zoom range ..you could crop of course to pull up distant objects ...changing lenses Narr .sell the 18-105 and buy a 18-200 or 18-300

Getting 18-300 is equal to purchasing an additional d7000

From my Galaxy S2 (Tapatalk 2)

Get the sigma......

pistnbroke said:

Get the sigma......

Click to expand...

I love sigma lenses.

Well i already have the Sigma 70-300 which i really like, Think I will be buying the Sigma 18-200 as well probably before i buy a new camera so that i have it all when i can finally afford the Camera that i want

The savings in lens can more than make up in the difference in price between the 7000 and 5100. And the then the absolute abundance of great used autofocus lens, not to mention the amazing amount of old manual focus lens.

From a useability perspective, I really like have the front spin dial on the D7000, makes the shooting manual natural. Using the same dial, and having to push a little button to change the function of the spin dail from speed to aperature is a real pain, and frankly reduces the ease of using manual mode.

Once you get used to shooting in manual mode (setting speed/aperature), you will love the feel of the D7000 and if you ever go up the food chain, the D7000 has the same feel as so many of its big brothers.

I have mixed feelings about the articulated screen of the 5100. I am really rough with gear, and I just picture breaking that feature. So, I kinda dread the day that Nikon forces that function on all their cameras (sure the day is coming when every SLR will have the articulated screen).

In the end, 5100 or 7000 are great cameras, just depends on the features that one is used too.

Yeah i am thinking D7000, I was also a bit worried about the screen snapping off or something on the D5100, but i'm thinking if i'm having to save up anyway then why not save up for the one which will stay with me for longer and seems to be the one that i most want