Which Nikon DSLR would you go for?

[echogirl]

Hi All,

I have a D80 and wish to make it my 2nd camera. I am hoping to purchase a new Nikon to use as my 1st choice,but I'm not sure which one to use. I shoot portraits,animals, and now weddings, you name it!

A friend has a d90 which she loves, but has this now be superseeded?

I was looking at the d300s,but now the D7000 is here...What would you all suggest?

Dream of the D3 Models,but there is talk of a D4 arriving too. I think I need to build up my lens collection before spending more then $2000 on a body alone.

Any advice would be loved. I have a sb-600 and the two standard lenses that came in a kit with my D80.

Thanks Echogirl

[kiwi]

Youre doing weddings with a d80 and two kit lenses, super

anyway, that aside and all things mentioned I would go the D7000

[I @ M]

Are you ready to be confused, I reckon you will receive 20 conflicting suggestions this afternoon alone.

[Wayne]

For bang for buck, a D700 if you find a great deal, they soon will be superseded.
Doing weddings will require good ISO ability, and best with fast glass, so D90 is a solid performer, but D300s better again.

[robcran]

OK, here starts the confusion. I'm in a similar position to yourself but starting with a D300.

I think the first big decision is whether you want to go FX, or stay at DX. Your two kitted D80 lenses would be DX so you have a head start in that format. Having made the FX versus DX decision then look at the bodies. A D4 is going to cost upwards of $6k when it comes out. Don't know what the D700 retails at but I guess about $2-$2.5k.

I have pretty much decided to remain with DX for the foreseeable future because I don't really need (as opposed to want) the larger format. For that reason I'm waiting to see what replaces the D300s then re-evaluate my options. But as of today, the D7000 is probably a better bet than the D300s.

[arthurking83]

The real question.. and I think more of a priority than the acquisition of new/updated/pgraded gear is how urgently do you want it.

Situation1: You get a D7000 now. It'll probably cost approx $1500-$1900 according to many conflicting reports. I think $1500 should be the ceiling price, as it technically replaces the D90, which had a retail price approximating that amount(but Nikon is Nikon, and they charge according to some counter universal laws encompassing chaos and anti matter theories! )

SO! with this situation, you've spent $1500 and got a nice all round cool body to play with.

Situation2: You wait a little while as the dust of the dedicated upgrapders warpath to the camera shops to settles down.. say in 6months or so... D7000 starts to fetch more common sense prices(eg, $1250?.. $1100???... etc. This $250-400 saving that you eventually make, gets distributed into a cool little lens that you can use now, on your existing D80.

Cool little lenses that work cooly on a D80 include: Nikon 35/1.8, Nikon 50/1.4AF-D, Nikon 50/1.8, etc, etc.

So, as an alternative to the tirade of replies begging you to get a new uber lens that costs similarly to the price of a new body with better features/abilities, I'd propose that you get a new cheapie lens or two for now.. keeping it(the price) in the realm of common sense.. keep saving your dollars for a few more months to get yourself a new body(eg. D7000) and all for that same(or similar too) price of approx $2000.

Of course situation2 implies that you can wait for a few more months before acquiring another body to have the D80 as a backup/spare/2nd body. If having another body is paramount, then two possibilities are:
*Get the D300s now! the price of which has been stable and is at roughly where it will stay until the next update is announced. While the D7000 does have some cool new features, I still think the D300s will have cooler features that will make it more invaluable as a working semi pro type camera.. better more accurate focusing, dedicated hardware controls(that make changing settings more efficient in fast paced situations) and stuff like that.
I think that unless you're shooting in total darkness, the high ISO ability differences will be less important, than the ability to lock focus in those dark conditions.
If and when the need arises, you can rent a body from somewhere... but you being in country Vic, I have no idea on how practical that really is, as an alternative ... but it is an option.

I say plan for a new body upgrade within the next 6 months.. even keep a lookout for D300/D300s bodies on the secondhand market, acquire a few lens types that you currently don't have, for a low price. If you're shooting a D80 and 'kit lenses' now, and your customers are happy with their products, there's nothing to say they shouldn't be happy with them for another 6months or so.

Note D90 is also at a great price point, but ultimately, you will want the better features of a D300 series model(faster frame rates, etc), and if you do ever upgrade to a D700 type(say in a year or so) again... the D300 would make a better 2nd body, than the D80 ever will.... eventually!

anyhow... I hope this makes sense(in the manner I think it was supposed too)

[rellik666]

^^ Brilliant! That is what I would have said, but didn't have the time to write!

Roo

[kiwi]

quite honestly, Im looking at this from a wedding photographer's point of view if that's a big driver.

Low light capability is more important than focus coverage.

Good lenses are also essential, at least a 50 1.8 and two fast zooms in the 24-70 and 70-200 range.

Youre going to need to disclose your budget, othwersie its all to easy

Got $25000 ? I'll recommend a whole lot different if youve got $2500

[TEITZY]

D7000 or possibly a used D700 seem the most obvious choices to me. For what you shoot at the moment the D7000 should be a significant improvement over the D80 and possibly not far behind the D700 in terms of high ISO performance, which will be handy for weddings. Regardless of if you go DX or FX you will probably want to update your kit lenses anyway, so the DX route is likely a cheaper option if you are looking at buying newer lenses. Mind you I could shoot an entire wedding with my D300 & 24-70 so no reason why you can't use FX lenses on DX bodies if you want to go FX down the track.

Cheers
Leigh

[RaoulIsidro]

D7000 brand new.
D90 brand new, but sooo much cheaper.
Do a comparative analysis and weed out the plus factor of the D7000. (you can count, it's not that many...) Then ask yourself: Are those factors worth the price $ difference?
D7000 or D90, they are both great cameras and you won't regret either.

[Lance B]

Hi All,

I have a D80 and wish to make it my 2nd camera. I am hoping to purchase a new Nikon to use as my 1st choice,but I'm not sure which one to use. I shoot portraits,animals, and now weddings, you name it!

A friend has a d90 which she loves, but has this now be superseeded?

I was looking at the d300s,but now the D7000 is here...What would you all suggest?

Dream of the D3 Models,but there is talk of a D4 arriving too. I think I need to build up my lens collection before spending more then $2000 on a body alone.

Any advice would be loved. I have a sb-600 and the two standard lenses that came in a kit with my D80.

Thanks Echogirl

I would wait until the D7000 is out and tested. It does look very promising.

I would think carefully before going to FF like a D3 or D700. There are advantages and disadvantages to an APS C sensored camera compared to an FF or FX camera. If you shoot long then an APS C camera means that the long lenses are smaller as you have a 1.5x crop advantage. If you do not shoot long too much, then a FF camera can be an advantage as long as you can put up with the weight and size. You also get better high ISO and more DR on a FF camera, but the difference may not be noticeable to you depending on what you shoot.

I have the D700 and shoot from 16mm (10mm APS C equivalent) ultra wide angle to 600mm (400mm APS C equivalent) using my 300mm f2.8 and 2x TC and carting around a 300mm f2.8 lens is quite a task, but it doesn't really worry me as I am reasonably fit, but using a 400mm f 5.6 lens on APS C will be a much easier task.

[echogirl]

thanks so much for your feedback, it was all really helpful and gave me so much to think about as everyone else I have talked to have looked at me blankly and said "'I don't know"

I will let this feedback settle in...it's so nice to have people to run these things by...


thanks again

[TOM]

worry about lenses before a new camera. you talk about 'superceded', but that's a way of life with digital. f1.4 is where it's at for weddings, and a 35mm and an 85mm will do the job, perhaps a 105 macro. your backup needs to be of the same quality as your main camera also, but the d80 is a great camera, and wide open at ISO400, the image quality is fine.

[echogirl]

As for budget I can spend about 2500 -3000 at the moment

[kiwi]

D90
Nikon 35 1.8
Sigma 24-70
Sigma 70-200

[arthurking83]

As for budget I can spend about 2500 -3000 at the moment

If you could push the budget to the $3K end, then!...

D300s + 17-55/2.8 + 35/1.8 = ($1536)+($1387)+($214)= $3137
(Yep! $100 over your budget, but in purchasing so much gear, you could haggle the overall price with the vendor.

Note that these prices are current prices(30-09-10) @ DWI
(I don't know these people, nor their reputation, but they've have both good and bad feedback)

[kiwi]

Be aware on DWI

" The price for the goods quoted on the website shall be exclusive of all costs of carriage and insurance and applicable import Tax/GST and duty which the buyer shall pay in addition for further information regarding this please see the Australian Customs Web Site. Shipping and insurance costs are calculated at checkout."

[arthurking83]

Aha!.. never dealt with DWI, but I remember(vaguely) that a few peeps here have.

I thought DWI were a local business... so at least import/GST taxes should be included in their advertised prices.

shipping!... of course, as per 99.999% of other online businesses, the purchaser has to pay that!

[kiwi]

Nope, they are a front for an importer, so, they will pass on the GST/Customs to you if picked up on the way through

[arthurking83]

Ahhh!.. OK then.

I have (only)thought of getting some stuff from them at some point in the past, and probably will again in the future(if life doesn't get in the way again!).. so I'll keep that in mind.