D90 Upgrade options

[bzkit]

I have owned my D90 for 4 years. I'm looking at options to upgrade or supplement the camera with a later model Nikon. Should I change now & which model would be appropriate to upgrade to & utilize my existing lenses. Secondly should I not update now and await any soon to be released models with WiFi &/or GPS.

[ROA44]

I have the D5000 and would like to purchase another body at this point looking at the D610, D810 would be nice but $'s so will be watching for in put also.

[nimrodisease]

Hi Bzkit,

More info please! What do you like shooting? What is your budget? And most importantly, what are you finding are the limitations with your current gear? Because if you're not using your current gear to its full potential, new gear will not help.

Have you considered full frame vs cropped frame sensors? You can use your existing crop lenses on full frame bodies, but you won't get the full potential out of the body.

The D90 is a great camera, I have one. Until recently it was my main camera, but I purchased a D800E earlier this year (along with several lenses). Massive financial investment, but it was worth it for me. I still use the D90 from time to time.

To be honest, whether you go for a body with wifi or GPS is an entirely personal decision. It is not something that would sway me at all as they're not features I would use.

[arthurking83]

While I can see the usefulness of having Wifi and GPS in camera, unless the technology is current gen I have no interest in it.

Most Wfi in camera will be the painfully slow N .. maybe even G. Even if it is N class Wifi(most likely) it won't be the more capable multiple channel stuff .. so transfer speeds will be slow(if image transfer is a major factor in it's use).
I can see the value in camera control via Wifi tho, but I've yet to read of any of the apps available that make it fully featured enough to be truly useful, and less gimicky(overall).
GPS on the other hand is much better done 'off camera' with capable accessories. If you shoot a couple of shots per day(with GPS) the battery drain issue won't become a bother.
GPS drains battery like no other feature!

When I get the chance to get out and about, 99.99% of the time I use a GPS to record geodata into the images. I prefer this to the tracklog method(which can be inaccurate sometimes).
But having had GPS on camera, both wired and wireless .. I much prefer the remote GPS version.
That is, a wireless accessory fitted to the camera(in this case Bluetooth device) with a Bt GPS.

With the GPS fitted to the camera(same as GPS in camera) if you shoot as per the camera's quoted specs for battery life .. the use of GPS all the time will half the number of shots per battery charge, at the least .. more likely 1/3rd.

But back on the topic .. the D5300 has both GPS and Wifi natively in camera .. so this could be an upgrade option path for you.
All other current Nikon cameras need an accessory of some form for GPS.

As for Wifi, D750(full frame) has native Wifi too .. all other Nikon's require an accessory(if available).

Note tho that in some ways the D5300 is a backward step from the D90 tho.
It has some added features and improved specs, but major things like command dial and subcommand dial(ie. back and front control dials .. one for aperture and one for shutter control).

I can't imagine using a single control dial camera .. so this could be an important factor for you(depending on how you like to shoot).

FWIW: the way the market is looking, I'd say in a very few generations time, all Nikon DSLRs will have these features built in.

(what this COULD mean: if you waited a few months for the D7100 update .. D7200 maybe .. it may have both Wifi and GPS .. possibly other features as well).

[shaneando]

The D7100 is the latest generation of the same position in the Nikon lineup that the D90 filled - high end enthusiast. The body size and control layout will be reasonably similar, but many things will be a step forward, including, image quality and autofocus performance which will be major advances.

It's also coming to the end of it's lifecycle with a replacement rumoured to be coming this year, so there are some very good prices on it at the moment (less than $1000).