Dipping a toe back in the Nikon Pond?

9designs2

9designs2

9designs2

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5 Jan 2003
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Somewhere in the middle
Have a bit of an itch to scratch, thinking of moving back to Nikon and away from Canon....
I came from a Nikon back ground, F80 film, D70 DSLR then to a Canon 5D Mk1 to get FF.
I've since passed the D70 to my daughter, and then she has upgraded to a D90. Plus I've sorted my mum out with a D80.... So I've had chance to play with a few Nikons over the years, all be it older models.

So I'm tempted to pick up a D300 for a play myself. A crop sensor could be handy as well, saves buying ever bigger lenses for a bit of wild life, air shows or motor sport etc.
If that went well and liked the Nikon feel I know I'd end up with a D800E or a DF... but that's a long term maybe......

Reading through past posts seems the general advise is get a D7000, which would cost quite a bit more for a taster and play to see what I'll do..... Heck I could just say blow it and get a Mk3 !!... So I'm sort shying away from that much investment for now.... though open to being persuaded ;)


It's also little more complicated as my first choice isn't either brand... as going out and about in the UK shooting my normal landscape and general shots I pick up my old Contax ND and bag of very heavy CZ lenses... (which is FF and 6mp and crap over 200 ISO !!!) Which I love using and the challenge of it.

So the idea of a Nikon crop sensor would be to do what the Contax can't... travel abroad, action, longer lens stuff.

So a D300 sensible tryout? push for a D300s? ....

Canon gear currently held is 5Dc, 17-40L, 24-105L, 50 F1.4, 70-300IS.
 
The d300 is a great body, but the sensor is getting on. I would seriously consider the d7000 or d7100. The d300s main advantage is the speed, the AFis also top notch but the d7100 is better and the d7000 slightly worse. If speed isn't important the the d7x00 bodies are better. If you don't care about the IQ so much or speed the D90 has a marginally better sensor than the D300 and is a bargain.

If you want a cheap Nikon crop that shows what the Nikon image quality is all about then look at the D5100. Same sensor as the d7000 but in an amateur body.
 
Thanks for the excellent over view, gives me a lot to ponder. It was buying a D90 for my daughters 21st that I guess gave me this idea, just thought it was such nice well sorted camera.

So what lens? Was thinking the popular 18-105VR or even a the 18-200? As a get started try out lens.
 
As a D5100 owner, can I add, its a great camera, IQ is good.

Although, I would also say get the D7100/7000. The constant delving into the menus/os of the D5100 for even minor settings, really gets boring after awhile and makes the process slower and less intuitive . The D7100 /D7000 having spent time with the D7's will give a better approximation of full frame button layout etc...

Also, the D7's have a built in motor for lenses, whereas the d5100 doesn't.

18-105 is a good start in my humble opinion.
 
I am looking to upgrade my D80 but waiting for a while as the D7200 (replace D7100) and D9300 (poss to replace D300) are rumored to be announced within the next few months. Would be waiting to see what these cameras are like or see what impact it has on the price of the models they are to replace.
 
Due to your lenses, I'd probably just get a 6D and stick with canon. It'll cost you a fortune to get similar lenses in the nikon lineup.
 
James J said:
Due to your lenses, I'd probably just get a 6D and stick with canon. It'll cost you a fortune to get similar lenses in the nikon lineup.
Click to expand...

logically perhaps but that doesn't seem to be the point of the OP - the OP. wants a cheap Nikon body to try out.

Whether it costs a fortune depends if everything was purchased new and will be purchased new again, if they were purchased second hand, sold on and Nikon equivalents purchased second hand the loss is pretty small. More of the hassle of selling everything at good prices then hunting for them second hand at good prices.
 
9designs2 said:
Thanks for that, I'm not a menu person (like the idea of the DF) so that puts the D5100 out.
Click to expand...

The menu to and fro isn't mental, just some features can require delving. A few clicks at worst. Just being clear on that.

Also, I have seen brand new d5100 for a few hundred quid.
 
Today's activity on auction .... D300 body only sold for £250 and a D7000+18-105 sold for £420.

As D.P noted I'm looking to have a play and tryout of a Nikon again..... the outcome would drive me to either keep Canon and get a 6D or Mk3 or sell the Canon kit and swap to Nikon... Ultimately getting a FF Nikon body.
It's just when i've picked up Nikon recently it made me tempted to return.

I bought the 5D new with the 24-105 as a kit not long after launch. I added the 17-40 new as I did the 70-300 and 50mm.
If I kept Canon I would look to replace the 70-300, and add something longer or a TC, and replace the 5Dc
So before making that sort of commitment it seemed worth checking out the competition :)
 
9designs2 said:
Today's activity on auction .... D300 body only sold for £250 and a D7000+18-105 sold for £420.

As D.P noted I'm looking to have a play and tryout of a Nikon again..... the outcome would drive me to either keep Canon and get a 6D or Mk3 or sell the Canon kit and swap to Nikon... Ultimately getting a FF Nikon body.
It's just when i've picked up Nikon recently it made me tempted to return.

I bought the 5D new with the 24-105 as a kit not long after launch. I added the 17-40 new as I did the 70-300 and 50mm.
If I kept Canon I would look to replace the 70-300, and add something longer or a TC, and replace the 5Dc
So before making that sort of commitment it seemed worth checking out the competition :)
Click to expand...


You might just want to rent the nikon and canon bodies you are interested in.

I wouldn't bother getting a D300 because it tells you nothing of the Image quality of a modern Nikon camera, and if you don't use a modern canon then you can't make a fair comparison. Plus if you are interested in FF then getting a crop might not help. For example, I believe the Nikon crop bodies are very much better than the Canon (better sensor, better focusing, better performance for photographers) but the Canon FF bodies are much closer 9and the pro 1dx vs D4 are indistinguishable).

Canon crop sensors haven't improved in years but their FF sensors have, Canon keep adding features like wireless, GPS and better video to their cameras while Nikon adds better metering and better focusing in a body with more metal and more controls. So IMO, and I am known as a Nikon fanboy (i disagree, I just think nikon are doing very well recently), there isn't really a comparison with the crop cameras, but the 5dMK3 is an extremely solid camera.

Rent a 5dMKIII and a D800 for a few days to compare (then buy the D800;) )

You might also want to checkout the D700, lower resolution but high speed and has similar professional focus system to the D800
 
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Ok, an update and you guys can tell me if I've done wrong!

Was out yesterday with the 5D, stopped off at bird hide on our walk around the local reservoir, there's a bird feeder really close and a squirrel was having a nut feast. The 5D with the 70-300 just isn't enough pulling power. The lens (ok wide open) didn't make for the sharpest combination and lacks contrast.... (Should have taken my old Contax ND ;)
This brings to my issue, the idea of buying a big expensive lens for FF use doesn't appeal... and I've never liked the 100-400L lens much when I've had a play with one.... (I've had a Canon 400D crop in the past, old D70 was better).

So, I just agreed a deal on a D7000, as I like wide as well I dropped onto one being sold with the 16-85mmVR lens. Hopefully the extra couple of mm over the 18-105 etc will be noticeable. It also comes with the Nikon grip. All boxed and complete etc... 700 notes. Not a bargain but seems fair price if I look at the parts being sold separately.

Will give it a try then decide on what long lens to match to it.... Suggestions?

Then sell off the 5D, 50mm F1.4 and the 70-300 IS... Might hang on to the 17-40 and the 24-105L for a while to be sure :)
Any idea what the 5D etc is worth on the used market?
 
The 16-85mm is a great lens. Not value for money but it is sharp, good contrast focuses well and has a handy zoom range. 16mm is wonderful to have on the wide end and makes a significant difference to 18mm, especially since most 18-xxxmm lenses are more like 19mm. You have to check the field of few differences to really appreciate the difference.

Foo telephotos you have different options dependent on length, aperture and cost.
The Nikon 70-300mm f/5.6 VR does well on the budget end of things, especially over 70-200mm. The Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR2 is stellar but heavier, expensive 200mm is not that long but this lens does take telco vertebra very well. You can pick up second hand the first version. This is a very similar lens, especially on crop you would never tell the difference. However it doesn't take TCs as well, although the 1.4x is fine.

If you want more reach the 300mm f/4.0 is great, even with a TC. Perhaps better still is the new model Nikon 80-400mm f/5.6 VR2. The old model was much the same as the canon 100-400, but the new model is very very sharp and contrasty.

You then start getting more esoteric. The sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 is a good shout as a next step up. The only lens of its kind. Takes the 1.4xTC well but I am not quite a sure about the 2.0x.

Also there is a just released tamron 150-600mm f/6.3 which is actually reviewing quite well
 
So you havent got the reach in lenses on canon, so you ditch the system for nikon with even shorter lenses? I don't get it. In your position I'd have rented the 400 F5.6 and then looked for a second hand one if you got on with it.
 
Thanks D.P for the feedback and confirming the 16-85 is a decent lens....

James J,
Because I will buy a longer lens that does 300mm.. which gives me more reach on the crop sensor. Didn't want a crop Canon.... Didn't want to buy a 400 Canon lens, would never have carried it around or travelled with it.
If say I kept Canon and bought a 5D Mk3 (or 6D) I would then still need a longer lens... If I had a Mk3 next I would have looked at the 24-70 F2.8!!!!.... and replacing the 17-40L to make most use of the Mk3 sensor.
So now was the time to swap if I wanted to as the future purchase are the same or similar value.

Note, I still have FF setup in my Contax N system, ok old, limited and only 6mp, but I still use that for landscape around the UK, with the bag full of CZ lenses it produces wonderfully rendered shots. Is my first choose to use.... but then I'm an old Contax Fanboy ;) I have 17 to 300mm on that set up as well.

So the Nikon Nikkor 70-300mm F4.5/5.6 AF-S G IF ED VR for around £440 new is good choose... and can add a 1.4 or 1.7 TC
How would that lens compare to the Canon 70-300 I have now?
Ideal is to end up with a 2 lens set up that travels easy on low cost flights to Europe.

If in the future my Contax packs up then I'll add a D800E or DF :eek:

For now I think this give me two different set-ups with complimentary abilities.

edit
Oh Flickr very kindly shares some of my Contax ND images without asking!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9designs/8154825671/in/photostream/
 
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Little update:-

D7000 and 16-85 shipped today, 70-300 ships tomorrow.....

Sold the Canon kit already, 5D+50+70-300.... Will keep my L glass for a bit ;)

To swap over it's cost me just under 200 quid :D ....... So I just hit the buy now button on a Yongnuo YN568EX flash......

Hopefully all will arrive in time for a play over the long weekend.
 
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