kellerbl wrote:
I like my Nikon D80, but it is beginning to refuse to take shots without being rebooted or at least turned of and back on, so I'm looking proactively for a replacement. I like the feel of the d80 camera body in my hands - I have somewhat large hands and fingers - and I would like the replacement to have a similar feel. Sensitivity to low light would be good. I'm leaning towards the D7100 or its follow-on if it shows up soon. It isn't available in any local stores for me to try out, which is unfortunate. I have only one DX lens that seems to have worked well for me - 18-135mm. I'm thinking of getting a kit with the D7100 and the DX 18-300mm lens. I would also like to get a macro lens for closeups. I also have the SB-800 flash unit.
I like my Nikon D80, but it is beginning to refuse... (
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I've found from long experience that suggesting a new camera to some you don't know well is very likely to be an impossible task; Nikon models vary greatly, but Nikon user vary a whole lot more "greatly"!
The D 7100 is indeed an excellent choice, (and an excellent body ), but it may or may not be the best choice for everyone. The reason I say that;
I'm a firm believer in getting the absolute "most camera" for the "fewest bucks"; in order to accomplish that objective, (unless of course you're very wealthy or maybe recent hit the lottery", the one thing Im recommend you DON'T do, is to buy a camera model thet "just came out"!
(Any pros reading this are already lining up their rocks to throw! ) Fact; almost everything that's "high tech" depreciates rapidly; and ALL new digital cameras depreciate more rapidly than just about anything else.
They're probably the best example of the law of "supply & demand" than anything I can think of; sure, every "new" camera has a few "bells and whistles" that the preceding model lacked; but you pay dearly for those things, and unless you're a working pro, you really may not even need them, and quite possibly, you may never even use them.
You'll notice something about almost ALL amateur photographers; what every camera model they own and use, it's the absolute BEST camera "out there"! I think a much better way to look at it, is to think about "best pictures", instead of "best cameras". Let's face it......they may not admit it, but almost all amateurs are more "hardware" freaks, than they are "picture freaks"......there's just "something about it", being out taking pictures with your brand new "latest & greatest" camera; actually, there is something better; (having the BEST PICTURES in your Flickr account, (or where ever you keep them ).
For the average, "non-rich" amateur, I think it's a big mistake to "drool" over full-frame bodies; sure that bigger sensor has more area, get's "sharper" images, etc etc, etc. It also needs more expensive lenses, and if you spring for a new D-800 (with 36 MP sensor, those "tack sharp" images also create file sizes as big as Ohio, so you better have one hell of a computer to work with them, and some pretty pricey memory cards!
Here's a great idea; wait for Nikon to bring out their new D 7200 (or what ever they call it ); as soon as it's out. the D 7100 will go DOWN in price; BUY one then! Almost no one starts taking better pictures after just buying a better camera; (the greatest pictures are always taken by the greatest photographers. )
Here's even a more important idea; what ever body you end up with, until you know everything about it, and how to use the thing to it's max, you're gonna be well into the next decade if you have to depend on the manual that come with the new camera; get on Amazon of Half com and buy one of David Busch's manuals for that body; that will accelerate your progress with the new camera faster than anything else. I can't explain in a post why this is so, but trust me, it IS "so"! (I paid $40 for one of Thom Hogans GREAT manuals, thought it was great, lost the damned thing, then paid about $25 or $30 for David Busch'e manual; (if I ever find Hogans manual, i'll probably throw Thom Hogan's manual away now! ) Busch not only explains 10 times as much "stuff", but her explains things more clearly than anyone else I've ever seen.