Bob-Virginia Loc: Virginia

My only DSLR camera right now is a Sony Cyber-shot 20.1mp DSH-H200. I was at Costco yesterday and they have a sale on the D7100 (1449.00) and the D5300 ($1100.00). I retired 3 years ago and have been taking my Polaris XP Ranger Side by Side to very remote areas of Southwest Virginia and taking a lot of 35mm pics of old farms, stills, abandoned tractors, creeks, landscapes, etc. Sometimes the landowners kids have to show me the way and I take their pics along side or they run in the creeks or climb the trees while I am setting up and take their pics. I then mail the photos to the parents and keep the CD's. Some days I use 4 or 5 rolls of film and shoot 200 digital pics. I still like the quality of my 35mm pics best !!! The parents have been asking me to come back and take family portraits because they like the pictures that I send them. At Costco, I liked the feel of the D7100 better than the D5300. The D5300 seems small in my hand !! The Costco reviews were all basically positive. I know that I need a better digital camera for sure but which one and if so, will I ever get the quality for the family portraits that these people seem to like and how would I print them ??? I like Costco because it has a very flexible return policy !!! Thanks

Mickey Mantle Loc: New York City

I have both cameras. The 7100 is more complicated than the 5300 and much more versatile than the 5300. Having said that, the 5300 is a great camera. Have never taken a bad picture with it. If money is not an issue, I would go with the 7100 and grow into it

davefales Loc: Virginia

Bob - there are several good comparison articles on the Web. Try this one: http://www.lightandmatter.org/2013/equipment-reviews/nikon-d5300-vs-d7100-which-should-you-buy/

I've had a D7000 since late 2010 and love it. The substantial feel of the magnesium alloy body is a big plus to me...and I think it has taken some physical abuse well.

Can't tell if the $350 difference is really important to your decision.

If my D7000 disappeared I'd buy a 7100 immediately. Good luck with your research.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Both cameras are great cameras.. The D7100 is supposedly better weather sealed and uses magnesium alloy in the frame for increased strength and lightness. I have a D7100 and love it. I have used all of the Nikon Line and personally like it better than any of the other crop sensor cameras. (Just personal opinion.) It seems to be pretty rugged and it has the internal focus motor which the D5300 does NOT have which allows you to use older lenses that don't have the built in focusing motor. The D7100 has the creative lighting system or off camera flash and can use 2 SD cards at a time. I have attached the Nikon USA comparison. It also has a slightly heavier weight than the D5300 and is considered a near Pro camera. ( I know of several pros that either carry the D7100 or carry it in addition to a Full Frame camera). Either way, you won't go wrong.

5300-7100 Comp in pdf
Attached file:
(Download)

Bob-Virginia Loc: Virginia

Thanks for the link. Very informative ! Sounds like the D7100 might be more rugged and versatile for what I am doing. I always hate to spend more than I have to but since I tend to keep things forever, I don't mind if it is quality plus it seems that the D7100 is more versatile with other lenses should I want to purchase different ones. While I don't shoot any sports shots, a lot of these land owners kids now have these 4-wheelers so I have been able to capture some good pics of them while riding them or horses with fast shutter speeds. Thanks

Photosmoke

Hey Bob I have the D7100 & love it. I couldn't be happier with it . If you wan to see what kind of pictures it takes click on my link below

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

The D7100 is simply a great camera.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Get the D7100 you will love Take your time read the manual experiment great camera

Mr PC Loc: Austin, TX

I have a D5200 and the one thing I really like that the D7100 doesn't have is the articulated LCD, making it a little easier to get weird angle shots in circumstances where you would have to be a contortionist to use the viewfinder. With that said, the D7100 is almost always rated the best consumer cropped sensor camera on the market for many good reasons. It or it's soon to be announced successor are definitely on the horizon for me, but I'll still carry the D5200. It's hard to take a bad picture with it.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

I was at Costco yesterday and they have a sale on the D7100 (1449.00) and the D5300 ($1100.00).

That's no sale. Well maybe if some kind of lens is included.
$1099.00 is a normal every price for the D7100.
Own the D7100 and love it.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

Costco's price generally includes 1 or 2 lenses a bag etc. They rarely sell body only.

Just verified and here is the kit: 18-55mm VR II and 55-300mm VR Lenses, SD Card, Camera Bag, WU-1a Wi-Fi Mobile Adapter and of course the D7100 camera.

http://www.costco.com/Nikon-D7100-DSLR-Camera-2-Lens-Bundle.product.100120819.html

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

One thing I don't like about the articulated screen is that it is easy to break off. I have seen several snapped off or broken (probably by stupid users or kids not knowing what they are doing) but I don't have to worry about that problem with my D7100. Have to say that I have heard every excuse in the book for wanting a camera repaired under warranty... lol (What do you mean, having my camera stolen out of my car isn't covered? I want Nikon to replace it!!! )

amehta Loc: Boston

If you get either the D7100 or the D5300, you may find you no longer need your 35mm film. The film is about 2x the area of the D7100/D5300 sensor, but it is about 30x the area of the DSC-H200 sensor. And a lot more effort has been put into improving the image quality of the digital sensor than of film in the past decade, so the D7100/D5300 sensor will be very competitive with, if not better than, the film.

Now, the qualitative differences between them:

1. The D7100 has two dials to change settings, the D5300 has one. If you are shooting in manual mode, for example, this means one controls aperture while the other sets the shutter speed. With the D5300 you use one dial, and press the exposure compensation button to change the aperture. I find two dials much more convenient.

2. There are also more controls which can be set by pressing a button and turning a dial on the D7100, so you never have to take your eye off the viewfinder.

3. The D7100 has a autofocus motor built in while the D5300 does not. The D5300 will only autofocus with AF-S lenses, while the D7100 will autofocus with any AF lens. There are some excellent AF lenses which have not been updated to AF-S lenses (200mm f/4 macro, 105mm or 135mm DC lenses are two).

4. The D7100 has two SD card slots, the D5300 has one. If you are shooting a once-in-a-lifetime event, you can have two copies of the pictures to insure against one card getting corrupted. You may not want to do this all the time, but it is a nice option.

5. The D7100 built-in flash can be the commander to control Nikon Speedlights remotely, which gives a lot of options especially for portrait photography.

6. The D5300 has an articulating screen.

7. The D5300 has built-in GPS and WiFi.

Overall, I think the D7100 is a better camera for many photographers.

For a little less than the Costco price, you can get the D7100 + 18-140mm lens. If you look at your better pictures with the H200, how often are you going past 200mm (35mm equivalent)? And how often are you in the 70-200mm range (35mm equivalent)? If you are not going past 200mm, but are often past 70mm, then the 18-140mm lens gives a good range in a single lens, rather than needing two lenses.

Greenguy33 Loc: Rhode Island

I had the same issue, D7100 or D5300. I am so glad that I spent the extra money and purchased the D7100 kit with the 18-140mm lens.
I feel that I can grow with the D7100 for years and years. From what I've read and been told, Nikon has taken some of the "pro" features from some of their more expensive camera's and put them in the D7100.
I've attached a few pics that I have taken with my D7100 in the short time that I've owned it.
I'm still learning all about photography, but I feel that for a real amateur, these are ok.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

The image quality is the same for both cameras.

The D7100 overall has more controls but it gives up several things to the D5300 which may be important to some.

1. Price
2.Tilting screen
3. Size
4. Weight
5.GPS
6. WiFi
7. Higher ISO

The major disadvantage of the D5300 is the lack of a focusing motor.