D5300 Vs D7100: I am upgrading from a Sony A3000 mirrorless to a camera with more lens options (particularly longer lens for wildlife). I am looking at the Nikon D5300 & D7100. The...

jjenk

I am upgrading from a Sony A3000 mirrorless to a camera with more lens options (particularly longer lens for wildlife).

I am looking at the Nikon D5300 & D7100. The D5300 is lighter and less expensive. What will I give up by buying it versus the D7100?

Thank you!

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

jjenk wrote:

I am upgrading from a Sony A3000 mirrorless to a camera with more lens options (particularly longer lens for wildlife).

I am looking at the Nikon D5300 & D7100. The D5300 is lighter and less expensive. What will I give up by buying it versus the D7100?

Thank you!

http://www.imaging-resource.com/cameras/nikon/d7100/vs/nikon/d5300/specifications

Big difference in my mind is the internal focusing motor -the D7100 can use older AF-D lenses and still auto focus where the 5300 needs newer AF-S lenses.

jfn007 Loc: Close to the middle of nowhere.

I love my D5300. I have a D7000 and it is a great camera. However, I just seem to enjoy using the Nikon D5300 more. If you bought the D5300 you would probably pay $700 at B&H Photo and you could use the $200 you save from not buying the D7100 and buy a used Nikkor lens from KEH.com.

MrT Loc: Gilbert, AZ

Just like any tool purchase you need to determine what you need. Do you do landscape or BIF? The 7100 will give you more frames/second and more direct access to camera functions. I don't like using my brother in-laws 5300 because of the two button setup for aperture or shutter speed setting can't remember which. I have a D7000 and like the direct access. Play with both and see what you like better. The 5300 seems to be just a little better in photo quality but you give up the frames/sec and additional control dial. You will be happy with the photos from either.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

You're really not giving up much by going with the D5300.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

jjenk wrote:

I am upgrading from a Sony A3000 mirrorless to a camera with more lens options (particularly longer lens for wildlife).

I am looking at the Nikon D5300 & D7100. The D5300 is lighter and less expensive. What will I give up by buying it versus the D7100?

Thank you!

Lets see, you'd be giving up:
Nikons BEST battery, the EN-EL 15
Dual SD card slots
Weather sealed Magnesium frame body
6fps compared to 5fps
Selecting your WB by Kelvin temp.
100% viewfinder coverage, compared to 95%
51 AF point compared to only 39
Flash bracketing
2-5 step exposure bracketing compared to only 3
Ability to use legacy type AF lenses
1/8000sec shutter compared to 1/4000sec max
High speed flash synch up to 1/8000sec
Built-in flash that serves as commander
External controls for almost all camera functions rather than digging through the menu system for what you want.

No, you don't give up much at all!
;-)

GPS Phil Loc: Dayton Ohio

MT Shooter wrote:

Lets see, you'd be giving up: br Nikons BEST batte... (show quote)

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

jfn007 Loc: Close to the middle of nowhere.

Who needs 51 focus points?

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

MT Shooter just said it all.
I have had a D5200 (very similar to the D5300) for a bit more than a year. If I had known then what I know now, I would have bought the D7100 instead of the 5200 for ALL the reasons MTShooter listed. For now, I will stick with my 5200 . I have a lot to learn in the photography department and will more than likely be moving up to either the 7100 or a Nikon full frame in the next year or so. That's just my opinion, for what it's worth.

jlrivera Loc: Round Lake, Illinois

MT Shooter wrote:

Lets see, you'd be giving up: br Nikons BEST batte... (show quote)

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jjenk wrote:

I am upgrading from a Sony A3000 mirrorless to a camera with more lens options (particularly longer lens for wildlife).

I am looking at the Nikon D5300 & D7100. The D5300 is lighter and less expensive. What will I give up by buying it versus the D7100?

Thank you!

Here's a comparison of features from Dpreview.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=nikon_d5300&products=nikon_d7100

Here's a comparison from snapsort. I like there's better.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon-D5300-vs-Nikon-D7100

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

jfn007 wrote:

Who needs 51 focus points?

Better to have 51 focus points and NOT need them then to need 51 and NOT have them I say :)

Like I said earlier, what really did it for me was the internal focusing motor so I can use older AF lenses and aperture indexed legacy lenses.

Dan Mc Loc: NM

jerryc41 wrote:

Here's a comparison of features from Dpreview.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=nikon_d5300&products=nikon_d7100

Here's a comparison from snapsort. I like there's better.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon-D5300-vs-Nikon-D7100

In going 5300, you lose the in body focusing motor, meaning all of your lenses will be manual focus unless you buy lenses with in lens motors.

Alternative? Find a good used D90! The camera is identical to the 7100, except the D90 is a lighter plastic body like the 5300.....I treasure my D90 because I can use all Nikon lenses dating to 1978 (and they are waaaaaaaay cheap on E-Bay!!)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Dngallagher wrote:

Better to have 51 focus points and NOT need them then to need 51 and NOT have them I say :)

Like I said earlier, what really did it for me was the internal focusing motor so I can use older AF lenses and aperture indexed legacy lenses.

I use one central focusing point, so all the others are going to waste. Maybe I could put them on ebay.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

jerryc41 wrote:

I use one central focusing point, so all the others are going to waste. Maybe I could put them on ebay.

You can try... nothing ventured nothing gained :)

I use single point, BBF myself, but it does get moved around, sometimes it ends up way across town from the center of the image ;)

I do agree 51 is way too many for dynamic, D9 responds quicker.