MtnMan Loc: ID

Just to share some thoughts on receiving my new (to me) Nikon D5300 this morning. I took my own advice and bought a Nikon refurbished one. As with my previous Nikon Refurb purchases it came in brand new condition with everything in the Nikon Refurb box. I bought it from Cameta so they extended the 90-day warranty to a year with one of their own.

As I sat down with it I reflected back on buying my first DLSR...a D5100...just over three years ago. When I looked at the manual and started to dive into the menus I was incredibly intimidated by it. I had also just purchased Photoshop Elements 10 and was baffled by it.

This time around I was completely familiar with the camera and menus. I knew exactly what settings I wanted had them set in a few seconds (they had already changed the default on the function key to what I learned to like anyway: ISO). I had on hand the accessories I wanted (strap, card, LCD protector) and had them on in minutes. I had the lenses left over from my D5100 and put on exactly the one I knew I wanted. I was shooting in about 5 minutes, comfortable that I knew just what to do with the images when I uploaded them to Lightroom and Photoshop CS6.

I was also more confident knowing that my three entries to the State Fair last summer had all won blue or red ribbons.

So the first point is that even old dogs can still learn new tricks.

The second is don't be intimidated by the apparent complexities of today's cameras and software.

I bought the D5300 because I need a lighter weight camera for hiking and touring. I had let me main camera sneak up in weight to a D800. While a great camera it plus the lenses it needs are quite a brick. I know I can take almost as good images with the D5300.

Comparing the D5300 to the D5100 I bought only three years ago the changes are modest. It feels completely comfortable and I'm ready to go with it. I went with it vs. buying another D5100 to have the latest sensor and for the GPS. It has the same features of the D5100 that I like over the D800 in addition to it's light weight: articulated screen, active Info screen for inputs (vs. a bunch of buttons), and infrared remote inputs. The fact that it uses all of the lenses I have acquired over that three years is also a big plus.

The D5300 is the camera I'd recommend to anyone who wants to get seriously great pictures and doesn't already own a bunch of legacy Nikon lenses that don't have a focusing motor in them. And even if you have those old lenses I recommend the D5300 for it's articulated (and improved over D5100) screen alone.

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

Be interesting to see how it compares, image wise, to the D5100.

dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

Me too. Sometimes I am thinking upgrading my d5100 to d5300 or maybe d7100, but I can't explain to myself-why upgrade ? IQ in d5100 is VERY good.

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

Yeah and experts say the point of diminishing returns with pixels is about 12MP unless you are shooting for billboards.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Those "experts" evidently don't shoot wildlife where you often have to crop to a small fraction of the total image pixels. But I agree that the D5100 image quality and dynamic range are good. I get about the same pixels on the DX image area with my D800. But that increases from 16 to 24 with the D5300+ and D7100.

The D5300 also has better dynamic range than the D5100 and does not have a low pass filter, providing the opportunity for sharper images. I have some work to do on that, though, as I wasn't happy with my first several shots with it. So my jury is still out on the alleged benefits there.

The D5100 also includes GPS, which interests me a little, and WIFI, which for me not so much but I'll give it a try. And it includes one little surprise which I kinda like: it has a button for shutter release mode. Since I frequently change to remote or continuous release I like that...I can handle one button. (The D800 has the release mode on a knob and the exposure modes via a button...'a difference I can handle.) But the D5300 still reverts the release mode to single shot when you turn the camera off, which I found a little annoying with the D5100.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I don't expect much improvement. But I might be able to get a little. At the level of these cameras the operation of the system is more important than the hardware. I now know what has to happen to really exploit the capability. But that doesn't mean I always pull it off.

My reason for it wasn't to improve image quality over a D5100. It was to replace the Sony which, though capable of equal images, simply had a different programming approach than Nikon and I found switching back and forth annoying.

But since I was doing so I thought I may as well get the latest technology. I rejected the D5500 because I don't want a touch screen to smear up and I wanted the GPS feature they dropped with it.

This story gets a little more interesting because my wife still has my D5100. Due to circumstances I won't go into she is now getting a D5300 to replace it. Again not for image quality. She wants the viewfinder grid it provides. She wouldn't have gone out to get one for just that either but the circumstances made it happen for her. Hers should come tomorrow.

Mr PC Loc: Austin, TX

Been very happy with the 24MP sensor in a D5200 for wildlife, the ability to crop is nothing short of amazing. I'm torn between the improvements in the D5500, a refurbed D7100 or it's replacement when it finally arrives. I think the new Expeed 4 processor and the removal of the low pass filter make the D5500 pretty attractive. G.A.S. hasn't overwhelmed me...yet...

MtnMan Loc: ID

The D5300 has the low pass filter removed and the Expeed 4 processor. It also has GPS and WIFI compared to D5500. It only lacks the touch screen which I'd rather not have anyway.

Compared to D7100 it is about half the weight and price, takes the same images, articulated screen, GPS and WIFI, has what IMHO is a better way for adjustments (info screen vs. bunch of buttons). IMHO the only reasons to get a D7100 are:
1. You have legacy lenses without focusing motors.
2. You need the weather proofing.
I had a D7000 because of 2 but found I didn't use it in the rain anyway and missed the other advantages of the D5100. I got rid of it after about six months.

Of course the D800 I replaced it with has more of the same problems of the D7xxx and an additional one with the remote release connection. It weighs twice the D7xxx. Thus the D5300.

Brian45 Loc: Melbourne, Australia

love to see some images

Mr PC Loc: Austin, TX

Those are some of my considerations, also. I held a D7100 in the store and the extra weight was a downside, balanced by the weatherproofing. I love to do wildlife photos, so I do get stuck out in the weather occasionally. I'm pretty used to the controls and menus on the D5200, but dedicated controls for ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed look like a more rapid way to change settings. Maybe the touchscreen on the D5500 makes that easier.

My lenses do have focusing motors and my most recent Sigma 18-300 works with a USB dock, so the ability to make micro-adjustments in the camera, ala D7100 and up, is not a deal breaker. Decisions, decisions. But, that's down the road, I'm waiting to see what the D7200 or whatever they call it offers. I'm 63 now, and smaller and easier to handle are beginning to come into play. That's what makes the D5500 look like a possibility for me.

ikaush Loc: Medford, MA

The GPS on D5300 is not very reliable though. Sometimes it catches the signal, other times it does not. You never know for sure until you read the exif at home. And it eats up battery like crazy. You need to have a second one just in case.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I learned with my D5100 to set the function key to ISO. Since there is only one and you can see ISO in the viewfinder it works for me. I like it and they have made it the default on the D5300.

One of my other problems with the D7000 was that I often couldn't read the little green screen without reading glasses and at night couldn't find the buttons. I much prefer the larger illuminated active info screen on the D5xxx. They've improved that a bit on the D5300 compared to the D5100: now it is immediately active when you the I button. They have also added a button for release mode.

I value the light weight when hiking. Now my other camera is a D800 which has almost all the problems I had with the D7000 and weighs twice as much. It at least has a third position on the on/off switch that you can set to turn on the info screen and I realized that when on it shows the same stuff as the green screen but bigger and brighter...even if it isn't active like the D5xxx. I still have trouble finding the buttons in the dark. Also it really sucks not having the articulated screen when trying to take milky way images and other things.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I got it out today for a few images from Idaho City. I've been trying some bird images but was not satisfied with them. The light hasn't been right. These tell me there is no need to worry about the camera

Taken with my f1.8 35mm...although mostly around f16 and ISO 100.

St. Joseph's: We went here for Christmas. Built 1867

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My favorite ice cream place.

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Part of Boise County Museum

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Where we vote and register our vehicles, etc.

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MtnMan Loc: ID

I have a Panasonic with GPS and it has the same problem. I'll take a look at how today's images came out on the map.

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

Who remembers "Sugarfoot?" "Sasparilla wit' a dash o' cherry, Maam."