Upgrade: Hi I'm an amateur seeking to upgrade. Currently shooting a Nikon D5100. Am open to Nikon, Cannon etc. Any recommendations? I'm going on a couple of shooting trips including...

jdsullivan1948

Hi I'm an amateur seeking to upgrade. Currently shooting a Nikon D5100. Am open to Nikon, Cannon etc. Any recommendations? I'm going on a couple of shooting trips including the New England fall leaf season and later a trip to Ireland. Thanks

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

jdsullivan1948 wrote:

Hi I'm an amateur seeking to upgrade. Currently shooting a Nikon D5100. Am open to Nikon, Cannon etc. Any recommendations? I'm going on a couple of shooting trips including the New England fall leaf season and later a trip to Ireland. Thanks

Welcome to UHH. Why do you feel you need to upgrade? What limitations you have with your current camera and lenses?. What is your budget? I am a Nikon guy.

jdsullivan1948

Just getting curious to see if there have been improvements since my I got this one about 4 years ago.

Nature_Shooter Loc: Chesterfield Missouri

The D5100 is a good camera. Maybe a wiser choice would be to get better lenses for your current camera. Lenses will give you the focal lengths you need to make a good shot. Down the road, then you may want to change bodies. Remember, the camera does not make the shot, the photographer does.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

jdsullivan1948 wrote:

Just getting curious to see if there have been improvements since my I got this one about 4 years ago.

They make changes every year.The basic issue is that it is still a camera and what is important is the person behind it. Look at it this way, you understand the camera and can work on improving your composition and creating images with impact. Never have a GAS attack (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) I create award winning images with a 5 year old Nikon.

Marionsho Loc: Kansas

PixelStan77 wrote:

They make changes every year.The basic issue is that it is still a camera and what is important is the person behind it. Look at it this way, you understand the camera and can work on improving your composition and creating images with impact. Never have a GAS attack (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) I create award winning images with a 5 year old Nikon.

Never have a GAS attack??????????????????

mesmith Loc: greenville, sc

jdsullivan1948 wrote:

Hi I'm an amateur seeking to upgrade. Currently shooting a Nikon D5100. Am open to Nikon, Cannon etc. Any recommendations? I'm going on a couple of shooting trips including the New England fall leaf season and later a trip to Ireland. Thanks

My current camera is a D80 (yes, with one zero), so I understand where you are coming from. I would come up with a budget, and go from there. Here is an example. If you want to spend 1000 dollars, I would go straight to buying lenses. I would stay away from most of nikons DX lenses, because if you are wanting to grown as a photographer, and take it more seriously you are going to want to go to an FX camera at some point. Although, this could take some time. I if you wanted to aim a little higher, say 3000 dollars. I would personally go for something like a used nikon d7200. Still a DX camera yes, but an amazing all rounder. Then I would look into lenses. bounce around the ideas between primes and zooms, and pick out some good glass that will suit you.

CO

The D3xxx and D5xxx series Nikons have a pentamirror viewfinder. If you go to a D7xxx or above Nikon you get a pentaprism viewfinder. The glass prism inside gives a larger, slightly brighter view through the viewfinder. I think it helps with composition. You also get the U1 and U2 settings on the mode dial. You can store frequently used settings and recall them in a second. You get dual memory card slots and the virtual horizon.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jdsullivan1948 wrote:

Hi I'm an amateur seeking to upgrade. Currently shooting a Nikon D5100. Am open to Nikon, Cannon etc. Any recommendations? I'm going on a couple of shooting trips including the New England fall leaf season and later a trip to Ireland. Thanks

I love the D750. Do some comparisons and look for refurbished or even used. Get a shutter count on a used one before you commit yourself.

Read comparisons and specs, and decide what features are important to you.
(Reviews) https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCameraStoreTV/videos
http://www.cameradecision.com/
http://cameras.reviewed.com/
http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

jdsullivan1948 wrote:

Hi I'm an amateur seeking to upgrade. Currently shooting a Nikon D5100. Am open to Nikon, Cannon etc. Any recommendations? I'm going on a couple of shooting trips including the New England fall leaf season and later a trip to Ireland. Thanks

Refurbished or new D7200, refurbished or new D500.

skipwv Loc: West Virginia

I just traded a D5000 and a D5300 on a d7200 and it was a great decision. Loved the 5000 series but the 7200 has a more substantial "feel," two card slots, a few more bells and whistles, and is more weatherproof. Controls are better-designed and easier to access. Picture quality is great. Good luck with your decision

truckster Loc: Tampa Bay Area

jdsullivan1948 wrote:

Just getting curious to see if there have been improvements since my I got this one about 4 years ago.

If you are looking for improvements then the next step is a D7200. It is all about what you want, there are many out there shooting D5xxx's and are putting out great work. For a hobbyist your choice is the DX or FX line, me, I'm staying in DX and so I'm buying DX lens and will upgrade through the DX line of cameras. I've already "upgraded" from a 3300 to a well used 7000. You might choose differently. Glass is important.

Linckinn Loc: Okatie, SC and Edgartown, MA

I just upgraded my d5100 to the new d7500. Costco has a nice bundle for $1599. So far, I like it very much. Weight and feel is nice, and autofocus is accurate and instant. I personally prefer the one card slot, but if you want 2, get the 7200.

Steve Perry has a good review out comparing it to the d7200 and the d500. I just felt, like your question, that 6 years and several models difference will have improvements.

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

idsullivan1948 wrote "Just getting curious to see if there have been improvements since my I got this one about 4 years ago." Remember, it's technology. Improvements had been made by Nikon before you took your D5100 out of the camera store. My advice would be to see what the newer cameras have, decide which features would be important to you, and then decide what to do. Could be your 5100 is all you really need. Could be you want more "Bells-and-Whistles." For a good overview of what Nikon and Canon offer, you might try http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/index.htm#cameras. Best of luck with what you decide.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

A camera or lens is updated when it is not doing the job we intend to do or when it lacks the features we need in our photography. With the right lenses your fall pictures and those of your trip to Ireland should be well covered with the D5100.
Before I make any further comments let me advise you that if you are not happy with your present photographs a new camera is not going to change anything. Basic photographic knowledge plus a good mastering of the camera to me is more important than upgrading.
If I were you I would review the lenses I have and see if perhaps I am lacking on a lens I need, like a good wide angle. From what I know the D5100 with 16 megapixels is a very good tool.