CRoy

Hey everyone....I have had my 5300 for about 4 years. Thinking of upgrading and would like to continue using the 4 lenses I now have. Bought it as a kit, then added the 10-24 wide angle and the 35 mm.

Without breaking the bank, any suggestions on an upgrade? Another option is keeping the 5300 and upgrading the kit lenses. Thoughts appreciated.

I mostly photograph my grandkids, real estate photography and landscapes. Thank you!

Carol

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

D500.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

If the subject matter that you shoot is going to be the same for the foreseeable future, what is it that you feel your images are lacking that you think a new body will help.

GAS is expensive, so unless you see something specific that your images lack, I'd hold off in a new body.

I know the 5xxx series is a crop body, but from experience, when you upgrade your lens kit, seriously consider purchasing fx glass. I upgraded my 70-300 kit lens to an AF-S 70-300 4.5-6.3 ED G VR and immediately saw drastic improvement in my images. My thought is best glass affordable before body upgrade. THEN figure out what your body lacks that is holding you back before you upgrade....

walkurie Loc: East Stroudsburg, PA

Carol,
I just traded my 5300 for a 7200. The 35 mm
Works great on the 7200. The 7200 is heavier, and does not have the articulating screen, but is s bargain Nikon as nikon has just announced its retirement.
Regards
Gary

sabfish

If you want a new camera, the D7500 is a great camera and now available at some significant discounts. I believe Costco currently has this camera at a great price, although that maybe a kit with lenses you don't need. For less money, a used D7200 or even D7100 would be a step up and are also wonderful cameras.

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

The d7500 will keep the tilting touchscreen and is has the upgraded focus system. I upgraded from a d3400 because I found that wildlife and BIF required more from the body than I could get from the d3400. It was a specific need/want. There are great sales on now, and used ( I bought mine used) and refurbished is a huge money saver.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"...I just traded my 5300 for a 7200..." like walkurie said...

That is if your lucky enough to find it new... however refurbished by Nikon USA is just as good if not better...

I actually use this piece of kit for commercial assignments... the D500 is overkill, heavy and lacks a built in flash while the D7500 is crippled with a single card slot... (cards fail... period) experience is a brutal teacher...

The D7200 offers excellent value for would be ideal for grand-kids, real estate photography and landscapes...

All the best on your journey Carol

BebuLamar

I guess the camera was OK 4 years ago. What is wrong with it now?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Just a general comment...not directed at anyone in particular. For most of us, photography is a hobby. What we do it with is part of the hobby. It is wearying that every single time that someone mentions a desire to look at something different to do it with, someone else accost the inquirer about why they want to do so.

Come on. It is none of our business. Let it go. (You may sing if you wish.) And in this case, four years is plenty of time that a person might want to try something different. No need for it to provide some magical new capability. Why did you ever want to buy a new car? Was your old one still running fine? How long did that smell last? Did you know ahead of time that it would fade? Did you buy it anyway?

BebuLamar

How can you advice someone about anything without know why someone wants to do it? If someone just want a new camera he/she just do it and needs to ask nobody. You said it's none of our business then we shouldn't advice the OP what to upgrade either.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I particularly like the encouragement to spend other people's money as if it was their own .... No questions of why? No question of what should a new model need to do the current model doesn't? No questions of why a 24MP model doesn't work for current needs? And one person that maybe offers to a sincere question of why? is chided as none of their business .... One of our members recently offered someone an app on their phone instead of a new DSLR. Maybe that's what our OP needs by way of something new ...

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I never indicated that we should not ask clarifying questions in order to provide better answers. But I do hold that in numerous discussions, one or more people have made the self-appointed judgement that an inquirer does not need a new camera or lens. None of who are not making our living at photography ever need a new camera or lens. We never needed the first one. Even if the current one is broken, it will not prevent life from going on. So it is all discretionary. A year ago, I bought a D610. Didn't need it, but I had summer workshop plans that called for a full frame camera to support wide angle photography. But guess what. After about 5 days, I discovered that, for me, even though that camera did a good job for me, it was really a major annoyance because of its small size (I'd not owned a small form-factor DSLR before) and totally foreign control and menu system compared to my D200 and D300. It was destined to sit on a shelf or in a bag. So yes, I "needed" a different full frame camera after only 5 days.

For the vast majority of us, cameras are not investments. Any claim that they are is simply just a false argument for spousal or self (or some other) approval to purchase. Most of us will never see any return on the money spent. In fact, the money spent is much more likely to lead to more money spent. And despite the occasional report or claim to the contrary, most of us will never recover the money that we spent on our cameras or other equipment.

Similarly (and this is directed to the OP as well) I will never presume to tell anyone to spend any amount of money on anything. Again...it's simply not any of my business. I will share experiences (never just something that I've just read somewhere, unless specifically asked) that I have had. As an example, I will make absolutely no comment on the Nikon D5300. I've never used one and never held or looked at one closelySwa (see my comment about small form factor cameras above).

Swartfort -- otherwise these guys are correct. We know that you want to photograph grandkids, real estate, and landscapes. Is there something that you would like to be able to do better, or are you looking primarily for something a little more up to date? Do you want something that feels a little more substantial? Are you looking for a more usable menu or control system? Your post leads me to believe that you want to stay with DX format, at least for now, and we know that you are looking for a new camera rather than new lenses.

If there is something specific that you are after, someone will be able to guide you to achieve that based on personal experience. If you are, on the other hand, looking for some interesting equipment refreshment, there are a lot more options.

Just let us know.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Carol, what are the lenses involved and activities being photographed? You might find a change / upgrade in lenses is the better approach, depending on more details.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

I'll second the D7200 (secondhand) as being a good choice. If your D3400 is in good condition you should be able to trade it in.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The longer you read UHH, the more expensive it gets.