Advice! Want to upgrade my Nikon DSLR camera (Page 2): Carol, I'll go along with the folks that suggest you look at your specific wants/needs before you "upgrade". If you've had your...

srt101fan

CRoy wrote:

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

Carol, I'll go along with the folks that suggest you look at your specific wants/needs before you "upgrade". If you've had your D5300 for 4 years you know it is a very capable camera.

I suggest you think about what you do with your camera and identify SPECIFIC features/capabilities that are lacking or inadequate in the D5300. Do you need better low-light performance? Do you need a bigger selection of lenses than the DX lenses provide? Are you dissatisfied with the D5300 controls? Do you need a camera that is better protected against weather-related impacts? Do you need better dynamic range? Do you need ISO invariance? Do you need a second card slot? Do you want to get into macro photography, sports, Birds-in-Flight? Etc, etc, etc.

Of course, if you're just having a Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS attack), and the wallet is willing and able, go for it...

Good luck and happy shooting!

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

CHG_CANON wrote:

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

ELNikkor

maybe just let the GAS pass...

duane klipping Loc: Bristow iowa

D7100 or D7200 would be good choices from 500 to 800 depending on used refurb or new.

leftyD500 Loc: Ocala, Florida

CRoy wrote:

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

My only comment will be, if you like the articulating screen, and you rely on it, then you will not be happy with a fixed screen camera, no matter how good it is. I know, I went that route already.

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

CRoy wrote:

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

You currently have a cropped sensor camera. So, an upgrade would be the Nikon D500 body. Currently on sale.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1214161-REG/nikon_1559_d500_dslr_camera_body.html?sts=pi

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

CRoy wrote:

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

You currently have a cropped sensor camera. So, an upgrade would be the Nikon D500 body. Currently on sale.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1214161-REG/nikon_1559_d500_dslr_camera_body.html?sts=pi

CO

The D5300 has a pentamirror viewfinder. If you go to a D7xxx or above Nikon you get a superior pentaprism viewfinder. The glass prism inside gives a larger, slightly brighter view through the viewfinder. The D7200 is heavily discounted right now. You might pick up one of those.

Kit lenses can have excellent image quality. I wouldn't necessarily replace your kit lenses unless you're looking for a larger maximum aperture or its image quality is not good..

chrisg-optical Loc: New York, NY

CRoy wrote:

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

D7500 is a great buy now...only thing you will lose is the fully articulated flip screen-- but the 7500 has a tilt screen no big deal unless you shoot a lot of selfie videos. The single slot or 20.9 MP shouldn't be an issue either.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1333060-REG/nikon_nikon_d7500_dslr_camera.html/qa

traderjohn Loc: New York City

CRoy wrote:

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

If you buy a new camera, will your grandchildren look better? Will the landscape picture be drop dead get away from me better? If you use the camera in your business taking RE pictures, then perhaps you could check on a deduction for your business. Now if we are talking about getting a new car every four years,thats a different discussion.

cdayton

CHG_CANON wrote:

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

😀😀😀I would still be using my D300 if it weren’t so darn heavy so I now use a much lighter D5200.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

The payback for spending doesn't need to be monetary. Isn't part of the reason to own a camera for enjoyment and the moments in life that it can capture and preserve...

larryepage wrote:

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.

I never indicated that we should not ask clarifyin... (show quote)

Low Budget Dave

The D5300 is still a good camera. To get a camera that is "more than just a little" better will cost around $2000. (And even then, in my opinion, not worth it.)

In my opinion, always start by upgrading the lenses. A good lens to start with is the Nikon 35mm F1.8. You can find this lens for less than $200, and it will allow you to do a lot of things the kit lens does not, such as:

- Shoot indoors without the flash,
- Shoot in medium light at a higher shutter speed.
- Throw the background out of focus even on the "wide" shots.

The color, quality and focus speed are all very good for the price; you will find that you will end up using this all the time and leaving the other lens at home.

Once you get used to the 35mm (which is really about a 50 mm frame of view), then you will want their 50mm lens as well (about a 75mm frame of view, for standard portraits.)

Both of those lenses will be like getting a whole new camera.

Papa j Loc: Cary NC

Thomas902 wrote:

"...I just traded my 5300 for a 7200..."... (show quote)

👍👍👌

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

ELNikkor wrote:

maybe just let the GAS pass...

Personally, the GAS only passes when I’m distracted by something new in my hands... and then I prepare to move on to the next attack.