Elmo55 wrote:
Currently shooting with a D5300, considering trading it in along with a D3400, and several lenses that I am not using (to reduce inventory) for a used D7200. Prices on used D7200's range from high fives to high sevens depending on quality (when I started this thought process). Can purchase a new D7200 from Amazon for $795 during "Black Friday" promotion (if I hurry). The big question that first comes to mind, "do I really need to upgrade, and is the D7200 going to give me that much more to justify the expenditure?" I am a landscape/wild animals/vacation/grand kids shooter primarily (not a lot of scenic landscapes or wild animals in Illinois). So far the D5300 has done a good job for me in my estimation. The one big advantage for the D7200 is 2 card slots so that I could start playing with RAW on 1 card and JPEG on the other. To date I am strictly a JPEG shooter. I have attached a sample of my work so far with the D5300. I will appreciate all thoughts, both positive and negative in helping me to make a final decision. Thanks for your kind attention in this matter.
Currently shooting with a D5300, considering tradi... (
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Even though you say the D5300 has done a good job for you, perhaps you are beginning to feel something could be better. When the tools you are using begin to limit how far you can go, that is the right time to upgrade. The problem here is to decide exactly what will make the improvements you seek.
The D5300 and the D7200 have a lot of features that are pretty much equal. The added size and weight of the D7200 are not all that much for most people. The ability to use faster shutter speeds and higher ISO settings are the most important differences that make the D7200 an improvement over the D5300. Another important feature of a digital camera is resolution and both these cameras have 24 MP so should be equal, although the newer D7200 may have some sensor improvements, but I don't know about that.
Another thing to consider is what lenses you are using. Kit lenses that come bundled with cameras are usually at least adequate and often pretty good. However, you ought to consider whether or not better faster glass could be of more benefit at this point than a new body. My first DSLR was a D7000, and I had kit lenses which served me well while learning. But as I listened to discussions like this one, I began to get a better idea of what path to follow. My choice was to upgrade my lenses first, and take into consideration that eventually I may want to buy a full-frame camera. So I began to replace the DX lenses with FX lenses. In general I seek to have as many f/2.8 or better as I can manage, but not ignoring good lenses with a smaller maximum aperture. I am now using a D810, and did not have to purchase new lenses when purchasing the camera.
Do you have a good tripod? For landscapes it is a great benefit because you greatly reduce the possibility of camera shake. Also you can bracket shots for exposure when there is a high dynamic range in the available light. There are quite a lot of threads on the topic of what to look for in a tripod, with the warning that it will not be inexpensive.
Shooting in RAW provides images with a lot more information in them. This improves the ability to make edits that will make a difference in the final photo. Just be aware that RAW images can almost always benefit from some editing, whereas .jpg images are processed in the camera to some extent and are generally more "finished". It is possible to get a RAW image that is so close to perfect you have a hard time figuring out what it needs, but that is the exception. [Perhaps some professional photographers may get it right straight out of the camera more often...].
Do you have a good editing program? There are many excellent choices there, but the Adobe CC subscription is considered by many to be the "gold standard". That statement may draw a lot of discussion, because everyone has their own idea of what works best!
Final note: How you approach photography is a personal decision. The trick to deciding how to proceed is to do the research, compare options, so as to be able to make informed choices. With a limited budget, this becomes even more important. One way to approach GAS is to find out as you are going along what would make your job as photographer easier. This applies not only to cameras and lenses, but also to tripods, tripod heads, filters, camera bags, etc. All of these are just tools to improve your photography and/or to make it easier to accomplish your objectives. In the long run, the main thing is to enjoy what you are doing, keep learning, and to HAVE FUN!