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Upgrading from D3100. What to choose.

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Posted by Adco: Sun Oct 14th, 2018 06:09

1^st Post

I want to upgrade from from a D3100 to a more modern body with better specs. I enjoy macro and wildlife photography. I have a 105mm Sigma macro lens and a 70-300mm Sigma lens. I don't want to upgrade on the lens at this stage.

Perhaps my reasoning is incorrect but I feel that a body with a larger sensor is going to take me to the next step. I'm trying not to blame the bad workmanship on the tools and I recon my shots are reasonable. However, I'm hoping that a 24 megapixel sensor will be a good improvement over my current 14 megapixel sensor. Or am I looking in the wrong direction?

I have been searching the internet for a suitable upgrade that won't break the bank and I'm confused by all the choices. D3400, D3500, D5300 etc.

Where do I go from here?

Posted by jk: Sun Oct 14th, 2018 06:27

2^nd Post

Hi welcome to the forum.

The D7200, or newer will give you a real improvement.
The D7100 would work but it has a smaller i agebuffer and the D7200 is more capable.

The D5x00 series are a little better than your D3100 so I recommend the D7200, D7300, D7500. It is a balance of newness and cost.

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Posted by Adco: Sun Oct 14th, 2018 06:40

3^rd Post

jk wrote:
Hi welcome to the forum.

The D7200, or newer will give you a real improvement.
The D7100 would work but it has a smaller i agebuffer and the D7200 is more capable.

The D5x00 series are a little better than your D3100 so I recommend the D7200, D7300, D7500. It is a balance of newness and cost.
Hi JK. Thanks for the welcome but I've been here a while. :cheersduo:

I have seen the D7200. It looks great but is out of my price range. Perhaps I should just stick with what I have. I'm not unhappy with my D3100, I would just like to improve as time goes by. Looks like that's going to take a while.

Posted by Eric: Sun Oct 14th, 2018 09:24

4^th Post

One of the things to guard against when upgrading is chasing more pixels in the potentially misguided idea they will bring better images.

The perceived wisdom is adding more pixels to the same size sensor means your technique has to be more precise to realise the improvement.

When I upgraded from a 6mp D1X to a 12mp D2X I found I had to use faster shutter speeds or a tripod to see any difference in IQ. In fact I was friustrated at the %increase in unacceptable shots whenusing the camera casually. When the D3 came out with 12mp of an FX senor the relief was palpable....and the % of keepers shot up!

Of course newer technology helped but spreading 12mp on a much larger sensor made a significant difference. The bigger the pixels the better!

With this in mind you may consider moving to a full frame body ...even a used older model. Of course they need Fx lenses ...so there's is an incremental cost in making this change.

But moving from DX to FX can be a breath of fresh air and spur you on with your hobby. The other advantage of FX is that the noise levels are lower...which means you can, if necessary, use higher ISO than on a DX camera without noise becoming invasive.

If you were to go this route a used D700 might be an option.

If you want to stay with DX, then I've been impressed with the quality of the D5300. Some of the settings are only accessed via menus...which can be frustrating till you get used to it and it lacks some of the functions that the D7xxx series bodies have.....but it could give you a bit more. Don't rule out a used D7000. That was a very good camera that has only been marginally improved upon by the D7200 and D7500.

____________________
Eric

Posted by Adco: Sun Oct 14th, 2018 09:33

5^th Post

Eric wrote:
One of the things to guard against when upgrading is chasing more pixels in the potentially misguided idea they will bring better images.

The perceived wisdom is adding more pixels to the same size sensor means your technique has to be more precise to realise the improvement.

When I upgraded from a 6mp D1X to a 12mp D2X I found I had to use faster shutter speeds or a tripod to see any difference in IQ. In fact I was friustrated at the %increase in unacceptable shots whenusing the camera casually. When the D3 came out with 12mp of an FX senor the relief was palpable....and the % of keepers shot up!

Of course newer technology helped but spreading 12mp on a much larger sensor made a significant difference. The bigger the pixels the better!

With this in mind you may consider moving to a full frame body ...even a used older model. Of course they need Fx lenses ...so there's is an incremental cost in making this change.

But moving from DX to FX can be a breath of fresh air and spur you on with your hobby. The other advantage of FX is that the noise levels are lower...which means you can, if necessary, use higher ISO than on a DX camera without noise becoming invasive.

If you were to go this route a used D700 might be an option.

If you want to stay with DX, then I've been impressed with the quality of the D5300. Some of the settings are only accessed via menus...which can be frustrating till you get used to it and it lacks some of the functions that the D7xxx series bodies have.....but it could give you a bit more. Don't rule out a used D7000. That was a very good camera that has only been marginally improved upon by the D7200 and D7500.Thanks, great advise.

Posted by Robert: Sun Oct 14th, 2018 16:11

6^th Post

Agree with Eric, but consider a D200 or D300 if you decide to stay with DX.

FX are still relatively expensive, D200's as going for peanuts because everybody is chasing the pixel count. I have used the D3100, I currently have a D3300 which is a handy little camera but even my 14 year old son appreciates my D300S and once he has claimed it while we are out, I have a job prying it out of his hands.

He has gaffer taped the pop up flash on the D3300 to stop it popping up all the time, darned nuisance, taking a photograph of a mountain in the distance and the wretched flash pops up! NOT any more.

The D200/300 are still very good cameras, capable of excellent results. Much easier to use and more robust, better features like intervalometer for time-lapse and easier exposure composition and bracketing. All things which can improve your scope, your creativity and improve your images.

____________________
Robert.

Posted by amazing50: Fri Nov 2nd, 2018 09:55

7^th Post

I have a D5300 and find it very useful and prefer it to later Dxxxx models.

It has a GPS etc that have been removed from later products and a sensor that has no anti-aliasing filters making it on par with the D610 that is filtered.

Also works great with FX lenses giving 25MP and a 1.5x crop and a fully articulating LCD.

____________________
There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept ;~) Mike Grace

Posted by jk: Fri Nov 2nd, 2018 15:51

8^th Post

I think a D5300, D3500, D3400, are all fine cameras especially if you dont want to spend a fortune. Just need to be careful as they tend to need the later lenses with built in electronic motors in the lenses if you want autofocus.

____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none

Posted by amazing50: Fri Nov 2nd, 2018 21:34

9^th Post

I keep a D850 around so I can use all my legasly glass. :lol:

____________________
There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept ;~) Mike Grace

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