What to update first

[ElizabethAtkinson]

I have a Nikon D60 with two kit lens. I want to update both the body and also get some decent lens. Whilst I am happy with my D60 it doesn't have liveview, I need a larger screen, and want lead remote control ability. I am dissatisfied also because my photos are not getting much sharper.

My question is - because I do not have a cash cow - should I upgrade the body first (thinking of 5100 or 7000) or should I invest in some lens (looking at 70-200 and something up to around 70mm), say one lens at a time.

I would appreciate you opinions. TIA. Liz.

[arthurking83]

D7000 and a 35mm f/1.8 plus(or) 50mm f/1.8 too

Not sure how much money you want to spend, and why you want liveview, but this is approximately $1500 worth of gear(new) on the reliable grey market scene.

If you can elaborate a little on why you want each of those features you've pointed too, maybe we can help with alternatives instead.

eg1. I want a larger screen and with liveview because I want to do more macro/closeups.

In this case I wouldn't recommend that you go for the 35/1.8 and 50/1.8, but a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Macro instead! Nice portrait lens, with very high Macro capability.

eg2. I want a new camera with a bigger screen and liveview and a 70-200 lens for doing portraits.

In this case I'd recommend against using liveview, and look to keep your D60 and spend up on a Nikon 70-200VR second hand if need be to stay within a sub $2K price range. Best 70-200 for portraits by far, best colour and more importantly bokeh. Nikon 80-200/2.8 is also a very good portrait lens, but doesn't AF on a D60. Sigma 85/1.4 is probably then one of your only real alternatives(on the D60) and not straying over a $2K price barrier.

..etc.
There are way too many variables to take into consideration which won't lead to a decisive qualified response. That is, you will get too many varied opinions which can lead to even more confusion on your part.

three important points.

how much do you want to spend.(no point in recommending a $2K Nikon 85mm f/1.8, or a $6K Nikon 200mm f/2 if your budget is $1-1.5K)

what do you want this gear for, not so much specifically, but in general(macro, portrait, landscapes .... ???)

why do you want to use it in this manner (ie. you want live view for getting all manner of various perspectives such as very low to the ground, or around corners, or for better macro focusing.. etc)


hope this helps.

[ElizabethAtkinson]

Thanks AK83 for your reply.
I think I am aiming at $2K but can probably spend more if I purchase in two installments (e.g. body first and lenses second, or visa versa). I want liveview because I don't always want to use the viewfinder and I think it would give me more control. The larger screen will help me when viewing photos using the camera and doing close ups/macro. At the moment I tend to do more landscapes and sports than portraits (this doesn't really interest me at the present), but would also like to eventually do macro.

[arthurking83]

A bit of info on Liveview:
Firstly, it won't actually help you a lot in most DSLR like situations and a nice bright viewfinder is certainly more usable than liveview.

Where liveview excels is in the ability to confirm critical focus, or achieve critical focus via AF 100% of the time, and Auto Focus on a particular point in the scene that an AF square can't get too.

In many instances tho the major limitation of liveview is that the dynamic range in the scene can overwhelm the review screen itself and you get no detail in the image.
This is common, and my major bugbear with Liveview, and P&S cameras!(I have trouble using P&S camera actually!)

Using liveview is a backward step in the reason you upgraded from a P&S to a DSLR, as the DSLR encourages a better shooting technique. That is, a heavy DSLR held out in front like a P&S using liveview to take a photo is prone to the same processes as most P&S cameras force their owners into! In general I'd recommend that you use it for it's advantages, rather than like you would a P&S.

Having said that Lv is better for critical framing, because the vast majority of DSLR's don't have true 100% vf coverage, and when the shot is important to me, I set the scene up using the vf, and if I suspect that some wayward element may intrude into the final capture, I'll quickly flick to Lv, check the framing(as the framing in Lv mode is the same as the sensor will end up capturing) and then reframe if need be. I prefer not to crop or clone if I can avoid it. makes PP so much easier and pleasant to do.
Other advantages is that you can setup a scene, especially one that may take a while to shoot, or that you are waiting for, and you can use Lv mode to set the AF point to an exact point in the scene, whereas through the vf you have to work within a specific range allowed by the AF points. If the dynamic range in the scene overwhelms the review screen, then this is a problem, otherwise this is one of my major uses for Lv when I use it for landscape scenes. I never shoot with it .. ever! I never compose with Lv either.. it's far too tedious(especially considering my pedantism for framing) having your eye up to the DSLR basically encourages better technique. The only times I've used Lv for framing have been when I can't physically get to the vf.

For closeups and macro Lv is the best thing since sliced bread, and I believe that one day these EVF(electronic view finders) will take this to a new level, and perform better than optical vf's.. but that another topic.
For the ability to focus in on a wafer thin part of a subject with so much precision, Lv has been the best technology advancement to the SLR type cameras .. ever!

having said that Lv is more of a bonus than anything else.

if macro and landscapes are your thing, (and not knowing exactly what you currently have), an ultra wide lens is basically indispensable and a 100mm(like) macro lens is some thing to look for.

So if you currently have a D60 and a twin kit lens(do you have a tripod and a remote release?) then I'd recommend for you to get an UWA lens and either a Sigma 150/2.8 macro, or if money is going to eventually become an issue some thing like a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 or a Sigma 105mm F/2.8. The 150mm Sigma is one of the best macro lenses available, and well worth the money. I will also double as a very handy fast(ish) portrait lens for when you ever need that. 150mm and f/2.8 will still give you good subject isolation for portraits. You'll just need to stand back a lot more than you're currently used too.
70-200mm is a large lens. Most women(non pro women.. and I'm not being sexist here!!) find them big, or annoying to drag around.
If you need a better long lens than your current kit lens(if you have one) then the Nikon 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 VR is better for those far off into the distance shots for most.

For landscaping.. I doubt you will find a lens as good as(or satisfying) to use as a Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6, for Nikon. Nikon also make their 10-24mm, but I think it's over priced and the Sigma produces great results.

if you don't mind buying grey market online(from HK or where ever) these lenses will cost(approx):
Sigma 10-20 : $450
Sigma 150mm(macro) : $950
Sigma 105mm(macro) : $500(although it seems a lot of grey retailers have dropped this one from their lists???
Tamron 90mm(macro) : $400
if you can stretch your lens budget to $1300, and camera budget to $1200(max) the Sigma 150mm is the best macro closeup lens to go for! If not the super quality of the Tamron is a great alternative, which allows a large budget surplus for cool accessories such as flashes and stuff.

Camera is a cinch! D7000! (no ifs or buts) It has to be one of the best value for money camera bodies Nikon have ever produced! :th3: can be had for as low as $1000 now, but as much as $1200.

Note none of the prices quoted take into account delivery charges.

if you do go for a Sigma 10-20mm for landscape work, also factor in a polariser filter too(very handy) 77mm filter should cost no more than $50-ish.

DON'T GO FOR ANY OF THE PROTECTIVE FILTERS!! they're simply not required and any money spent on them is better spent in a drive into the country to take photos instead! :D

Note that if any of your requirements change, then this changes the outcome of the advice given. It's easy for me to tell you to spend $2K on all this stuff, but if you end up chasing your new black labradoodle around the yard with your new fastest lens(150mm f/2.8) you'll probably get frustrated!
(note the new black labradoddle commentary is a hypothetical situation .. not something that is foretold as laid out in your last cup of coffee :p)

Note too that the original implementation of Lv mode in some of the older cameras(such as my D300) are quite annoying to use easily and fluently.
I know that the D7000 has a very easy and intuitive method for accessing Lv mode. Makes it a lot less of a drag to invoke, as it is on the D300, and in fact a bit of a pleasure to use(on the D7000) that I remember. This may also be a factor in why I prefer not to use Lv mode for landscapes too.
Note too, that I've never liked the way P&S cameras relied heavily on their native Lv modes and most had no optical vf. One of the main reasons I'd never bought one for myself for a long time leading up to my D70s in '06, Still hate them, even tho I got one for my daughter a while back.
Of course your preference may be completely opposed to mine, and you may prefer to use all cameras in Lv mode. It's a product of your learning curve as you learnt to use a camera.

[NikonUser]

I don't have much to add to what has already been discussed...

However if you are looking at the Tamron 90mm macro I would seriously consider the Tamron 60mm instead. It is a great macro lens with a nice large working distance (I think it might actually be greater than the 90mm) and doesn't extend as it focuses.

Also... the D7000 is a top choice. I got one the other day as my D2X was playing up and it's a solid camera for the money!

Paul

[RRRoger]

I recommend a used AF-S 80-200 or first generation 70-200 and a D5100

Be sure to get AF-S lens.
You can manually focus older Nikkors if you need to, but
why when the AF is excellant.

The articulating LCD is very good especially for Video, also
you can zoom in to get your stills in better focus before taking the shot.

[Maezyra]

I have just done exactly this - I have upgraded from a D60 to a D7000. I found the D60 limiting with the 3 AF points and also with the lack of AF with some lenses (eg. The 50mm 1.8, which requires AF on the body). I am VERY pleased with my choice. I have the twin kit lenses and I also bought the 50mm about a year ago. The 50mm was rarely used with the D60 due to the AF issue - I found it nearly impossible to get this sharp as I wanted with manual focus. Since I got the D7000 3 days ago, I have barely removed the 50mm from that camera! My personal thoughts - Go with the body first - It has 36 more AF points, the ability to AF with lenses that don't have that motor in them as it also have AF on the body, plus the live view that you were after AND THEN upgrade the lenses. As you can probably tell, the AF issue was a big one for me. However, this being said - It is the lens that generally makes the camera, so if you are able to look past the limits of the D60, by all means upgrade the lenses first. Providing you stick with the same make - ie. Nikon - You can't make the wrong choice, because eventually you will probably upgrade your gear down the track, the lenses are transferrable to different bodies - So whatever you choose - Goodluck!