Miss FX but not sure I have paid my dues yet

Charmdesign

So it's been over a decade since my love for photography started. Back then I used film. After a very long hiatus I took up digital photography last April, inspired by my daughters birth. Now that I have a practice subject a motivation to preserve memories, I find myself spending every moment I can get learning as much as I can. I don't have much time, so it is frustrating. However thanks to my college photography 100 and 200 classes, I feel I have a head start at least on the fundamentals.

When I first got to using my d7000, I found myself disappointed in regards to the crop factor. The seed was planted then that I would hone my skills and one day upgrade. Well I am just a hobbyist, artist. For now anyway. I do fantasize about doing this for money, but at the same time I am not forcing it. I don't want to ruin my passion...I will just master this and see where the path takes me. Despite not making money from this, I still want a FX camera so badly. Give me that an a nifty 50 and I will be set, for years.

I just don't know that a. I can afford it right now, and b. that I have paid my dues with my FX camera. I am going to save though, and I would like a goal. Which camera would you suggest I shoot for? I am aiming at saving up over the cause of a year maybe faster if the price is not terrible. I keep reading about how people are sort of hesitant about space hogging images. While this does concern me as I am trying to keep costs relatively low, I don't think that fear is necessarily valid so long as hardware is updated. Drives keep getting bigger. hardware wise I have a Mac Pro from 09 and I store photos on external drives only. Will that suffice for bigger MP stuff, ram wise, knowing that I store my photos on external drives? I do fill my SD cards fast enough to annoy myself but I'm shooting raw and I'm lazy about cleaning up/ backing up. I don't have a good habit for backing up eg. I don't have it automated....I don't have off site backup either. That is another post though.

I wouldn't mind spending around 1500, but probably not until summer/fall. Above that I will have to save longer. It's just, I recently paid 400 for a 50 although I have an old manual focus 50 that is better! So I am returning the new lens and trying to consider my options.

I know I am on a Nikon forum so there may be bias. Believe me I am biased. I have romantic notions towards Nikon as that is what my grandfather used. I inherited his stuff...including the pre ai home conversion 50mm, my beloved lens! But my camera and lens have back focus issues and to say the least, I am a little disappointed. beyond that I know what my next purchase will probably seal my future brand allegiance as I don't plan to jump around. Would it be wise to TRY a canon before committing to a system and more expensive hear? I hear that IQ is the same but ergonomics is different on each. I also heard that nikons are like macs and canons are like pcs. Not sure what was meant or if that is true. Love my Mac though. Anyhow... Please advise.

Charmdesign

PS I will be doing mostly natural light portraits of family, kids, babies. Especially my own now 11 month old. Open to lens suggestions to. I am not sure which lens is a logical next step. I have a manual focus 50mm 1.4 as mentioned and my kit 18-105.

kyoshinikon

Get a used D700 or D600. What is wrong about the crop of the D7000 anyway

Msmoto

This issue is on a previous thread:

http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/506/stay-on-nikon-or-switch-to-canon-or-shoot-with-both-system/p1