Torn between two cameras! Help appreciated for this total newbie!

WestEndBoy

What do you think Skyeyes? A lot to absorb?

PaRealtor

You can get the SB-910 flash from Nikon refurbished PLUS an additional 10 percent off during most holiday weekends. The price comes down to LESS then the SB-700!

skyeyes70

What do you think Skyeyes? A lot to absorb?

Well, let's put it like this...I'm not planning on quitting my day job just yet! LOL
It's is an overwhelming amount to learn, and I'm glad to hear that the 700 or 910 can be set to auto while I'm learning. I really want to understand lighting!

I should have my camera in hand in the next few days!

spraynpray

The best way to understand lighting would be to use manual mode on the camera and flash and calculate the exposure by guide number as you get consistent, predictable results in any conditions. Using any automated range means when the exposure is wrong, you have to work out why the exposure is wrong then know what to do to make it right and with the Nikon system, that can be counter-intuitive.

Back in the day, you would wait for your film to come back from developing and printing to see the shots were crap and you had nothing to show for the time and money you spent, but now at least you can click and chimp.

Msmoto

How did we get so far off topic on this thread? Maybe one of the lighting threads or a new thread about the "D7100 and using flash" might be appropriate after a search of the forum.

Oh, FYI, I am guilty as well of drifting off topic on threads…… as many know

DaveyJ

I looked through all of these responses. I would second TapTeJared's advice. Of all the rigs I have used, the D7100 is the single best bang for the buck I know of. The D600 is quite famous for problems and I would on principle just not own that camera. The D7200 is a camera I have owned and it's video is a tiny step better than the D7100 and nothing else and my grandson now uses that. Lens owned is pretty important and those who recommend fixed focal length lens have never owned as many of those as I did, and they are not as great a deal as they make out. Zoom lens are frankly more convenient and as good quality. My 16-80 Nikkor is my single go to lens. Coupled with a 10-20 wide angle, and a longer lens.....you've got a nice set up. A zoom I use a lot is the modest 55-300 Nikkor and I own many much more pricey Nikon lens and none get used as much. For portraiture it is excellent and close up macro it is very, very good for the price. The 200-500 new Nikkor is a wonderful lens for the price and worth every penny you pay for it, but it is not a lightweight. I used a 200-400 f4 Nikkor and finally decide it was too big and bulky and trading it in worked for me.

DaveyJ

The above post should read I use the 55-300 a lot for tele.....The extreme end of the 300 I avoid using if possible. I have owned some expensive 300 primes and although they are sharp I found myself avoiding carrying you them. In hot weather I would have shirts with a black line on them from the second camera strap!

DaveyJ

I have owned Nikon FF cameras. I traded them in. The only one I still have is my beloved Nikon F5. For which I still own great glass. Our photo budget this last year was way over a Fullframe camera and several of the best lens. Only some of that money was spent on Nikon gear, and much of what you are considering is itself a niche in photography. You should definitely go to a great camera store....there aren't many, and really think what kind of photos you want to take. Here aerial and underwater is needed. I right now am eagerly awaiting Nikon's 360 camera availability, price, etc.

skyeyes70

Wow! this post was revived from 2014! I will just add that if I had to do it over again, I would have told myself in 2014 to go FF. Somehow I ended up with a D7100 at the time and now it makes a back up camera to my 2nd hand D800 which I got for LESS than the D7100 when it was new.

Live and learn

NSXTypeR

I'm glad you're still around skyeyes70, a lot of people post a question and then leave.

I didn't have the heart to tell DaveyJ that he dug up an old thread.

Remember to post your work in the POTD and Rainbow threads!

heartyfisher

NSXTypeR said:

I'm glad you're still around skyeyes70, a lot of people post a question and then leave.

:-bd

framer

The camera does not make the photographer. An old D300/s might be a great learning camera. Whatever you learn on will not be your final camera as thing change fast. If you get into the game you will want the best later on and then three years later upgrade again.

Other cheap pro bodies include D2h, D2x all great cameras to learn on.

My2cents,
framer

I've been upgrading for 50 years.

Ironheart

@skyeyes70 I traded my D7000 for a D7200 and am super happy. I get to trade my D5x00 in for fair value +100 at my local shop because I've preordered a D500. My style doesn't favor FF, but I am always tempted... I suppose I'll pay the FF penalty at some point 8-}

WestEndFoto

I remember Skyeyes when she first posted and while her pictures were decent, she was a beginner. Now I look at her portfolio and I am just stunned. She has made an incredible leap and is now one of the better photographers I know. Great work! I am very impressed.

skyeyes70

WestEndFoto said:

I remember Skyeyes when she first posted and while her pictures were decent, she was a beginner. Now I look at her portfolio and I am just stunned. She has made an incredible leap and is now one of the better photographers I know. Great work! I am very impressed.

Wow! Thank you so much! When I first posted pictures, that was literally the first time I had used a DSLR and any kind of editing software, you yes, very much a beginner that was Jan. 2014. We moved in May 2014 and basically I didn't pick up my camera again until around Oct. so I had lost most of what I had learned. During the last year a half. I have spent countless hours on various websites learning and shooting when I could. I am fortunate to have teenagers that I homeschool and at this point it's petty much just making sure they get out of bed each day and start school before noon. I still have a long ways to go to get where I want to be and then I want to dive into the business side of things and maybe make money for a few lenses and some of the other items on my ever growing list of things I want.

Sorry to have this tread go so far off it's original topic