Miss FX but not sure I have paid my dues yet

CharmdesignCharmdesign Posts: 66Member
edited December 2013 in D6x0/D7x0/D8x0
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.
Camera: Nikon D7000, Lenses: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, 35mm 1.8G DX, Ai'd MF: 50mm 1.4, 28mm 1.4, 24-70mm

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