What Is Best FIRST Nikon SLR?

[dnksr]

Ha ha... via twitter

@HowardStern - "Want to thank the good folks at adorama who just helped me out. Great store and nice people. Nikon d7000. Good pics to come."

 

[Cliff3]

I do think I am a "good enough" buyer...nor do I want to get the very best, so I am a few bars above "good enough".
Does this make sense?

Not really. I know you're not buying the best. You need to do enough research to determine where your good enough threshold lies. Chatting about it on an Internet forum won't directly lead you to the answer. You need to do some reading and some research. Unless you just want some group of strangers to tell you what to buy.

Good enough is a subjective term. Where that bar lies is not some universal constant. My good enough is higher than yours. My experience, my other equipment (lenses, tripods and related support gear, strobes and lighting, etc.), and my photographic goals shape where I set that bar. I evaluate that bar whenever a new body is released. Most of the time I am not tempted to change it.

(FWIW, I shot with my last body for around 5 years, and I've had my current body for more than 2 years and will probably not be too strongly tempted to switch when its successor is announced this year. I have a pretty good grasp on what I need and my gear isn't holding me back at the moment.)

If you're just getting started, then I think the fundamental choice you have to make is how enthusiastic you are about photography as a hobby. If you're not sure how to respond to that question, then I'd buy at the low end, gain some knowledge and experience, and see where your enjoyment takes you. Otherwise, I'd look at that list of cameras I listed as enthusiast-level entry points and see what you can swing.

 

[avro707]

....

Yes, you are completely right, and I'm totally and completely wrong and have no idea what I'm talking about.

 

[gnd]

Well, I thank you and the other fine people for taking the time to post!
I am tired this evening (Monday after the week-end off) and I cannot take the time and consideration for what I would like to post back....sorry for that.
Anyway, I went to bythom website links you gave me and it mostly crystalized my thinking.
I do think I am a "good enough" buyer...nor do I want to get the very best, so I am a few bars above "good enough".
Does this make sense?
I would like to have something better than entry level that is why I worded my thread best first Nikon not best entry Nikon...I am concerned about ease of learning the parameters of use....but it seems most would say learning the menus etc. are all about the same....so discount that factor, right?
Anyway, I may wait a bit and see what Nikon comes out with regarding the possible D5100 and then finalize something......thanks to all....I am tired and I hope I made sense.
ledzeppelin

You are making it sound like it's all about the camera. It's not. Put the same kit lens on two different cameras and you'll get more or less exactly the same photo (give or take a bit of noise). Now put a constant aperture zoom on one of these two cameras and the photo will look a lot better.
A good camera body doesn't make a good photo. There is also (in order of importance):
- photographer
- light
- lens
And the camera body comes last ...

 

[ledzeppelin]

You are making it sound like it's all about the camera. It's not. Put the same kit lens on two different cameras and you'll get more or less exactly the same photo (give or take a bit of noise). Now put a constant aperture zoom on one of these two cameras and the photo will look a lot better.
A good camera body doesn't make a good photo. There is also (in order of importance):
- photographer
- light
- lens
And the camera body comes last ...

I agree, just probing you thoughts on the subject...it is a big subject...<grins>
Thanks for the input.

 

[ledzeppelin]

You are making it sound like it's all about the camera. It's not. Put the same kit lens on two different cameras and you'll get more or less exactly the same photo (give or take a bit of noise). Now put a constant aperture zoom on one of these two cameras and the photo will look a lot better.
A good camera body doesn't make a good photo. There is also (in order of importance):
- photographer
- light
- lens
And the camera body comes last ...

Good points, and I do realize and agree the other factors can be on equal footing as the body.....thanks for the input!
I edited my post to say I am "NOT" for just good enough. Sorry, for confusion. I am planning on getting Nikon brand lenses. (2)
I like to get what you more experienced folks have to say.
I originally started to get into photography in 78 with a Canon A1....but then my life happened and I am now wanting to try and start again and I am excited about the purchase and I at least know what brand I am "shooting" for...(grins)...really do read and appreciate all the thoughts.
thank you for reading and interest......(running late for work I hope this doesn't sound convoluted if so I will edit tonight)
ledzeppelin

 

[John.B]

A good camera body doesn't make a good photo. There is also (in order of importance):
- photographer
- light
- lens
And the camera body comes last ...

Depends on the camera body and what you are trying to accomplish with it.

Every try to get available light shots (no flash) of a band without the high ISO abilities of something like the D700? How about "miniaturized" tilt shots without live view? Or sports shooting using a body without a high frame rate? HDR without decent (5 exposure) bracketing support?

 

[compuwar]

Depends on the camera body and what you are trying to accomplish with it.

Every try to get available light shots (no flash) of a band without the high ISO abilities of something like the D700? How about "miniaturized" tilt shots without live view? Or sports shooting using a body without a high frame rate? HDR without decent (5 exposure) bracketing support?

Yep, photographers did all of that from at least the 1960's onwards, and believe it or not they got good results.

Of them all, the sports shot is the one where the photographer makes the most difference. Someone who knows the sport, subjects and has good timing wins over machine-gunning almost every time. Here's a challenge for you- shoot any motor sport by just using a high frame rate without practicing good panning technique, and compare your results to someone who normally shoots the same sport- I bet their pictures are noticeably better.

Heck, my camera has bracketing support and I'll still often bracket manually because I want more than the nine exposures it gives me.

I'm hoping to do a band shoot in the next few weeks, and though I'll probably try to strobe it up, I still won't be renting a D700 or D3s. High-ISO doesn't make the lighting good- good lighting makes the lighting good- so my first plan is to insist on strobing the venue.

Paul