Hey guys so my dilemma is do I upgrade my camera because it’s the base level or do I go out and buy way better lenses I was looking at the D750 but by looking at the charts it is not overwhelmingly better than what I have besides being a full frame, especially since I only use it for landscape. I would just like to know your thoughts and whether my images would benefit from a camera upgrade or from new lenses ...thanks
I in no way have high end cameras but I just updated my camera from a Nikon d5100 to d7200 and realize it's not a huge jump but different class of sensor/processor etc. Most pros tell me that if it will not be a "noticeable" difference than always buy glass. I have the lenses I am satisfied with just needed an improved body. Being a hobby photographer helps me to stay less expensive than others making a living at it. I think you need to ask yourself what I was asked "what are you looking to change"? Looking for sharper and clearer images, etc...?
Nothing wrong with an APSC sensor, especially for enthusiasts (vs pros, though many pros use APSC). I take all my pics on a 20mp micro four thirds system and I'm happy enough with what I've taken. I see a ton of folks with way more expensive gear than I have taking horrible shots, so don't over rely on the gear.
That said I'm actually upgrading to an APSC system this year. But my main motivation is that the new camera (the XT3) is a more intuitive camera for me to use, one that I think I'll enjoy using even more than the GX8 I have now. And that's really the thing to focus on with purchases, make sure you get something you love to use because that's what will get you out the door taking pics, not megapixels.
I think the conventional wisdom says glass before a body. I would add a caveat that you can buy new lenses first, but with a new body in mind. If you think you might upgrade to a full frame in the future, then buy good full frame glass that will work just as well for an APSC body assuming that you stay within the same brand (with crop factor in mind, obviously). That way when you do make that switch, you already have an arsenal of good glass at your disposal and don't need to start over. The big question mark here is mirrorless, since that seems to be where the market is going and glass isn't cross compatible without a converter even within the same brand.
I was going to suggest something similar re mirrorless but got lazy. There are two sides to this coin, with mirrorless on the rise, there may be some great deals to be had on good DSLRs. But if you want to future proof you may want to look at mirrorless systems and even wait a while to see how things shake out. As a mirrorless shooter now I can't imagine ever buying into a DSRL system.
I was honestly going to buy the A7ii but missed the sale then I said screw it dslr is tried and true just heavy
There's a little more to mirrorless than the size and weight factor, though that's a big one. Things like burst rates, live view modes, video quality and settings etc. But like I said before, get what inspires you to shoot and you'll be happy!
All of which he doesn't need for landscape photography. Besides, the weight aspect of mirrorless is not that big of a deal either, because lenses for mirrorless get even heavier. https://photographylife.com/not-long-ago-lenses-were-much-lighter
You have the option to switch to a mirrorless Nikon at some later stage, let's wait for the successor to the Z7, that one is going to be interesting.
This topic is always a touchy one, but in general I think that at least on the Nikon/Canon/Sony side of things the highest quality lenses are generally designed for ff cameras. The Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f2.8 you just bought would unquestionably perform better on a ff sensor for example. You can always buy ff lenses and use them on APS-C but in general there will be a loss in image quality due to sensor size among other things. Upgrading to a full frame camera from one of the above manufacturers will increase the number of quality lens options available to you (or at least allow you to use them optimally). With that said, if you decide to upgrade to a Nikon ff I would skip the D750 and go straight to a used or refurbished D810. I initially bought a D750 and exchanged it for a D810 a week later. There are pros to both cameras but for landscape and studio work imo the D810 is a much better deal. It is a higher resolution camera which imo is a pro but this is definitely debatable. Remember that a high resolution sensor only resolves as much detail as the lens you put in front of it. This is why many photographers start loving prime lenses. With all this being said you can still take crappy photos on a ff camera with a great lens. There is no substitute for great composition and lighting. Good luck!
Thanks John and that was definitely a consideration...btw am I taking crappy pictures lol
lol, no you are getting better every day! I’m just saying an awesome camera and lens isn’t going to solve everything. Also, if you want to get into Astro with that 14mm you just got, you would get noticeably better results straight out of camera with either the D750 or D810.
And the low light performance is what I’m looking for as well I’m just wondering if the upper end cameras resolve an image slightly better or by leaps and bounds
If you are a pixel peeper in photoshop, and you have a quality lens the difference will be leaps and bounds different. However if you are not printing your images or are viewing them on lower res screens the difference will be less noticeable.
i want by summer to have quality images to print and sell, possibly do a calendar most likely have prints selling at a1 a2 a3 size
Well if you want to print at a1 extra resolution definitely won’t hurt, I would go for the D810 unless of course you want to spend some serious cash. If money isn’t an issue and landscape is your primary photographic interest I would go with the Nikon z7.
I have 4 kids under 10 money is most certainly an issue hahaha...was looking at the d800 since you can get them cheap now
That is a GREAT idea! I would go with the D800e if you can find one, it doesn’t have an aa filter.
i did on eBay with a shutter count under 10k but waiting for money to roll in at least i know its an option no articulating screen but can't have everything on a budget would you take that over the 750
Yes, especially if you are printing
Noticeably better, but it's not a huge leap. Technique is everything.
This is an important point. The D850, for example, will outperform some lenses and reveal their weaknesses. That's the reason why I love to shoot with my 'cheap' 35mm/1.8, it's another world.
As you may know, my camera fell into a lake so I have to buy a new one, within the Nikon system as I have more lenses. It was a 4 year old D7200 which is a great APSC camera.
My options are D750 (full frame), Z6 (full frame), D500 and D7500 (APSC). The Z6 and D7500 do not have grips so I tend to rule them out as I got used to the grip's comfort when shooting vertical. The D500 is awesome, but expensive. The D750 is indeed 4 years old, but has one benefit being a FF: once I do decide to jump to mirrorless, the FF lens I buy will be good. If I buy an APSC body with a 17-55 crop lens, that lens is no good anymore.
Anyway, just wanted to show you need to think forward. I'd invest in lenses, then workshops, then body.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/my-camera-sunk-in-a-lake-and-i-need-a...
If you can afford it, get a D800, either used or maybe a grey market one. If not, go for the D750. It is a massive upgrade from your current camera, have you held it in your hands yet? It doesn't look like much on paper, but the real thing is massive compared to what you have now.
As for Sony vs Nikon, I'm not getting into an argument here, suffice to say that I am more than happy with my decision to buy a D850.
If landscapes is what you want to shoot, then FF is the way to go, that 1.5 crop factor would always be in your way when shooting wide.
Well, you did ask for massive help, Joseph. And boy, has The Community delivered! Careful what you wish for.
I'll spare you my opinion, for once! ;-) Unless you really want it...
If you upgrade to full frame you'll need to get a lens as well right? Personally I would put the whole budget toward a better lens for now. If you decide in future to upgrade to a full frame you can still sell the lens to fund it.
This is quite an interesting/entertaining watch on this subject:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk5IMmEDWH4
Massive thanks to all for info and support I will have to really weigh this out
The quality leap from dx to fx (full frame) is significant. There are some that state that the difference is negligible but that is scientifically ridiculous. However careful technique with dx can produce images that can approach sloppy fx technique.
So providing you are prepared to carry a slightly heavier and larger camera any move from dx to fx will benefit you with a quality gain.
If you have a dx and have lenses that are fx then that move should be a no-brainer. If your lenses are dx then new lenses will be required though many fx cameras can switch to dx the quality hit is high.
With landscape photography the larger the sensor the better. This is why even now certain famous photographers drag large tripods and giant cameras out there.
To answer your question more accurately one would need to know what you do with your landscape images? Do they remain online or do you make prints in excess of A3? If the latter definitely favour fx otherwise do you need fx perhaps just get better glass? Better fx glass is expensive but boy is it worth it. D750 is about to be replaced so you might wait for many bargains as it is reduced or even the replacement? Perhaps a bargain D810 now so many have shed then for D850? Or dare I say it ...... a Z6 or Z7?
Great way to sum it all up and I do know the 760 should be out soon I’m just not that patient lol but I know I should hold off the other thing is I have about 1k to spend so I’m either going to buy glass and wait for the 810 or 850 to drop in price I just want to make sure I’m getting the best quality for what I can afford I wish I had 50k to blow on gear but that’s just not the case
For the D850 to fall in price anywhere near 1k you might be waiting for a long time. There may be photographers who switched from the D850 to a Z7 or a Sony, but I dare say the bulk of photographers hold on to their D850s, as that is one beast of a camera and the Z7 feels like a downgrade. I for one have no intention of replacing my D850 for a Z7. For one thing, I would have to either use an adapter for the glass I have or sell all of it only to get the new lenses which aren't exactly great. For another, I doubt the weight difference would be significant, you only have to carry a single body, but multiple lenses and that is where the true problem is. Mirrorless is the future, but we are not there yet.
I’m looking everywhere I can for discounts Thurston and you’re absolutely right unless I want a shutter count of 200,000 I’m not gonna find what I want I’m going to have to settle most likely
i believe i have come to a decision ...Glass!!! as new arrivals are going to be coming this year prices may drop and i also don't want to have only one lens option on the new rig so i am choosing these 2 lenses not the highest quality and not the bottom of the barrel reviews were good and I'm excited to see what they bring to the table
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/769577-REG/Rokinon_RK35MAF_N_35mm...
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1393219-REG/tamron_afa034n_700_70...
and of course i have the samyang 14mm i figured with these 3 lenses i should be covered for any outing or circumstance thanks again to all for great wealth of knowledge and experience
Keep in mind that, if you're going for a high resolution sensor the glass will have to match that resolution. If I were you I'd rather get one good lens instead of 2 so-so lenses. I hate to repeat myself, but the 35mm/1.8G is fantastic, it beats the 24-70mm in sharpness and is a fraction of the price. It makes perfect use of the D850 sensor. If you find yourself shooting at this focal length frequently, then it's a no-brainer, get a used one if you must but this lens will deliver. As for 3rd party manufacturers, I'd only ever get Tamron. I don't trust the rest, in particular Sigma.
I will look at it thanks Thorsten
I went through this not too long ago and someone told me to "get the cheapest fx body you can live with and the nicest lenses you can afford." The body is important, but the glass will make the biggest difference.
I went from a Nikon D5600 with kit lenses to a D810 with decent lenses (not the best, but good for me) and couldn't believe the difference. The new lenses took clarity and sharpness to a new level. Just to test this, I used them on the D5600 and the pics were still really good.
If you have to choose one or the other, get the fx glass now (it'll still produce great images with your current camera) and get the fx body later.
thanks Mark solid been there done that advice haha