Is this a fair statement?

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insomniac

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Taken from Ken Rockwell's website: D5100.

"If you just want fantastic pictures, get a D5100. If you're a seasoned photographer who also wants more knobs and blinking lights, go for the D7000

Forget the ancient D90, which is a leftover from the previous decade; the D90trails these new cameras in every respect, but costs more!"

For computers Mr Rockwell's opinions would certainly hold true. A $1000 machine today would probably have the same computing power as a $300 machine two years from now.

So my question is: does the computing analogy apply unaltered to digital cameras? It is, after all, part computer.

PS - The reason I'm asking is because I'm considering either the D90 or the D7000, but hadn't really considered the D5100 till I read this review.
 
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'Uncle Ken' as he is referred to on here, while does make some good points, also makes some heinously rash & unqualified statements.
Personally I use his site to find some of the basics about lenses etc, but when I am specifically comparing two cameras I will always always either test them myself, or refer to other user comparisons online.

Read some of his other points and you'll see what I mean....
 
I think of Ken as like Jeremy Clarkson, very funny, very entertaining but you wouldn't base anything solely on his opinion
 
I think that if you're used to a few external controls, the D5100 would be frustrating no matter how good the sensor. I ditched a D5000 in favour of a D300 mainly for this reason. If I had to choose between a D90 and D5100 as my only body, I would definitely choose a D90. It's a personal thing. The D7000 is the best of both worlds though. I do agree on that point.
 
Control/handling is more important in my opinion. Thats why i ditch my D5000 and got a D7000 instead, never looked at the D5100 at all.

If you only use a camera to do snap shot of holiday etc then the D5100 will probably do the job since image quality is good. For more serious stuff where control/handling is important i will choose D7000. If only choose one between D90 and D5100, i will choose D90 any day.

In reality you not going to shoot above 2000 iso that often so D90 is more then enough to do the job. I rarely shoot above 2000 iso on my D7000 anyway, so thats why my D300 is my main camera. The control/handling on the D300 is superb compare to D7000.

I know someone will post in here soon saying the D5100 is better etc. The stuff above i said is all base on my experience.
 
Until the newer cameras came along the D90 was the dog's danglies according to Mr Rockwell.

As has been said many times before, just because a camera is not the latest and greatest that doesn't change the pictures it is capable of taking - the most important thing is the part behind the viewfinder!
 
But remember everyone..

Ken 'I'm the daddy' Rockwell said:
The selection of the proper filter is actually far more important than any choice of lens or camera.

I'm big on filters. The filter has a large and real effect on your image. Lens brand or sharpness does not
Click to expand...
 
f1charlie said:
Until the newer cameras came along the D90 was the dog's danglies according to Mr Rockwell.

As has been said many times before, just because a camera is not the latest and greatest that doesn't change the pictures it is capable of taking - the most important thing is the part behind the viewfinder!
Click to expand...

THIS!! Go with what feels better in your hand and forget the ramblings of various self confessed experts ;)
 
Yep i would have a play with them all,and see which one suit you :)

Just looked at an D5100 the other day,found the viewfinder a bit small,to what i am used to.
 
People slate him, but his guide to shooting with uwa lenses is one of the most useful and relevant guides I've ever read.
 
odd jim said:
People slate him, but his guide to shooting with uwa lenses is one of the most useful and relevant guides I've ever read.
Click to expand...

He has his moments, undeniably.

Problem is, he also talks a lot of utter nonsense. I think he forgets that not everyone has exactly the same priorities as himself, or believes we all should. He says a lot for shock value as well. After all, he has to attract viewers, that site is a lot of income for him.
 
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My favourite rant is the we shouldn't be shooting in RAW...

It's true (the above statement)...Mr K believes we all shoot the same things and as such, requirements are the same for one and all.

Having said that, I do find myself visiting his site for lens and camera reviews, I just tend to pay little attention to everything else he says ;)

The facy is, I had a D90 and took some of my best shots on it (but now I have the D7000 and take more great shots than I did with the D90 haha).
 
odd jim said:
People slate him, but his guide to shooting with uwa lenses is one of the most useful and relevant guides I've ever read.
Click to expand...

I think he's pretty good on making pictures in general. But he is also aware that most people visit his site for gear info and news - and that being controversial never did a hit rate any harm!

His Nikon lens list is useful.
 
I use to have a D5000 and now have a D7000 and D300. I don't see a massive quality different on my image on the 3 camera i shot. High ISO performance will be different but thats a different story.

Lens makes a different on the shot, the body to me is a tool to snap the image. What is good or bad to me is the control/handling, accessilbility and durability to me

May want to invest on lens if you not sure whether which camera is good for you. Camera body will come and go alot of times but lens stay with you for a very very long time.
 
insomniac said:
Taken from Ken Rockwell's website: D5100.

"If you just want fantastic pictures, get a D5100. If you're a seasoned photographer who also wants more knobs and blinking lights, go for the D7000
Click to expand...

Put a crap lens on it and it won't take good images. Its all about the glass, not the camera body and of course the person using the camera.

My 20D which is ancient tech nowadays still take fantastic images because I've invested in some good lenses. The Nikon D90 was and still is a great camera and has the advantage of a built in motor in the body, so it'll take Nikon's older lenses and still autofocus, which I think a massive plus in its favour. The D7000 is its straight replacement, the D5100 equivalent to the D60, so the D90 still has some good mileage.
 
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