Upgrade body or lens....

AndyWest

AndyWest

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Andy
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Ok, i have a D3100 which i am pretty happy with. I also have a 35mm f1.8 and a 16-85mm which is very good but not very fast or canon L quality optics

I have been thinking of either upgrading the body to either a D7000 or D300s. would i getbetter iq with either of these body's using my lenses or would i be better off replacing the 16-85 with a better quality lens of similar ish focal length (24-70 2.8 would be ok). I am happy with the functions of the D3100 but it is a bit small in the hand. Thanks in advance.
 
The image quality is more down to the lens than the body. I'd go for a 17-55mm over the 24-70mm. You can pick up a 17-55 for around £500 s/h. Possibly my most favourite lens I've ever owned.

You already have an awesome lens with the 35mm F/1.8.
 
You've got two pretty good lenses there already. Both are very highly regarded in the Nikon fraternity.

I suppose it depends on what you shoot. If you're happy with the focal lengths you already have then IIWY, I'd stick with those lenses for the time being and upgrade the body (not so much for IQ but you can do more with the D7k or D300s, especially when a higher ISO is needed).

Remember too that 24-70 on a DX body is equivalent to 36-105 so you lose at the wide end compared to the 16-85 (24-128 equivalent). There is a DX version that is 17-55/2.8 that is also a beauty but it's around a £grand new or £600-700 used.

At the end of the day, there's no right answer and you can't really go wrong improving your lenses but sometimes you just have to upgrade the body as your next step.
 
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Fairly difficult to give a definitive answer. Theoretically changing to a D7000 will give you marginally better IQ in terms of resolution and noise control. The opposite should apply by upgrading to a D300 as you'll lose a little resolution and may have ever so slightly worse or the same noise performance. Whichever you went for, your images aren't going to look a lot different in most circumstances as we're talking fine margins here.

The bigger reason to move to one of those bodies is for their larger size and heftier build (the D7000 being next size up, the D300 next size again) and the extra direct controls that drings to your finger tips. You'll also find some more advanced features like 9 frame bracketing, flash commander etc... but fundamentally none of these change the finished result, they just make it easier/quicker to achieve.

Buying a better lens will always result in an instant improvement in image quality so if this is what you're striving for, that is probably the path that you ought to follow. Just bear in mind though that some of the lenses being mentioned here are big and heavy. The 24-70 weighs nearly a kilo on it's own and is 6" long without the hood. It is going to feel very front heavy when attached to your D3100. I speak from experience having used mine on a D3000 a few times. Superb lens though!
 
Andy, go try them both out. When I downgraded I didn't do that and bought a D7000 which with hindsight was a mistake as it was just too small for me.

For a while I had a D300 & D7000 and used the former more.
 
Thanks all. I'll have about a grand to spend in the near future so i have a bit of time to play with the D7000. I think going for the D300s would not be good as i will miss the 14mps of the D3100. 16mps sounds good! One thing i can do is wait for thr D300s replacement as that can't be too far away now. Anyone heard anything yet?
 
AndyWest said:
Thanks all. I'll have about a grand to spend in the near future so i have a bit of time to play with the D7000. I think going for the D300s would not be good as i will miss the 14mps of the D3100. 16mps sounds good! One thing i can do is wait for thr D300s replacement as that can't be too far away now. Anyone heard anything yet?
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There will be no noticeable difference between 14 and 16mps.
 
Sounds like you're askingwhat can upgrade your image quality.
for me, why not ask "what can upgrade my photography?"
I've seen lovely photos in a studio with entry level nikons and glass, and great landscapes with bridge cameras
what do you take pictures of? glass and SLR bodies are sexier to upgrade I admit, but do you have or need, a decent tripod, gradient filters, flash guns or some studio lighting?
just a thought...so what is your purpose or what do you shoot more of
If you were into gig photography then accurate low light focusing, high ISOs and fast primes would be the order of the day etc.
 
The23rdman said:
There will be no noticeable difference between 14 and 16mps.
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Or 14mp to 12mp for that matter. I have 3 DSLR's at the moment ranging from 10 to 16mp and unless I deliberately zoom to a ridiculous size, there is basically nothing to tell them apart.
 
It comes down to what you feel is limiting with your current gear.

Do you need better high iso? Get a d7000.

Want a more robust camera? Get the d300.

Fancy a crack at sports? Get a longer lens.

Spending because you've got a spare grand? Get some tuition off a pro.

Mike
 
I would like it if the lens was faster and abit longer in focal length but in good light the 16-85 is pretty good. I will look at the D3200 or wait until the D300s replacement turns up but as suggested i do need to concentrate on getting good images with what i have. I only seem to be able to take shots when i'm out with the family so don't get much time to learn the craft! I'm not even sure what type of photography i'm into. I do like macro/flowers and old buildings so perhaps a decent macro lens is in order!
 
AndyWest said:
I would like it if the lens was faster and abit longer in focal length but in good light the 16-85 is pretty good. I will look at the D3200 or wait until the D300s replacement turns up but as suggested i do need to concentrate on getting good images with what i have. I only seem to be able to take shots when i'm out with the family so don't get much time to learn the craft! I'm not even sure what type of photography i'm into. I do like macro/flowers and old buildings so perhaps a decent macro lens is in order!
Click to expand...

Agreed. You do have a good setup, you can get as good a shots as anyone with it...just get your skills honed :)
 
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