Upgrade camera or lens?

Sounds like a good pland to me.

There are several good super wide zooms around, the Sigma 10-20mm seeming to be the popular choice. Someone else will probably be a better help than me on this though since it's been a while since I last looked at the DX options. I think the Tokina 11-16mm looked one of the better choices to me when I did look into it once. Doesn't give a huge focal range though.

Maybe something in the 15-30mm range would suit better. I have a Sigma 15-30 but it's probably a little bulky for travel. Quite light though, but it's pretty old and there are probably sharper and more compact options around these days. Then again, with that kind of focal range it's not far off the Tamron 17-50 which is a superb lens. I did say I wouldn't be much help. :D

Converging verticles and barrel distortion are fairly easily corrected in photoshop in any case so I wouldn't worry too much about this at the expense of image quality.

Personally I would go for the wider option but that's just personal preference.
 
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On the low(er) light crisp primes subject, I'll throw in the idea of the 35mm f/2 D also ;)

I can't comment on the 35mm f/1.8 AF-S, other than I'm not sure about it as it's a DX lens and I really see little need for it to be DX. Primes are the kind of lenses you'll likely take with you to full frame so this would have to be sold. I don't mind selling off the cheap DX zooms. It's also as an AF-S more technology to go wrong. The old f/2 D is just incredibly simple, cheap, very small and lightweight. The AF-S adds the motor to the lens which adds bulk. Okay so that means you can fit it to a D40 and the like, but most of those cameras are going to spend their time with the kit lens on rather than primes.
 
I think I've ended up back at square one.

I now feel that the D90 is too close to the end of its life to be worthy of my money. The D5000 seems to have inherited many of its internal features at a better price and with the interest of it being "new". However, I liked how the D90 had so many external tactile buttons for control. And I like the LCD screen on the top of the D90. The internal motor is only really a concern as I'm in the market for a 50mm f/1.8D. Other than that, I can't think of any lenses in the pipeline which don't have their own motor. Although I must say I like the flexibility of not having to worry about that in the future.

However, the D90 has the shocking implementation of the video feature and, as I said earlier, seems to be using technology which has now trickled down into cheaper models. The gap between the new D300s and the D90 is enormous, whilst the gap between the D90 and D5000 is not. As there is no way I can stretch above £550 for the camera body, the D300s remains a pipe dream. :shake:

For lens choices, I'm now stuck as to whether to go for a 35 or 50mm prime lens for portraiture given the whole crop sensor argument. :thinking:

I am now officially lost. :(
 
I'd have a look at the new D3100. The video's much improved (1080p, and h264 instead of motion jpg). Personally, i'd probably go for one of those over a D5000.
 
Kaouthia said:
I'd have a look at the new D3100. The video's much improved (1080p, and h264 instead of motion jpg). Personally, i'd probably go for one of those over a D5000.
Click to expand...

That is the other camera that caught my eye after I saw it on Warehouse Express' front page. Looks attractive but doesn't feature the top LCD screen or the external buttons that I liked about the D90. And it kind of feels like I'm side-grading as opposed to upgrading from the D40. :shrug:
 
Then I'd hold out for a D90 replacement.
 
Astraeus said:
For lens choices, I'm now stuck as to whether to go for a 35 or 50mm prime lens for portraiture given the whole crop sensor argument. :thinking:
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On a crop, the 35 is roughly equivalent to a 50mm's field of view. 50mm used to be classed as a "normal" lens as it has a perspective similar to that of a human eye. Though if you use a 35mm to get the equivalent of a 50mm you'll get a slightly different DOF and angle of view as the focal length is different.

The 50mm will be much closer final image on a crop so perhaps better for portraits, but then a 35mm cropped to a 50mm FoV may be good for portraits too if this is anything to go by...

http://www.vothphoto.com/spotlight/articles/forgotten_lens/forgotten-lens.htm
 
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