Newbie - Upgrade Recs?

FioriFoto

I'm currently shooting with a Nikon D40x, I have a couple lenses (Nikon DX 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 and a Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6), but I'm not locked into any particular brand. I'm looking to make a serious upgrade to my arsenal, and now the impending question...Canon or Nikon?! I'm sure this has been answered, but I'm looking at the Nikon D700 or the Canon 5D MKII. My friends are all Canon biased, but I've talked to pros and they all say Nikon is a better body, but Canon has better glass.

I've been renting lenses from a local place and found that I've shot some really great pix with the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 ED AF-S. So, do I drop a ton of cash on a set of lenses like that and stick by the D40x or upgrade the body first, then work on "affording" lenses?

I'm really looking forward to joining the Dgin community and I appreciate any feedback.

ian408

Welcome!

Glass is your biggest expense. Bodies? They come and go. So my advice is get the best lenses you can afford now and upgrade the body later.

ziggy53

FioriFoto wrote:

...Canon or Nikon?! I'm sure this has been answered...

The question of Nikon or Canon has been answered and the answer is "Yes", either are perfectly competent systems. Now that Sony has entered the full-frame fray they are also a contender.

FioriFoto wrote:

... I'm looking at the Nikon D700 or the Canon 5D MKII. My friends are all Canon biased, but I've talked to pros and they all say Nikon is a better body, but Canon has better glass.

....

Both Canon and Nikon have excellent lenses. Nikon currently leads the super-wide zoom classification with a Nikkor 14-24mm, f2.8G ED AF-S that is good enough that some Canon shooters pay a rather steep price just for the privilege of using it in manual focus mode on a Canon camera.

Then again Canon has some unique long zooms that Nikon shooters lust for.

In balance they are both very good to excellent systems, capable of professional results in competent hands. I suggest that you really need to handle both the Nikon D700 or the Canon 5D MKII in order to make a suitable choice.

It would help us to help advise you if we knew "how" you intend to use the camera, what photographic activities and endeavors? The more detailed your answer, the more we can help you.

FioriFoto wrote:

... I've shot some really great pix with the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 ED AF-S. So, do I drop a ton of cash on a set of lenses like that and stick by the D40x or upgrade the body first, then work on "affording" lenses? ...

As you have discovered, and as Ian already mentioned, lenses play a larger role in forming the image than do cameras, so competent lenses are a first priority. Even more important is appropriate lighting, so be sure to budget accordingly.

Qarik

I am going to tack a bit differen then the others here. Yes the lens is the most important piece of the system as long as you have a body that doesn't limit you. The d40x, while a good start camera, has some very real limitations including iso, no in camera auto focus motor, less then robust autofocus, and only 3 focal points in the view finder.

I have owned the D40x and now own and D90 and D200..and the nikkor 24-70mm 2.8. My personal reccomendation is to upgrade the body to at least D90 or D200 before you get a pro lens like the 24-70mm.

Between the D700 and 24-70mm? Me personally I would get the d700 1st.

FioriFoto

Thanks for all the recs. I just rented the 24-70mm f/2.8 for this weekend and I'm definitely feeling limited by my camera body, very frustrating. Qarik, you're absolutely right about the 3-focal point, slow AF and low ISO capabilities.

Any thoughts on when the newer D400 or D750 might be coming out?!

Art Scott

i have found some really great deals on used D300's....on here and also on Ebay.......I just got my first D300/w 18-200vr lens and it is quite the camera.......Unless your using that 24-70 on a FF camera it just might feel not wide enuff at 24.....I know mine was wide enuff for me....this 18-200 is just about right in wide postion...but if wider I wouldn't complain.......
so I am looking at getting a 10-20 Siggy and the 150-500Siggy and that should just about run me totally broke for quite some time..................

NikonsandVstroms

FioriFoto wrote:

Thanks for all the recs. I just rented the 24-70mm f/2.8 for this weekend and I'm definitely feeling limited by my camera body, very frustrating. Qarik, you're absolutely right about the 3-focal point, slow AF and low ISO capabilities.

Any thoughts on when the newer D400 or D750 might be coming out?!

There are rumors floating around, the D700X is the going name but I haven't seen anything looking even somewhat solid, mostly just peoples dreams.

For the D300 there are bits about a D300s but its basically just a D300 with HD video/dual SD/CF card slots.

I actually had a good long conversation with a 5D II last night owner and we compared it and my D700, and if you need 21MP the 5D II is a great camera, if not there is no real need, and he personally found the resoultion annoying alot of the time due to the file size/processing time.

A good way to think about it is the 5D has a great sensor but the body is not up to the Nikon Dxxx level, and neither is the autofocus.

The D700 is about as good of a 12MP camera as you can buy, good AF, tough body, great high ISO, so if 12MP is enough for you there is no real question. The fun thing about the D700 is you can throw any type of photography at it, sports, concerts, studio etc. and it will do great, the camera itself will not be your limiting factor.

If you don't do high ISO work alot I would also look at the Sony A900, from what I have heard it would be a great studio/landscape camera, and in a perfect world I would love to have it along with the D700 for those applications (well I would love a D3X but even my dream world has to be somewhat realistic :giggle )