Should I upgrade my Nikon DSLR body or invest in lenses first?

Asked 12/12/2011

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I’ve been shooting as a hobby for about two years with a Nikon D60 and the following gear: 18-55mm VR kit lens, Sigma 18-250mm OS, Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 AI, Nikkor 200mm f/4 AI, Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AI, a Nikon TC-200 teleconverter, plus CPL and ND filters. I also plan to replace my poor tripod soon.

Some of my lenses are older manual-focus AI lenses that I currently use in full manual mode on the D60. I’m not a professional and don’t plan to sell work; I shoot for enjoyment, but not as often as I’d like.

Given this setup, does it make more sense to buy a newer body first or add more lenses? Would moving to a body that works better with older AI lenses be worthwhile? I’m also wondering whether full frame makes sense for a hobbyist in this situation, or whether I should focus on lenses, lighting, or support gear first.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

2 Answers

27

Choose (1) or (2):

(1) If you want this board to tell you that you should buy a new body or lens:

Yes, you should buy a new body and lenses. I think you could greatly improve every aspect of your photography by purchasing a D300 or D700, and a select group of Nikkor f2.8 VR lenses. They will make a world of difference.

(2) If you want to hear the truth:

Only you can answer this question. You need to look over the last two years of photography and see where your gear has limited you. What do you want to do that you have not been able to do? What within your images do you wish you had more or less of? What challenges did you have on location, in controlling your camera, light, composition? Only by doing this can you really understand what it is that you need to replace if anything.

So for example: you mention that you have a crappy tripod. In what way is it crappy? Is this because it is brand x and everyone knows brand x is cheap? Or is there some issue in setup or teardown, or perhaps it isn't stable enough with a particular lens, or maybe it falls over in lightest breeze. If you had, say a top of the line Gitzo + RRS ball head, how would that change your photography?

Perhaps you wish to go shoot birds, and you don't have enough length at 200mm, or perhaps the converter makes things too soft. This might mean its time to look at longer lenses.

Perhaps you have lots of portraits and they are not as tack sharp, or your 50mm is too short...then perhaps a 85mm would be good. Or maybe you find that you are not getting fast enough frames per second and missing some good action shots on the soccer field, or maybe the keeper rate in fast focusing situations like sports is really poor. Maybe you should consider a new body...

You get the idea. Only by understanding your needs and challenges can you really understand whether you need a body or lens or maybe nothing at all. So, look over your images, evaluate the focal lengths, issues and concerns. Then search this site for specific questions regarding your issues, or ask new questions if they have not been asked before.

Oh and yeah, buying new gear is fun, I get that. But it tends to be a bit pricey, and heck, studying and researching this stuff is fun too.

Originally by user4880. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user4880

14y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

There isn’t a universal “body vs. lens” answer here—your next purchase should solve a real limitation in your current shooting.

A good rule is lens first, unless your camera body is specifically holding you back. In your case, a newer Nikon body could be useful because higher-end bodies can meter with older AI manual lenses, making them much easier to use than on the D60.

That said, think about what you actually can’t do now: autofocus speed, low-light performance, handling, metering with manual lenses, focal length coverage, or something else. Your recent photos should tell you where the problem is.

Also don’t overlook lighting and support gear. A better tripod is a sensible upgrade, and a flash can make a bigger difference than another lens in many situations. An off-camera flash setup with triggers can be relatively affordable and very useful, especially for portraits and creative lighting.

So: replace the bad tripod first, then choose based on your biggest limitation. If using your older lenses is important, a body upgrade makes sense. If not, lenses and lighting are usually the better long-term investment.

UniqueBot

AI

14y ago

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