upgrade from d3000 (i'm a beginner)

[jalcocer]

Hi, me again, please excuse me if I'm posting in the wrong subject, but since I'm a beginner! Well, I've had my D3000 for almost a year now, I've been learning a lot (well not enough to call my self an intermediate user), and I really like it, but I want to do some video also, nothing to long or fancy, just some good shots of this and that, and then put them together to see what I can come up with.

I'm not planning on do my living with this, for me photography and video is a great way to relax and get inmerse in my own world, and I intend to keep doing it in an amateur fashion. Just want to start with some video taking advantage of dof, and take better pictures in low light and have bit more options than my d3000.

So the question is this one (I'm obviously staying with nikon, since I've already have a couple of lenses), should I upgrade to a d3100 or a d5100?? what would you recommend? Here in my country the price is a bit apart ($350 dls as opossed to the $200 in US) and have no option to buy body only with either, so getting the d5100 would mean a bit of sacrifice, but if it is worth a lot more useful features than the d3100 well, I'm up for it.

Thanks in advance.

[AvidVisionary]

If you're not going to make a living out of it then stick with your current camera for a while. It will be a waste of money if you upgrade just to play around with it as a hobby.

[jalcocer]

thanks for your advice, the d3000 is going to stay, but my question still remains, let me refrase it:

does the d5100 is worth the extra $350 (in my country) over the d3100?

[AvidVisionary]

I don't know anything about Nikon. I will leave that question to someone who does.

[Gary Brown]

is the d5100 is worth the extra $350 (in my country) over the d3100?

You might want to glance at Thom Hogan's “D3100, D5100, or D7000?” essay. There's no way to link directly to it, but if you go to http://www.bythom.com/2011%20Nikon%20News.htm and search the page for “May 4” you can get to it.

[jalcocer]

thanks a lot, that was really helpful!!

[jalcocer]

Well, just to let you know, I ended up not upgrading my d3000, I'm going to wait bit more when my needs for a more complex camera are inherent, I know I won't get to the point of needing a pro body, maybe get to the point of a d7000 like but that would be it. In the time I've been using the d3000 I've been able to get pretty decent photos, it is just a matter of moving, and keep shooting and shooting

[Philip Weber]

I'm a Nikon shooter and based on what I've read in your posts, agree with keeping the camera you have. If expanding your creative horizons is what you want, I'd suggest using the money towards lenses (I don't know what you currently have). There's nothing like a Fisheye or a LensBaby to stir the creative pot a bit. Or maybe a fast prime.

Have fun and best wishes with your photography...
Phil

[jalcocer]

Thanks a lot for your advice, I really value that. Well as for now I only have a 35mm 1.8g, a sigma 70-300 4-5.6 (amazing for shots with a tripod) and well, the kit lens is already gone but I'm after perhaps a 14-24 or  something like that to be able to take wider shots. I'm still thinking about the upgrade, since yesterday there where some really good offers in a local store for the d3100 and d5100, and also my dad has gain interest in photography so I may hand him the d3000, what do you think?

[degrub]

i agree with Phil's advice. If you need to get you dad a camera, why not the same model ? Easy backup body, already familiar with the interface, etc.

Frank

[jalcocer]

The only thing is that with the rebates the d3100 is around 10 dollars more expensive than the d3000, and the d5100 around 200 more, and for what I've read the performance in high iso for the d3100 is way better, my d3000 at iso's over 800 is really noisy and let's add 2 really annoying hot pixels I have at that range. Those are really good offers, and since I'm ready for another body since this one already have owner (haven't let go the d3000 since I lent it to him, ), what I would like to know, as far as your opinion respects, is the d5100 way better over the d3100? the video mode I'll only use it for some projects, just talking about photography wise. And is the d3100 way better than the d3000?

[Philip Weber]

I am afraid I don't know anything about those two cameras as I shoot with the D700 and D300 (and a D90 converted for infrared) but Thom Hogan is a well known and very knowledgeable writer (specifically on Nikon) and if you go to his page and scroll down on the left side, you'll see reviews for the camera you have questions about.

http://www.bythom.com/

Additionally, you might want to go to the Nikonians site and look at the forums there. I believe you can get a two week trial for free and at $25 for a year, I've found the info there well worth that, as it's all Nikon specific.

http://www.nikonians.org/

I hope this helps!
Phil