Downgrade my Nikon?

<p>I am seriously considering downgrading from the D7000 to something like the D5200. I have had this camera for two years and I shoot less than I did when I had my D40x.. the first DSLR I've owned. Needless to say, I've managed to put 17,741 clicks on this bad boy.. but it's in great condition despite my trigger happy finger!<br>

I am so intimidated by the D7000. I feel like I have to re-learn everything before an important shoot. I am not even sure that most of my pictures ARE better than my D40x... I knew how to manipulate settings better on the smaller camera. The one thing that holds me back from downgrading is that I will not have any cash left over to invest in a new lens even though I am getting a smaller camera with less features. I have wanted a good zoom for so long but have made do with primes for several years.<br>

Anyway, long story short.. would you downgrade because of ease of use? I know I know, many of you probably look at the D7000 as a simple tool compared to the full bodies you use. But I am a full time art teacher, work part-time at a painting studio, volunteer, and very rarely do cheap photo gigs for students and their families but primarily take pictures of my children and family. I do hope to get more into graphic design and possibly photography in the future and I am scared that I will seriously regret giving up a camera with so many manual possibilities. Arg! I just can't decide. I've already taken pictures and written the ad but now I'm having second thoughts.. lol!<br>

Thank you for your help!</p>

<p>You already own it. You will lose a lot of value when you sell it. <br /><br />I realize that your busy life means it's hard to set aside a lot of time for camera study ... but, in pretty much every way that matters, the D7000 and the D5200 are the same. The user interface is a bit different, but the things that you are ultimately controlling (shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, focus) are the same. <br /><br />Start by getting yourself completely comfortable with the relationship between ISO, shutter speed, and aperture - because those things matter for all cameras, and in essentially the exact same ways. Once you get that down, the fact that the D7000 gives you a few more ways to autofocus or the D5200 hides a couple of complex things deeper down in a menu won't seem to matter nearly so much to you.</p>

<p>Short answer: don't sell. Any new camera (now or in the future) might give you this feeling again, and it's better to find out why you're feeling like this and handling that, then dodging it and hoping for the feeling to never return.</p>

<p>Longer answer: Are there any specific things that intimidate/bother you? I have not owned any of these cameras, but had a similar feeling when I went from D50 > D80 > D300.</p>

<p>How did you usually shoot when you still used your D40x? Did you use A, S, P, M or one of the pre-defined mode settings? I would think you could still shoot the D7000 in one of those same modes. And that probably goes for almost any other feature.</p>

<p>On reading your story/question, it sounds as if this is more in your mind than in the camera itself, and I'm guessing this might be because you're thinking along the lines of 'my camera is now a lot better/capable than my old one, so now I have to be better/capable as well' (I'm maybe also reading this because I've seen it happen to a couple of others around me, so I know that I/we am/are not alone). I'm basing the rest of my tips on this presumption, so if I'm wrong, you can neglect it from here :)<br>

<br />Having a more capable camera does not equal you having to be more capable from the moment you open the box; it means you are in a position to *choose* to become more capable. Until you buy one of the absolute pro-models, you will still have the option to use the pre-defined shooting modes, you can tune back on the number of foscuspoints, etc. In short you can check in which way you used your old camera, and (with the help of a photographer or a salesperson if you want) make sure the new camera starts out behaving in the same way.</p>

<p>Try to find out where (i.e. which actions, menu structure, behaviour, etc) your camera surprises/intimidates you, then try to modify that back to the old way, and work your way from there. Because there *may* be good reasons for the new things; e.g. more focus points means having more choices, having to move your finger faster, knowing more about how they behave, etc., but they also offer a chance to compose differently and still use auto-focus.</p>

<p>If ever you do want to start 'studying' your camera, or if you want to have the possibility to quickly check on something when you run into a problem or question, I'd recommend <a href="http://www.dslrbodies.com/books/">Thom Hogan's books</a>. I have no affiliation with him, but his books greatly helped me understand my D80 and D300 (keep in mind that his site has just expanded and changed, so the books section seems to be in a litle disarray; mailing him is probably the best option).<br>

In my case it started out with being puzzled over the difference in focussing when using the center focuspoint vs. one of the outer ones; the center one was quicker, and more capable of staying on a moving subject. And the reference book explained this perfectly.</p>

<p>Hope this helps you a bit. Good luck :)</p>

<p>Don't sell it!<br>

Anything complex takes a bit of getting used to. You have a great camera. I had a similar problem with "feature overload" when I bought my D700. I spent a lot of time with the owner's manual, a book by David Busch, and the camera on my couch, locating all the controls and trying them out. I still don't use half of them!</p>

<p>Anyway, here are my suggestions:<br>

- Get another viewpoint (this helped me tremendously) - http://www.amazon.com/David-Buschs-Nikon-Digital-Photography/dp/1435459423<br>

- Start by using some of the basics: aperture, shutter speed and manual modes. <br>

- Keep practicing. Carry the manual with you. When you run into something you don't understand, look it up.</p>

<p>Good luck! The learning curve is steep on these digital cameras, but it's worth it when you get it all figured out.</p>

 

<p>Something else to consider... The D7000 has a built in focusing motor. The D5200 does not. If you have any "D" series lenses they will not auto-focus on the D5200. </p>

<p>(I am going to ramble a bit here because this is a big question.) <br>

I wouldn't do it. I went from D40->D5100->D7100 and when I got the '7100 it immediately became my favorite camera. The pentaprism alone vs. pentamirror makes the camera more pleasurable to use. I feel that it is the perfect size for my hands - it is larger without being huge. There are also a lot of intangibles between the 5- and 7- series but one of the things I like the most about the mid-level DX cameras is the accessibility of important settings without the need to dive into the menus. I agree that a good "field-guide" book may take some the mystery out of it. You might also want to take advantage of the U1 and U2 modes if you aren't already. I have U1 set up for single-point focus/aperture priority/ISO 400 so I can instantly switch when I do macro work. You can pre-set your most-used settings and not have to remember every little thing you set for a particular situation. Finally, don't feel the need to know how to do everything with the camera. There are some parts of the menus I don't ever use and don't know much about but I don't let it bother me. I agree, too, that the focus motor and AI feeler are important. You miss out on full use (or any use) of a lot of great glass. Bottom line is that I think you'll lose more than you'll gain. The 5200, keep in mind, is also going to be more complex than your D40x. (Ramble done.)</p>

<p>Number of settings on command dial - D7000 - 9; D5200 - 13<br /> Number of buttons on camera - D7000 - 24; D5200 - 17 (of which 5 are multi-function)<br /> This means that the D5200 is actually more complicated and awkward to use, since two controls are needed simultaneously to change some settings, rather than having direct one-button access to those functions.</p>

<p>I could go on making comparisons, but really, I think if the D7000's controls and functions are giving you trouble, then you won't find the D5200 any easier to use.</p>

<p>Under 18K clicks in 2 years? Pfft! That's nothing.</p>

<p>I wouldn't do it...</p>

<p>...but the way I use my camera has changed a lot, and I've been tempted to dump the whole Nikon rig and buy into the fuji rangefinder stuff. a dial for shutter and a dial for aperture. Period.</p>

<p>I think I'd enjoy that.</p>

<p>You do not have to know and use every feature of any piece of equipment.</p>

<p>I shoot mostly a film F100. I doubt I use more than 20% of its features, yet it works quite well for me. The same can be said about the SB-28 flash I mount on it.</p>

<p>I doubt you know or use more than 10% of the features of your computer. Do you feel intimidated by it? If so, you should trade it in for a hunk of wet clay and a sharp stick! <BIG GRIN> </p>

<p>There is an old engineering adage, "You get 80% of the result for 20% of the work." So use you camera to get the results you want and forget about the other "features".</p>

<p>Stop feeling "intimidated" and go take pictures.</p>

<p>Sorry, April. If it's just a matter of usability, I'd say stick it in program mode and area focus, ignore everything else, and have fun. Don't let the camera intimidate you. The scene modes are there on the D7000 if you want them, but I honestly find them more of a pain than a help in cameras I've used (there are only a few things that a camera can control, and choosing between fifty scene modes - at least on one of my compacts - based on which one is hopefully going to choose the settings that I want).<br />

<br />

<i>But</i> it depends what you shoot. The D5200 has the same autofocus module as the D7000, a higher resolution sensor (bigger images, if you want them), and a flip-out LCD that's useful for macro shooting (and other weird angles). If you value those more than direct controls, don't feel ashamed to "downgrade". Most of the manual options on the D7000 are also present on the D5200, just less convenient to access. Changing settings on the D7000 is likely to be faster because you spend less time in menus, but it's almost all there.<br />

<br />

But shoot with what makes you happy. I don't think a D7000 <i>should</i> make you uncomfortable, and most would consider it the better camera for general use than the D5200 (I believe), but if it <i>does</i> make you uncomfortable, it's not my place to tell you otherwise.</p>

<p>Hi April,<br>

I'm going to be in the "don't sell" camp. You will not get what you paid for it anyhow, and I think someone else already said this - who's to say the camera you replace it with will make you any happier or comfortable?<br>

I do however understand your frustration and unease with the camera. I owned the camera for a while before I really started to use it, because it intimidated me. But I've taken a class, gotten a book (the For Dummies one is really helpful) and I'm starting another class tomorrow. Not that you need a class, but I suspect that time with the camera and a good book will ease your concerns and allow you to start enjoying the camera. Start with one thing that bothers you or that you are unsure of, and focus on that until you master it or understand it. </p>

 

<p>I must admit to some of the same trepidation... maybe it is because of my 70 plus years -- over 60 of them taking pictures, a number of them as my primary source of income. There was a time when I probably had two or three dozen camera bodies in the studio at any one time -- from 35 to large view cameras. There were always some in the shop for repair or calibration and in any given day you might use two or three formats and a half dozen different films and go from studio to natural lighting. However, when I got to the D7000, I too felt a bit overwhelmed by the capability of the system and still do to a certain extent. These days I run a very sophisticated digital operation doing technical data analysis for government operations and hold several technical patents. Photography is a hobby today, but the amount of technology crammed into the sophisticated box that are today's top of the line prosumer cameras can be daunting to assimilate. I guess my response is -- you don't have to assimilate it -- use and understand what you want and use. I have no use for the video and audio on the D7000 and have no idea how to use it. I also do use the live view. None of those capabilities fit my needs -- so, I just ignore them. What I do like is the low light capability and the wide EV range of the sensor. The ruggedness of the box and weather sealing is also a plus. I recently took it on a six day cruise aboard a destroyer with the US navy and was out in heavy salt spray and high winds on deck and it was great. Keep your D7000, use what you like -- disregard the rest.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Anyway, long story short.. would you downgrade because of ease of use? I know I know, many of you probably look at the D7000 as a simple tool compared to the full bodies you use.</p>

</blockquote>

<p><br /> Absolutely not! I found the higher end cameras are easier to use than the lower end ones. They tend to be simpler and less frill just pure performance. Besides down grading would not gain you any money as the camera would lose much of its value being used.</p>

<p>Keep your D7000! I have a D80 and a D7000. Both have pentaprism viewfinders, two control wheels, and similar external buttons. The D7000 meters with manual focus lenses, which is great for macro using older AI and AIS Micro-Nikkor lenses. You want a zoom lens: the D7000 has full functionality with AF-D zoom lenses; you are not restricted to AF-S zoom lenses. As mentioned, the D7000 is faster and easier to operate compared to a D5200, once you have learned the basics of the camera.</p>

<p>Recently I was handed a D800 to take a few shots. I was immediately comfortable with the camera. I made a few shooting changes with the external buttons and took my shots. Conversely, my friend recently handed me his D5100, and I began menu diving in a foreign environment. I wouldn't mind shooting a D5200 -- it's just a slower process, and less like shooting my Nikon film cameras.</p>

<p>Some books have been mentioned. I use "Mastering the Nikon D7000" by Darrell Young. You could also consider joining the Nikonians, where a user forum is dedicated to the D7000 and D7100. In order to feel truly comfortable with any of the DSLRs, you have to put in some quality study time, and put your camera through your normal paces with some regularity.</p>

 

<p>it makes no sense whatsoever to downgrade from a d7000 to a d5200 unless the camera is too big for you. i can understand being intimidated by it, but just the fact that the d7000 has two control wheels makes it easier to use IMO. everyone who has commented has made some good points; there's definitely a learning curve with the d7000 or any hi-end camera, but that just means you wont grow out of it as easy. take a class, read a book, join a dedicated user forum -- all good advice.</p>

<p>when i was just learning DSLRs 6-7 years ago, i read the operator manual front to back, going over every feature of the camera. i bought bryan peterson's "understanding exposure." and, most importantly, i studied my photos and figured out what i needed to do to make them better. one piece of advice peterson gives is not to be afraid of shooting in manual mode--he actually recommends moving up to manual mode as quickly as possible--and adjusting aperture and shutter speed by yourself. with nikon's auto-ISO feature, this is easy, since it will compensate for your depth of field and shutter speed settings, and make adjustments according to the amount of light you have.</p>

<p>another trick i use often is shooting in P mode at first just to see what settings the camera will choose, then fine-tune according to specific aperture/shutter values i may need. that actually takes a lot of the guess work out of it.</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"another trick i use often is shooting in P mode at first just to see what settings the camera will choose, then fine-tune according to specific aperture/shutter values i may need. that actually takes a lot of the guess work out of it."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Ditto. Nikon's Program mode works great for many situations, and can be instructive as well, as Eric described.</p>

<p>I seldom use my D2H anymore and when I need to grab it quickly and use it without taking time to get reacquainted with it, I just set it to P and let 'er rip.</p>

<p>In March this year I used the D2H for the first time in many months and neglected to take my own advice. I tried to use Aperture priority to ensure shallow DOF for some portraits and forgot that I'd also set the thumb wheel to control exposure compensation. So a few photos were grossly overexposed. As soon as I noticed the error I switched back to P mode and finished the day like that. The Flexible Program mode option allows biasing DOF and/or shutter speed as needed for a given situation, so I rarely have any use for Aperture or Shutter priority modes anyway.</p>

<blockquote>it makes no sense whatsoever to downgrade from a d7000 to a d5200 unless the camera is too big for you.</blockquote>

 

<p>That's not quite true - the D5200 does have a higher-resolution sensor and the flip-out screen, so there were times when it would be the better camera. It's my default recommendation for macro shooters, for these reasons. The D7000 is better in a number of other ways, but it's not universally a downgrade.<br />

<br />

I would also use P mode before messing with scene modes, and not just as an educational tool, but if you want scene modes, the D7000 does have them (unlike, say, the D800).</p>

<p>Wow. I am blown away at the helpful responses!! You guys convinced me.. I'll stick with it. I think you're right, it's in my head and I'm hoping to fix it with an "easier" camera. I felt so happy the first time I started taking photos with my D40x 7 years ago.. the rush and instant gratification that came with a great shot gave me an amazing high (I'm sure you can all relate) and I suppose I just hope to recapture that with every piece of equipment I add to the collection.<br>

It all started about 10 years ago with an old Nikon film camera I used in a B&W photography class where we developed our own film. What's sad.. Most of my best photos were taken back then with that little camera. Being able to lock an exposure setting with one finger while metering and then recomposing and shooting an awesome photo was so much easier.. I figured a digital camera would be a breeze! Unfortunately, that didn't happen. I "fight the light" all the time no matter what lens I try to use. I have an artists eye and I understand the concepts.. but applying them is much more difficult. I probably need an in-depth class to really make them "stick". I am a perfectionist when it comes to my art and I can't be satisfied until the image in the LCD screen is as good as the one I see in the viewfinder! Until then, I just feel frustrated, always fighting my medium. </p>

<p>Okay, rant done. Ya'll have been immensely helpful. I will use this as a reference when I'm feeling too intimidated to keep clicking! Thank you again!</p>

 

<p>April, if you were happy with a film camera, I'd suggest just spending an evening sitting down with the manual and getting the camera behaving as you want it. By all means go on a learning curve for extra functionality later, but getting the hang of how to lock exposure on the D7000 (the AE-L/AF-L button is your friend), getting the meter the way you want it, and then ignoring the rest of the functionality should be okay. The D7000 has plenty of dynamic range, and a meter that works much like one in some film cameras. Focus and recompose (AF-S) still works. Pay enough attention with the manual - when you're <i>not</i> in the field - and you can "downgrade" your D7000 to behave like the film camera that felt natural to you. (And if you were used to a film camera, I'm more convinced that the direct controls of a D7000 are a better choice for you than the D5200.)<br />

<br />

Then, when you want to, you can enable the extra features one at a time. That's a much better way to learn them anyway, compared with jumping in at the deep end - there's no shame in struggling with all the options if you try to learn them all at once. (It took me two years of shooting with my D700 before I realised that manual mode + auto-ISO was useful, if that's any recommendation.) Don't forget that there's a help function on the camera.<br />

<br />

Good luck. I hope you and your camera will be better friends in no time!</p>

<blockquote>

<p>That's not quite true - the D5200 does have a higher-resolution sensor and the flip-out screen, so there were times when it would be the better camera. It's my default recommendation for macro shooters, for these reasons. The D7000 is better in a number of other ways, but it's not universally a downgrade.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>andrew, the d5200 is a fine camera but it will always have worse ergonomics than a d7000, which the OP already owns. stop nit-picking.</p>

<p>Hi April, photography today is more about good subjects, good light and composition than it is about megapixels and learning every detail of a DSLR. Set the D7000 to Auto or Aperture Priority mode and concentrate on your subjects. Once you do this and get some nice results then you can sit quietly with your camera and start to explore the different settings. But I think that your results may not be that different one way or the other. Besides, if you get perplexed with the D7000, you can always reach out to your friends on this website for guidance.</p>

<p>Eric: Given that the OP doesn't <i>like</i> the ergonomics of the D7000, I didn't think I <i>was</i> nit-picking!<br />

<br />

For April's sake, from her background, I think she should stay with the D7000 (because I think the ergonomics will eventually grow on her). But others do occasionally manage to get the photo.net search function to work and read these threads. It would be a disservice not to point out that there are times when a cheaper camera can be superior for reasons other than weight. Nor do I think a 50% increase in resolution between a D7000 and D5200 (the same as the difference between a D600 and a D800) is nit-picking, although it can certainly be over-stated.<br />

<br />

If you really want a flip-out screen - and there are good reasons to want one, especially for macro - a D5200 is still the best camera in Nikon's line-up, including the D7100. Equally, a D7100 is better for some things (quite a few, actually) than a D600, the D600 is better for some things than a D800, and the D800 is better for some things than a D4. I'd struggle to think of a reason why a D3200 might be better than a D5200, but that's an exception (and wait for a D3300 to be released...) Of course, there are <i>more</i> reasons why the more expensive cameras are "better" than the cheaper ones (either more scenarios, or a big advantage in extreme shooting), but Nikon's line-up isn't designed so that each model is a universal upgrade over the version "below".<br />

<br />

It doesn't sound as though the OP needs the situations when the D5200 is justifiably "better" than her camera, and hopefully April has already been persuaded that we don't think she should switch, but I live in hope that the next person trying to make this decision and finding this thread would like a detailed answer. Sorry if it sounded as though I was being argumentative.</p>