Likes and Dislikes of Upgrading?

<p>This question is about using your camera, NOT image quality or post processing.</p>

<p>1. What was your last upgrade?<br>

2. What improvement/new feature really worked for you?<br>

3. What did you like on your old camera better?</p>

<p>I'll go first:<br>

1. D700 to D800<br>

2. I really like the way you adjust AF-Area Mode with the D800. I tend to switch between Single-point and Auto often and like how this is done on the D800 over the D700.<br>

3. I liked the placement of the Fn button better on the D700. My finger bumps into it on the D800 every time I pick it up.</p>

<p>1. D100 to D2X.<br>

2. Just about everything--placement of controls, viewfinder, speed, solidity, and more.<br>

3. Light weight. Built-in flash.</p>

<p>1. d7000to d7100<br>

2. 24 mpx, High ISO performance, <br>

3. Everything seems a bit better on the 7100.</p>

<p>It has been a while since my last upgrade, but...<br>

1) D80 to D7000<br>

2) could shoot more fps<br>

3) dual memory cards<br>

4) high ISO performance</p>

<p>1. Olympus D-500 to D5100 to D7100<br>

2. Autofocus, commander mode for flash, increase in resolution.<br>

3. On the Olympus, I liked the external controls, which I lost on the D5100 and got back on the D7100. The D5100 took great photos.</p>

<p>After shooting for decades with non-AI lenses on Nikon gear, I finally up-graded to a ca. 1954 Nikon S2. My most recent SLR Nikon is a lovely F80 acquired in my "early AF" investigations.</p>

<p>If they ever get cheap enough (my "cost of a pizza" scale applies), I will probably try an early digital Nikon someday.</p>

<p>The Nikon S2 feels better in the hand and is smoother in operation than <strong><em>any</em></strong> other camera I have ever shot with, so that's an improvement, if not a march forward for humankind and progress.</p>

<p>D300->D700<br>

better performence with 14 bit<br />diopter<br />porthole viewfinder + seize of it<br />better high iso<br />virtual horizon</p>

<p>1) D300 to D800<br>

2) Higher dynamic range, higher resolution, better high ISO image quality, full-frame, more sensitive AF (AF still works great when f/4 lens is mounted on TC)<br>

3) Slightly higher shooting rate (fps)</p>

<p>I never upgrade! My newer cameras tend to be of lower class than my first.</p>

<p>1 D3 to d800</p>

<p>2 AF ability to f8</p>

<p>3 frame rate, ergonomics</p>

<p>D70-D600 but I still shoot film on the side. <br /> <br /> Better WB, color, DR, needs less PP etc. Better grain for low light which I do seldom. <br /> Old camera was better filesize and for a hobby you could still get a good shot out of it when you pick your shots carefully and work within that boundary and the newer cameras told me that I could do a lot more PP with my Lightroom edits, in a way the newer camera has a newer look that almost looks artificial from an old dSLR or a film SLR. And of course bang for dollar. A 10yr old camera could still get a killer shot in the right hands, right light and of course for holiday snaps it is more than enough. Going cheap, with the affordable primes.</p>

<p>I know you said not image quality. Just the camera. Nothing really. I just adjust to the camera. I only use very simple controls ie . A or M mode, seldom any flash but I might get into big strobes but both don't have flash sync port. I use single point AF-S. Manual ISO, I only have one speedlight anyway for CLS and both supports that anyway. The D70/600. D600 does have dual memory cards but I seldom fill one card up anyway. The other is vacant. At home now, the D600 is in the box, gets seldom used unless I have someone's wedding or such for what I shoot on a tripod old cameras are fine or film. D600 has a FUNC button but I don't use it. OK, one benefit a larger screen and a larger VF than the D70. Not a breaker though. My film cameras VF I prefer more though. </p>

<p>1. D90 -> D700 (an addition more than an upgrade)<br /> 2. Just about everything (except the weight).<br /> 3. I have decent DX lenses that really need a DX body (17-55mm 2.8, 11-16mm 2.8, 30mm 1.4)</p>

<p>Then:</p>

<p>1. D90 -> D7100 (actual upgrade)<br /> 2. Just about everything.<br /> 3. I seem to have shot more nudes with the D90. ;)</p>

<p>1) N80 to D200<br>

2) The immediacy of digital in general and a histogram specifically<br>

3) Less weight</p>

<p>D80 for 6 years -> D7100<br>

1. State of the art design and sensor<br>

2. Higher iso with less noise<br>

3. 24 mp<br>

4. 100% viewfinder<br>

I find no fault with the D80, but the D7100 just does everything better.</p>

<p>1. D70 to D7000<br>

2. If we are not counting image quality improvements .......I liked the larger viewfinder and the larger LCD screen with more info on it and the twin memory storage cards.<br>

3. I really miss the AF reliability of my D70 over the D7000. The construction seemed a bit more solid too - On the D7000 I dislike the way the memory card door always seems to open accidentally and other rubber grommet bits pop out of their seats.</p>

<p>D5100--->D7100<br>

gained: 24mp, focus in much lower light, faster AF, dual slots, more menu options, 2nd thumb whell.<br>

Lost: smaller size, fold out screen. (Kept D5100 as back up for that reason.)</p>

<p>I really didn't notice any difference in image quality.</p>

<p>JDM--<br>

Why not upgrade to a Leica M4? :-)</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

1. Added D7100

 

2. 24mp, great AF, function set to SPOT meter one touch

 

3. Heavier body of D200 I could bang around (still have and use) Fold out screen of D5100 (still have and use)

<p>Two sidegrades, not upgrades. About a year ago:</p>

<ol>

<li>Added D700 (already had D300 and a F65)</li>

<li>Bigger viewfinder, making it easier to use MF lenses, plus the lower pixel density being somewhat kinder to lenses with outspoken optical funkiness like the AiS 35 f/1.4. Basically, I like the output of the D700 better, easier in PP to get the look I like.</li>

<li>The AF-S 16-85VR (added a 24-120 f/4VR for the D700). The DX lens is better at infinity, a lot more portable. Basically, for half the price, it's about as good as the 24-120. But I have the idea my copy of the 16-85VR is a rather excellent sample. But all in all, the D300 sees no use these days in my hands, so this negative is extremely minor.</li>

</ol>

<p>and the most recent one:</p>

<ol>

<li>Added a F3 (and a filmscanner).</li>

<li>It's a fine piece of (mostly mechanical) engineering, lovely to work with, and sufficiently different to hold and operate from the DSLRs. More beautiful camera to look at too, though I care little about that. As I do not develop myself, I have the nice moment of picking up the prints from the photographer... I like those moments, somehow on screen after importing on my PC from the DSLR, it's not the same experience to me.</li>

<li>I still feel more restrained to experiment and try things, because of the cost of film, development, prints and the slowish scanning times and so on - it doesn't unlock creative trial and error like a DSLR does.</li>

</ol>

<p>D100 to D300. 10/10<br>

D300 to D700 . 10/10<br>

D700 to D800E . 1/10. Because Right now the D800E has been 2.5 months at service center. </p>

<p>1. Disposable Camera to Smartphone!<br>

2. Touchscreen baby!<br>

3. Cheap!</p>

 

<p>It's been YEARS... but</p>

<p>I went from a D50 to a D90.</p>

<p>Love the extra resolution and the extra stop or two of low light gathering, love the ability to do CLS control from the camera.</p>

<p>There is zero that I liked better about the D50.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Why not upgrade to a Leica M4? :-)</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Because I have actually used Leicas in the field (OK, it was a IIIg but I was "scarred for life") and very much prefer Contax-derived cameras.</p>

<p>My Contax IIa and my Nikon S2 are my beaux ideal of 35mm RF cameras!</p>

<p>A true upgrade<br /> 1. D70 to D200 <br /> 2. Everything<br /> 3. Nothing</p>

<p>Another upgrade <br /> 1. D200 - D300<br /> 2. AF, sensor, battery life<br /> 3. ISO 100</p>

<p>The downgrades that didn't happen:<br /> D300 - D7000 - poor ergonomics of the D7000, lesser AF<br /> D300 - D7100 - shallow buffer, ergonomics only slightly better than D7000<br /> D300 - D600 - suffice it to say that in the end the pluses didn't outweigh the minuses and the apparently still ongoing oil issue sealed the non-deal.</p>

<p>The recent addition:<br /> 1. D700<br /> 2. handles like the D300; cards, batteries, and grip are interchangeable. 16-35/4 VR and Sigma 35/1.4 replace 17-55/2.8DX and Tokina 11-16/2.8. Bigger viewfinder helps with manual focus and composition.<br /> 3. Nothing, the D300 and the D700 complement each other nicely.</p>

<p>The upgrade that didn't happen:<br /> D800 - don't feel the need for 36MP and the urge to spend $3000 to get what I don't feel the need for. <br /> D3/D3S/D4 - the benefits for me don't outweigh the investment necessary.</p>

<p>Another "upgrade" <br>

1. Sony R1 and Canon G7 - Nikon D60<br>

2. the D60 is the better P&S (usually 35/1.8Gor 16-85 VR mounted).<br>

3. the quietness of the R1.</p>

<p>1. D70 -> D300 (non-S). I can't believe how long it has been already with the D300, and how I feel I have absolutely no reason to upgrade whatsoever.<br /> 2. Better in almost every way. Primary reason for my update: Better higher ISO (up to 1600) than D70 (400) for my tastes, bigger viewfinder, AF-ON button, settings banks, faster AF with more modes, ad infinitum.<br /> 3. Higher flash sync speed, lighter (I still have my D70 by the way).<br /> <br /> I have yet to surpass the capabilities provided by the D300. In fact, I recently took the opportunity when upgrading to the 1.11 firmware, to reset all my banks and set them up from scratch. In the process, I got inspired into taking more photographs and to experiment with the different AF modes. What a camera! I am tempted by the FF bodies, only because of the shallower DoF and resulting creamier look I can get (I do have MF film Rolleicord and Bronica SQ, so I am aware of the perspective and subject distance tradeoffs). Currently, though I can afford it, I have yet to justify the cost of the D800 to myself. And based on the D300 experience compared to the D3100 I bought my son, I am not too keen on the D600 ergonomics, though it would do great on IQ. With that dilemma, FF is a lust only at this point.</p>

<p>D70 to D300<br>

D300 to more duct tape to keep it together for a few more months</p>