High School Photographer. New Camera?
I'm going into 10th grade and I'm pretty serious about photography. I'm taking a photo class and I already have a camera which is the Nikon D3000, But what I need help with is taking the next step as a amateur photographer, and choosing a new camera that is below $1, 000 and will get me better pictures than my current camera. There's nothing wrong with my D3000, it's just that I'm ready to move on to a better camera that obviously will provide better photos.
Uhmm if you think you are ready to move to a "better" camera then you aren't.
Unless you need to shoot at ridiculously high ISO, need weather sealing or are shooting sports, there's no need for you to change to a new body. Going from your D3000 to let's say a D300 will have very little impact on the quality of your images. You. Best be served by purchasing better lenses, lighting gear, a shoe mount flash, reflectors, books on photography, photography classes, one on one tutoring from a pro… So on so forth… Than a new camera body.
Stick with your D3000.
1) A "better" camera does not guarantee better photos
2) Photography is roughly 70% photographer skill/experience, 20% lens quality, and 10% camera body
3) I would rather have a $600 camera with a $1, 500 lens than I would an $1, 800 camera with a $300 lens
4) I have seen better images from a professional with an entry level camera than I have from an amateur with a professional grade camera.
With that said, if it was me, I would use the $1, 000 to buy a couple of good lenses. But if you insist on a "better" body, go for a D5100 or a D90.
You'll be hard pressed to find a camera that will give you perceptibly better pictures than what you already have. That is not to say that the D3000 is the best camera that you can buy. But the things that make the best cameras the best have little to do with better photos in the majority of the settings. The technology has advanced far beyond the typical human eye's ability to discern differences. The skill of the photographer is the major determinant of the quality of photographs. Now if you said that you were interested in low light/high ISO shooting, that would be a reason to upgrade. Or if you wanted a CMOS sensor instead of the CCD in your camera. But if your reason for wanting an upgrade is a vague feeling about picture quality, then you're going to be disappointed.
If you really want to see improvement in the quality of your photos, then invest in some quality glass. You'll see a more marked improvement there.
Nothing wrong with your D3000 - getting a 'better' camera will not get you better images. The D3000 is perfectly capable in the right hands.
Most of the image quality is down to the lens - so I suggest you invest in some good glass - the 50mm f1.8 AF-S if you want good portraits. A quality telephoto if you are into wildlife/sports or a faster mid-range zoom.
Plenty of lenses to choose from here - note though that AF-S lenses will autofocus on your camera, AF lenses won't (manual focus only);
http://www.wexphotographic.com/nikon-fit-nikon/b3078-m168
Pentax has the new k-30 that just came out for around 850.fully weathersealed, 16mp sensor, dual finger wheel adjustments awsome video, and ergonomics of gods own hands. Would be a great camera to settle with for a long while cause it will sure last it. And the old lenses for the pentax are absolutly amazing canikon has a new competitor in town.oh and i forgot to mention the different colors you can get it in blue, black, and white!
Give me 30 minutes with your D3000 and I will prove to you quite easily there's NO need to upgrade to a better camera.
I know many people who shoot with D3000s, D3100s, D5100s, etc and are producing quality images. Know why? Because they know EXACTLY what they are doing with that camera. If anything they are looking for higher quality lenses, not a camera upgrade.
I strongly suggest you work on learning more about your camera and its capabilities before plunking down cash on a newer model that will only prove the problem is YOU, not the camera itself.