Which Nikon DSLR should I upgrade to?
I currently have a Nikon d40 - an entry level DSLR. Over the last four years, I've greatly improved but still have trouble in low light situations. I don't know if it's because I don't know what I'm doing (I don't think so?), I need a higher quality camera or a better lens. I've been looking at the d5100 and the d7000, but can't decide. If you are a professional or semi-professional photographer, would you mind sharing your suggestions? I have a newborn/family session and a wedding next month and I want my shots to be the best they can be!
The D7000 will give you more options when choosing lenses. The D7000 not only can use all the current AF-S lenses (as does the D5100), but can use the older, legacy AF lenses as well as any of the older AI manual focus lenses. Those extra features on the D7000 can make a difference to some people
The sensors of the two cameras perform at the same level, so only your skills will limit the quality of your images, NOT which camera you buy
For me the Nikon D7000 is the clear winner. Read this review by a user about the overall performance of the camera:
http://www.amazon.com/...1CMQJYE4S/
I can compare the 2 in detail for you.
Advantages of the Nikon D7000 over D5100:
1.Many more focus points 39 vs 11
2.Weather sealed Yes vs No
3.Many more cross-type focus points 9 vs 1
4.Significantly larger viewfinder 0, 62x vs 0, 51x
5.Significantly longer battery life 1050 shots vs 660 shots
6.Much better viewfinder coverage 100% vs 95%
7.Shoots faster 6 fps vs 4 fps
8.Has a built-in focus motor Yes vs No
9.Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
10.Has more storage slots 2 vs 1
11.Less shutter lag 238 ms vs 273 ms
12.Slightly less startup delay 400 ms vs 500 ms
13.Much faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/4000s
Best price for D7000 from my research:
http://www.amazon.com/...0042X9LCO/
Best price for D5100 from my research: