Nikon D5100 vs D7000?

[Tobman]

Now that both of these cameras have been out for awhile I am curious as to the general consensus, is the D7000 worth the extra price and weight? I used a D5100 the other day and really liked it. I have not used a D7000. If I get the D5100' will I really wish I'd gotten the D7000?

[FrankMi]

Hi Toby, Feedback will be very useful but in addition, I think I would start with comparing the features of the two to see if there are any 'gotta haves' on the D7000 that the D5100 doesn't provide. I have the D3100 and there are features, like Exposure Bracketing, that I wish I had but am not willing to pay double to get.

[Mark von Kanel]

Hi Toby,

ive just been through all this with a friend, the 51k actually has better video capabilities i believe, so if thats important to you....... i shoot a 7k and love it, i would miss the second command dial on the top and i find the added weight comforting. its down to your budget and how they feel to you in your hand a lot of the time, also the 7k has 2 user settings on the mode dial that you can set up as you like and just use them as program modes, i find that good for HDR bracketing, The 7k has better weather proofing and is being treated as "pro range" by Nikon for repair times The 51k has no internal focusing motor so this may also be a problem. having said that it has the same sensor and processor as the 7k so i will give just as good quality images.

It was budget constraints that stopped my friend from buying the 7k along with the fact that she has a lot smaller hands than mine. Give the kit lens a miss though! (18-55)

mark

[Sahil]

Hi Toby,

Well I have been using D7000 for quite sometime now. Its a wonderful camera. If budget is not an issue, go for it.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

I've had the D7000 for a few weeks now and love it. The one thing to me that stands out against the D5100 is that you have all the buttons and dials you need to change the settings of the camera on the fly without having to resort to a menu. It also has a built in auto focus motor that enables you to use it with non AF-S lenses which provide a cheaper option when purchasing some lenses. This was a deciding factor for me as I had an old lens from a Nikon film SLR from ten years ago I wanted to be able to use.

Having said that, the D5100 still a great camera and maintains a lot of the sensor and processing advantages that the D7000 has. It's lighter and has a smaller form factor without the in built auto focus motor and can be perceived to be less complicated which will appeal to some. The flip out screen is also useful for recording movies and taking shots in odd angles. It's the camera I bought for my wife as her Christmas present (she hasn't got it yet) as she preferred something that was lighter and simpler to use.

I think which camera you choose will come down to budget and style of how you shoot. I definitely prefer to have extra buttons of the D7000 to change settings on the fly without taking my eye away from the viewfinder. I like having the dual memory card slots, the better weather proofing, and the longer lasting battery. But I could certainly live with the D5100 as well.

[Shadowman]

Find out which one has a field guide published. The manuals are great but there is nothing like having an extra guide that really shows how each function is used and how to find it quickly.

[Tobman]

Our local photo shop said the 5100 is poorly built and will not last more than a few years, and that there are only 5 or 6 lenses available for it. He's pushing me towards the much more expensive Pentax K-5 (on par with the Nikon D90) or the Pentax K-r (on par with the D7000).

Thoughts?

[MiniChris]

Initially, my D7000 had some odd issues with sensor dust and focusing, but after sending it back to them for the second time, it has been the jewel it was reputed to be in all the write-ups. I like it for a number of reasons, but probably the most because I can make a multitude of adjustments without ever leaving the viewfinder.

I shoot almost everything in manual, spot metering and I find it is pretty much dead-on up to +/- 1/3 EV and really, probably even closer than that though there is no way to measure that. the built in flash is minimal, but so is it on almost any camera. Manual focusing is exceptionally tight, even on big telephotos. Lastly, but never leastly, it prints beautiful images at 20" x 40" with minmal loss of pixel quality.

[Shadowman]

Our local photo shop said the 5100 is poorly built and will not last more than a few years, and that there are only 5 or 6 lenses available for it. He's pushing me towards the much more expensive Pentax K-5 (on par with the Nikon D90) or the Pentax K-r (on par with the D7000).

Thoughts?

What other models does your dealer carry? Nothing against Pentax but if he carries Nikon why isn't he pushing you towards another Nikon model. Regarding the number of lenses available for a specific model, the limitation would be dependent on your needs, not the quantity available.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Our local photo shop said the 5100 is poorly built and will not last more than a few years, and that there are only 5 or 6 lenses available for it. He's pushing me towards the much more expensive Pentax K-5 (on par with the Nikon D90) or the Pentax K-r (on par with the D7000).

Thoughts?

I'd argue there's a bewildering number of lenses you can get - not just the Nikon ones but also the third party lenses - Sigma, Tokina, and Tamron who all make mounts for Nikon at no extra cost. I'd question his motives for sending you down the Pentax route - perhaps he makes better margins on those but seriously - there's more lenses then I have money to spend on! I'd say the D7000 is more robustly built, but it does come down to how and what you're shooting when it comes down to lenses and the build of the camera that you need.

Did you want to mention what you primarily enjoy shooting and where you shoot? It might give the more experienced members around here a bit of insight into what you really need.

[MrB]

Our local photo shop said the 5100 is poorly built and will not last more than a few years, and that there are only 5 or 6 lenses available for it. He's pushing me towards the much more expensive Pentax K-5 (on par with the Nikon D90) or the Pentax K-r (on par with the D7000).
Thoughts?

Toby,

It would seem to be fairer to compare the D7000 with the Pentax K-5. Have a look at the details on this website -

http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon_D7000-vs-Pentax_K-5

Consider what you want your camera to do and what you want to do with your camera, while studying the data presented there, and of course you can compare the features and data on other cameras, if you wish.

Philip

[Goldcoastgolfer]

Toby,

It would seem to be fairer to compare the D7000 with the Pentax K-5. Have a look at the details on this website -

http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon_D7000-vs-Pentax_K-5

Consider what you want your camera to do and what you want to do with your camera, while studying the data presented there, and of course you can compare the features and data on other cameras, if you wish.

Philip

At least in this comparison it talks about the D7000 having 169 lenses to choose from vs the Pentax's 90.

[Shadowman]

At least in this comparison it talks about the D7000 having 169 lenses to choose from vs the Pentax's 90.

In all fairness to the dealer I wonder if he meant lenses available at an affordable cost, although I still think his sales tactics were a bit suspect.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Toby,

I have the D5100's predecessor and I do use my flippy LCD screen, they can be handy if the user isn't as supple as they were when getting those low angle shots

Sure, I wouldn't say no to a second command wheel

However, I have to agree that the lack of an on-board focus motor is the biggest bugbear. While I know there are more than "5 or 6" lenses available it is a lot less, probably over 50% less, choice for the D5100, etc. cameras.

Cheers,

[epmi314]

The D7K will be my xmas present to myself. I've done all the reasearch and there is no doubt that if it is within your budget it is the worth the money. The question I have been asking and doing research on is whether Nikon is planning a D7100 anytime soon that incorporates the new LCD from the D5100. I don't use the LCD much and frankly like have it closed mostly but it is a nice feature if you have a goofy angle. I think the D7K was released September of 2010 so they have essentially worked out the bugs but nothing new is on the horizon... at least not that I have been able to determine.

[Tobman]

They are all excellent cameras; you really can't go wrong with Canon, Nikon or Pentax (and others) - choose your price range, get one, any one, and after that its up to the photographer.

As for available lenses, keep in mind for Pentax, that they still use the K-mount. That means that every K-mount lens ever made (by numerous makers) since 1958 will work (maybe manual) on the latest Pentax DSLRs. That means there are 100s, if not 1000s, of lenses available for the Pentax DSLR cameras, at affordable prices, like those listed here.

[tclune]

Our local photo shop said the 5100 is poorly built and will not last more than a few years, and that there are only 5 or 6 lenses available for it. He's pushing me towards the much more expensive Pentax K-5 (on par with the Nikon D90) or the Pentax K-r (on par with the D7000).

Thoughts?

Find another shop. The owner is either massively uninformed or a liar. The D5100 has nearly a hundred lenses that are available for it that are currently in production (twice that if you include Zeiss-style manual-focus only lenses). A very nice tool for finding available lenses for a given camera is: http://dpanswers.com/roztr/lens_finder.php Check the "lenses with built-in focus motor" box to limit your list to those that are fully automatic on the D5100. In addition, if you are willing to use the RangeFinder option (which autofocuses but needs your wrist to substitute for the in-camera focusing motor), all the lenses that can be used with the D7000 can be used with the D5100.

[thequacksoflife]

for a really good set of reviews of the two check out

http://bythom.com/nikond5100review.htm
http://bythom.com/nikond7000review.htm

there are lots of lenses for the d5100. it does require that the lenses you buy have a focus motor in them. That's not that much of an issue. such lenses are Nikon ones marked AF-S, Sigma lenses marked HSM and Tamron marked USD or PZD.

That said if you go Pentax or Canon or Sony you won't be disappointed. the pentax K5 has the same sensor as the D5100 and d7000.

Someone did say avoid the 18-55 kit lens. Can't think wh really, it's cheap and for the price you get it for with the camera a bargain.

Check this out http://bythom.com/rationallenses.htm

[Pappadi]

I am new to digital photography. Just started a few days back with my new Nikon D5100. So I cannot dare in to a comparison of two digital cameras. I was also toying with the idea of buying D7k because I have seven nikkor lenses(including three primes) from my early film days.Budget was limited but then I can use all of my old lenses with D5100. Auto focusing was the main non-facility. I didn't consider that VERY important because I was always doing it manually. The only limitation, I feel, is the crop factor. If necessary - like for copying old slides - an extension tube can be used or make one for that matter.
Regarding the life expectancy of D5100,I think it wont last long, considering its use of light though tough plastic for body. But then you cannot expect a long life like Nikon FM2, F4, F90X|S or F5 have. D5100 is not designed for a long time use, I presume.The present day commercial philosophy dictated by the technological vagaries and sellers economics (not buyers) future models will bear the same stamp. D7K may be of the same clan. If a new D7.1K comes out it will bear the same rule.
If budget is not a constraint why not a true pro like D3X or D3S? For me budget was a real constraint. And so I am prepared to sacrifice the comfort of auto focusing and one or two other facilities.

The 18-55 VR kit lens did not give me good results - may be I am wrong because I have only a few days experience with D5100.I am still learning.

There is a Compact Field Guide for the Nikon D5100 by David D. Busch. Publisher:Course Technology PTR. There may be others, say from Peachpit.

[Shadowman]

I am new to digital photography. Just started a few days back with my new Nikon D5100. So I cannot dare in to a comparison of two digital cameras. I was also toying with the idea of buying D7k because I have seven nikkor lenses(including three primes) from my early film days.Budget was limited but then I can use all of my old lenses with D5100. Auto focusing was the main non-facility. I didn't consider that VERY important because I was always doing it manually. The only limitation, I feel, is the crop factor. If necessary - like for copying old slides - an extension tube can be used or make one for that matter.
Regarding the life expectancy of D5100,I think it wont last long, considering its use of light though tough plastic for body. But then you cannot expect a long life like Nikon FM2, F4, F90X|S or F5 have. D5100 is not designed for a long time use, I presume.The present day commercial philosophy dictated by the technological vagaries and sellers economics (not buyers) future models will bear the same stamp. D7K may be of the same clan. If a new D7.1K comes out it will bear the same rule.
If budget is not a constraint why not a true pro like D3X or D3S? For me budget was a real constraint. And so I am prepared to sacrifice the comfort of auto focusing and one or two other facilities.

The 18-55 VR kit lens did not give me good results - may be I am wrong because I have only a few days experience with D5100.I am still learning.

There is a Compact Field Guide for the Nikon D5100 by David D. Busch. Publisher:Course Technology PTR. There may be others, say from Peachpit.

Ramachandran,

I am surprised you did not get good results with the 18-55mm lens. What was your subject matter and were you using the lens manually or on auto focus? Also, what was your method of viewing the final image, was it with the monitor or an actual print and if print what size?

John