Thinking of a new camera. Thinking of a FujiFilm S1730

Currently reading:
Thinking of a new camera. Thinking of a FujiFilm S1730

After 35 years of wet film photography, I'm just about to make the leap, I think to full digital. I'm going to see if I can get some dosh for my old Nikon F3 and a couple smaller lenses. Then a new Nikon is on the horizon.

My only problem is the complexity of the range nowadays. When I first bought a Nikon there were only three models in the range, the FM, the FE and the F2/AS which was replaced by the F3. I bought the FE and a few years later added to it an F3.

The problem now is that there is a D3000, a D3100, a D5000, a D90, a D300s, D700, D3, D3s and a D3x. That makes 9 models, although presumably the D3 and its S and X variants are versions of the same model. The differences between them appear to be quite slight. The difference between 10 and 12 mp appears to be pretty insignficant unless you are looking to print larger than A4, which I'm not. I quite like the idea of a video function, but then again I've never had a video camera so wouldn't miss not having it. My only concern is that my larger Nikkor lenses fit the new camera, despite them not having an AF function.

Anyone have any idea if it's worth paying the extra for more facilities? I will only use the camera for not particularly demanding photography. I do, however, like the fact that Nikons have always had really good low light metering.
 
I bought a Nikon D5000 a few months back, with the 18-55 VR kit lens plus I also bought a Nikon 55-200VR lens for it [we were off to the States, Vegas, Grand Canyon, etc].

Basically, I love it - and glad I paid a bit more for it over the lower models. Plus there was £50 cashback at the time as well as the usual Quidco deals.
 
I fancy a D3000 or D5000 with the kit lens as it will give some autofocus facility, but I'm going to use my old AI lenses above 55mm as I'll only really need af for the kind of quick snaps you take at fairly close range. One of the benefits of Nikon is that my 135, 200 and 600 Cat AI lenses, two of which I've had since the late '70s will all fit the digital models.

I think that is a serious consideration as having to buy a whole new range of lenses would cost a small fortune and as fixed focus lenses almost always have better optical quality than zooms.

The only thing for me against digital is that I'll almost certainly never get round to using all the features and facilities they offer. I do quite fancy having use of a screen for composing as well as viewing as under certain circumstances you can take a better photo that way and I don't think the D3000 has that.

I'd be interested in hearing some of your experiences with this new camera.
 
avoid the D3000 and either go for the D5000 (good prices available now) or hold out for the new D3100.
I'm probably going to go for the D5000 with the 18-55VR lens as I can get it for £460. I'm hoping to get a couple of hundred for my old Nikon F3 and 28mm and/or 50mm lens to offset the cost.
 
Ah yes, I meant to report back on this thread :eek:

Deffo go for the D5000 over the D3000. We paid £480 at the time with that kit lense, but then there was £13 cashback from Quidco AND £50 cashback direct from Nikon.

My only gripe is that I should have read the manual properly - I used the video on the camera as we flew into the Grand Canyon, I even had the front seat of the helicopter BUT silly old me had it in normal mode and not HD :bang: I did wonder at the time why it gave a longer than expected record-time :rolleyes:

I will try and post up some pics from it - they are not currently on this PC at the moment AND I am moving house tomorrow so bear with me - again :p
 
Last edited:
Back
Top