new DSLR

I was once a fervent film SLR user (Pentax's) but in recent years I've been
using a digital compact. Finally the frustration has gotten too much and
I've decided I need a decent camera. So I'm thinking of one of the Nikon
DSLR models. Possibly the D5100 or the D7000. One facility that I would
really like is a time lapse function. Nether of the candidate cameras have
that function, and it appears that other cameras in that price bracket also
don't do that. After a search of the web I've seen some remote shutter
devices that also provide a time lapse functionality but none are compliant
with those cameras. Any thoughts? I'm very much a DSLR newbie and so would
appreciate suggestions, many thanks.

--
Nige Danton - Replace the obvious with g.m.a.i.l

Nige Danton wrote:
I was once a fervent film SLR user (Pentax's) but in recent years I've been
using a digital compact. Finally the frustration has gotten too much and
I've decided I need a decent camera.

What exactly is lacking from your current camera(s) (which is
it)? Without that there's not much use suggesting cameras
and lenses. And what's your budget?

So I'm thinking of one of the Nikon
DSLR models.

Go into a shop and handle the cameras. If possible from several
makers and several sizes --- the camera must fit to your hand.
If the camera doesn't fit and the buttons are not within easy
reach, it's the wrong camera for you. If the camera is too small
for your hands, try with a handgrip.

Possibly the D5100 or the D7000.

Do you have old glass (if so, which ones --- depending they may
not be worth it) that says you need to have Nikon?

One facility that I would
really like is a time lapse function. Nether of the candidate cameras have
that function, and it appears that other cameras in that price bracket also
don't do that. After a search of the web I've seen some remote shutter
devices that also provide a time lapse functionality but none are compliant
with those cameras.

Some handgrips and some remote trigger devices offer that, usually
from third party vendors. You might also want a a mains power
supply for long time power. (If you buy a handgrip, make sure
it has a place for the cable to be fed to, if you want a mains
power supply. Vendor handgrips should offer that.

Any thoughts? I'm very much a DSLR newbie and so would
appreciate suggestions, many thanks.

see above --- what is missing from your camera experience today?

Any plans of computer software, backup strategy, etc to handle
your DSLR shots?

-Wolfgang

On 2012-03-26 08:12:15 -0700, DanP said:

On Monday, 26 March 2012 14:40:20 UTC+1, Nige Danton wrote:
I was once a fervent film SLR user (Pentax's) but in recent years I've been
using a digital compact. Finally the frustration has gotten too much and
I've decided I need a decent camera. So I'm thinking of one of the Nikon
DSLR models. Possibly the D5100 or the D7000. One facility that I would
really like is a time lapse function. Nether of the candidate cameras have
that function, and it appears that other cameras in that price bracket also
don't do that. After a search of the web I've seen some remote shutter
devices that also provide a time lapse functionality but none are compliant
with those cameras. Any thoughts? I'm very much a DSLR newbie and so would
appreciate suggestions, many thanks.

--
Nige Danton - Replace the obvious with g.m.a.i.l

A quick search says D5100 and D7000 have it.

DanP

For Nikon DSLRs check "multi-exposure" and "interval timer". It works
the same as my D300s.

From the "Shooting Menu" select "Interval Timing".
You can then select a starting time, set an interval in hours or
minutes provided the interval is longer than the slowest anticipated
shutter speed.
Then you set the number of intervals and the number of shots per interval.
So for example, you could have the D7000 set to take 2 exposures every
5 minutes for 2 hours, giving you 24 intervals and 48 shots.
....or any other variation you might choose.

The D7000 is going to be a good choice.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:39:27 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2012-03-26 08:12:15 -0700, DanP said:

On Monday, 26 March 2012 14:40:20 UTC+1, Nige Danton wrote:
I was once a fervent film SLR user (Pentax's) but in recent years I've been
using a digital compact. Finally the frustration has gotten too much and
I've decided I need a decent camera. So I'm thinking of one of the Nikon
DSLR models. Possibly the D5100 or the D7000. One facility that I would
really like is a time lapse function. Nether of the candidate cameras have
that function, and it appears that other cameras in that price bracket also
don't do that. After a search of the web I've seen some remote shutter
devices that also provide a time lapse functionality but none are compliant
with those cameras. Any thoughts? I'm very much a DSLR newbie and so would
appreciate suggestions, many thanks.

--
Nige Danton - Replace the obvious with g.m.a.i.l

A quick search says D5100 and D7000 have it.

DanP

For Nikon DSLRs check "multi-exposure" and "interval timer". It works
the same as my D300s.

From the "Shooting Menu" select "Interval Timing".
You can then select a starting time, set an interval in hours or
minutes provided the interval is longer than the slowest anticipated
shutter speed.
Then you set the number of intervals and the number of shots per interval.
So for example, you could have the D7000 set to take 2 exposures every
5 minutes for 2 hours, giving you 24 intervals and 48 shots.
...or any other variation you might choose.

The D7000 is going to be a good choice.

Yup, spot on. I made the decision, a couple of months back, in favor
of the 7000 and am absolutely convinced I made the right choice. I
have since added the Tokina 11-16 ATX and they make a dynamite pair. I
also enjoy using my 300mm AI-S on that 7000 for backyard birding and
am quite happy with the results. Either way you go, just DON'T try
using pre-AI lenses with the camera. You can do it, but only with the
extension tube PK-11a or other *perfectly* compatible product
(otherwise, according to Nikon, you may mess up your new camera).
If you try mounting a non-AI lens it will bind badly. With the pk-11a,
it mounts well, and can be used as a manual lens, BUT you still will
not be able to focus to infinity when you need to. AI-S lenses work
fine and you can still get some metering and electronic focus
confirmatin (but not AF).
\Alex

Savageduck wrote:
On 2012-03-26 08:12:15 -0700, DanP said:

A quick search says D5100 and D7000 have it.
DanP

For Nikon DSLRs check "multi-exposure" and "interval timer". It works the same as my D300s.

From the "Shooting Menu" select "Interval Timing".
You can then select a starting time, set an interval in hours or minutes
provided the interval is longer than the slowest anticipated shutter speed.
Then you set the number of intervals and the number of shots per interval.
So for example, you could have the D7000 set to take 2 exposures every 5
minutes for 2 hours, giving you 24 intervals and 48 shots.
...or any other variation you might choose.

Thanks very much for the replies. I thought I'd read the user guides
properly, but I had missed that entirely. So all i have to do now is make
the selection between the 5100 or the 7000.

The D7000 is going to be a good choice.

It's worth the additional cost? Presumably there's no disadvantage with the
7000 versus the 5100?

--
Nige Danton - Replace the obvious with g.m.a.i.l

Chemiker wrote:
..
Yup, spot on. I made the decision, a couple of months back, in favor
of the 7000 and am absolutely convinced I made the right choice. I
have since added the Tokina 11-16 ATX and they make a dynamite pair. I
also enjoy using my 300mm AI-S on that 7000 for backyard birding and
am quite happy with the results. Either way you go, just DON'T try
using pre-AI lenses with the camera. You can do it, but only with the
extension tube PK-11a or other *perfectly* compatible product
(otherwise, according to Nikon, you may mess up your new camera).
If you try mounting a non-AI lens it will bind badly. With the pk-11a,
it mounts well, and can be used as a manual lens, BUT you still will
not be able to focus to infinity when you need to. AI-S lenses work
fine and you can still get some metering and electronic focus
confirmatin (but not AF).
\Alex

Ok, I think I understand. Thanks for the tips.

--
Nige Danton - Replace the obvious with g.m.a.i.l

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:10:30 +0000 (UTC), Nige Danton
wrote:

Thanks very much for the replies. I thought I'd read the user guides
properly, but I had missed that entirely. So all i have to do now is make
the selection between the 5100 or the 7000.

The D7000 is going to be a good choice.

It's worth the additional cost? Presumably there's no disadvantage with the
7000 versus the 5100?

Compare for yourself side-by-side at
http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Produc...ras/index.page

or http://www.dpreview.com.

Slightly bigger and heavier but since it costs more it has to be! ;-)

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:10:30 +0000 (UTC), Nige Danton
wrote:

Savageduck wrote:
On 2012-03-26 08:12:15 -0700, DanP said:

A quick search says D5100 and D7000 have it.
DanP

For Nikon DSLRs check "multi-exposure" and "interval timer". It works the same as my D300s.

From the "Shooting Menu" select "Interval Timing".
You can then select a starting time, set an interval in hours or minutes
provided the interval is longer than the slowest anticipated shutter speed.
Then you set the number of intervals and the number of shots per interval.
So for example, you could have the D7000 set to take 2 exposures every 5
minutes for 2 hours, giving you 24 intervals and 48 shots.
...or any other variation you might choose.

Thanks very much for the replies. I thought I'd read the user guides
properly, but I had missed that entirely. So all i have to do now is make
the selection between the 5100 or the 7000.

The D7000 is going to be a good choice.

It's worth the additional cost? Presumably there's no disadvantage with the
7000 versus the 5100?

It's not a case of which camera is "good" and which is "bad".....
Depending on your wants and needs, either might do the job for you. If
cost is no object, and if you feel you need the very best, go with the
7000. If you want a complete camera at a more modest cost, go with the
5100. One comparison I can't make is the visual noise department. My
P90 was very noisy at ISO 6400 and above. My 7000 is much cleaner, and
it's nice to shoot at 16 MP, but for average size pix, this is not
much of an advantage. You might want to read more about these cameras
here, for another perspective.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/reco...as.htm#serious

Good luck with your search. I think you'll avoid buyer's remorse
either way, although I suspect you might if you drop down to the 3100.

On Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:21:13 +0000 (UTC), Nige Danton
wrote:

Chemiker wrote:
.
Yup, spot on. I made the decision, a couple of months back, in favor
of the 7000 and am absolutely convinced I made the right choice. I
have since added the Tokina 11-16 ATX and they make a dynamite pair. I
also enjoy using my 300mm AI-S on that 7000 for backyard birding and
am quite happy with the results. Either way you go, just DON'T try
using pre-AI lenses with the camera. You can do it, but only with the
extension tube PK-11a or other *perfectly* compatible product
(otherwise, according to Nikon, you may mess up your new camera).
If you try mounting a non-AI lens it will bind badly. With the pk-11a,
it mounts well, and can be used as a manual lens, BUT you still will
not be able to focus to infinity when you need to. AI-S lenses work
fine and you can still get some metering and electronic focus
confirmatin (but not AF).
\Alex

Ok, I think I understand. Thanks for the tips.

I suppose you're referring to the PK-11a. This is indispensible if you
have an older Nikon bellows like the PB-4 or PB-5. I have both and the
PB-4 is the only 35mm bellows I have ever seen with shift and swing.
But you really need that PK-11a to mate either the 5100 or 7000 to
either bellows. THe PK-11a is really an 8mm extension tube, so it
gives you a bit of macro benefit also. It runs about $70 on the
street. If you happen to have an AI-S 55 mm MicroNikkor, you will be
very happy with these two cameras. On these sensors, it acts like an
very sharp 80mm tele. With a a 27.5mm extension tube, you get 1:1 on
the sensor and great resolution. I think that one's the PK-13.

Alex

It's worth the additional cost? Presumably there's no disadvantage with
the
7000 versus the 5100?

--
Nige Danton - Replace the obvious with g.m.a.i.l

Significantly heavier, no swivel LCD. I have the Nikon D5000 and am very
pleased with it. If a 5200 came out with significantly better high ISO
performance I might be tempted to upgrade. I wouldn't want to give up
the swivel LCD, even though I only use it occasionally.

Cheers,
David