Nikon D300s or D5000?

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werries2

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After some years (more than 7 years) I have decided to get back into the Photography game. I had a small but nice Nikon D50 (I think that is the model name), which I really enjoyed playing around with. It was not a digital SLR camera though and with the introduction of all the digital cameras I simply lost track where SLR was concerned.
I bought various compact digital cameras during this time, and had lots of fun with it. However I think it is time to get myself a new SLR.
I still want to use some of my original Nikor lenses, and don't even know if this is possible. The lenses were all capable of auto focusing but weather the length of the lenses makes a difference to the shorter digital lenses I dont know...

Then there is the options: The Nikon D300 looks like an incredibly nice Camera to have though a bit on the expensive side. Is it worth that much more over the D5000?

I like to take action pictures of wildlife, and lots of Landscape pictures. Which were the main reasons I bought the original SLR camera. It was the toss up between buying a hunting rifle and a camera, I decided to rather hunt with the camera and take my trophies home in the form of film.
 
There is one thing to look out for. The lower-end Nikon bodied don't have the screw drive built in, so if your lenses don't have built-in motors, the lenses won't autofocus. I'm not familiar enough with the Nikon lenses to tell you which ones are affected, you'll have to find out.

The D300s a fair bit more sophisticated and featured than the D5000. The AF system will probably be nice for action stuff.
 
The entry-level bodies (D40, D60, D3000, D5000) do not have internal focus motors. You need these in order to use the older lenses. All lenses for those cameras must have internal focus motor/"Silent Wave Motor".

Perhaps look at the D90, it has the motors and is a prosumer camera. Better than the D5000.

Otherwise perhaps a second-hand D80.
 
If it were merely a choice between the 2, then I suppose it comes down to whether you want to record movies with your camera. If not, D3000 would surely give you all the features of the D5000? The D5000 does give you slightly more MP too, but at quite a price premium.
 
+1 on the D90.

The D90 should be able to drive your old lenses, and costs only about 35% more than the D5000. The D300s almost double the price of the D5000. The price difference between the D5000 and the D90 is less than what a new lens will cost you --- and you will have to buy new lenses if you take the D5000.

If I remember correctly, the D90 and the D5000 have the same sensor, but the D90 has a much better screen, a pentaprism viewfinder (brighter than pentamirror on D5000), and more settings accessible through hardware buttons (as opposed to menus).

Sure, the D300s is an even better camera, but I say go and try both the D300s and the D90 before you buy.
 
If I'm not mistaken the D300(s) has the same sensor too. It's the rest of the camera that's different :)
 
fvdbergh said:
+1 on the D90.

The D90 should be able to drive your old lenses, and costs only about 35% more than the D5000. The D300s almost double the price of the D5000. The price difference between the D5000 and the D90 is less than what a new lens will cost you --- and you will have to buy new lenses if you take the D5000.

If I remember correctly, the D90 and the D5000 have the same sensor, but the D90 has a much better screen, a pentaprism viewfinder (brighter than pentamirror on D5000), and more settings accessible through hardware buttons (as opposed to menus).

Sure, the D300s is an even better camera, but I say go and try both the D300s and the D90 before you buy.
Click to expand...

+1
 
Thanks for the advice!
Testing out both cameras and perhaps throwing the D90 into the mix as well would be good.
The D300 is perhaps a bit on the expensive side for an amateur like myself, but then again I do love all the features.
Thanks also for the lens compatibility check site, will have a look at that.
 
Definitely if you have older Nikon lenses without a motor the D5000 is not an option. I'd say that unless there is good reason to spend the extra on the D300s take a good look at the D90.
 
D90 gets my vote also... Its around 10k currently @ Makro with a kit lens.
 
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