• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Anyone want to move a Nikon D90?

Tourmeister

Keeper of the Asylum
Admin
Joined
Feb 28, 2003
Messages
51,144
Reaction score
8,054
Location
Huntsville
First Name
Scott
Last Name
Friday
Howdy,

:tab So I have a niece (18 yr old) that is into photography. She's even been published, with two of her images being used as the cover photo for a nature magazine she likes. Her problem is that she needs to upgrade but lacks funds. I considered giving her my D40 as a Christmas gift, but that is not really much of an upgrade. What I would REALLY like to do is get her into a D90 as I think that camera would keep her in business for a long time. But, there is that funds issue. She has some money saved, her folks can help her some, my folks (her grandparents) are willing to kick in some, and I have an older Nikkor AF 70-300mm I'd like to kick in. But the total funds is just over $400. I have seen some used bodies with a single lens in the upper $400 to lower $500 range. So we are close.

:tab I looked at the D80's, which can be had for less, but she really wants the "live view" feature that lets you use the rear LCD screen to compose the shots for those awkward positions where getting the eye to the view finder is not real practical.

:tab Is there anyone out there that has upgraded to any of the newer bodies and still has a D90 that might be willing to make a deal to help fund some new glass maybe, or pay off the upgrade? I would like to have the body and at least the AF-S 18-55mm lens or something close to that.
 
:tab Yeah, but I also have some AF lenses that won't auto focus with the 5100 since it lacks a focus motor. I'm working another angle right now... She said she liked my D40 when she was playing around with it over the Thanksgiving weekend. I might sell it to her on the cheap. Take that money and put it toward a new camera for me. Right now, I am kicking back and forth between a used D90 or D7000, both of which will also work with my other lenses. I am leaning toward the D7000 based on Ken Rockwell's reviews of both :ponder:
 
:tab Yeah, but I also have some AF lenses that won't auto focus with the 5100 since it lacks a focus motor. I'm working another angle right now... She said she liked my D40 when she was playing around with it over the Thanksgiving weekend. I might sell it to her on the cheap. Take that money and put it toward a new camera for me. Right now, I am kicking back and forth between a used D90 or D7000, both of which will also work with my other lenses. I am leaning toward the D7000 based on Ken Rockwell's reviews of both :ponder:

Of course you have to take everything he says with a grain of salt. But, the D7000 is a fine little camera. The two are very similar, if you can swing it, I'd go with the newer technology of the D7000.
 
Of course you have to take everything he says with a grain of salt.

:tab As with everyone ;-) But between him and other reviews that generally agree with the bulk of what he says, I think the 7000 would be better.

But, the D7000 is a fine little camera. The two are very similar, if you can swing it, I'd go with the newer technology of the D7000.

:tab There are some nice deals out there right now, especially for some of the kit deals that come with body, lens, bag, flash, memory card, and other stuff.
 
:tab Well, my folks have decided to kick in a bit more, so I think she may be looking to get a D5100 kit. There are some really nice deals out there on them right now for about $550 with the 18-55 lens, memory card, carry case, and give or take a few other minor accessories.

:tab I'll probably hang onto the D40 a while longer. But this is on my short list...

http://www.adorama.com/INKD7000K3.html

and maybe this to go with it...

http://www.adorama.com/NK3518U.html
 
I loved my 18-200VR the couple years I had it. For the $$, I found it to do a really nice job. Not spectacular, but for my purposes at the time, just a really good all around one-lens-do-it-all kind of thing.

That looks like a nice kit, and you can't go wrong with the nifty-fifty.
 
:tab A BIG reason I wan the 18-200 is so I don't have to carry two lenses and be constantly swapping back and forth. That is one thing I have hated about using my D40 for things like family events, especially if they are outdoors.

:tab If I could find a similar kit that has the D5100 and the 18-200, I might be inclined to do that instead just because of the cost difference between the 7000 and 5100. I like the features of the 7000, but it is a good bit more $.
 
Like this one:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Digital-18-200mm-Cleaning-Accessory/dp/B0051AP220/ref=sr_1_20?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1354231547&sr=1-20&keywords=d5100+18-200mm+kit"]Amazon.com: Nikon D5100 16.2 MP Digital SLR Camera Body with 18-200mm VRII Lens + 16GB Card + Case + Filter + Cleaning & Accessory Kit: Electronics[/ame]
 
That's actually an attractive kit price. That would put the 'kit' part at about $400 which is pretty nice.
 
What I was thinking... That is a really good price, a couple of hundred off from buying the Body and the 18-200 individually.

TM.. When I purchased my D90 a few years ago, I purchased just the body and the 18-200 each as my "kit". Be careful it will start an addiction.

For what it is worth. There are numerous older 18-200mm VR "1's" on the used market. There is very little difference between the "old" version and the "new" VR II version.

I will look up the comparison specs and post them here for you.

Good luck.

EDIT: Here is one I found quickly. http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/18-200mm-ii.htm

I see on KR's site he highlights "lens creep" as an potential issue. FWIW, I have never had that issue even when walking/hiking with the lens facing down for long distances.
 
TM: I just spent a few min on ebay and there are a few smoking deals out there with a buy it now.

Like this one :link:

$(KGrHqZ,!qYFCS)Q(p2SBQsTt3vnrg~~60_57.jpg
 
:tab Man... Keeping up with the change of plans when dealing with my Brother is a real experience :lol2: So here is what finally happened. They found a great deal on the D90 with the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses on Ebay. They bought it. But, his wife decided that she really liked my D40, so they bought that from me. His daughter will be the primary user of the D90 and his wife the D40. My folks kicked in a bit extra and I gave them a steep discount on the D40 to make it all happen.

:tab Now I need a camera... :ponder:
 
Back
Top