D5300 vs D7100

lynns · Dec 9, 2014

Hey. I had a D5200 but it got nicked when I was at a gig. I'm looking to get a new body now, but can't decide which to get. I do a little bit of gig/portrait work for friends & am looking for a camera that will do both of those things well. I mostly use it for taking photos of my toddler and just while walking about my city.

The thing I absolutely loved about the D5200 was the flip-out screen. I like to get unusual angles & it was one of my favourite features of the D5200. But I don't know if it's worth foregoing that for a better battery life & 1 more fps of the D7100. From the general specs there doesn't seem to be a humungous difference between the two. Would it be worth going for the D7100? Is there a huge difference between the two? Would the D7100 be tons better for using in low light?

RocketCowboy · Dec 9, 2014

If you are a big user of the articulating screen in the D5200, then that would be a plus for the D5300.

Since you mentioned using the camera for gigs, the D7100 has dual SD card slots so that you can backup images across multiple cards.

I have both the D5300 and the D7100. The D5300 is ideal when I'm packing small and want to stay lighter weight. For anything more serious, I lean towards the D7100. If GPS or Wifi is a huge factor for you, they are built in with the D5300 instead of external options on the D7100. Both are going to be similar with picture quality, so it comes down to whether you need the extra command wheel and SD slot on the D7100, or whether the articulating screen along with Wifi and GPS on the D5300 is more meaningful.

Hope that helps.

qleak · Dec 9, 2014

lynns said:
Hey. I had a D5200 but it got nicked when I was at a gig.

Ahh it took me a while... I was sitting here debating why a nick ( a small dent or wound ) would have you new camera shopping. Then I realized British English! Ha!

If the articulating screen is useful for you go for the d5300 especially if there is much chance your camera will get stolen again

The 2nd mode dial has already been mentioned. The dials will help you with speed:

In manual mode the dials are for shutter speed and aperture. To change iso you need to hold down the ISO button on the back (inconvenient) but then the mode dials either toggle auto-iso or change iso depending on which dial you use.

In aperture priority the mode dials are for aperture and iso. You'd use the exposure compensation button (conveniently near shutter) to adjust to conditions.

Another consideration is the ergonomics. The D5300 is a bit too small for my hands. In your case it may be the opposite. Go to a shop and test drive. How does each feel to you?

astroNikon · Dec 9, 2014

FWIW,
The 5300, 3300 and 5200 have better low light test scores than the 7100 ==> dxoMark Nikon ISO numbers | Photography Forum

you don't get a huge low light difference until you go up to Full Frames as you can see with the numbers.

I think the main difference you'll find is the d5200 is software driven design, where as the 7100 is more button driven. Also the 7x00 focusing point system allow faster manipulation and, I think from playing with 5x00 in that past, a superior focusing "total" system. Which includes the thumb pad for controlling specific focus points, ability to quickly change it, etc.

Sorry to hear your 5200 was stolen, or nicked .. took me a minute to realize it too

goodguy · Dec 9, 2014

Overall performance (DR, IQ, Low Light performance) difference between the D5200/D5300 is negligible, main difference is in features like extra control dial on D7100, better weather sealing, in body AF motor and lots more.
If you liked the D5200 then why not stick with it ?
Me personally I would go for the D7100

goodguy · Dec 9, 2014

astroNikon said:
Sorry to hear your 5200 was stolen, or nicked .. took me a minute to realize it too

Unless Nick stole the D5200, so you could say Nick nicked the bloody camera :1219:

qleak · Dec 9, 2014

astroNikon said:
you don't get a huge low light difference until you go up to Full Frames as you can see with the numbers.

I wouldn't call it a huge difference. Keep in mind that photography exposures act on a logarithmic scale. So these numbers are almost all hype.

Df is 1.24 EV more sensitive than the D3300.

The D3300 is .14 EV more sensitive than the D7100.

For practical photography 1 EV can make a difference, but I wouldn't say it's a huge difference. But .14 EV is hardly worth talking about. For practical purposes the D3300 through the D7000 are all within a 1/4 EV on your list.

jaomul · Dec 9, 2014

Depends, is the flip screen worth more than weather sealing, do you want 2 control wheels.

To be honest the d7100 is a great all around camera, but if I was doing gigs and portrait I might look at something like a Sony fullframe for not much more money, also depends on what's tied up in lenses

lynns · Dec 9, 2014

Thank you all. I didn't even think anyone would bother replying but you've been so helpful! And amusing - I definitely meant stolen, not scraped!

I think I'm going to go for the 5300 just now & do some saving for a full frame in the future. I wish I could buy the camera I really want, but then Christmas would be cancelled and my kid would probably starve.

Thanks again everyone.

goodguy · Dec 9, 2014

lynns said:
Thank you all. I didn't even think anyone would bother replying but you've been so helpful! And amusing - I definitely meant stolen, not scraped!

I think I'm going to go for the 5300 just now & do some saving for a full frame in the future. I wish I could buy the camera I really want, but then Christmas would be cancelled and my kid would probably starve.

Thanks again everyone.

Just out of curiosity what is the camera you really want ?

andylucian · Dec 9, 2014

Just thought I'd leave me 2p here.
Having used the D7000 and D7100 I would choose them over the D5300. The thing that swings it for me - the inbuilt AF motor.
It's always about the glass (lens) more than the body. With the AF motor, you can use some stunning older Nikon glass which can be had at a significant discount over the newer lenses. Older lenses tend to be full frame compatible, so you end up building a high quality collection that can be kept if/when you upgrade to FF.
Just thought I'd put it out there!

astroNikon · Dec 9, 2014

andylucian said:
Just thought I'd leave me 2p here.
Having used the D7000 and D7100 I would choose them over the D5300. The thing that swings it for me - the inbuilt AF motor.
It's always about the glass (lens) more than the body. With the AF motor, you can use some stunning older Nikon glass which can be had at a significant discount over the newer lenses. Older lenses tend to be full frame compatible, so you end up building a high quality collection that can be kept if/when you upgrade to FF.
Just thought I'd put it out there!

^^ I agree with above.
You can save a ton of $$ getting older AF-D glass as compared to modern AF-S G glass.
And you can only do AF with the AF motor in the d7x00 models.

Just look at the price of a 50mm AF-S/1.8 vs AF-D 1.8 both used which is about a $100 vs $170
or 85nn/1.8 which is $425 G vs $300
or the 70-200 AFs vs 80-200 AF-D which is about $1200 vs $700

I went with AF-D glass and made the move to FF (and kept my d7000) without any need to buy additional lenses.

dannylightning · Dec 9, 2014

I love my D5300 but if i had it to do over again I would get the D7100

the 7100 has a built in focus motor, high speed sync, weather proofing, more dials and buttons to make things easier and so on. image quality should be about the same, the D7100 just has more features that I think would be very nice to have.

if you were happy with your D5200 than you will be happy with the D5300, its definitely a nice upgrade but not as much of a upgrade as the D7100 would be, I guess it all depends on if the extra features are something that you are interested in or not.

dennybeall · Dec 9, 2014

A lot of talk of wanting 2 control wheels. Using the D5300, the wheel changes speed and you just move your trigger finger 1/2 inch and push the button there and the wheel now changes the f-stop. Really pretty easy once you get into it. ISO is another small button on the left front just in front of your left hand finger. Push that button and the wheel now changes ISO.

goodguy · Dec 10, 2014

dennybeall said:
A lot of talk of wanting 2 control wheels. Using the D5300, the wheel changes speed and you just move your trigger finger 1/2 inch and push the button there and the wheel now changes the f-stop. Really pretty easy once you get into it. ISO is another small button on the left front just in front of your left hand finger. Push that button and the wheel now changes ISO.

Since I started to get more serious into DSLR I always had the 2 dial configuration and without a doubt it is a ncie bonus to have.
I bought few weeks ago an old camera the Nikon D60 which has 1 dial and I must admit it really is as easy as "dennybeall" say it is, just a matter of button to push, very easy and very intuitive, dont get me wrong I would still get a body with 2 dials over one but it really isnt such a big deal, in any case the second dial comes to more effect when you shoot in manual mode, when shooting in Shutter mode or Aperture mode the second dial is anyways not in use most of the time.