UKC

I have a Nikon D90 DSLR that does everything I want it to and gets results that I am happy with.
It is several years old but not heavily used and I have lots of great lenses to use it with.
I have an itch to upgrade but apart from a move to Full frame models I don't see the need.
Can anyone give me a potential Nikon model that betters the D90 and give good reasons why I should consider it.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:
I have a Nikon D5000 which replaced my Nikon D50. The only reason I replaced my D50 was because it was beginning to fail with the shutter mechanism. The D5000 has a much more robust shutter count expectation before it dies and till then I have no desire to upgrade just for a few pixels more or for a marketing feature that I do not need.

I would still be using my Nikon D50 to this day had it not started to break. The only real world advantages of my D5000 were superior noise reduction at higher ISO rates and arguably a higher pixel count on the sensor. More pixels doesn't necessarily mean better images.

So unless a new camera had a Killer Feature that I could not live without then I am not getting sucked into the upgrading merry-go-round that is the consumerist's mantra.

My mate is still using his second-hand Nikon D40 and has no intention of upgrading till that too mechanically dies.

I also have a 12 year old Nikon 3Mp compact digital camera which works perfectly fine.

Better high ISO performance was a real and practical reason for me to upgrade. To be able to use ISO 3200 knowing that it will clean up well enables handheld and flash free photography indoors or at dusk.

However, your initial thoughts seem sensible. Don't buy anything you don't need.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

Thanks for these comments. I tried to find the shutter count in the EXIF data from one of my pictures but couldn't do so. I found a website that does it for you http://www.camerashuttercount.com/
The figure I got lines up with my estimate of 10220. Looks like there is plenty of life left in the camera so I will stick with it and spend my money on getting out more!

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

I have been using Nikon's for over 30 years, both film and digital. My latest body was the D800 plus the F2.8 zoom lenses. So I have invested a lot of money over the years. I admit that I have succumbed to upgrading because I could afford to. The quality of my photography has remained reasonable, throwing money at kit has not really improved my artistic ability. But I have been increasingly getting fed up with lugging heavy kit around, with the result that I have not been using it enough. I wasn't prepared to go down the point and shoot or bridge camera route as I was not prepared to sacrifice image quality. Having talked to numerous pro photographers I decided to jump ship and swap to the Fuji X system, the XT-1 being my main body. Up to now I have not regretted the decision.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:
I don't really know anything about Nikon as I am a Canon shooter, but from your first sentence you shouldn't upgrade 'that does everything I want it to and gets results I am happy with'. I think most photography folk are guilty of wanting the latest kit but a new camera doesn't make your current one any less good.

If you'd of listed several problems holding you back. e.g shutter speed is too slow, High ISO too noisy etc then i'm sure lots of people would make recommendations but if your already happy with what you've got then put the money aside until you know what you want.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:


Keeping up with the Joneses.

And being hypnotised by nice sparkly ads.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

In your situation, I'd not bother, particularly if you're happy with everything the D90 does.

I'm in a fairly similar position,but have a D5000, and am looking to upgrade to a used D7000. The justifications I gave in a thread a year or so ago were:

"...having full HD video capability, more focus points, better high-ISO, more storage, larger & higher resolution screen, better burst capability, better (ie quicker) accessibility to controls, rather than going into menu options."

Another advantage to the upgrade for me, but not applicable to you, is the lack of built-in AF motor on the D5000 body. I've just bought a Tokina 11-16 f2.8, which doesn't have it's own motor, so I'll have to manually focus unless I get the D7000.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

If you are happy with it then don't upgrade. I used a fujifilm S3 for years after it was officially obsolete - it gave great pictures, and the guy I sold it on to assures me it still does.

The reason I upgraded was night photography - newer sensors were better at higher iso long exposure images. I ended up getting a D7000, and it has been great. Really upped what I could do in the dark.

If i'm honest I would be hard pushed to distinguish a print of a daytime photo from that and the S3 though.

My advice would be not to buy a new camera unless you hit the limits of the old one and there is a clear advantage to doing so.