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I currently own a single DSLR camera that I have purchased in 2010 - Canon Rebel T2i. It was my first DSLR camera and it still has a kit lens - 18-55mm. The camera served me well and I've had lots of fun with it.

Now comes the difficult decision. This month (March 2013) Nikon is planning to release the new Nikon D7100. It's available on Amazon for $1196 (Body only). In addition to the body, the 35mm lens will cost me an extra $200. I was drooling over Nikon D7000, shortly after I have purchased Canon Rebel T2i, but it was slightly out of my budget at a time. If this was still 2010 I would definitely buy Nikon D7100 without hesitating.

But over the years I realized that lens is what matters most. I just got an notification from B&H Photo Video about the upcoming Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Lens for Canon DSLR. It's an updated version of the discontinued Sigma 30mm lens. The starting price is $499.

So it comes down to buying a new camera vs keeping the old camera + buying a new lens for the old camera: $1396 vs $499. Yes I could afford either option, but I want to make sure that it's the most optimal choice.

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This site is as much for other people in the future to use as a resource as it is for the benefit of the person asking the question. Unless you put a lot more detail in your question about your criteria and requirements I'm not sure its going to be a lot of use. As it stands your "question" is perhaps better suited for your Facebook page. – Poldie Mar 8 at 20:23
You don't even mention the Nikkor 35mm 1.8f except in the title. You are asking if you should switch from Canon to Nikon. You are asking if you should upgrade your body or your lens. You want us to decide how to spend your money and if $500 or $1400 is ok. You are asking too many questions and expecting a valid answer(hint:none exists). This needs to be significantly paired down to a directed question, and one that can be answered, or it will be closed as off topic. – dpollitt Mar 8 at 20:32
If only someone made decent primes for Nikon bodies. – MikeW Mar 8 at 20:33
@dpollitt I am asking only one question, which is in my title. Itai has given a somewhat reasonable answer. – BokehMan Mar 8 at 20:35
@BokehMan - Ok, you need not take my advice. But your question is receiving downvotes and votes to close for a reason. I'm glad Itai helped you out. – dpollitt Mar 8 at 20:58

closed as too localized by mattdm, dpollitt, MikeW, John Cavan♦, Nick Miners Mar 9 at 11:45

This question is unlikely to help any future visitors; it is only relevant to a small geographic area, a specific moment in time, or an extraordinarily narrow situation that is not generally applicable to the worldwide audience of the internet. For help making this question more broadly applicable, see the FAQ.

1 Answer

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It sounds like you want someone to talk you out of spending more money! That won't happen. Buy what you truly want.

The camera you have is decent and certainly capable but a D7000 and I suspect a D7100 is a world ahead. It will help you be more efficient thanks to better ergonomics with dual control-dials and plenty more external buttons. You'll finally be able to frame things with complete accuracy thanks to the 100% coverage viewfinder.

Should money the real issue, then going for a D7000 would be a great upgrade too and is certainly to drop in price as soon as the D7100 ships. Keep in mind that it is better to get into the system you want as early as possible. Then, when you buy the Sigma 30mm F/1.4 it will be for the Nikon, even if that is not what you do next.

Once in a system, it is costly to go out. So if you buy the Sigma lens for Canon and then decide its the D7100 - or D7200 by that time - you wanted, it will be harder to change.

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