Holiday (Camera) Shopping, Part 3 – APS-C/DX DSLR Cameras

Emerald Basilisk posing for the camera in La Selva, Costa Rica
(Nikon D5000, Nikkor AF-S VR 18-105mm, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/200s).
Thanks to the 1.5x crop factor DX/APS-C DSLRs are great for wildlife photography, especially coupled with excellent low light performance, large buffers and good continuous shooting frame rates. Some cameras, like the D300s for example, are also built to pro standards which helps the camera withstand the wear and tear of outdoor shooting sessions.
See more like this at Sorin Vacaru Photography

Split Cedar Island at the mouth of the Barron Canyon in Algonquin Provincial Park
(Nikon D5000, Nikkor AF-S VR 18-105mm, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500s). Landscape photography is all about image quality at base ISO. With the “entry level” D3200 we get a 24MP sensor capable of over 13EVs dynamic range and 24 bits colour depth. The only catch: diffraction starts kicking in at f/8.
See more like this at Sorin Vacaru Photography

If I had to describe in one sentence the family of DSLR cameras with crop sensors (APS-C or DX) I would probably say something like: ultimate versatility for an affordable “total cost of ownership”. In this context, TCO means the cost of the camera, the cost of the lenses required to do the job, the complexity of the logistics (size, weight, etc), the cost of accessories, etc.

The one specification that defines the entire APS-C/DX camera segment is the size of the sensor: its surface is roughly half the surface of a full frame sensor or 35mm film. The resulting crop factor is 1.5x. This means that a lens with a certain focal length on a full frame or 35mm film camera will appear to have 1.5x that focal length on a DX/APS-C camera. The lenses also need to cover a smaller area than in the case of full frame cameras. The direct consequence of these two factors is that DX lenses are smaller, lighter and less expensive, especially at the telephoto end. The reverse is also true: there are fewer wide and ultra wide angle lenses available for crop sensor cameras.

Sports and Wildlife: While the venerable Nikon D300s is still a great performer in this category, it is clearly showing its age in the sensor department. I do not find that the price has been discounted enough to warrant a purchase this close to finding out what the successor will look like. Hold off or keep on reading. The top two cameras in this category must be the Pentax K-5 IIs and the Nikon D7000. In sensor performance, the $1,200 K-5 IIs comes just ahead of the D7000. However, priced as low as $900, the D7000 is a steal. If you are invested in F-Mount lenses, get it while you still can. The main drawback with the D7000 is the small buffer which will impact your continuous shooting performance.

Landscape Photography: The top two choices above (Pentax K-5 IIs or Nikon D7000) are also top performers in the landscape photography category. With over 14EVs dynamic range, a solid build and all exceptional handling, the choice is based on whether you are invested in a certain mount or not. If not, you can go either way, unless the lower price of the D7000 makes the difference for you (it shouldn’t, IMHO, since you will pay much more for new lenses). A very cost effective alternative for landscape photography is the Nikon D5100. It has the same 16MP sensor and image processing pipeline as the D7000, but you can buy it for $450. If you are willing to give up weather sealing and some controls, this is a Gift: get it quickly. If you are planning to print really big you may want to move up to a higher resolution sensor. The 24MP Nikon 3200 is state-of-the-art in terms of IQ. I hesitate to recommend it in this category because it lacks a few features that I feel are required for a good landscape camera: bracketing and mirror lockup or delay. This leaves only one eligible camera in North America, the Sony SLT Alpha 77. For $1,100 you get a weather sealed body with all the goodies you’d expect from Sony. Given the very high continuous shooting frame rate, you can use it as an action camera in a pinch, if you can live with the lower high ISO performance. If you are not in a great rush, or if you live in Europe, you can opt for the Nikon D5200 (it should be announced for NA early 2013). While the D5200 has the same 24MP sensor and image processing pipeline as the D3200, it does have bracketing and exposure delay, which makes it an excellent entry level camera for landscape photography.

There is on important catch: kit lenses, while adequate, will not allow you to get everything out of your 24MP sensor. You will need some better glass to do that. (I will post my DX lens list shortly after New Year, so come back and have a look …).

All-round Camera: Any of the cameras mentioned above will do just fine as your everyday DSLR. If you do not need bracketing or other advanced features, the Nikon D3200 is tough to beat. With a sensor performance score second only to the Pentax K-5 II/s it will only set you back $700, kit zoom included. The $450 Nikon D5100 body is the next step up in terms of features, but a step down sensor wise. As I mentioned you can always get the Nikon D5200 in Europe or wait for it to ship if you live in North America.

You surely noticed Canon’s absence from my list of recommended cameras. I find it hard to recommend over the other candidates given how much Canon sensor performance lags behind their competitors’. If you are a Canon shooter, you certainly have competent choices in each of these categories and IMHO there is not enough incentive to switch. I expect Canon will catch up with Sony sensors within a couple of years.

Finally, please remember that your needs may influence the final decision. There are many factors, other than pure image quality and body features and handling. Price, weight, lenses, buffer size, etc may need to be factored in. Regardless of your bias, it is a good time for us users: camera performance has been going up dramatically and prices have come down. Let’s hope that camera makers can still operate profitably in these tough conditions. We do want them around for many years to come, after all.