D200 review

[Paul Shields]

Published today on 'the dark side'. I know many here are interested in these reviews as they are usuallly measurbator heaven .

Interesting comparisons to the Canon 5D. The 5D does seem to have a noticable increase in resolution when pixel peeping. Also curious that the review comments that the 5D costs almost 2x the D200. I see in the UK at least, the D200 street price is currently £1199, and 5D is now £1599 (after £200 cashback) - hardly a 100% increase. Looks like the reviewer had a good copy of the camera as there didn't seem to be any mention of banding (to be honest, I've never seen it mentioned in print reviews either). Maybe that's all overblown. Seems like a positive review for those who set store by these things.

[JDArt]

Wow, I can't believe they beat us to yet another review!

I did see mention of banding in the conclusion. Then again, I think they're on retainer from Canon!

[Paul Shields]

Originally Posted by JDArt

Wow, I can't believe they beat us to yet another review!

I know - you need to get to press earlier! I see the B word was mentioned a couple of times in the conclusion - my mistake.

[Nikonfreak]

I thought the review was decent. I don't have the patience to measurebate like that, but really it wasn't bad.

I'm really surprised that he said he believed the D200 to be a step above the 5D. I wouldn't have put it there.

I would say he's right on with the point that 8 - 10 - 12 megapixels really isn't making a huge difference either way. I'm wondering if the megapixel wars will come to an end. Or do you guys say, "Peace... through superior firepower!" LOL
Gimme 50 megapixels and I want 'em NOW!

Much ado has been written regarding the striping issue. I believe it's much ado about nothing. I haven't been able to make it happen on my D200 unless I specifically was trying to make it happen. So to me, it's not a big deal. I'm firmly in the camp that the D200 is the camera we Nikon shooters hoped it would be. It hits a bulls-eye in the market place where it needed to. Just as the F100 became the F5 lite.... the D200 will become the D2x lite.

It's an incredible value. It has a professional build. It's got some weather seals. It has a fantastic buffer. It has a menu and set of options that is very user customizeable. It's focus system is leaps and bounds above the D100. The auto WB has made a big giant leap forward, though he was right that the WB is somewhat funky under artificial light. I've noticed that with some of my flash pictures with the SB800...but I bet if the menu system were punched over to "Portait" color scheme, he might have had a little more success as it's optimized for skin tones...

Darn good camera. Incredible price. It's that good. Really.

Julio

www.pbase.com/loansharkx

[Paul Shields]

Good summary. When you think of what you got for similar money only a year or two ago - it's all good stuff at the moment.

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by Nikonfreak

I'm wondering if the megapixel wars will come to an end.

It's already over for me. I think some of the best deals on the camera market today are used models: D1X, 1DS, 20D, D60. I only know Canon and Nikon cameras.

[Nikonfreak]

Originally Posted by Paul

Good summary. When you think of what you got for similar money only a year or two ago - it's all good stuff at the moment.

Oh absolutely. Just think, a few short years ago, a DSLR would have burned $15,000 - 20,000 out of your pocket and not given you half of what you get today for $1,600

Just seeing the wireless capabilities being added and the potential down the road....

I'm thinking the next big steps will dedicate additional megapixels to a broader dynamic range, color depth, and better software processing / faster processing / writing to the cards. I bet we could get to cameras doing specialized super high speed imagery at 20 or more fps.

Nikon's high speed crop mode could have some very cool potential for wildlife. Imagine a sensor capable of resolving 20 megapixel imagery out of a high speed crop on a 200mm lens giving you an equivalent image of carrying a 600mm lens in the field....

For now, we marvel at what we have.... but imagine what's coming.

Just think... we had stealth fighter capabilities about what... 10 years before the public really knew about them?

Digital photography is in it's infancy. Just wait for the ride to really begin.... and hang on tight.

Julio

[dougjgreen]

Originally Posted by JDArt

Wow, I can't believe they beat us to yet another review!

I did see mention of banding in the conclusion. Then again, I think they're on retainer from Canon!

Well, if the're on retainer from Canon, they will surely be fired for stating that the D200 is better than the 5D.

[Nikonfreak]

Originally Posted by dougjgreen

Well, if the're on retainer from Canon, they will surely be fired for stating that the D200 is better than the 5D.

That statement was a shocker to me.

I'm very, very surprised that he said such a thing.

Julio

[Sidebyte]

Originally Posted by Nikonfreak

That statement was a shocker to me.

I'm very, very surprised that he said such a thing.

Julio

I'm not so surprised at him stating the truth, now if Bob Atkins said such a thing, THAT would be news. Getting a Nikon vs. Canon objective evaluation out of Atkins is like calling in Colonel Sanders to baby-sit your chickens.

[Nikonfreak]

Originally Posted by Sidebyte

I'm not so surprised at him stating the truth, now if Bob Atkins said such a thing, THAT would be news.* Getting a Nikon vs. Canon objective evaluation out of Atkins is like calling in Colonel Sanders to baby-sit your chickens.

You mean Bob Atkins is NOT objective?

ROFLMAO


Julio