Opinions on a new body

[Dirk]

i never bothered that my nikons are not water proof.. a few drops of jupiter's tears are no problem but when it really rains on a vacation or so i use my compact camera (just one of them)

[NZRob]

It is not rain that worries me either, more likely the cause of my woes was sea salt or humidity from moving between environments (or a combination of both).

[Dirk]

yeah that kills all cameras who ar not sealed .. next time buy a thick cover for the body when going to the sea or use a compact if there is too much wind

[NZRob]

Thanks, I feel it will be a case of once bitten, twice shy

[Dirk]

you are never to old to learn there was to protect your gear. i am talking about bags, covers and even rugged protection in case of ruber amour around the most dagerous parts like lens, shutter battery compartment, sd/cf compartment

when i go to a place like the sea i only take my coolpix lqw with me.. it has decent obtics, has vr , a 3x zoom and 7.1 mp resolution ..

Nikon Coolpix L12 Digital Camera - Full Review - The Imaging Resource!

[NZRob]

Thanks for this. I have both a Canon G5 and a Panasonic TZ3. The Panasonic is ok but doesn't handle low light all that well and when pushing an image in LR2 it goes bad rather quickly. A program such as noise ninja may help with that but for now LR has to do.
I haven't used the Canon since I got the DSLR so it might be time to dust it off... even though it has a lowly 5 mp it wasn't too bad to use and produced a few stunners.

Another option ma be for me to get say a D3000 and use my 24-120VR with it as my P&S, day to day camera and then get a D700 for the better stuff I do.

Just some thoughts... ramblings really, it is 1.30 in the morning and time for me to get to sleep.

[Dirk]

when you have the money go for it .. might be the best P&S you can get at still affordable prices

[pop]

Maybe someone on Photocamel in the US knows a friendly Nikon store he can mail the camera to?

[NZRob]

Originally Posted by pop

Maybe someone on Photocamel in the US knows a friendly Nikon store he can mail the camera to?

Or maybe it is a good excuse for a trip to the US

[pop]

Not a bad idea cus"
Plan it right and the trip will pay for itself.

[nutwithacamera]

I have no idea what the used market is like in NZ, but if there are things on the D200 you like and couldn't be without stepping back to a lower end body, maybe try to find a good condition used D200? If you can sacrifice some of the features, I hear the D90 is a pretty good camera. Or maybe a used or closeout D300? New camera bodies are a rip-off. I strongly prefer buying them used or on bargain basement closeouts when discontinued.

[NZRob]

Thanks, the NZ second hand market is generally a rip off too. Still cheaper to get a new D90 than a use D200 often. Craziness. A close out D300 may be a good option if I can find one at the right price.

[Dirk]

we dutch have a saying translated it would come up like this "It depends on what the lunatic will pay for it "

here in holland occassionaly there are some bargains to make

Canon BG-E1 battery grip , excellent mint with box, 3 battery's € 75.00 (normally the gripp alone would be above 150,00 euro)
Canon eos IX aps body + goldfinger 24-85 usm lens € 75.00 (normaly a goldfinger alone does € 150-200 € again in near mint quality..

Nikon D70 with 1995 clicks body , one year waranty € 299.00 (excl VAT 17.5% ) (this was in 2007 when i saw it i wanted it , reserverd it bought it , use it since then .. now on 6350 approx..

nikon D50 body heavy used as qouted , asking price 250 euro paid 199,00 euro works still fine , private sale so no warranty

[NZRob]

Wow, those do look like good deals. I have lost out on a few deals like that by being too slow off the mark (I should have taken a "buy now" price but decided to try for the lower price and had someone else snatch it up).
I get my scratched D200 back tomorrow and essentially it will do fine for a while as long as I stay up around the f2.8 -4 area so will do that until I see a deal.
I am reasonably sure I would not want to take a step backwrds, if I did a D90 would be as far as I would accept. Ideally I would prefer to move forwards and get a D700. Time will tell.

[kaldrich]

Originally Posted by NZRob

Hello All
but it has now got a couple of scratches on the CCD

Hi,

Unless you have removed the Bayer Filter from you sensor, there should be no scratches on the CCD itself, but instead on the Bayer Filter (piece of glass in front of the sensor).

Thus, the sensor does not need replacing. From looking at your photo I can tell that the scratches are on the filter not the sensor.

Your D200 could be repaired for about $300 US. This is probably more than I would put into a D200.....however, this camera would make an excellent candidate for someone who wanted to do an IR conversion as you need to replace the Bayer filter anyways (for an IR conversion).

[capshook]

Originally Posted by NZRob

Hello All
I am currently considering a new body.

Me too. My back hurts, I've too much flab and it doesn't keep up with my mind anymore....

Oh, a C AM E R A body. Never mind.

[NZRob]

Originally Posted by kaldrich

Hi,

This is probably more than I would put into a D200.....however, this camera would make an excellent candidate for someone who wanted to do an IR conversion as you need to replace the Bayer filter anyways (for an IR conversion).

Thanks for the info. I might look into the option once I can get a new body. Nothing like broadening the horizons.

[NZRob]

Originally Posted by capshook

Me too. My back hurts, I've too much flab and it doesn't keep up with my mind anymore....

Oh, a C AM E R A body. Never mind.

LOL, you and me both, lugging the glass all day lets you realise it in a hurry.

[cannockwolf]

i cant stress how much a d700 is the best option but if the cash is an issue and your not fussed at the inferior af, then the d90 image quality is every bit as good as the d300 i have owned both, yes its a consumer camera so build quality and af is nowhere near the d300 but for landscapes will that be a big issue?

i now have the d90 as a second body and think its a great companion to my d700 to its small size and crop sensor

[NZRob]

Thanks. I covet the D700 a great deal however, at present, I am out of work and until the cash flow improves the D700 is out.
I am even thinking of keeping the D200 (with all it's scratches) as my primary until the D700 finds it's way into the household.