What is Nikon thinking

I did a quick read-up on the D60 and believe that for around $600 or 1/3 of the

price of the D300 it will do almost everything I NEED except for one thing -

Bracketing!

 

As a landscape photography, either you use grad NDs - which I don't - or you

bracket your shots.

 

If and when I am a pro I will get a D300, but something like a D60 would be good

enough for me as a backup if it had this one feature. Nikon would end up selling

me two cameras. As it is they they've sold me none.

 

So why is it so hard for Nikon to put this feature in? It went missing in the

D40 and the D40X. Does it cost a lot?

 

BTW, I have a D70 which is good enough but is starting to play up and could die

when I need it most. And this is why I'm looking for a replacement.

They are offering a budget camera that will work with lenses with in the lens auto-focus motors. All Nikkors will mount, but not autofocus or meter. This turns me off too.

 

Calumet is selling the D80 for 750 and it will accomodate all lenses.

Andy, From what I read of the dpreview review, the D40x is better imager (but not a camera as for as "cameras" go). I know it is. The D40x has the best IR/UV cut filter among the 10mp bodies.

if you want bracketing then instead of taking three pictures just take 1 NEF format picture.

 

Then you can do the bracketing after you have got home.

 

I never bother to use bracketing when I take a picture - I just make any adjustments in PP.

You asked: Does it cost a lot?

 

As a single element, probably not. But then there are other features that are not there. At some point they probably had to make a list of things to keep out either to keep the internal program size down (smaller cheaper chip), or because they want to keep the menu simple for their target clients. Many of the features of the D300 are useless to someone doing landscapes.

 

If you want bracketing and, for landscape, you want mirror delay get a D80. This is a camera targeted to the "serious" amateur. It has D70 style jpg (if you use jpg) compare to the D40/60 with punched up jpg styled to please casual photographers.

BTW I have a D80 and I never use the bracketing feature. It's just too easy to adjust the exposure in manual or use the exposure compensation .

 

When a take landscape shots I am usually on my tripod (more expensive then a D40) with cable release, mirror delay, shooting raw and I take multiple views that I photomerge together to get my 40mpixel images.

And I also, exposure and focus bracket when needed. But that's me.

I would like a D300, but It would make 0 improvement to my landscape work. I just like it's feel in the hand. oh and live view would be nice for my tabletop work.

"So why is it so hard for Nikon to put this feature in? It went missing in the D40 and the D40X. Does it cost a lot?"

 

Product differentiation. They need to put enough in the D60 so that it sells to the target market, but not so much that it takes away sales from higher end products.

 

There is also the cost element, as lots of little extra features increase the price, and cameras such as the D60 are in a very price competitive end of the market.

What you miss out on the D300:

- viewfinder size

- speed

- AF with non-AFS lenses

- probably AF sensor accuracy

- possibly exposure sensor accuracy

- build quality/sturdiness

- CF cards (IMO the only way to go if you're serious, those MC/MD whatever cards are flimsy and easily damaged)

- size. If your hands are larger than those of a small woman or a child the D60 will likely be too small to use comfortably

 

There's likely more, like the use of another battery (important if you have a D200 already, you'd have to buy all new power in addition to all new memory cards and a lot of new lenses).

 

And remember that for the serious shooter the cost of his body is only a fraction of the cost of his system.

My ?1800 (at the time) D200 is only about a quarter (if not less) the value of my entire system, not counting my old F100 and F80 bodies which are pretty much written off.

That's ?6000+ in lenses, speedlights, tripods, filters, etc. etc. making the difference in price between a ?600 D60 and a ?1600 D300 look insignificant in comparison.

Not that I plan to buy either, that D200 serves me well and I'd just as soon buy me a second one of those sitting unsold on a storeshelf I know of (or a low-time used one) than go for the more expensive D300 were I planning on adding a second body.

It has manual mode, right? So you can bracket.

No, it doesn't auto-bracket. But when you're shooting landscapes, the landscape is rarely

moving rapidly (if it is, you better get the heck out of there).

 

I concur with Ilkka. In manual mode, bracketing is a piece of cake, but with a built-in

histogram, I don't bracket anymore either.

"if you want bracketing then instead of taking three pictures just take 1 NEF format

picture.

 

Then you can do the bracketing after you have got home.

 

I never bother to use bracketing when I take a picture - I just make any adjustments in PP."

 

Uhm, how do you recover blown highlights and details lost to noise in the shadows?

Common Dan, go easy on the guy.

 

Ilkka, I knew I could count on you with something positive. Ever tried lining up misaligned images where the exposure latitude is around 10 stops (or more) and then to blend them smoothly? Oh yes, nearly forgot, you don't umm....

 

(BTW, how's that lovely D3?)

 

Vivek, I had a look at Dpreview's thoughts on the D40X. I got the impression that although IQ is essentially the same, the D40X doesn't have that green dot for manual focus confirmation. If that's the case the D40X would be a no goer for me.

Unless you are shooting action there's no need for bracketing--especially with the D300 when it's got such a great LCD for viewing result. Really, bracketing dates back to shooting slide film where 1/2 stop could make or break a photo. If you shoot raw and post process there's no need to bracket (not sure there is much need with jpegs).

Andy, I have/use a few D40x' and I can confirm that it does have the digital RF focus confirmation (green dot). It (dot) works also when a non-chipped manual focus lens is used.

 

If you want a 10mp cam with excellent image quality and color fidelity, the D40x is unmatched. High ISO noise is quite low as well!

Thanks Vivek. With that 18-55mm flare resistance lens the D40X may just be what I'm looking for.

 

And I guess that in the summer months I generally don't work with latitudes more than 6-7 stops, so for winter I might put some negative film in the FE2 when I go back up the mountains.

 

I suppose to be fair to Nikon they also don't give us MLU below the D200, so they probably drew the line at bracketing as well.

Lower-end cameras have less features. That's life.

 

You could bracket manually by changing the shutter speed in 'aperture preferred' mode. It just takes a second and a finger on the little wheel. You don't NEED automated bracketing, unless you shoot a LOT for HDR.

 

Another option would be to pick up a D200...they're getting cheaper.

Nikon is doing the right thing in offering us many DSLR choices. There is something for

everyone at different price points.

 

For another $130.00 you can get the Nikon D80 which has the bracketing feature you

want along with a lot more such as a superior prism finder, built in focus motor, and

more. It would also be a better choice as a back up body, in my opinion.

I suspect that one reason there's no bracketing in the lowest end Nikon cameras is its intended user is the least informed. Lots of people would inadvertently activate it and complain that their cameras were broken. With no Exposure Delay mode and no MLU I would not consider the D40, D40x, D50, D60, or D70 suitable landscape cameras for a serious user; and with no MLU I would hardly consider the D80 suitable.

Andy, when I shoot a scene which requires precise combination of multiple images, I put the camera on a tripod to avoid alignment issues. I do this to create stitched panoramas, for example. I have a few dozen of exposure series which I shot with HDR in mind but I have not found time to work on them yet. The tripod also allows me to get consistent sharpness and I usually use manual mode in this context. Manual mode allows easier matching of the images for stitching since the images will have more consistent tones.

 

I do understand that hand-holding may be necessitated by circumstances outside of your control. I try to avoid traveling with people who cannot tolerate the presence of the tripod.

 

The D3 is doing well and thanks you for asking. I wish it would lose weight but I dare not make the suggestion in fear of the camera locking up on me.

The D80 has no MLU but has a MIRROR DELAY feature. When set, the mirror comes up then waits a certain time before activating the shutter. Mine is set for .3 seconds. That may not sound like a lot of time but it is planty to let the mirror's vibration dissipate, especially if the camera is firmly on a good tripod.

Actually on a windy day automatic bracketing comes in handy if you shoot landscapes including anything that moves with the wind. One cannot avoid alignment problems but quick shooting can minimize them. The D40 may be a little slow for this.

Have you tried continuous shooting while changing the shutter speed with one dial while shooting in manual mode? Might just work.

LOL!

 

I can hear the ghost of Edward Weston right now: "Why don't you just turn the g*dd*mned aperture ring?"

 

And the modern photographer has to sheepishly admit: "But Mr. Weston, my brand-new $2000 Chinese-made lens doesn't have an aperture ring to turn, it's all-electronic now. D*mn, my battery is dying and I'm not in the right mode."

 

E.W.(shaking his head): "D*amn, I wish I had some tequila 'bout now."

 

Hey, what's wrong with having a sense of humor?

Gee Whiz,

Why are you so hung up on bracketing??? I made my living for 25 years in photography and really did very little bracketing -- only in REALLY tough lighting situations.

Learning to read the light and make decisions for yourself is an integral part of being a photographer. I shoot with a couple of D70's now and use exposure compensation when I want to over-ride matrix metering and manual exp. and sometimes a handheld meter but not really that often.

Just go ahead and get a D60 and have fun with it

Thank you all for your thoughts.

 

Might just go out do like Mr Weston. But, and there's always a but.

 

Nearly 50cm of snow overnight and more on the way.

 

A good thing there's Photonet!