D200? Is it that time?

[beau_schwarz2]

To date, I bought a Cannon A80 to pictures of my wifes craft projects

and kept all my old nikon bodies and lens for personal stuff. After

30 years you can collect a few (or alot). I guess my problem is I

really love the look I get from my old lens shot wide open with their

narrow depth of field. And then the D200 (AI mount compatable) has

come at the same time my filmscanner dies. The D200 sounds so close;

Except for the full frame. Anyone think there might be a D200s in the

future. Or is this just a call from the Darkside while I'm getting

ready to purchase more film and a nother scanner.

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

Beau,

 

Fate is clearly telling you it's time to join the 21st century and go digital. The D-200 looks like a great camera. And who defines "full frame?" 35mm shooters? MF shooters? Large format? Fact of the matter is that there's no such thing. The sensor is what it is. Can it take great pictures or not? If the D2X and D-70 are indicators, then the answer is yes. And BTW, the darkside is Canon, not digital:-)

[marshall]

I think there will probably be upgrades, but I wouldn't hold your breath for a full-frame d200 to come out soon.

[Mike_R1664876643]

I keep hoping that my filmscanner will die so I can justify getting a better one. Seriously, I've been shooting since the late 70's too, and have three Nikons - an F2AS, N6006, and N80. I've always thought I would get my first DSLR when Nikon came out with a D100 replacement but now I'm not so sure. $1700 (for the D200) is a lot of money to spend on a camera to me and that's probably just the tip of the iceberg. The way I see it, I could buy an F100 and a heck of lot of film for that kind of money, and still have a camera that's worth something 10 years down the road.

[chris_leck]

"I've always thought I would get my first DSLR when Nikon came out with a D100 replacement but now I'm not so sure. $1700 (for the D200) is a lot of money to spend on a camera...."

 

The D200 is the D100 replacement. I think that when the D100 was released, the price was closer to $2100 (I paid $1900). The local price of the D200 is $1700 -- much more camera for less money. Not that this is cheap, but it's significantly less than a D2X.

[erickpro]

Even if you buy a scanner now for your film, in 2 or 3 years its price will be waaaaay lower just as expected from an old digital camera.

 

Going digital means you will need a computer and will need to spend more more on hardware if you are really serious about photography. Or just a decent digital lab to get prints.

[mark_jordan3]

Historically "s" versions have only represented a set of minor upgrades over the original model...I would think a full frame launch would merit a whole new model/series. Realistically I think waiting for a full frame sensor from Nikon could be futile...there's not been the slightest indication, at least that I've seen, that it's even being considered.

[greg s]

"And then the D200 (AI mount compatable) has come at the same time my filmscanner dies."

 

If you decide to go Darkside, make sure you take a few of your favorite old AIS lenses to the cam store and fully understand what it's like to manual focus thru a D200 viewfinder. I love my DSLR, but switched over totally to AF... even for long telephoto (easier than wide angle). Looks like Nikon has a winner though.

[Mike_R1664876643]

Yes, I knew the D200 was the offical replacement for the D100. The D200 looks like a great camera in every way and should be a very big seller for Nikon.

[yeux tortu]

Why wait for D200.

 

Buy a digital rebel and a Nikon to EOS adaptor. Also invest in a Hoada aftermarket focusing screen. Total cost for a refurbished/used unit and the focusing screen and adaptor $600.00. You get all the AI functionality for a lot less money.

 

Then buy a Leitz to EOS, and a Zeiss to EOS adaptor and see what the real lens snobs are bragging about.

 

I love my AIS NIKKORS, but I love the flexibilty of the EOS mount. How else can you shoot NIKKORS, Leitz, Zeiss and Canon glass on one body. My ultimate sharp/low weight travel kit is a Nikkor 20 4.0, Planar 1.7, and Sonnar 85 2.8.

 

If you want to step completely into the dark side, throw on a piece of USM glass and see what fast and accurate autofocus will do.

[dmitriyk]

<i>You get all the AI functionality for a lot less money.</i><br>

<br>

Except full-aperture metering and automatic diaphragm control.

[yeux tortu]

"Except full-aperture metering and automatic diaphragm control."

 

Not sure what full aperture metering means; matrix, spot and center weighted metering works on my 20D.

 

You got me on the automatic diaphragm control; I didn't realize the D200 did this. I shoot manual and AV about 99% of time even with my Canon glass. I love the clicks of stopping down a mechanical aperture ring, why I didn't like the G glass trend of Nikon and why I love my AIS glass.

[oceanphysics]

Full aperture metering means what it sounds like: the ability to meter without stopping the lens down, which you don't have witht the Canon solution.

 

I might use the Canikon adaptor for something like landscape work, but for anything else it's far too slow and cumbersome.

[david_h._hartman]

<em>Except full-aperture metering and automatic

diaphragm control. --Dmitriy Kostyuchenko<br>

</em><br>

<u>Cant we get this straight? You get excellent AI and AIS

functionality with the D200, D2X and D2H(s): Color Matrix

Metering and Aperture Preferred Exposure Automation.<br>

</u><br>

If you enter the maximum aperture and focal length you get Color

Matrix Metering and Aperture Preferred or Manual Exposure. You

also get center-weighted and spot metering. If you prefer you can

enter n/a for the maximum aperture and the camera

will default to center-weighted from matrix whenever you install

an AI or AIS lens. I this latter case you just install the lens

and start shooting just like an F5 or F100. <br>

<br>

With a D2H or D2X you can set a custom setting and then press the

Function Button and set the focal length and maximum aperture

using the command and subcommand dials. I dont know this

but its likely that you can do the same with the D200. This

means you dont have to use a menu to set the maximum

aperture. Unless you use several lenses with the same focal

length and different maximum apertures all you need to do is

select the focal length as the camera remembers the last maximum

aperture for a given focal length. This works great for most

types of shooting except perhaps events and photojournalism. I

point out the later as my preference for these styles of shooting

is an f/2.8 AF Zoom lens.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[david_h._hartman]

Full aperture metering? Yes, full aperture metering with almost any F bayonet Nikkor made since the spring of 1977 (perhaps all).

[dmitriyk]

<i>Can?t we get this straight? You get excellent AI and AIS functionality with the D200, D2X

and D2H(s): Color Matrix Metering and Aperture Preferred Exposure Automation.</i><br>

<br>

Context, Dave, context.

[david_h._hartman]

Sorry. In "That" context you can't see to focus either. Well, I'm sure some find a 20D with AIS Nikkors acceptable. I'm not impressed with the 20D's viewfinder.

[marcofrancardi]

I was almost cought by the Canon darkside (lost ALL my Nikon equipment -new D70 and long-time lenses - and getting ready to buy a 20D) but now... I think the Nikon Jedi has done a job good enough to keep me on the brightside).

Beau, there is no definite darkside. It all depends on what you do with your images. If you are completely happy with film, why switch? I wasn't on many aspects, money spent on films and bad lab prints and risk of slides extinction were among them, so I did switch. Now I'm not happy with other aspects, but the new digital challenge has at least added new thrill to my hobby and I hope the D200 will narrow my digital disappointments.

[nicolas_douez]

I could have written what Beau Schwarz and Marco Ferrandi wrote myself ! I've a nice collection amassed with time of several Ai and Ai-S lenses from the 20mm to the 180mm ED. Of course I'm aware of the so-so results got with a APS-C sensored DSLR and the 24x36 designed lenses under 50mm. My own tests will lead me not to use the 20, the 28 or the 35 and begin with the 50 or even with the 85, and upper. As I'm not a big fan of short focal lenses, no big deal. I used to shoot all summer long without removing my 2.5/105 from my F2AS already.

 

As for the D200, I will wait for putting my hands on it, and my right eye through its viewfinder. I expect a HUGE improvement from the D70/D70s viewfinder, with which it's almost impossible to quickly and correctly manual focus even with luminous lenses. All the macro shots I tried with a friend's D70 and my 2.8/55 Micro-Nikkor Ai-S were extremely hard to make. I must add that I wear glasses, which increases the difficulties regarding the D70 finder at practical use.

 

Just wait and see for the D200. In the meanwhile, I've still some Reala and Provia 100F rolls to burn, and the results that come from my Canon G3 are very satisfying for my needs as for digital.

[mawz]

The only problem with the 20D's viewfinder is the focusing screen, it's not well designed for Manual Focus. My Pentax *istD has the same size and brightness viewfinder as the 20d, but the toothier focusing screen makes it a snap for manual focus work.

 

And as to stop-down metering being slow, I've had no real issues shooting M42 screwmount glass on my *istD. Just leave it in Av and take large advantage of the M/A switch on the lenses. Bayonet lenses wihich lack a manual/auto aperture switch (like pre-A K mount lenses on an *istD) are more of a pain, as they become straight stop-down metering on a Canon without the quick switch to open up for focusing.

[bruno]

Just last day I was trying a friend's D70. I push the DOF preview button, the image got dimmer, not sharper.

 

Good that they fixed my F90X. I can continue shooting film.

 

I still don't understand how come there are so many people happy to pay only 1700Euros for a camera... how much did your cameras cost in the film days?

[ilkka_nissila]

How much did your film and processing cost? I've shot enough much with my D70 that it's paid itself three times over. However, I still shoot a lot of film.

[chris hughes]

Exactly. The cost of a digital camera goes beyond the cost of the body itself. I've had a D70s

for about 4 months and I've probably already paid for half of the purchase cost in saved

processing and scanning. I'm buying a D200 in December - already on the waiting list at

Camera World - so even though I'll have owned the D70s for less than six months it'll have

nearly paid for itself in that time. Digital is the best thing to have happened to photography

in the last 50 years from a cost perspective. I have no problem upgrading to new bodies

every couple of years now that I don't have to pay for processing and scanning. Now, if only

the dynamic range was wider...

[walterh]

Beau - my 2 filmscanners (35mm + MF) are alive and I am past the point that I would need to decide if film or digital is "better". There are two reasons why I like the rapid developpment of digital (Nikon) cameras:

 

1) the medium is fast, cheap on consumables and fits well into a software oriented workflow versus your own darkroom work.

 

2) the prices of film based (Nikon) bodies and MF lenses took a dive and its so good to use all that excellent gear that nobody seems to want anymore in cases where film can still outperform digital: wide angle and large dynamic range. If you scan your film digital will beat you also in the wide angle arena and tonality and only high dynamic range will offer any advantage.

[andrew robertson]

Being a Canon D/SLR user, I can say with all seriousness that I'm very happy the Nikon side

has a DSLR to crow about. For now at least! ;-)