Questions to experienced Nikon D-1 Owner/Users:

[bill_carson]

I am interessted in comments from owner-users of Nikon D-1 digital

cameras (Perhaps this could be broadened to include D-1H users as

well?).

 

Specifically with respect to limitations that may be experienced due

to the [seemingly] low Megapixel Size provided in this camera?

I make 11 X 14s from time to time and 8½ X 11s very frequently; and

I'm very interested in producing critically sharp prints. The camera

seems large and heavy - I owned a Nikon F-5 but the size did not

bother me at the time.

 

I'd be very interested in your general comments regarding your

experiences with and use of this camera.Many thanks. Bill Carson

[brian_caldwell]

I used a D1 for a year prior to getting a D1x. Print quality at 8x10 was generally very good. At 11x14 the print quality depended alot on subject matter. Portraits, closeups, and simple compositions work best.

 

Detailed landscapes are difficult for the D1. However, the D1 is a great camera for doing stitched mosaics, and I was able to easily exceed medium format quality for landscape and architecural work.

[moses_sparks]

Bill,

 

I have found that the issue of megapixels and how they relate to image quality is perhaps THE most misunderstood issue among photographers who are contemplating a move to digital imaging.

 

It's muddied even further by the spec junkies who dutifully memorize the specs of every available camera and then regurgitate that information on demand whenever a question like yours appears. The problem is that it's often based on nothing more than the specs and repeating the same misinformed opinions they've heard from others.

 

When you ask if they've ever USED the camera in question...different story.

 

Overall image quality has a lot more to do with the qualiy of the sensor, the size of the photosites on that sensor, the processing algorithms, and the post-production software, than it does with how many pixels there are. Quantity is important...quality is more important.

 

So with that, I will tell you straight away I have not used an original D1. But I own 2 D1H cameras, which I purchased after testing the other pro-oriented options (I shoot commercially) including: the Nikon D1X, Nikon D100, Fuji S2, and limited time with the Canon 1D.

 

My results were that the D1H clearly had the best overall image quality of the bunch, and by that I mean the best color, contrast, noise, and lowest artifacts.

 

All of these camera produce excellent images when used correctly, but to my eyes the D1H looked the best, followed closely by the Canon, but the Canon color looks different somehow, and would have only been a real consideration for me if it absolutely blew away the Nikon models, since I own Nikon lenses...it didn't.

 

The Fuji has very nice color, but a little hyper-saturated for me.

 

I won't go into all the specifics of the other cameras (because I know someone else will) but I routinely print 13x19 from my D1H files onto an Epson 2200 printer, and the results are nothing less than spectacular.

 

I've also shot 4 magazine covers since getting the D1H in December of 2002, and numerous other published pieces. Quality of those has all been first rate. I've only had one problem with image quality, and that was a large group of 24 people, shot wide, and then they decided to crop into just the faces. By the time they had cropped out half the image area there just wasn't enough pixel density to run a large print and have it hold the detail...this is obviously not how you want to do this. The 13x19 print of the entire group looked very good.

 

I would say 16x20 is about the outside limit of REALLY sharp prints from the D1H, although the guy who does computer training and support for me shoots wildlife and flowers and regularly prints 20x30 from his D1H files. However, this guy is practically worshipped over at dpreview as a digital guru and really does know everything about how to tweak the reproduction chain, so I don't think you can use him as a benchmark :)

 

If you can you should rent the camera you're interested, shoot it, and work the files. That will tell you what you need to know.

 

I suspect you will find a lot more limitations with your own skills than you will with the camera...I did, and I've been shooting for a living a LONG time.

 

Good luck to you.