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Is it justified to go for D200 when one can have two D70S at the price of one D200?

Partha, I just purchased a D200 yesterday and have been playing with it learning some of its functions. I would say that if you can afford it, then by all means go for the D200. It is an amazing camera and had many features that you will use. I have used a D70 in the past ans this is a big step up.

I will be using the D200 during the coming week for 4 days on a job at a clients location, will let you know how it works out. So far though in testing it I am very happy with it.

Phil

Thanks Phil. Kindly let me know your feedback. Actually I am handling one D70S of one of my friends. The customization feature is great and that put me into dilemma whether to go for D200. But I strongly believe that there should be something to justify the double price.

Regads

Partha

Partha,

Why not wait a few days for the full details of the new Nikon to be announced.

Best,
Helen

Partha, the D200 has even more customisation features than does the D70s.
It also has a far superior sensor, better AF system and exposure meters, far larger viewfinder (very important to me), etc. etc.

Is it worth the extra money? For me it certainly was. When I first picked up a D70 I knew I'd not be happy with it, it was too small and flimsy (especially that tiny viewfinder).

Remember that the D200 stands to the D70s like the F5 stood to the F80, yet where the F50 cost 5 times as much as did the F50 the D200 costs only twice as much as does the D70s.
That extra quality and capability isn't for everyone I agree. For some it may even lead to frustration as the camera tends to be quite unforgiving towards poor technique, far more so than is a lower resolution, lower spec, camera.
The D70s replacement will come as a rude surprise to many who buy it for that very reason. They'll find themselves with a sensor that's too good for them, leading to a lot of blurred and incorrectly exposed photos that with a lower spec sensor and more in-camera prefixing would be at least decent.

P.S.
I think you'll find yourself in the same situation re the D70 viewfinder as I did, given the fact that you too shoot an F100.

I strongly feel that had I purchased a D70 instead of a D200 it would soon have started gathering dust, or I might even have returned it for a D200.

The new Nikon 10.2 megapixel D-SLR will be announced on the 9th August. It might be worth waiting to see what it is.

Best,
Helen

Thanks Helen. I have no problem to wait till August. Thanks for sharing the information.

Regards

Partha

yes, and by then there will be rumours of yet another new camera... If you always wait for the next rumoured product you'll never buy anything.

And mind that an announcement doesn't mean it will be on sale. Most likely an announcement in august will mean limited availability in shops from november or december.

This isn't a rumour, Jeroen.

You know as well as I do what I mean. It's pretty certain there will be an announcement about a 10MP camera based on the featureset of the D70 but that's all there is at this time.

And by the time that's official there will be people "knowing" about the next thing that should be announced early next year.

If you keep waiting for every next great new thing you'll be forever waiting.

Anyway, a D70 will never match a D200, even if you put the same sensor in it.
Way too many people (and you seem to be among them) stare blindly at the megapixel count and release date as the only way to determine which camera is better.
That's a complete fallacy.

Well just got back from 4 days of shooting. We used a pair of brand new D200s. We configured them with my old lenses, one with a Nikkor 35-70mm f2.8 AF-D lens and the other with a Nikkor 20-35mm f2.8 AF-D lens. These are the older 35mm design lenses however they worked out great for the shoot.

I cannot say enough good things about the D200. It is an amazing camera, produces fantastic color and the images were very nicely exposed. We were shooting in "Large" JPEG Fine mode. In total we were shooting approximately 1000 images per day between both my partner and I. Both cameras were going continuously. We mostly used the on camera flash as a fill, most shots were indoors in a huge 600,000 sq foot warehouse with daylight balanced flourescent lighting and skylights. My partner used primarilly ISO 400 while I was switching between ISO 100, 400 and 1000.

The controls on the D200 are exceptional and the fact that there are knobs or buttons for most of them allow you to do things by feel instead of having to look at the lcd screen all the time. It only takes a short time to get used to where things are, this camera was obviously laid out by someone that actually uses cameras, everything is in the right place.

I was using the optional grip/battery pack on my camera with 2 batteries, and my partner was using just the single internal battery with no grip. We could pretty much shoot all day on one battery even using the on camera flash although we would give her battery a charge while we took a lunch break just to be sure. The lowest I had gotten on one of my batteries was 30% after the full day of shooting (9 hours). The other was still at 100%.

Partha, you can wait for the new Nikon if you want, but I doubt it will be up to the level of the D200. It is meant to be a replacement for the D70 which is already old. It most likely will not have the features or controls of the D200. If you can afford it and can justify the features of the D200 I would say go for it. You will not be unhappy.

One of the cameras I had used on this shoot was one I had just purchased and the one my partner used was a loaner from the Nikon Rep. I can see I will have to purchase a second D200 though. No way will my partner go back to the old Fuji S1 and no way I am giving up the D200 either. So I see another D200 purchase in the very near future.

Phil

"Way too many people (and you seem to be among them) stare blindly at the megapixel count and release date as the only way to determine which camera is better.
That's a complete fallacy."

Jeroen,

I agree with what you say, but you have badly misinterpreted my intentions. I was only suggesting that as there will be an announcement on the 9th Aug it might be worth waiting for. It is not my decision about whether to wait or not, it is not your decision, it is Partha's decision. I don't know all of Partha's preferences and priorities. I only mentioned the megapixel count because that is all that Nikon themselves have said about it, apart from the date. Everything else is conjecture. Had it just been a rumour, and had there not been a definite date in the very near future I would not have mentioned it.

Best,
Helen

Jeroen,
Pl. don't take it otherwise; it seems that it was not the intention of Helen to emphasize 10 mega pixels but to specify the model, as Nikon is advertising the model in their site with special emphasise on 10 mega pixels.

By the way, does anybody have any idea about optical density of D70S and D200?

Regards,
Partha

Phil,
Thanks for sharing your practical experience about D200. Most probably I'll go for it. But I’ll wait till the launch of the new model. I don't know whether it will be upgradation of D70s or D200

Regards
Partha

D200 is not due replacement any time soon. It will (from the specs I've seen) be essentially a D70s with the sensor of the D200 (or one very much like it).
So smaller viewfinder, less powerful and accurate AF system and light meters, less weathersealing, etc. etc.
Almost certainly no vertical grip available, no support for non D lenses, no support for older model flashes, etc. etc.

I saw a photo today of the new replacement camera. It is called the D80 and looks like a D70 with some of the features of the D200 such as the larger LCD screen, not much else was said about it. Here is a web site with some initial info on it.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d80.htm

Phil

Hi Partha,

I will suggest D70s. The reason being cost. Its important to all of us. Right. If necessary go for D50, but save money for good lens. D70s with 18-200 will definitely be a balance of budget and quality.

Aurobindo

Do check the dates Aurobindo. This thread is almost 2 years old.

If he's not got that camera yet and is still waiting for the next rumoured model I doubt he's going to buy an out of production model now :)

And Phil, I forgot back in 2006: don't pay attention to Ken Rockwell. He's an idiot in most things. He now states that the D40 is the only camera anyone ever needs, that anything else is a waste of money for all users.

And to get back to D70s vs D200: Why not get both? ;)
I did, and I'm having a blast

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