Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
by Nikon
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
Customer Review: D200
Summary: 5 Stars
Great camera -- I don't have any comments that can better describe numerous glowing reviews about features, qualities, and other benefits associated with the D200.Customer Review: a few disappointments
Summary: 4 Stars
I was surprised that the battery charger provided with the camera is only rated to run on 110V US current. So a purchaser in the US has to pack a transformer to use it outside the US, Canada and Panama. Even inexpensive camera battery rechargers will run on up to 240V, so I don't understand why the recharging system isn't more international travel-friendly.
Some of this may be my learning curve, but I have found the autofocus settings to be counterintuitive. A significant fraction of the first several hundred images I shot with the camera did not focus as I intended despite varying the autofocus settings, attempting to focus manually, etc.
My impression after a couple weeks of use is that it is a powerful imaging platform though, and results improved with use.
Customer Review: Change of Heart
Summary: 4 Stars
I posted one review regarding this camera in which I gave the camera two stars because of its tendency to consistently underexpose full green auto mode flash photos. However, after 3 emails to Nikon's tech support, I've changed my mind. First of all, please allow me to say that Nikon's tech support is top notch. Technician David D was great. He was very patient with me, an amateur photographer when it comes to digital SLRs, and he explained things in a way I could understand completely.
If you are a snapshot photographer who wants a nice camera to be able to point and shoot without worrying about attempting to create perfect photographs by fussing with settings, quite frankly, the Nikon D80 isn't the camera you want. Get yourself a quality point and shoot camera that will take acceptable snapshots. If, on the other hand, your goal is to create beautiful, near professional quality digital photographs by adjusting and tweaking camera settings, then this camera is an excellent camera for you. The features that this camera comes loaded down with gives you such tremendous control that, if you take the time to learn this camera, you will be able to take detail perfect photographs that will make you proud, along with being glad that you bought a Nikon D80 camera.
The camera does indeed underexpose flash photos taken in the full auto mode so that they appear dark. However, Nikon has set up its metering system to do this for a reason, as Nikon's technician, David D explained to me. The D80 automatically assumes that you, the photographer, will, most likely, desire to edit the photos you take, in some form or fashion. Nikon was very perceptive about digital photographers to figure things this way, actually. Even with point and shoot photographers, including myself, whenever photos are uploaded from digital cameras to computers, most of those photos are cropped, enhanced, red eye eliminated, etc. In a slightly underexposed digital photograph, all the data and detail is there. That photograph can then be edited, if you so desire, and, since you started with a photo that contained all its data and detail, you can produce a great picture. However, an overexposed digital photograph will lose data and detail. The data and detail lost in an overexposed digital photograph can't be restored by any amount of editing. The D80 will give you a slightly underexposed photograph out of the camera so that you will have all the data and detail in that photograph, as opposed to a slightly overexposed photo with lost data and detail. You can then edit that slightly underexposed photo, if you desire to do so, and you will have a photo with all its data and detail to work with. This can't be said for a slightly overexposed digital photograph, which will have lost some data and detail.
Nikon technician David D suggested to me that if I didn't mind losing a bit of the data and detail in my photographs, that I could either do some photo editing with photo editing software and brighten them up, or, using the D80's exposure compensation feature, I could set the camera to add a little exposure to each photograph it takes.
If you're going to use a Nikon D80 camera, you have to think more like a photographer than like a tourist taking vacation photos. It's a great camera if you understand it and know how to use it.
Customer Review: Just impressive...
Summary: 5 Stars
1 month with this camera and stunned by the features and quality of this camera. It will certainly take a while to learn about all the functions but what a leap to higher grounds coming from the point and shoot world and classic film SLR... The Nikon is impressive looking and has all the bells and whistles I was hoping for! Customer Review: Awesome camera and lens!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been using my Canon S50 for the last three years thinking that it was time for an upgrade. For me, the MOST important and hardest to get photos are usually the indoor ones (ie weddings or events). So I decided to spent a bit more on camera equipment to fulfill that requirement. Having absolutely little knowledge of SLR cameras (dont get intimidated by this), you should know that there is a Program mode where you can use this as a point and shoot camera. As you get used to it, you migrate more to the manual mode and take advantage of the unique capabilities of this camera.
First, Nikon lenses are great! The pictures are clear and with VR, it really helps eliminate some blurred images from shaky hands. As you proceed to no-flash indoor photography, VR helps a lot (up to only a certain shutter speed before you need a tripod). Having a 18-200mm lens covers most of your everyday needs. For me, I bought a few other lenses to play with... It will become costly but the pictures are priceless. Paying extra for VR is well worth it. When you look for other lenses, you will see the price difference with or without VR. I REALLY would recommended spending the extra on VR especially when you are zooming in..
Second, the camera is VERY sturdy and quite heavy. So this is obviously not the most portable camera around. It is an SLR so what do you expect?
Finally, four months after my D200 purchase, I have absolutely no regret of spending over 2300$ on this. So if you are new to SLR cams and debating whether to buy this or not AND portability is not an issue, I highly recommend that you go for it. I am sure that Canon offers a similar line of camera just as good, but I decided to try Nikon after using a Canon for so long.