Response to "Scotsman" (are you on a horse?)
Ok, I couldn't actually find where you had commented, so I couldn't post my response, and it would be rude of me to not answer your questions, so you get your very own blog post. :)
I LOVE the D200. I wouldn't say it's idiot-proof, but it's fairly easy to use. It's an incredible machine, and it fit my needs perfectly. However, my needs may not be the same as yours. Because of the photojournalistic element and how many pictures I take during a shoot (my record is the equiv. of 37 36-exposure rolls of film), I needed something that could take lots of rapid-fire shots without getting "tired", I could easily modify the ISO speed to accomodate light changes from different locales during the same shoot, and I needed it to be able to make really nice, large prints (it's 12.9 megapixels.) It's a sexy, sexy machine. If you already have a Nikon, it will also fit some of your old lenses, but if I remember correctly, macro lenses might develop a slight fisheye look. It's also fairly expensive. As far as I'm concered, the camera paid for itself after my second shoot, but I use cameras more often than a lot of people. It's a pro camera, and as much as I love it, I wouldn't recommend it as a gadget to play around with--WAY too expensive. I'm not sure where you're located, but some equipment stores (like Penn Camera in the DC area) offer rental services so you can test out the equipment. So, rent the D200, try it out, marinate, then decide if you're comfy with it. I feel like cameras should "fit" like a pair of jeans or shoes. I know that sounds crazy, but using it should feel really comfortable. When I graduated from junior high and really started to show interest/promise in photography, my parents got me a Nikon N70, and I really liked it. When I graduated from HS, and was REALLY interested in photography, I asked for a second camera as a present, the idea being I could have one for color film and one for black and white so I could play around during shoots. That was 2002, and digital cameras really weren't what they were today, and I wasn't interested in a hefty digital camera at that point. So, my mom took me to the camera store, and they had recommended the N80, a step up from the N70 (which had since been discontinued, I think), and supposedly much better in many respects. I took it home, but it didn't feel right. So I brought it back and got a second N70.
The D200 is right for me, but it might not be right for you. If you're nervous about digital SLRs, getting the D200 would be like learning to drive on a Ferarri. Try before you buy. Do you're homework, ask around, find a reputable retailer with informed, educated, trustworthy salespeople and tell them what you need. Find someone who rents equipment, and test as many cameras as you need to in order find the one that feels right to you. Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any other questions: samantha at his dot com. Hope that helped!
I LOVE the D200. I wouldn't say it's idiot-proof, but it's fairly easy to use. It's an incredible machine, and it fit my needs perfectly. However, my needs may not be the same as yours. Because of the photojournalistic element and how many pictures I take during a shoot (my record is the equiv. of 37 36-exposure rolls of film), I needed something that could take lots of rapid-fire shots without getting "tired", I could easily modify the ISO speed to accomodate light changes from different locales during the same shoot, and I needed it to be able to make really nice, large prints (it's 12.9 megapixels.) It's a sexy, sexy machine. If you already have a Nikon, it will also fit some of your old lenses, but if I remember correctly, macro lenses might develop a slight fisheye look. It's also fairly expensive. As far as I'm concered, the camera paid for itself after my second shoot, but I use cameras more often than a lot of people. It's a pro camera, and as much as I love it, I wouldn't recommend it as a gadget to play around with--WAY too expensive. I'm not sure where you're located, but some equipment stores (like Penn Camera in the DC area) offer rental services so you can test out the equipment. So, rent the D200, try it out, marinate, then decide if you're comfy with it. I feel like cameras should "fit" like a pair of jeans or shoes. I know that sounds crazy, but using it should feel really comfortable. When I graduated from junior high and really started to show interest/promise in photography, my parents got me a Nikon N70, and I really liked it. When I graduated from HS, and was REALLY interested in photography, I asked for a second camera as a present, the idea being I could have one for color film and one for black and white so I could play around during shoots. That was 2002, and digital cameras really weren't what they were today, and I wasn't interested in a hefty digital camera at that point. So, my mom took me to the camera store, and they had recommended the N80, a step up from the N70 (which had since been discontinued, I think), and supposedly much better in many respects. I took it home, but it didn't feel right. So I brought it back and got a second N70.
The D200 is right for me, but it might not be right for you. If you're nervous about digital SLRs, getting the D200 would be like learning to drive on a Ferarri. Try before you buy. Do you're homework, ask around, find a reputable retailer with informed, educated, trustworthy salespeople and tell them what you need. Find someone who rents equipment, and test as many cameras as you need to in order find the one that feels right to you. Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any other questions: samantha at his dot com. Hope that helped!
posted by Samantha Wolov at 10:03 PM
2 Comments:
Yes, D200 is such a sleek machine. But for a beginner, it might be overwhelming. An entry-level one (D50, D70S, D80) might be more suitable and errors made won't be as magnified as when a D200 is used.
Those are really good suggestions! I think the D70 might have been designed to be the digital equiv. of the N70, in which case, I say check them out.
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