D200, D70s or D80

306dean

306dean

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Dean
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Following on from my previous thread i have been doing lots of searching & a bit of thinking (both as dangerous as each other).

Use:
Main use will be for family shots, currently have a Nikon cybershot which is good for shooting the odd quick photo in the house, but looking for something that i can get some lovely printable photos from (up to 10x12). I am currently borrowing my sisters D40X which has proven itself to shoot so much better. My view is that when i'm out with the family i will end up shooting other stuff aswell & relight my desire for photography.

Previously sold all my kit due to lack of use.


I'm trying to justify to myself that i either do or do not need anything more than my previous D70s. I was more than happy with the quality of images i produced from my previous one with the 18-55mm & 70-300mm sigma lenses. However the one thing that really bugged me & still does is the lack of decent battery grip available for them.

LCE have a D70s body in at the moment for £109 which is tempting.

Which is where the D80 comes in, genuine battery grips are available, 10.2mp as opposed to 6.1mp although i know that doesn't always count for too much unless printing. D80 prices are varying from £150-£250 for bodies.

Which then leads me onto the D200, Top of what i'm really wanting to spend but the build quality seems so much better then both of the above, again genuine battery grips are available, much more in depth AF range. Prtices seem to be ranging from £200-400 for bodies


What i do need to bare in mind is that i'm also going to have to pick up at least one lens (previously had sigma 18-55 & 70-300, the 70-300 only got used for motorsports) so i'm looking for something with good range, 24-120 maybe?

Looking at spending around £300-350 max for bodie & lens.

What're your views on this?

Thanks

Dean
 
The D200 is still a great camera IMO and built to last. I have a grip on mine (more for battery life than anything, it's not known for great battery life from a single battery LOL) but as grips go its a lovely one to use btw.
From a sensor pov the D80 and D200 are the same but the D200 is a different animal to hold and use. For me the D200 wins easily and plentiful second hand.
 
The d200 but you might struggle to get anything other than the 18-55 to accompany it.

p.s Cybershot's Sony ;)
 
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D200 and an 18-70 would be my choice.

D80 has a better sensor but the D70s has a better meter so you could factor there's a good reason to justify either depending on your thinking.

In your situation I'd probably either get the D70s as you are familiar with it and were getting good results from it or go the whole hog and get the D200 which offers a lot more.
 
rjbell said:
The d200 but you might struggle to get anything other than the 18-55 to accompany it.

p.s Cybershot's Sony ;)
Click to expand...

I meant to put coolpix ;)

I'm leaning more towards the D200 myself so as I don't need to upgrade so soon in the future. Will keep my eyes peeled for a deal I think.
 
Nawty said:
D200 and an 18-70 would be my choice.
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That would be my choice, as I've had that combination. The D200 is heavier than the D80, but overall it is a better camera imho. The 18-70mm is a much better lens than the more usual 18-55m kit lens.

I wouldn't bother with a Nikon grip as they a generally way overpriced. :eek: Copies are normally very good, and way cheaper than what Nikon offer. I have a copied grip for my D300S, and because I don't use it often, I wasn't going to spend hundreds on it. :shake: The (Meike) copy work perfectly. :)
 
Dean, does the body have to be at least D70s type or would you consider a D3200??

I'm just thinking if you can't afford the large aperture lenses then the extra 2 stops of usable ISO would be a huge benefit when combining with the 18-55 VR?

If you're still going for the more prosumer type body then I'd have to go with the D80 which is the middle of the road from the bodies mentioned.
 
the D200 meters a lot more consistantly than the D80 by all accounts too :thumbs:
 
I use 2 D200's the latest one I picked up for £220 and included a Nikon grip, it has 19000 on the clock.

I have hands a bit like shovels so the D200 fits them nicely especially with the grip, coupled with an 18-105vr it makes a great combo ;)

ATVB

Paul
 
Well this thread has made me dig out my D200, I have rather lost the mojo of late, feel bad i cannot afford an upgrade and have let it get to me, guess i miss the excitement of new kit to play with? More reticent now that I have read its still a capable camera. Tell you what though, my old and bold D50 is still going strong, I always have favoured it for some reason, odd really but I guess I am too.
 
i've not used my D200 for ages but i'm thinking of getting it back out again too now. i knew there was a reason i never got round to selling it :naughty:
love that CCD sensor :thumbs:
 
My upgrade route has been D70, D200, D700. When I had to choose between the D70 and D200, I sold the D200. 2 reasons, firstly, it was worth more than the D70 and I had a D700 size hole in my pocket! More relevant though, because I prefer it in terms of handling, picture quality, pretty much everything! The only way (IMO) the D200 wins is the extra pixies, allowing greater crops while still printing to A3+.

IIRC, Yv has come up a similar route and still has her D70s (as well as the D300 she has instead of the D200). The fact that the OP has owned a D70s in the past and was very happy with it steers me towards recommending that over the D200. Is the lack of a grip a real negative? Personally, I've never got on with them - changing a battery is hardly a chore and can be done very quickly with a little practise! The extra button could help if you have problems with wrist mobility and shoot a lot in portrait orientation.

Lens choice as a partner to any Nikon Dx body? IMO, (for the money) the kit 18-70 is very hard to beat and the 70-300 VR Nikkor for the long end is ideal (not used any of the Sigma/Tamron/etc alternatives).
 
My preferences would be D70s, then D200 lastly D80 - you can get a used D70 from Park Cameras used for £125!

A D70 with an 18/70 is a superb combination, don't like the metering of the d80. D200 produces better pics if you use Capture NX then the D80, even though both use the same sized sensor.
 
I think I'm going to keep my eyes peeled just after crimbo to see what comes up. Missed a D200 with grip on eBay at the weekend. Went for £172.
 
The D200 is a venerable piece of kit, we still use ours now and again. Works well with the 18-70 you mention - and it is all metal......OK it's not a D800, but you will get a good camera relatively cheaply....if I had to choose from the bodies you mention D200 would be my choice :-)
 
I still have my D200, currently it is sat doing a six month time lapse for a big construction programme. They are a cracking camera and can be got for good money now.They are not great at high oso, the screen is small compared to newer offerings, but they are very well built and will last you a long time.

Another down side, that I find, is that the pics need a bit more processing than some other cameras, but if you don`t mind fiddling with files, no real biggie.

All in all, well built,robust and long lasting.With a few negatives.
 
fulwood said:
My preferences would be D70s, then D200 lastly D80 - you can get a used D70 from Park Cameras used for £125!

A D70 with an 18/70 is a superb combination, don't like the metering of the d80. D200 produces better pics if you use Capture NX then the D80, even though both use the same sized sensor.
Click to expand...
Take one in to sell and they'll offer you £30 :thumbsdown: get the D200 :)
 
306dean said:
I think I'm going to keep my eyes peeled just after crimbo to see what comes up. Missed a D200 with grip on eBay at the weekend. Went for £172.
Click to expand...

I used to have a D200, ace camera.
The grip was useless, however.

The little white plastic retaining clips break off real easy.
Mine did, inside the closed battery compartment!

That said, the batteries still worked.
D200 was also quite short on battery life.
So, keep a spare in yer pocket.

rgds.
 
fracster said:
I still have my D200, currently it is sat doing a six month time lapse for a big construction programme.
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How many frames are you doing a day?

I bought my D200 as an import, which would have affected any price I would have got for it if I tried to sell it, so I have kept it for getting into timelapse and as a backup.
 
redhed17 said:
How many frames are you doing a day?

I bought my D200 as an import, which would have affected any price I would have got for it if I tried to sell it, so I have kept it for getting into timelapse and as a backup.
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One an hour, but the build progress has slowed a lot now,so knocking it back to every two hours, for a week, see how it goes.

Deletion is severe, the company only want a 10 minute clip at the end of the job. Plus some internals of the new build.
 
Personally I would go for the D200, predominantly as I used one for a long time and think it is a great, very well built, camera and great at lower iso's. If you were comfortable with the D70 though it would leave more for lenses, possibly a 50 1.8 for family type shots and a 70-300?
 
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