Switching to digital / Nikon compatibility questions

[coloradoamigo]

and I should know better because all those forums do at DPReview is give me a headache. I only go there because every once in awhile, you can find some useful info buried in all the crap (needle in a haystack), and I visit the higher end camera forums of both companies because there seem to be more "needles" in those haystacks. ;) Even as a Nikon user I can find useful info about PS, third party software etc., in other companies forums.
But as far as the 550EX/Mark II, I thought I saw a post on a Galbraith forum as well with the problem. Just probably someone who didn't know how to work the camera. My mistake. :S
Regardless, though, Nikon is not the only company that changes things up to where the backwards compatibility is compromised in the name of technological development. It happens all the time. Canon did the same thing when they changed lens mounts (I have a buddy who, ridicuously, to this day refuses to buy ANYTHING Canon, because of that).
I still think the new flash system of the Nikon is worth it, but to answer your last question, no, I don't know the technological reason behind the older flashes not working with TTL on the D70.

Again, I should know better. My apologies!!

Brian,

Out of curiosity, where are all these people experiencing all these problem with the 550/Mark II setup? DPReview by any chance?

Many people in the sports/journalism field have had nothing bad to say about the camera, and the flash system gets raves. In fact, the worst thing argued about the new body is the vertical shutter release being too sensitive.

Just wondering because the ones that received the majority of the bodies, the ones that use them day in and day out, have reported very few problems. Yet the DPReview forums of this world are smothered with bad news. Now that I think about it, it's like that with every body, for every manufacturer, that has ever come out. If I listened to those morons I would have never bought the D100 due to "backfocusing" and would have stayed clear of any other new digital for the very same problem, as well as a myriad of others.

Sorry to get off track there, just gotta be careful where the info comes from. The 550/E-TTL II system, from every report I have heard personally or read about, performs as advertised.

Do you by any chance know if there is a legitimate technical reason for i-TTL disabling TTL in DX flashes?

[Sebastian]

Brian,

Don't apologize, you should knw better than that by now. I was just playing devil's advocate in a way. Some places where a few people with money get their hands on a new toy might be saturated with problems, whereas another forum where many people use several of them for their daily bread and butter have nothing but good things to say.

It's all about who you listen to, I'm just trying to say there are more places out there to look, not for you as much as for people that might read this.

Obsolescence is something that sometimes has to be done. Canon did it and I know many were pissed, but since then every EOS product is compatible with pretty much every other EOS product. I question Nikon's move to disable TTL with DX flashes because I am having a hard time finding a technical reason why it wouldn't be possible to leave it on. For a company that prides itself on its backwards compatible lens mount, I wonder why I see so many products stop working when moving from body to body. Sure, the lenses MOUNT to newer bodies, but the intentional crippling of metering and functionality makes me wonder why they don't just come out with a new mount outright. If you have old glass and want a newer body because the old one broke and need a D2H or F5 to be able to fully utilize your old lens, then the investment in a new body is only a little bit away from just buying a new lens and a new body, and then at that point the idea of backwards compatability is moot anyway, and you are free to pick and choose the system based on a clean slate of needs and desires.

To me, it just seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot. The lenses will mount, but they make you jump through hoops to be able to USE the lens once its mounted. The flash will mount, but suddenly doesn't work like it used to. At that point, why bother? This was a big reason for my switch. Getting the D2H was a very appealing option, until I read that I would need a new $400 flash. And new $100 software. Suddenly the camera costs $3700, plus the cost of batteries. 800 bucks more buys me the Mark II at twice the MP count.

Brand loyalty only goes so far. It just didn't make sense to me, no matter how I looked at it. And I know all too well that there are MANY thinking the same way I am. It's not even about which is better, it's just that I eventually started thinking that Nikon seems kind of lost, technologically and idealistically. And at that point I decided to give my hard earned money to someone who I believe will do better things with it that will in the end benefit me.

[coloradoamigo]

and at the risk of losing my "Samurai" status, if Nikon doesn't make significant upgrades to their pro camera line within the next year or two (which is when I plan on upgrading), I will make the switch myself. I don't have a ton invested in Nikon just yet, and will not unless I see improvement in their pro line.
That being said, I still see the D70 as a major step foward for Nikon from a price/performance standpoint, and a couple years can make a huge difference for a company (it certainly did for Canon). But I can only hold my faith for so long and we will see what the future holds.
I don't think Nikon is technologically lost, as they make fantastic product, but idealistically, certainly that may be true.
I did consider the 10D when I was looking at the D70, but for me ergonomics is a big deal, as a camera has to feel comfortable to me. For me, from an image quality standpoint, the two were very evenly matched (though I do wish the D70 had ISO 100). Especially in prints. I've seen many 10D prints, and I just got an Epson R300 (to hold me over until I can afford a 2200), and my prints from the D70 are absolutely incredible, with stunning detail, and no noise!! They match or better anything I've seen from the 10D. Also, the overall speed of the camera, and I'm not just talking about frame rate (which I know the 10D is better), but everything, from startup to image preview, menu controls, to write speed, led me to the D70, as well as the 1/500sec flash sync speed (which I've used many, many times already. I know there advantages with the 10D as well, but I figure when I upgrade I'll have those features. I am extremely pleased with the features of the D70 so far, and do not regret my purchase whatsoever. I am also very pleased with the kit lens as well. For all of these reasons, I still have faith that Nikon will deliver a pro line body that will at least equal Canon's, and still give me the Nikon ergonomics, and most likely, even better image quality than what I have now. But it better happen soon, or Nikon will lose another loyal customer.

Brian,

Don't apologize, you should knw better than that by now. I was just playing devil's advocate in a way. Some places where a few people with money get their hands on a new toy might be saturated with problems, whereas another forum where many people use several of them for their daily bread and butter have nothing but good things to say.

It's all about who you listen to, I'm just trying to say there are more places out there to look, not for you as much as for people that might read this.

Obsolescence is something that sometimes has to be done. Canon did it and I know many were pissed, but since then every EOS product is compatible with pretty much every other EOS product. I question Nikon's move to disable TTL with DX flashes because I am having a hard time finding a technical reason why it wouldn't be possible to leave it on. For a company that prides itself on its backwards compatible lens mount, I wonder why I see so many products stop working when moving from body to body. Sure, the lenses MOUNT to newer bodies, but the intentional crippling of metering and functionality makes me wonder why they don't just come out with a new mount outright. If you have old glass and want a newer body because the old one broke and need a D2H or F5 to be able to fully utilize your old lens, then the investment in a new body is only a little bit away from just buying a new lens and a new body, and then at that point the idea of backwards compatability is moot anyway, and you are free to pick and choose the system based on a clean slate of needs and desires.

To me, it just seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot. The lenses will mount, but they make you jump through hoops to be able to USE the lens once its mounted. The flash will mount, but suddenly doesn't work like it used to. At that point, why bother? This was a big reason for my switch. Getting the D2H was a very appealing option, until I read that I would need a new $400 flash. And new $100 software. Suddenly the camera costs $3700, plus the cost of batteries. 800 bucks more buys me the Mark II at twice the MP count.

Brand loyalty only goes so far. It just didn't make sense to me, no matter how I looked at it. And I know all too well that there are MANY thinking the same way I am. It's not even about which is better, it's just that I eventually started thinking that Nikon seems kind of lost, technologically and idealistically. And at that point I decided to give my hard earned money to someone who I believe will do better things with it that will in the end benefit me.

[Sebastian]

But it better happen soon, or Nikon will lose another loyal customer.

See, that's exactly it, it comes to a point where you have to make a choice. You have needs or desires and the company either meets them, or they lose a customer. Luckily we have two great systems to choose from, so if your preffered choice doesn't meet your needs anymore, you have a very legitimate alternative, no matter which way you go.