For The Record, The D200..

[Speed]

Is selling faster than they can get them in the stores.

When I dropped off some film at ASAP photo a few weeks ago, I showed a buddy the D70s and told him I was probably going to get one for Christmas. The clerk told me to forget the D70 and get a D200, For $700 more, you get a lot more camera. They had six come through the store, they had played with them extensively, and they were VERY impressed. So much so, that they doubted anyone would buy the D2X now!

He also informed me that eight other people had already bought them, and showed me the sales slips hanging behind him. Not reserved them, not asked to be placed on a waiting list, they had paid their $1700 (plus tax) and were waiting for their cameras to come in. One week later I went to pick up my film and they had nine sales slips hanging on their rack.

I've already discussed this with my wife and I'm getting a D200 for Christmas (assuming that production has caught up with demand). She's also hinted at getting an HP Media Machine when we get our tax return.

Feel free to envy me.

;-)

[deckcadet]

I've already discussed this with my wife and I'm getting a D200 for Christmas (assuming that production has caught up with demand). She's also hinted at getting an HP Media Machine when we get our tax return.

CONGRATULATIONS!
You won't regret getting the D200...But...
Christmas is a long way away.
In the meantime I would suggest you get a used d70 or D70S or a d50 or something to fill the gap and keep yourself from missing lots of great photo ops.
The D70 is dirt cheap used now...the D50 is dirt cheap NEW now.
Remember. Christmas is 11 months away.
In the 11 months before I got my D200, I took nearly 20,000 shots with my D70.
20,000 shots is a lot to miss out on, even if only 1% are any good
Also, since AFAIK you don't yet shoot a DSLR, it will get you more in tune with the peculiarities, quirks, and style of shooting with them. You can play around and find the settings you like. The rest of this post (well most of it) will deal with this from the POV of someone who has over a year of DSLR experience on 2 primary bodies, talking to a film SLR/Digital P&S user who is moving up to their first permanent DSLR. If i'm mistaken here, forgive me and ignore most of this post
Note: This is just my opinion- feel free to disregard it completely and continue on your current plan. This will offer you an alternative plan which will NOT change your christmas D200 plans unless you decide you're not ready at the time. It will however give you something to chew on in the meantime. It may seem a bit pessimistic, I see in retrospect, but that may be to try to get my message across. I don't want to seem discouraging at all- in fact I think this should be an ENcouraging post in general. keep that in mind while reading on.
One of the main complaints I see is people who just don't know how to use a DSLR going straight to the D200, then complaining because bad settings, bad technique, and a lack of body-specific experience causes their first shots to be not so good...or downright terrible. Sometimes I see similar complaints from D70 buyers who haven't read up on the camera and haven't bothered to move the dial off of Auto or hit the Menu button.
Therefore, I advise if you're going to take that long to get a D200, then DON'T WASTE 2006! Buy a D70 used or a D50 now while they're cheap- get the DSLR experience this year on an inexpensive body, and upgrade to the D200 when you were planning to.
There is a big difference between P&S and DSLR, and a different big difference between 35mm SLR and DSLR. Going DSLR to Film SLR it is perhaps less complicated- ISO ratings, metering, all very similar. No instant review, and a limited (and expensive) number of shots, so more thought goes into it sometimes. But learning the DSLR-specific post processing (especially RAW) is more time consuming, more based on personal preferences and styles. There is a lot to experiement with.
No matter how good your images are out of camera, Post Processing can usually improve them a great deal. In fact, DSLR post processing (especially RAW) can add new dimensions to otherwise unremarkable images.
DSLR processing is different from P&S processing, as it is different from film processing and processing scanned film. In both of those cases, you've already got a goodly amount of processing done before you get the shot on your computer. With P&S's, the cameras peform a ridiculously large amount of in camera processing. With 35mm, the particular film determines color, affects exposure, etc. etc., the processing done influences how it comes out, and the scanner influences how it is rendered into a digital file if applicable.
DSLRs aren't made to give you fully processed shots out of camera, though the D50 is engineered to give you more of that with the typical default settings, and the D70 and even the D200 and D2X can be set to give you OOC files which are fine for most uses. But to get the most out of a DSLR, post processing is vitally important for critical shots.
The D200 does great on its own, but post processing makes many of my shots come alive like never before. My more recent experiments with fun processing techniques have produced shots like i've never seen coming from my cameras before. New dimensions are added to normal shots with even relatively minor adjustments.
One observation i'll make here on a slight side note is that cameras like the d200 and d2x are not very kind to sloppy technique. With good technique though, you are substantially rewarded. I've made a conscious effort to improve my technique, and my keeper rate has soared with the D200. When i'm sloppy, however, I can kiss it goodbye. It may be better to have a small, light camera which is more forgiving in general (like the D70/D50) to get used to it all on. Then you'll be far better prepared for the D200, saving YOU valuable time and possibly money in the long run.
Now for settings and technique.
Coming from a Digital P&S and occasional (auto consumer) film SLR use, My D70 took a bit of time to get used to. I played around with custom curves, settings, and so on and after a year I have a really good output out of camera, with any post processing just adding to the quality.
When I found out about the D200 rumors, I planned what I would do when I got the camera. The first thing I decided was to make a checklist of all the things I'd do in the order I'd do them, before taking the first shot.
When DPReview came out with their preview, I copied down all the menu settings and decided which ones I wanted to use to start with. I set these before _DSC0001.NEF, the first shutter release for my D200, was created.
As a result, my very first shot turned out great.
I've since tweaked my settings even further, still learning the ins and outs of the body even 6+ weeks later, though I have it about 98% down pat. I wasn't expecting killer results out of the box (I did get them though, through my settings and minor tweaking throughout the first day). I will say this- without a FIRM grounding in (nikon in particular) DSLR technique, settings, and the nature of the cameras themselves, I would have had a much more difficult time.
So, if you could afford a $1800 camera (much more once you factor in more lenses for the 1.5 crop, memory cards, spare batteries, accessories and more) then I don't think it would be too hard for you to spend a LOT less on a used d70 to get some experience on. My D70 has served me well. I'm contemplating IR converting it, but I can't sell it because i've banged it up a bit
My out of camera output is optimized in all 4 banks for each type of shooting I do- my custom settings are likewise set up. I advise this for all D200 owners... don't go one size fits all- customize customize customize.
I could go on and on with warnings and advice and tips and the like, but i'll just sum it up again.
Don't pass up on a year's worth of experience. It can be valuable. Having a cheap backup body won't hurt either in the long run, especially if it costs you only around $500-700.
Then, wiser and more experienced, and having made the most of 2006, buy your D200 for christmas It may be cheaper then, too!
*pants*
End long drawn out discussion of the pros and cons of jumping headfirst into DSLRs with a D200.

The D200 is by far one of the best cameras ever made. Having tried the D2X, I can say that I like the D200's button layout a bit more and the small size is nice, but each camera has its niche. Of course, we've seen the D2X going price drop dramatically (as did that of the D2H right when the D200 came out) in the last two months or so.
D2X's will still sell just fine. What i'd love though would be a drop of oh, say $3000 on the D2HS or a D3H with 8-10MP and very low noise....

Hope this helps you some, and glad to see the camera I love so dearly is making such an impact on shooters everywhere.

[JSPhoto]

If your in a hurry to get one check with Roberts Distributors in Indianapolis, they have been selling them to walkins the last two times I was there.....although I think you'd be better off with Canon gear (sorry Speed, no envy here)

JS

[Speed]

WOW! Where do I start?!

BTW, I missed that you had gotten a D200. Congratulations!

Thank you for the advice and pointers. I've considered getting a used D70 or even a D50 for the many of the very reasons you've stated. Getting used to the digital workflow is going to be a major point for me. I do basic things in PS Elements 2.0 (which I need to upgrade to 4.0 - CS2 would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath.) Getting a Media Machine is going to be the first step so I can play with my photo's at home where I've got time to experiment and learn PS.

Also, I'm not rich, or even well-to-do. I'm a middle class, working guy, so I get what I can, when I can. That's part of the reason getting my gear is going to be spread out. The Media Machine with our tax return. Upgrade to PS Elements 4.0 over the summer. A couple of CF cards this fall. Get the D200 for Christmas. And the D200 is going to be a stretch. BTW, I don't plan on getting any new lenses anytime soon. My lenses collection isn't anything special, but they get the job done. And I know there's a 1.5X magnification factor, which I'm looking forward to! I'm more of a telephoto shooter than wide angles. ;-)

The overall expense of going digital is/has been one of the reasons I've put off going digital. That and I'm a film guy at heart. I use the Coolpix 5700 as a supplement to my film camera's. I always envisioned the D70 the same way - a supplement to my film bodies, not a replacement for them. (Digital workflow being one of the major reasons). While the Coolpix 5700 is a very capable camera, it is limited - mostly in it's responsiveness. Getting a DSLR makes sense to me.

I know I've got a lot to learn, and it's going to take time to learn the camera/settings/workflow. But I'm a little like you. I bought a manual for the N80 months before I bought it. I had read it through several times before I ever put batteries into the camera. I plan on doing the same thing with the D200. Hopefully, between educating myself in advance, and getting advice from fellow photog's like you, it will a fairly painless process getting into digital.

Thank you for your comments and advice. I'm sure I'll be picking your brain in the future.

[Speed]

Eager, yes.

Anxious, maybe.

In a hurry, no.

I've got a ways to go to get there. If someone would like to donate $3500 to the "Get Speed Into Digital Fund", then I'll order everthing from B&H immediately. Since that is most unlikely (and unrealistic), then I'll be getting set up for digital over the course of the year.

"although I think you'd be better off with Canon gear (sorry Speed, no envy here)"

Hehehe. No problem. To each his own my friend.

:-D

[Lava Lamp]

Oooh. I want to get one too. Can't afford it right now.

I like my D70 but it has some limitations and I've written to you before, I would find it difficult to drop an F5 and go to the D70. You might say that you will stil use the F5, but I didn't use my N80 once (not once!) after I bought the D70 and ending up selling it after a year. I don't know if you do the Ebay thing, but you would get $600 or maybe $700 selling both those bodies if you wanted to, which would make up the price difference vs. the D70.

[dbutler]

I haven't touched my F5 since I got my D70 either. I know that the initial expense can be daunting, but I was spending approximately $100 on 10 rolls of 36 every two weeks, and would wind up with maybe 5 images that I really liked. Now, I go through the equivalent of 20 rolls every two weeks(that's right! I'm a clicking NUT!!) and I may still only wind up with 5 images I like, but there's no extra expense in throwing out the bad ones. I figure given just how much of my film work was just being chucked into the trash, I've saved way more than I've put into my digital equipment.

I don't think I really appreciated my D70 until I went to Italy. I came back with over 3000 images. That's like 80+ rolls of 36 right? If I had taken 80 rolls of film to the developer I would have been in a world of hurt. While it took me a long, long time to go through all of them, at least I was able to work on them at my leisure, post-process to my own taste, crop as I saw fit, and I got to keep a far larger number of them than I would ever have kept had they been on film. And to have been able to do that trip with a D200 would have just blown me away!!!

I am so envious!! And that is what I've discovered is my biggest issue with digital. It's all changing so very fast, that you get the camera today and in 6 mnths, it's old hat and no longer the big deal it was. So, I find myself coveting the latest and greatest, when I'm still learning from my now defunct camera that is only 6 months old. Sigh. THAT is the most dangerous part of the whole thing!!

[Speed]

You and me both buddy!!!

"I would find it difficult to drop an F5 and go to the D70."
You had mentioned that to me before. I actually prefer shooting my N80 because I know it better/have been shooting it longer. But the autofocus is so fast on the F5, and unlike the vast majority of Americans, I LIKE a hand filling, solid camera. Believe me, I appreciate all the words of wisdom and advice I've gotten here at PR, and I have taken them to heart.

"I didn't use my N80 once (not once!) after I bought the D70"
I remember you mentioning that before, and I still find it incredible. I also remember your post that you had shot over 13,000 images with your D70. I figure I've got about 10,000 negatives after four years as a serious, 35mm, SLR shooting photographer. And yes, I've noticed that I've shot over 7000 images with the Coolpix 5700 in the past couple of years.

I'm familiar with Ebay, but I just can't see myself selling off my film cameras. Film and digital are definitely on an equal footing these days (have been since the D70 came out as far as I'm concerned) but the "look" is different. I like the "look" of film, and while digital cameras may have a saturated mode on them, I just can't see giving up my Velvia and Provia when I go to the mountains. Also, I'm into astrophotography, and for the longer exposures, (several seconds to several hours) I think film still holds an edge.

Who knows? After I get used to shooting with a D200, I may sell off a couple of my film bodies to buy another (backup) digital camera. But that is a long ways off, and I'm not going to hold my breath. ;-)

Thanks for the comments and support my friend. I do appreciate your sharing your experience and expertise with me!

:-)

[Speed]

You're in Clayton, right? I can be there in 2.5 hours to take that F5 off your hands. Hate to think it's sitting in a corner gathering dust! ;-)

Actually, I'm going to be in Raleigh April 24th thru the 26th for a conference. My wife is planning on going with me, so maybe we can get together with you and your husband for dinner. Something to file away in the back of your mind...

Apparently, my photography habit isn't as bad as yours. My first couple of years I was going through two rolls a week. I've slowed down a little since then, down to about a roll a week. (I'm sure that's because I'm a more discriminating shooter now) Also, I usually have my film develped and scanned to a CD, but I don't get prints unless I know I'm going to want them (shooting a wedding for example). That saves me a few bucks on each roll. I figure I've shot about 10,000 frames of film and slides in the past four years.

"I am so envious!! And that is what I've discovered is my biggest issue with digital. It's all changing so very fast, that you get the camera today and in 6 mnths, it's old hat and no longer the big deal it was."

Exactly. The D70 was the first digital camera that impressed me with it's colors/detail/price. And it's still three times as much as what I paid for my N80. Three times the cost, and outdated in a year. And the D200 costs five times as much as my N80! No wonder my wife thinks I'm nuts and talks about how expensive my habit, er, ah, hobby is.

Also, while everyone raves about how much digital saves them, reality is most seem to shoot about four or five times as much with digital as they did with film. Figuring that I shoot about 75 rolls of film a year, at $12 a roll (film and developing), then it's going to take me about four years to pay for the camera, flash, CF cards and a computer. Hmmm, maybe I'd better be looking at shooting a few more weddings to help this process along.

There are pro's and con's on going digital, and I can easily argue either side. As of right now, I'm planning on making digital a part of my photography, to supplement my film cameras. We'll see how that goes....

[another view]

Speed, congrads (in advance ) on the camera. I think they've done a great job with it. Haven't seen one in person yet but I hear the viewfinder and autofocus is really good compared to the D70 and D100. There was such a huge gap between the D2's and the other cameras, and I can't see parting with five grand for a D2X (might be a little less now).

Did I tell you I sold the F5 and the F100? Ebay, and did OK on them. Now the Fuji's in the shop for a couple weeks with a dead sensor (freebie repair - woohoo!), so I've only got the Coolpix for the next couple weeks. I haven't shot much lately and was looking forward to getting back out again, then found the problem with the camera. Such is life.

[Speed]

Speed, congrads (in advance ) on the camera. I think they've done a great job with it. Haven't seen one in person yet but I hear the viewfinder and autofocus is really good compared to the D70 and D100. There was such a huge gap between the D2's and the other cameras, and I can't see parting with five grand for a D2X (might be a little less now).

Did I tell you I sold the F5 and the F100? Ebay, and did OK on them. Now the Fuji's in the shop for a couple weeks with a dead sensor (freebie repair - woohoo!), so I've only got the Coolpix for the next couple weeks. I haven't shot much lately and was looking forward to getting back out again, then found the problem with the camera. Such is life.

No you didn't! Hope you got a good price for them.

"Now the Fuji's in the shop for a couple weeks with a dead sensor"
Is that the S2? So many folks on PR I can't remember who has what. That and folks are constantly selling and buying gear. ;-)

I remember reading here on PR that the viewfinder on the D70 left some folks underwhelmed. And I gather the AF was comparable to the N80, which isn't bad, but seems SO slow compared to the F5.

"There was such a huge gap between the D2's and the other cameras"

Well, that gap has been closed. And it's about time.

"I can't see parting with five grand for a D2X (might be a little less now)."

That's the same feeling the folks at ASAP had. The D200 is so close, in so many ways, why pay three times as much? And while B&H hasn't dropped the price, I did notice that Nikon is running a $500 rebate on the D2X. Who knows, maybe the D200 will make them drop the price on the D2X by $1000 or even $1500. Wouldn't that be a kick in the head? To have one of their own camera's force them to drop the price of their top of the line pro digital body? (Since it's usually a new offering from Canon that makes them do that!)

[Lava Lamp]

I've been shooting more than usual since that 13,000 post and I just looked and I'm at 19, 504 shots. Maybe 10 of them were really good.

[Speed]

I've been shooting more than usual since that 13,000 post and I just looked and I'm at 19, 504 shots. Maybe 10 of them were really good.

It's easy to do with digital. It doesn't cost anything but your time and a little power. I must admit I was very surprised when I noticed that I had taken over 7,000 shots with the Coolpix 5700. I didn't realize I was using it that much. I guess I have shot quite a few frames of Cape Lookout with it. I also have a tendency to shoot some with the Coolpix when I'm shooting my film camera's as well. Part of the reason is to log some time doing it digitallly.

"Maybe 10 of them were really good."

I can relate to that as well. How many of my 7,000 were keepers? One in a hundred? Maybe? One in a thousand? More likely.

;-)

[another view]

Yeah, I've got the S2. I'm blown away that they're fixing it for free. Of course, I don't have it back yet, either...

In '02, a friend bought a D1X. I remember watching the initial price come out (about when he bought it), then the first $500 drop, then the second, then the third, then down to under $3k when it was done. The D2X blew it away, and it's so good that it's scary to think what will replace it. I really like the D2 series viewfinders, and the way the cameras handle. Just not the price tag, the F5 spoiled me!

[deckcadet]

It's easy to do with digital. It doesn't cost anything but your time and a little power. I must admit I was very surprised when I noticed that I had taken over 7,000 shots with the Coolpix 5700. I didn't realize I was using it that much. I guess I have shot quite a few frames of Cape Lookout with it. I also have a tendency to shoot some with the Coolpix when I'm shooting my film camera's as well. Part of the reason is to log some time doing it digitallly.

"Maybe 10 of them were really good."

I can relate to that as well. How many of my 7,000 were keepers? One in a hundred? Maybe? One in a thousand? More likely.

;-)

BE GLAD that the D200 has a shutter tested (not necessarily rated) to 100,000 cycles.
I shot quite a bit with my 5700 in the short time I had it before I got the D70.
I broke 11,000 shots with the D70 within 3.5 months. slowed down later due to some tough times emotionally, then sped up again.
D200 in 1.5 months has already logged a bit shy of 5,000 and i'm just starting to shoot sports regularly.
If you're trigger happy like me, your enemies are shutter life, CF capacity, and Hard Drive Space.
Today's game yielded me 1.2GB of shots. Go figure.

[Speed]

Yikes!

I'm expecting a 20/20 or Nightline episode any day now on the dangers of photography, and how pressing the shutter release causes carpal tunnel, arthritis, or some other malady.

:-O

Going digital certainly increases folks willingness to press the shutter release.

I don't know that I'm going to be quite as trigger happy as you, but who knows? Buy a BIG hard drive...

[deckcadet]

Yikes!

I'm expecting a 20/20 or Nightline episode any day now on the dangers of photography, and how pressing the shutter release causes carpal tunnel, arthritis, or some other malady.

I've got carpal tunnel syndrome at 17.
It is actually mostly caused by typing and my growth hormone shots that I took due to a zero IGF count.
I did notice a change in feel of my index finger around june. I stopped shooting for most of that month as a result.