RE: Nikon Digital Cameras

[Monttexan]

There are a couple of camera related comments in the current thread on Bald Eagles. I decided to start this thread regarding Nikons rather than risk highjacking THAT thread and turning it into a camera discussion. :)

I'm 45 now and have used Nikons since I was 15. My D90 is the first AF Nikon I've owned. The reason I bought the D90 rather than another model came down to one feature: it has a focusing motor in the body. With that motor built in I have pretty much full selection of Nikon AF lenses. Some other "lesser" models do not have that motor in the body and so are limited to certain series of lenses that can be used with them. Off the top of my head I don't recall which series lenses do and don't have built in focusing motors. That's why I bought the D90; so I don't have to remember!

That's the problem some of you have encountered with other models, the lack of a focusing motor in the camera itself. If you commit to memory which lenses will work with your camera then you'll be fine. If you already have a stable full of fine Nikkor glass, then get a used D90, or whatever it has been replaced with. If your pockets are deeper than mine, then get one of the FX cameras and shoot with a 35mm size digital sensor and make full use of your old reliable lenses.

FWIW, after I had my D90 for a few months, I wanted a little more reach than the lens that it came with. I found a Nikkor 75-300 f4.5 on Craigslist. I gave it my best examination, and then slapped it on the D90 and shot a few photos varying the zoom, etc. Checked them quick on that handy screen on the back of the camera and bought the lens for $75. It may not be ED glass, but it takes real good photos. I'm confident in my ability to assess a used lens, but it was sure nice being able to put a lens through its paces on the spot! These new fangled digital cameras are great!

[AlaskanGuy]

Well said sir....

On only have one ED lens, and that is this sweetheart...92149

I bought it when i got this....92150 but ran into the trouble that you mentioned... The 5100 is a very very nice camera though... 16 megapixel, and does full motion video so you can do movies and such... But now is just sits around gathering dust with less then 200 pics being taken on it.... I would gladly swap it for just about anything that i could use.... Love to see it go to a good home.... I figure its worth over 300 for just the camera body, and that would be a good deal... I also like that the screen is on a pivot that you can swing out.... The D90 doesn't do that or the video capability.... Nearest model that does i think is the d300, but that is big bucks... I would love to trade the D5100 for a scope of my 375...... Something in a 2x10 or similar like one of them Neato VX II or something in a nikon scope....

AG

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i started with a N65 i think it was then in N80 then my wife got my the D90 she did her homework on that nice
to be able to use the same lens i did add some new glass too

[Pb2au]

I've had my D90 for around three years. The focusing motor in the body was key for me as well. It gives the most flexibility on lens selection.
Overall, it is a nice camera. It's autofocus is pretty accurate, image quality is quite good and general usability is excellent.
If I had to throw a rock at it it would be for two reasons.
1) when operating at iso levels above 1600 the noise in the images gets significant.
2) ever since I first got it, the camera tends to overexpose by about a 1/2 to 1 full stop. I suspect this is a firmware issue.
It does do video, which I play with occasionally.
But!
Always remember, buy good glass. Lenses typically do not lose value. Camera bodies lose a lot of value over time. Good glass is your friend. A cheap lens will always show in chromatic aberration, color fringing, and lack of sharpness.

[savagetactical]

I have always been a Nikon Fan, from an F, to F2, a couple of FM's and FM2's, A D40 then D200. I would love to trade the D200's up on a D700 but its not financially feasible right now. One of my D200's has a 720 nm IR conversion for when I feel extra artistic.

[Monttexan]

Yep, I shot an FE and an FM2 back in high school. I packed the FE around Germany for 5 weeks in '84 while on an exchange trip. The only failure I've ever had with one of my cameras was during that trip; had shutter problems. Fortunately the family I was staying with was in Braunschweig which is a big camera town. My host father took me to the Nikon factory repair facility a few miles from the house and I was only without camera for a weekend.

D700 would have been my first choice too, but my pockets weren't that deep!

Pb2au, I'd definitely flash the firmware if I was you. I checked mine right after I bought it and there was a firmware update available. It was easy to do: just follow the directions on the Nikon website. Generally mine is spot on for exposure though it does lean toward overexposure. I don't consider the noise to be terrible with mine. Maybe a different generation sensor or something. I worked in 1 hour photo labs for years and shot some professionally so I think I have a fairly good eye for such things. When I feel the need to get rid of noise in a photo, I use DeNoise from Topaz Labs. It works great. It's easy to use and does a better job in my opinion than others such as Noise Ninja.

[AlaskanGuy]

I also did the firmware update... Twice...lol.. For my d90 and the wifes.... Easy and straight foreward.... Highly recommended...

[savagetactical]

Yep, I shot an FE and an FM2 back in high school. I packed the FE around Germany for 5 weeks in '84 while on an exchange trip. The only failure I've ever had with one of my cameras was during that trip; had shutter problems. Fortunately the family I was staying with was in Braunschweig which is a big camera town. My host father took me to the Nikon factory repair facility a few miles from the house and I was only without camera for a weekend.

D700 would have been my first choice too, but my pockets weren't that deep!

Pb2au, I'd definitely flash the firmware if I was you. I checked mine right after I bought it and there was a firmware update available. It was easy to do: just follow the directions on the Nikon website. Generally mine is spot on for exposure though it does lean toward overexposure. I don't consider the noise to be terrible with mine. Maybe a different generation sensor or something. I worked in 1 hour photo labs for years and shot some professionally so I think I have a fairly good eye for such things. When I feel the need to get rid of noise in a photo, I use DeNoise from Topaz Labs. It works great. It's easy to use and does a better job in my opinion than others such as Noise Ninja.


I humped a F then later on my F2AS in my ruck all across Germany while I was in the army. I miss that old F and wish I had never sold it even though I would not buy a replacement. Film is effectively a dead thing

[jlucke69]

A lot of people miss the fact that the lower model cameras do not have the AF motor. You may spend more on the camera, but there is an abundance of great older glass that is selling for pennies on the dollar.

[Jon K]

Film is effectively a dead thing

Digital is instant gratification...BUT film(medium-large format) is a smoother image. That's my opinion, and I own both.

Jon

[Pb2au]

Digital is instant gratification...BUT film(medium-large format) is a smoother image. That's my opinion, and I own both.

Jon

http://www.phaseone.com/

Medium format digital.
Try not to have a stroke when you see the price on those critters.......

[savagetactical]

http://www.phaseone.com/

Medium format digital.
Try not to have a stroke when you see the price on those critters.......


They are becomming less relevant as the newest generation fx sensor DSLR cameras are starting to equal their quality. At some point I expect to see Medium Format die out

[Monttexan]

Yep, medium format or larger is nice. Had a Hasselblad for a while "back in the day." Could never get used to the waist level finder or the square format. Got rid of it and got a Pentax 6x7 which I really liked. I also worked occasionally for a commercial photographer making contact prints. I'd work evenings to help them keep caught up when he was shooting a lot. He shot Pentax 6x7, 4x5, and once in a while he'd pull out his 8x10 field camera. 8x10 contact prints look better than seriously worked over enlargements from 35mm. No magnification so zero grain, and all that extra space for smooth transitions in the shading...awesome!

Digital does have a some catching up to do still, but its getting there. I really like the cost savings from not having to buy all the film and get it processed....or process myself in the case of B&W. The real shame is people buying these new cameras don't really need to learn anything to run them. Most can't even begin to get the full use from something like a D90 because they don't know what the buttons are for, or how to adjust them. It's the progression from the multi-mode, do everything for you point and shoot film cameras we sold in my photo lab days. A co-worker coined the phrase "PHD cameras"; for Push Here Dummy! :)