Which is best digital SLR camera?

Question

I am considering the Nikon D200 but it is very expensive. With it, I can get the 18 - 200mm lens that would cover the vast majority of my needs. Anybody else own this camera/lens combination? If so, what do you think about it? Is it worth the money? Any other recommendations for cameras that will do the same thing and cost a little less? Thanks.

Answer 1

I just learned about this site from another Yahoo! Answers user and you might enjoy checking it out. They bring together many professional reviews and give them an aggregate total score. The D200 is their highest rated digital camera ever. See: http://www.productcritic.com/product/123-nikon-d200, which links you to 28 professional reviews. The D80 is #2. I own a D200 and the 18-200 VR lens and I most highly recommend this combination to anyone. You could save about $400 by buying the very highly rated D80 instead of the D200.

Comparison between the Nikon D80 and the Nikon D200:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=nikon_d80%2Cnikon_d200&show=all

Choosing between the D80 and D200 may be a tough call, considering the price difference. Here is the recent Popular Photography review of the D80. They make comparisons with the D200 throughout the article. They also have capsule summaries comparing the D80 to the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi (400D), the Pentax K10D, and the Sony Alpha 100. In the conclusion, they suggest that Nikon has "gone crazy" releasing this camera for $700 less than the D200, stating that the D80 is nearly the same camera without a few features and without the industrial strength of the D200. [NOTE: The D200 price has come down.]

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3231/camera-test-nikon-d80.html

I own a D200 and a D70s, which should feel quite a bit like the D80. The D70s by no means feels "cheap," but it is lighter and somewhat smaller than the D200. If I had all of the image quality of the D200 available in the D70s, I doubt I would have spent the money for the D200. In other words, if you are looking to move up from a point and shoot, the additional price is probably not worth the difference unless you need the superior construction and all the subtle features of the D200.

See also:

http://www.productcritic.com/product/41-nikon-d80

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/
(Note: There are 30 pages to this article. Don't stop after reading page 1.)

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/read_opinions.asp?prodkey=nikon_d80
(Note: There are over 60 owner opinions, including pros and cons in almost all of them.)

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/nikon_d80.html
(Note: There are 11 pages to this article. Don't stop after reading page 1.)

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d80.htm
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As far as the 18-200 lens, read a few recent questions here and see what others say. Here's what I always say:

Consider the popular Nikon 18-200 VR lens. Okay, it's not the world's PERFECT lens, but it is not too shabby. Go here and read Rockwell's review:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18200.htm

Go here and look at the sample images. Click on them to view them full screen. If you click at least once in the white space, your cursor will turn into a magnifier when you scroll it back over the image. Click again over the image and it will zoom to 100% size so you can really examine the image.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18200/examples/index.htm

"Optically, this lens is the best superzoom we’ve seen, though it’s not compatible with Nikon teleconverters, extension rings, or coupled macro bellows. It also costs about $300 more than third-party digital-only glass. But are extremely rugged construction, unusually well-controlled distortion, and four extra handholdable speeds worth the extra bucks? That, and more."

http://www.popphoto.com/cameralenses/2763/lens-test-nikon-18-200mm-f35-56g-dx-vr-af-s.html

Here are some of my own photos taken with the 18-200 VR lens, showing the versatility of the lens. These were all taken with the D200 and 18-200 VR lens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409564890/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409564887/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409564893/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/408446616/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7189769@N04/409564880/
http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=57759389/PictureID=2801041875/a=75953750_75953750/t_=75953750
http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=57759389/PictureID=2531239742/a=75953750_75953750/t_=75953750

Answer 2

A digital SLR will be better at first. In fact, you don't even need an SLR at first, until you're more experienced. The photographer takes the pictures, not the camera. With a digital camera you can practice as much as you like without worrying about wasting money on the materials used in bad shots.

Answer 3

Full fame sensor only Canonites make this a big freaking deal. The center of a Lens is the sharpest so it doesn't bother me in the least that the sensor are not full frame.
Watch out Dr Sam the Canonites are going to jump all over you for posting that.

Answer 4

Its all about the full frame sensor. True 35mm. Canon has two such digital cameras. Nikon....none.