Which Camera To Choose

[GeNeZ]

Hi all...
'm wondering since the price gap between D200 & D80 is kinda close...
Should i get the former even though i'm a amateur at DSLR?
Or if i did get D200, i know it is without kit lens.
So are there any 18-135mm lens for it?
No matter 3rd party or Nikon...
But is it expensive, if yes then should i might as well get 18-200 mm for walkabout?

[ExplorerZ]

do consider again... the price ain't really that close(to me...) d200 is going at 2.1k? and d80 is going at 1.4k+ without kit lens, the different is $700...

[ihub88]

do u need 5fps, MF lens metering, RGB1005, weather seal, metal body?

if not than get the d80

[GeNeZ]

The 5fps would be used...
I dunnoe about the MF lens metering...
The RGB1005 for D200 and RGB 450 for D80.... Does it make any obvious difference to the end product?..
Weather seal - ya.... Will go different climate/temperature countries
Metal body - I read about what metal if dropped would dented but not broken.. Then the plastic when dropped, if never break then also not dented...???

Originally Posted by ihub88 do u need 5fps, MF lens metering, RGB1005, weather seal, metal body? if not than get the d80

[tribal.snake]

maybe u can start off with wat's ur budget?

[ihub88]

Originally Posted by GeNeZ The 5fps would be used... I dunnoe about the MF lens metering... The RGB1005 for D200 and RGB 450 for D80.... Does it make any obvious difference to the end product?.. Weather seal - ya.... Will go different climate/temperature countries Metal body - I read about what metal if dropped would dented but not broken.. Then the plastic when dropped, if never break then also not dented...???

then D200 already.

[jmmtn4aj]

You're much better off with a moderately priced body and an excellent lens, than a high end body and a cheap kit lens.

[Fotophilic]

Originally Posted by jmmtn4aj You're much better off with a moderately priced body and an excellent lens, than a high end body and a cheap kit lens.

totally agree. since TS is thinking about D200 and D80, i guess the D80 is a better choice. IMHO, when dealing with DSLRs, lenses are more often impt then ur camera body. The D200 needs someone who know its true value to use it. D80 is very good for amateur already (somemore got auto mode). Just my bit of input.

[calebk]

Originally Posted by GeNeZ The 5fps would be used... I dunnoe about the MF lens metering... The RGB1005 for D200 and RGB 450 for D80.... Does it make any obvious difference to the end product?.. Weather seal - ya.... Will go different climate/temperature countries Metal body - I read about what metal if dropped would dented but not broken.. Then the plastic when dropped, if never break then also not dented...???

What kind of different climate/temperature countries?

Some of the predictable things that may happen if you get a D200 as your first cam are
i) you carry it for awhile, then complain it's too heavy, so after awhile it sits in your drycab.
ii) you carry it for awhile, then complain it's too heavy, so you sell it, at a loss, to get a lighter, smaller body.

For starting off, the D80 should be more than enough.

You haven't told us
i) What you shoot
ii) What you exactly need from the camera and why
iii) Whether you have prior experience with an SLR of any sort.

And as Explorerz mentioned, the price gap is deceiving. For a D80 kit, it's 1.8k or thereabouts. However, because most shops are offering the D200 as a body only, for about $2.2k, you should be comparing with the D80's body only price: $1.4k

[lsisaxon]

Originally Posted by GeNeZ The 5fps would be used... I dunnoe about the MF lens metering... The RGB1005 for D200 and RGB 450 for D80.... Does it make any obvious difference to the end product?.. Weather seal - ya.... Will go different climate/temperature countries Metal body - I read about what metal if dropped would dented but not broken.. Then the plastic when dropped, if never break then also not dented...???

5fps for what? I have access to 5fps about 15 years back but I never got round to using it. Film=$$$ , shuttercount=$$$ .

So you don't need MF lens metering..

The metering doesn't make much of a difference. People survived 30+ years with just centreweight average metering.

I also bring D70s to different climate/temperature countries and it works fine, but the question is are you going to subject the camera to things like splashes/sand storm etc? If not, weather seal is not that important. D70s works fine when I shoot under a light drizzle/snow, just got to wipe it dry before the water seeps in.

Metal body = heavy!

Bottomline is what you're going to use it for, how often you're going to use it etc.. Calebk has put up a series of questions which will help us understand your needs and make better suggestions.

[Mendis]

buy the best you can afford. D200 price and performance is, to me, great value.

Along with
5ps and faster write speed, you have High speed flash sync and manual lens compatibility. I use manual lenses so the manual capability is crucial.

[trd2970]

do consider getting a used D200 (I think the going rate now is $1700 to $1,900)...which is a better than a brand new D80 at $1.4K, IMHO.

[rtf0]

Originally Posted by trd2970 do consider getting a used D200 (I think the going rate now is $1700 to $1,900)...which is a better than a brand new D80 at $1.4K, IMHO.

Yap.
These days a lot of 2nd hand D200 are sold here. Maybe its 2nd Hand price will drop dramatically soon.

[camelot88]

Buy what you can afford, but don't buy the D200 if you are going to cut into the budget for your lenses.

Remember that lenses will last you many more years than the camera body.

Further, the D200 is a lot less forgiving when paired with a poor lens.

It's a quality body that demands quality lenses.

[wlcling]

Originally Posted by calebk What kind of different climate/temperature countries? Some of the predictable things that may happen if you get a D200 as your first cam are i) you carry it for awhile, then complain it's too heavy, so after awhile it sits in your drycab. ii) you carry it for awhile, then complain it's too heavy, so you sell it, at a loss, to get a lighter, smaller body. For starting off, the D80 should be more than enough. You haven't told us i) What you shoot ii) What you exactly need from the camera and why iii) Whether you have prior experience with an SLR of any sort. And as Explorerz mentioned, the price gap is deceiving. For a D80 kit, it's 1.8k or thereabouts. However, because most shops are offering the D200 as a body only, for about $2.2k, you should be comparing with the D80's body only price: $1.4k

yah.. after the h5, getting the d200 feels like a big brick (in comparison)... but a nice one that is..... hehe

[nikonrus]

Originally Posted by GeNeZ Hi all... Should i get the former even though i'm a amateur at DSLR?

The term amateur in photography is very misleading. When someone says he's an amateur doesn't mean he is a newbie but just that he doesn't take photographs for a living. I've seen lots of amateur shots that can take your breath away, some better than a number of pros.
If you're new to photography, the correct term should be beginner.

For lens, 18-135 is a kit lens for the D80, while the 18-200 is a VR lens, price is very different. For a single walkabout lens, both are good enough, but of course the VR lets you do more (better) handheld shots at lower speeds.

For camera body, I think its quite safe to say the D80 is a higher end entry level body while the D200 is a lower end pro level. Either way, go have a feel for both bodies before making a decision; that way you'll know which body suits you better (budget aside). Using a body that doesn't suite you will not bring out the best in your photos cos you probably will be bitching conciously or subconciously when taking a shot.

[XC Pictorial]

Go to a shop try.

Get a feel before deciding.

[Noakram]

Having "played" hifi for a few years, it taught me a dear lesson on the costs of upgrading equipments.

Before I made any purchase, I would always ask myself what's the budget I have and the max limit that I can stretch to. For instance, I would be considering D80 vs D200.

Then, I would read up enough, both reviews and user comments to understand the difference between the two. I would then proceed to try out both and look out for advantages and disadvantages.

Next, I would ask myself if I can live with the "disadvantages" for the next one to two year. If I can get pass that stage, I will purchase that camera. If not, I will just end up losing more money by going along the upgrade path.

As for lenses, I always tell myself that I shall purchase one good lens once a year, targeting 17-35mm, 28-70mm and 70-200mm. I just need to be patience, that's all.

[SabaDen]

Get D80 & use the 'extra' $700 or so to add to budget for better lens ... 17-55 + 55-200 / 70-200?

[vaxvms]

Originally Posted by SabaDen Get D80 & use the 'extra' $700 or so to add to budget for better lens ... 17-55 + 55-200 / 70-200?

how u know my combo
but 70-200 must wait yr end bonus