Nikon D200: 19 years later! RETRO review

[@DinoBytes]

Trying the Nikon D200 from 2005, 19yrs later! Best camera under $100! Ad | Buy used gear from MPB: prf.hn/l/YLqwRAP Sell used gear to MPB: bit.ly/3ULU9yL Buy Gordon a coffee: www.paypal.me/cameralabs Gordon's In Camera book: amzn.to/2n61PfI / Amazon uk: amzn.to/2mBqRVZ Cameralabs merchandise: redbubble.com/people/cameralabs/shop Gordon’s retro gear channel: www.youtube.com/@dinobytes Gordon's travel tips channel: www.youtube.com/@GordonsTravelTips #mympb @mpbcom Equipment used for producing my videos MacBook Air 15in (M3): amzn.to/4cPat9S DJI Osmo Pocket 3: click.dji.com/AIOhqT-LWUFDq-bGk8hD4Q?pm=link Panasonic Lumix S5 II: amzn.to/3Hf5IcI Sony A6400: prf.hn/l/pRO0wp5 Sony e 24mm f1.8: amzn.to/2TqWNzk Rode NT USB mic: amzn.to/3AdHcUp Rode Wireless Go II mic: amzn.to/3xkCvGo Rode Lavalier Go mic: amzn.to/3ygzzKY Godox UL150 light: amzn.to/2VpVbXE Godox QR-P70 softbox: amzn.to/3yQfGdF Music: www.davidcuttermusic.com / @dcuttermusic As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

[@mitchellwnorowski6747]

D80, lighter weight sd not cf cards !

[@TheRealRichardWong]

D200 was my first pro level camera and I started my professional photography business shooting with the d200! Lovely seeing this old friend again thanks

[@DinoBytes]

Happy memories!

[@charlesrwilliams]

I bought two of these in 2006 with the large battery pack/hand grip. I was getting out of using film, and sold off my two Pentax 624n's and one Pentax 67 to make the purchase. The D200 produced prints that equaled or were better the 645 and 67 negatives. It was a great camera for me and I made a lot of money with it. I hope that you did too! Old friend, indeed!

[@whatclipsnow]

I remember wanting to buy this camera, but the price was too high for me at the time. Then I learned that the K10D had the same sensor as the D200, and after finding your video on the K10D, I decided to go with the Pentax, which I was really happy with. Last year, I found a bargain on the D200 and finally bought it! Thanks for your video and the original K10D review :)

[@DinoBytes]

You're very welcome! I'll be revisiting the K10D in the future...

[@StephenStrangways]

The same sensor is also in the Sony A100. I love the K10D, but unfortunately most of them have developed inconsistent AF problems, which may be due to do a bumper for mirror wearing out, but I'm not sure. AF micro adjustment can correct gross front- or back-focus issues, but not the minor inconsistency.

[@DinoBytes]

@@StephenStrangways yep, I hope revisit the A100 soon too

[@timjanssen2771]

Best thing happening this black friday is another dino bytes retro review! Thank you Gordon!

[@DinoBytes]

You're very welcome!

[@bigkendallas]

I bought one 10 years ago, (it was "old" then) and it's still going strong as my studio camera in 2024. It's built like a tank and it just keeps on working perfectly.

[@DinoBytes]

Good to hear! It's a great camera!

[@jakobsoegaard1886]

I love that camera…Got one in 2005….upgraded 10 years later to a Nikon d7500….that was perfect but I changed to Olympus em1 mark 2 and Panasonic g9 I still use Nikon d200

[@mvw5721]

I bought the D200 6 months ago (65 euro), out of nostalgia, as it was one of my two favourites from 2005-2009. 35mm, 50mm and a zoom lens for dirt cheap, good to go. I love using it again, it doesn't get in the way at all, the battery goes on forever and the rendering is gorgeous. 20 years later, I conclude it's more appealing to me now than my latest professional Fujifilm. 'Perfection' is boring. Funny how that works.

[@DinoBytes]

Glad you're still using it!

[@Poli-IX]

Battery life was poor on the D200, It was usual to carry it with 2 batteries in a battery grip for that reason. I think you are confusing this with the D300, which did have good battery performance.

[@ampedconceptsbv]

@@Poli-IX Then I must be doing something wrong.... :). Kidding aside, I believe you when you say the D300 had good battery performance. I don't remember the D200 having poor performance back in 2005, also don't know whether it was above average. My current D200's batteries are new, they last long in comparison with all the mirrorless cameras I've used since 2014. So, I'm good.

[@markyteo]

The problem with Dinobytes videos is that you can make any vintage camera sound as desirable as the Fujifilm x100vi. Must... Control... Myself... 😂

[@DinoBytes]

Ha ha, you're right! BUT the thing is, the X100 cameras cost over 1500 and are almost impossible to find. These vintage cameras now mostly cost under 100 and you get the warm fuzzy feeling of having reused something that may have been headed to the trash or recycling. I love using them!

[@Revup1]

Bought one new in 2005 (really £1300, is that what I paid?) Didn't really get on with APSC coming from 35mm film, and later bought a D700 which was magic. I don't have the D700 any longer, moved on to greater stuff, but still have the D200, mainly because by the time I came to sell it it wasn't worth anything! It still works well, no issues in 19 years. Having said all that the D200 is still one of the most comfortable, balanced and intuitive camera's I've ever used, I miss modern cameras not having a dedicated metering switch, and the D200s AF system, manually selected by the switch on the back, is just so straight forward. Its just a camera with no complications (which to my mind began with including video - just why? buy a video camera!) My MB-D200 grip gave up the ghost a long time ago though, not well made at all, but the D200 itself is just a sturdy work horse. Also great with flash, still use it for flash portraits, again much easier to use than more complicate modern rubbish.

[@DinoBytes]

It's a solid experience!

[@AndySnap]

Oh my, the nostalgia! An excellent overview of this modern classic DSLR. I had a D200 as a second body to a D2h then D3 back when I worked on a newspaper. It was a great camera to use, though 5fps was a bit slow for sports, and I recall a bit of shutter button delay (compared to the D3) which was also a bit awkward too. But just look at that glorious, huge LCD top plate display!! Bring that back! I now work with a Canon R5, with is measly, tiny, dark display, almost utterly useless...so much for progress!🙂 I may well now have to buy a D200 to go back 20 years for fun...

[@DinoBytes]

Definitely! I was also struck by how large the screen was, it's a delight!

[@adamaufdencamp5080]

I also had a D2h and used a D200 as a backup. Ultimately the higher resolution of the D200 gave it favored status for me. It was a great camera. Built like a tank, excellent ergonomics, and decent size prints from it. But it’s not the camera I’d choose today for low light conditions. It was a very welcome successor to the D100. The D100 taught me to love photography, and the D200 taught me that sometimes a better camera can make you love photography even more. One feature of this line I love is that a grouping of an F100, F6, D200, D700, and Z8 would feel natural. And flanking that group with an FM2 and a Zf would close the circle. Nikon isn’t the only good camera company, but it’s the only one for me.

[@Gundrs]

Glad to see a new video on this channel. Great review as always!

[@DinoBytes]

Thanks! I love making them...

[@yawningmarmot]

Great review as always, Gordon! The Nikon D80 was my first DSLR, and it was glorious. The viewfinder, the colors, the ergonomics. The only thing missing was a dust cleaning feature (which is still mind-bogglingly missing on the Zfc and Z50 among others today). In fact, I think I would still prefer the D80 over the D200 today: it uses more common SD cards (up to 32 GB), has a PASM dial and the ISO/WB buttons are positioned on the left of the screen, which I always found far more usable than on the top left dial :)

[@steventhomas231]

This brings back memories of my d7000. It felt so advanced when I got it but seems really dated in aesthetics now like the optical viewfinder and small fixed lcd compared to my z6. Well made cameras though and will still get you good shots.

[@DinoBytes]

I remember reviewing the D7000

[@cernach13]

I bought one of these from MPB a couple of months of go and I'm glad I did. It takes beautiful photos and it's a lovely camera to walk around with. I shoot with a sigma 17-70 2.4-4.0 macro lens and it's a great little combination.Thanks for the video.

[@DinoBytes]

You're welcome! Yep, there's some good bargains to be had!

[@gmcenroe]

I still have a D300 which is still a very good camera for photography.

[@DinoBytes]

Definitely!

[@DavidNordlund]

Wow, D200 was my first pro dslr after having a couple of more entry level bodies, I had two and did weddings with them back in the day. Such nostalgia!

[@DinoBytes]

It was, and still is, a solid workhorse! Hope you enjoy the memories!

[@DavidNordlund]

@@DinoBytes I do enjoy the memories of it! I sold them to upgrade to D2Xs, then D300, then D800E och and then I went Fuji and Sony, but I still have a soft spot for Nikon!

[@RichardFraser-y9t]

Hi Gordon, cool review, thanks. Of note, it can handle compact flash cards up to 32gb and that gives you 1.2k shots of raw+jpg. And, if you have the correct adapter you can connect the camera directly to a phone for those in the Instagram crowd.

[@DinoBytes]

Nice! I have a few larger cards, I'll try them out...

[@1225KPH]

The D200 works perfectly with an SD to CF card adapter. Much cheaper than 32 GB CF cards, if you can find them.

[@DinoBytes]

@@1225KPH do you have a model you can recommend? I recently bought one but haven't tried it yet.

[@ActualCounterfactual]

I am a Canon geek, but this video applies to the 20D as well (and all other camera makes)... and just wanted to chime in about my experience using old gear. Even though the D200 and 20D both are considered older models, I'm amazed at how it still holds up today! With the right glass, it can produce stunning images that truly sell. The quality really comes through when you know how to handle the settings and deal with lighting. It’s all about understanding your equipment and making the most of it. I've gotten some great shots that showcase the vibrant detail, even against newer models. So, don’t underestimate the power of a classic like the 20D-now it has been said over and over again, but its true how it's about the skill behind the camera just as much as the camera/spec itself! ... thus keep in mind,, high megapixels + good ISO capacity is not what makes a good photo, back when these cameras were released they created historical images even though your phone is probably technically better today.

[@slr7075]

The D200 was my gateway to Nikon DSLRs. I later added a Nikon D700 and the retro Nikon Df, each worth a Dinobytes video in their own right! Now I mostly carry the mirrorless Z6ii but it's nice to go back to a simple camera from early days of digital photography. The optical viewfinder experience is pure with no display delay, eye fatigue and battery life that lasts for several days. Not to mention the plethora of really great screw-drive Nikon F-mount AF lenses which Nikon still failed to implement in their FTZ adapters. Nikon DSLRs still have their place today and that is unique.

[@oledirtyvangogh6591]

Couple years ago, the shutterbug guys in Salem Oregon talked me into buying 2 of them. I look back and laugh how gullible I was in my photography beginnings. At the same time, I cherish them both and know I have a back up when the shutter count finally exceeds the life of my first one. I fell out of photography for almost a year during a move across states. Looking through some boxes the other day, I uncovered not one but two d200’s still in shining condition. Since then, my photography has been well on track to being where it was when I had to put the cameras aside for bigger things happening in life. I recently had the baffling realization that this camera can use old Nikon 35mm lenses. I love film but currently don’t have the money to continue developing it as often. This camera is a more than fantastic compromise. Thank you for adding to the wonderful compendium of info resurfacing about this gem.❤️ Using this camera on manual mode in the streets daily is essentially what taught me the foundations of my photography.

[@jaymikevillanueva1212]

My first serious digital camera! This was his first digital camera & it was gifted to me. I still have it & I consider it a family heirloom. I use it from time to time. Thank you for giving it the review it needs!

[@DinoBytes]

You're very welcome!

[@thecaveofthedead]

I took my D200 to our Kruger National Park in September and just loved using it again for the first time in several years. The RAW images are just lovely and so easy to work with. My old man decided to splurge and trade in his D70 for a D200 in 2006. I'd been following digital but had been very unimpressed with them - I took an F100 and 25 rolls of Provia to India the previous year. I didn't want to deal with small maximum print sizes, ugly highlights or muddy skin tones. But the D200 converted me. I was lucky enough to get to borrow it a lot and it was the first digital camera I'd used that could consistently make images as beautiful as film in a big range of situations. And that's the thing about this CCD story. I kept shooting film because the CCD sensors looked _nothing_ like film - and looked pretty terrible to me in general. Especially skin tones. The D200 also doesn't look like film straight out of camera but it does look great. And you can make it look like film if you want. It wasn't CCDs in general that looked good, it was this (and the D80's) CCD sensor. The D90 by comparison was hard to get to look good. By the time of the D600 and the D7100 (or the D700 as many say which I have no direct experience with) the CMOS sensors looked great too. Rambling I know. But the D200 was the first digital SLR IMO that could compete with film. And the images still look wonderful today. And now, thanks to AI upscaling you don't even have any practical print size constraints (except in rare circumstances). After the D200, improvements in cameras' still image capabilities were only in small degrees. I'm so pleased to still have it and I'd advise anyone who misses theirs to pick one up. (that USB was a life-saver when it turned out none of my CF card readers still worked)

[@DinoBytes]

Kruger is an amazing place, I hope you had some nice lenses for it!

[@thecaveofthedead]

@@DinoBytes my 200-500 actually stopped working on the D200. But that just let me go full retro and use the D200 mostly with the 80-200f2.8D It was a whole vibe.

[@DinoBytes]

@@thecaveofthedead Nice!

[@Nerdzombiedisco]

I've shot and owned every digital Leica...the d200 has more magic in the images.

[@JulioBomfim]

Very complete and useful retro-review. Maybe the best CCD DSLR from Nikon. I absolutely love mine!

[@DinoBytes]

Yep, their best CCD model as far as I'm concerned.

[@etienneamien]

The D200 is the King of APSC CCD The D700 is a super bargain FX camera , the older CMOS Colors sometimes need more processing but it’s an even better build camera

[@DinoBytes]

Yep, the D700 was a great camera

[@andyhertig]

Thanks for your video - yes, the D200 is simply a brilliant camera, I am also the happy owner of a few D200 bodies, and I also have a D700, D300 and D3. The D200 is a lot lighter for traveling than the D700 and the colors are still brilliant. Even night shots in cities turn out surprisingly well. Only use the display for the settings, otherwise forget about it... analog says hello. Greetings, Andy

[@JamesDarcey]

I'm shooting th Zf and the Z6ii and both out class my skills as a photographer, I'm really tempted to get something like the d200 I actually feel like I'm in charge of my own mistakes and successes for fun. Keep up the amazing work Gordon!

[@Poli-IX]

The Nikon D200 has a CCD sensor which is quite "noisy", but today this is an advantage, since the photos you can get are quite similar to photos taken with film cameras. I still have mine in my camera arsenal. Highly recommended.

[@FDMedic78]

I picked one of these up on a whim. I wanted a Nikon DSLR in my arsenal. I didn't realize how popular this model was until I started playing around with it and finding videos like yours praising the camera. I'm Canon user and will always be. I have a lot of cameras, but I don't have a problem with that.

[@DinoBytes]

It's nice to mix it up

[@fujiuser1968]

I am a retro Fuji fanboy,and I love my S5pro to bits,but 7 weeks ago the other half got hold of it and she loved the grip and the handling of it,so 4 weeks ago I got her her own used low shutter count D200 and put my 1st gen 50mm 1.8 af on it for her,needless to say she loves it,and the images are outstanding.thank you for this video,just proves that I made the right choice for her :-)

[@DinoBytes]

Both nice cameras!

[@HoodSwami]

Just bought one of these (a few minutes ago lol) before I go on a month long trip to India at the end of December. Can't wait to pair it with some of my old Nikon lenses

[@DinoBytes]

Nice! Let us know how you get on!

[@jonlouis2582]

No earlier memories of it, but I just got got around to picking up a D80 after binge-watching your videos. I really wanted a D200, but I'm a stickler for condition and the D80 seemed easier to find in good condition. Happy to see they share the same battery and charger. I purchased both from Wasabi for around $20, and they work fine. Thanks for the great content, as always.

[@DinoBytes]

The D80 is another great choice

[@BusterMcFlea]

Thanks for the comprehensive rundown. I picked up one on EBay a few months back and was in two minds about it originally. I’d been used to the D300 & later models but it grew on me & I’ve got to like it. I need more time with it and I’m looking forward to using it more. It’s built like a tank and that suits me & the fps are about the same as some newer DX Nikons. By newer I mean 10 years old minimum as I only buy good units at least a decade old.

[@thesushifiend]

I bought my D200 in 2006 but recently I bought a second one from MPB as my original one is really starting to show its age in terms of random errors and glitchy flash via the hot shoe. Anyway the battery that MPB sent with it was completely dead and unchargeable, but when I let them know they sent me a replacement next day without quibbling or even asking for the bad battery back. Top notch service! I also bought a D300 at the same time and that uses the same battery. So it feels like I have a bit of a Nikon “collection” including an FE2, FM2, F90x, E990, two D200s, a D300 and a D850. I’ve just got back from Japan where I saw a guy with an E995 in everyday use. I guess he likes his old Nikons as much as I do!

[@DinoBytes]

Nice to hear! I'm working on my 990 and 995 reviews as we speak

[@1225KPH]

Aftermarket batteries are very easy to find. CF cards are a pain to find. Fortunately the D200 works fine with a CF to SD card adapter.

[@AdamJonesPhoto]

There are hundreds of CF cards on Amazon.

[@cyberyoyo7674]

Not in the tiny sizes required here and from largely unheard of brands. I am mildly tempted to pick one of these up, but important to figure in another few quid for media.

[@AdamJonesPhoto]

@cyberyoyo7674 an Extreme 16gb card is £20. No need for fancy cards in a D200 which is just a bit of fun. Never had a cf fail in 15 years.

[@1225KPH]

@@cyberyoyo7674 Just get an adapter for $11 and use SD cards. I've been using one in my D100 and D200 for a couple of years each.

[@runningintohistory]

My journey: D200 - D3300 - D610 - A7iii - ZV-E1. Still shoot my D200 occasionally.

[@DinoBytes]

Glad to hear it!

[@Paul_Kretz]

I have a thorough review of this 35mm and imho it's the best budget apsc lens! I'm a long time Canon full frame user, but I happen to own D7000 (somewhat of a rival to D300s) and 35 f1.8 and absolutely in love with this combo! Nothing like it actually exists on Canon side!

[@parshua]

I had the same sensor, but in a Pentax K10d body. That sensor truly has a special rendering.

[@jonnyem.8859]

Didn't know anything about it, but couldn't pass it up when I found one for $35 a few years ago. Now, I'm glad I bought it as it really lives up to all the adoration I find for it on youtube videos.

[@DinoBytes]

That's a bargain!

[@f28MMLIVE]

One of my favorite cameras.

[@DinoBytes]

Solid choice...

[@ME2K23]

1:14 👍🤓👍 Hi Gordon, great video as always! I noticed that my old compact camera, a Canon powershot A650is (or was it HS?) Produced surprisingly good images from its 12 Mp CCD sensor.. And today, when I'm looking at photos taken with that camera (🧐 on 32 inches 4K UHD Adobe RGB monitor) compared to modern CMOS sensor, I can't help but wonder how this was possible at the time (?) ... Was the lens that good? Was it the CCD sensor that made that difference? I always thought it couldn't be the sensor since all new cameras moved on to CMOS... Surely an improvement, right? 🤔... So now that you mentioned a potential different look from the CCD sensor 😯, I felt a little less crazy (just a bit 😉). Could you explain what would cause a different look from these CCD sensors? (I know they are widely used on scopes for astrophotography and never knew why since the CMOS should be less noisy, I guess) ? 📸

[@DinoBytes]

I hear lots of vintage enthusiasts attributing all goodness to CCD, but I think it's a combination of CCD imaging, older colour filter arrays and perhaps less sophisticated processing, all combining to deliver a different look - maybe also with the benefit or some parts ageing too.

[@peterzpictstube]

I think CCD was intrinsically more sensitive and could use stronger cfa separation for better color separation. CMOS had cost and power advantages making the engineering to make CCD work good enough and offer new features like live view and video in hybrid body.

[@ME2K23]

@peterzpictstube Maybe. That A650 was my 1st digital camera, and at the time, monitors weren't nearly as good as today, so the photos taken with that camera only looked "normal" to me then. But now, with high resolution monitors, I find these old pictures are looking surprisingly good, even when compared to similar modern compact cameras with CMOS with about twice the Mp count. Technically, I can't really explain why these photos look so good, but they simply do... CCD sensor?🤔 I should dig that old camera out of the storage bin and test it under controlled conditions against my other cameras (Compact 1 inch sensor, bridge camera, APSC DSLR, Full Frame DSLR, Full Frame Mirroless) just for fun... maybe I would learn something new... 🙃 or old 😉

[@DinoBytes]

@@peterzpictstube I knew about the benefits of CMOS, but not necessarily where or how CCD could be superior - that's very interesting about the sensitivity and CFA, I'll try to investigate more.

[@davidgifford8112]

Thanks for the review. As a Nikon film camera user, I was keen to try the digital versions but it wasn’t until the launch of the D70 that a body arrived in my price bracket. Loved that camera using it for several astronomical projects as well as general use. In time jumped to the semi pro CMOS D300 which was an another step up. Eventually jumped to the D750 and a second hand Df which as a cut down D4 was superb. Years ago I had given my old D70 to my daughter, but recently recovered it. This made me think about the CCD sensors look compared to the more clinical look from CMOS sensors. So like you I picked up a very clean low count D200 from MPB. I’m very pleased with my copy, fits me like an old glove. Initial comparison against the D300 suggests, to me at least, the “film look” has more to do with the processors and colour science than the CCD over the CMOS sensors. Please chime in if you think I’m in error.

[@DinoBytes]

I agree, there's definitely a different look to them, but it's not ALL down to the CCD sensor. I think the CFAs and processors played a big part too.

[@mikevandebunt811]

I bought one about a year ago, and it is the most ergonomic feeling DSLR I’ve ever handled. And that includes my newer full frame Canons.

[@DinoBytes]

It certainly feels good

[@smith507]

As a kid around 12y.o. I dreamt of having a D200 but was way outside my budget. I even remember reading your review afterwards but that dream never came to be. Today, my current camera runs circles around the D200, so I don't feel the need to get one anymore... this is the camera that got away haha.

[@DinoBytes]

Or is it?! Why not treat yourself to one for only 100 bucks! I really enjoy buying the products now, that I always wanted back then!

[@toddm6999]

I have a mint model my first DSLR and it has such a great color and glow to the photos.. I use a 35 mm and 50 mm… built like a tank!

[@PlusTres]

What are some good lenses for this camera?😊

[@hansemannluchter643]

85mm manual focus Nikkor.. Or the 105mm f2.5. Or..Pretty much any Nikkor lense.

[@DinoBytes]

Well, as you know, I chose the DX 35 1.8G as a good standard lens with AF, but it's also fun to try some old manual focus options too.

[@slr7075]

Nikkor AF 180mm f2.8 turns it to a near 300mm telephoto bokeh beast.

[@pspr33]

I used to love my D200 which I felt was a big step up from the D70 I used before it. I later upgraded to the D700 before going the Sony mirrorless route. However last year I found a deal on a used D700 I couldn't refuse so I now sometimes shoot with what I would call the most magical digital camera ever.

[@DinoBytes]

Yes, the D700 was another classic, I should revisit it... my original review of it did quite well - see kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3rZpICimNqNZ7s

[@user-JM1967]

DSLR forever!

[@NorthWolfPhotography]

The D3000 was actually the last Nikon Camera to use the 10mp CCD sensor four years later (2009). Of course it was very much an entry level camera and was more or less just a re-shelled D60 aimed at providing a low price entry level camera by using an older non-current gen sensor to save money. But its an interesting tidbit to know that Nikon brought a CCD DSLR back for a very short period of time years after they stopped using them in their Prosumer and Pro APS-C cameras

[@DinoBytes]

You're right, and I forgot about that one! I'll mention it in some future videos.

[@SinaFarhat]

Nice! :) Thanks for the review!

[@DinoBytes]

You're welcome!

[@theprettydamned]

This was my first dslr! Loved it, but I only have small hands so it was a bit chunky. Took great photos, built like a tank and everything felt purposeful. Menus without video or advanced photo functions are so clean!

[@DinoBytes]

It certainly is chunky, maybe a used D80 could give you some happy memories with a little less bulkiness?

[@theprettydamned]

@DinoBytes yeah, maybe I'll pick one up in the new year - a shame nikon and canon never really built out the aps line of lenses!

[@robertchestnut3331]

I have a couple of old digitals that I love using! Including the canon 1ds mkII, Leica m8.2, and Nikon d3. The nikon d3 is a bargain today for what it is!

[@kubusprosie5577]

It was too expensive for me when it came out. I bought my dad an EOS 300D in 2004 and my first own DSLR was the Nikon D50. But then in 2009 I got a used D200 for 500EUR and it stayed as my main camera till 2016 (replaced ba a D750 then). Unlike the D50 I still have my old D200.

[@kriXoff75]

I want to use my voigtlander 20/3.5 f mount on a apsc Nikon ( I actually use it on FM2 and d700) but I'm still hesitating between d3000 (ccd sensor also but how does it perform?)for compact or d200... I have also my 40mm voigtlander but it will be an 60mm which is not really the focal I don't use.

[@DinoBytes]

The D3000 will feel very plasticky versus the D200, but it'll also be lighter.

[@lensman5762]

I had one from new when there was a waiting list for them. I had afriend who worked in Jacob's Cameras in Manchester, and he let me jump the long queue in exchange for £1500.00 which was a lot of money then. This sample of D200 was made in Japan. I sold it along with its grip a few years ago for less than £200.00. I used to have the legendary Nikon AFS 17-55 F2.8 which I also sold, but these days I use my 24~85 VR with the D200 and it works a charm, even the VR works. I also had the D300 was just as nice, but I think the build of the D200 was sligtly better. I have another D200 now but this one is made in Thailand. It feels the same in hand. It was surprising that after using a D800 and D810 for years, how familair this camera was both in terms of operation and the quality of construction. There is Nikon for you. When they get it right, by heck they get it right, like their F3, F4 and F5 film cameras. Just to be controversial, if you really want to see the proper CCD rendering get a D70 in good shape. I still have mine from when it was introduced and the colours that it turns out is only matched by my Leica M240 and TBH, I like the D70 rendering better. The small 6MP sensor is quite noisy above iso 400 wich helps the files look not so high fidelity digital crap that most of us are now sick of. A lot of these new digital cameras have an uncanny ability in making subjects look as if they were made of plastic. Good photos BTW.

[@DinoBytes]

Thanks! Yep, they nailed a lot of their design aesthetic with this model

[@tomjohnson3728]

I bought one for $89. US dollars for its CCD sensor with a battery and charger. I also got a DX 35mm. It turned out great colorful pics!

[@DinoBytes]

Nice choices!

[@piero_75]

Is that a slightly damped pop-up mechanism on the flash? Nice!

[@DinoBytes]

Yes, maybe!

[@HiCZoK]

Great! I recently got d100 with nikkor 18-55 G lens. Straight from Japan! I even have the selfie button you screw in. Anyway now I wonder if d200 would’ve been a better choice. I like how heavy d100 is though. One cool thing is that Inwas able to repair or dead or stuck sensor pixels with software to move them about or something.

[@pzkw10]

Had both of them. Would always prefer D200 over D100. Different league...

[@DinoBytes]

I also have a D100 awaiting my attention. The D200 is better in the respects I describe in the video, but the D100 was the original in the series and is generally cheaper too

[@hansemannluchter643]

I took the chance on a flea market a few years ago, and got it for 22£. Worked great with my old MF Nikkor lenses, so when a D300 with original box and low shutter-count showed up for 70 quid, I bought that, as it can "remember* 8 lenses instead of one. Both are great cameras, despite their age...

[@DinoBytes]

That's an amazing price! Thankfully they're built so well that it's worth taking a gamble

[@arthurgphotography]

Tried it and loved the ergonomics but I actually didn't care for the colors from the CCD sensor. Sold it. Fun to shoot with though

[@DinoBytes]

Maybe the D300 is more for you?

[@xmeda]

Best camera under $100 would be Pentax K10D or even K20D if you are lucky. Both have IBIS and K20D even has live view although basic, but it was huge step forward. You had nice review of those many years ago :) Early this year I managed to find K10D + Sigma 17-70/2.8-4.5 + Tamron 80-210 and it ended up on $70 equivallent including bag! :D I have K3, K5, K20D and 30+ lenses, so it fit nicely into collection :D Now only K7 is missing.

[@DinoBytes]

I hope to revisit the K10D and Sony A100 soon

[@deejayiwan7]

I still use D3s, D810 and even D90

[@DinoBytes]

All classics!

[@edc5338]

I own this camera and love it. I use it with the "newer" underrated 18-55 lens or with the Nikon 17-55. I recently bought a D80 in great shape from MPB. I have had excellent luck with MPB. I am sticking with DSLRs and there are great deals now on gear. I have newer Nikonn DSLRs but prefer the vintage models.

[@DinoBytes]

Good choices! There's amazing deals on DSLRs of this era, and they're very respectable quality

[@dunnymonster]

Brilliant, love it! 👍

[@DinoBytes]

Thanks!

[@thealmightysnark5878]

It's amazing how little changed between the D200/D610/D800(from those that I owned). Now I have a Zf so the D800 is gathering a bit of dust but can't really get to selling it yet.

[@DinoBytes]

You're right, and same with Canon too - they nailed their design DNA early on.

[@unclefart5527]

My D800 popped open along a seam after an impact (2 ft.) but considering it had several years of use and 80K trips It didn't bother me.

[@mr.carnaf]

I have one, but the only lens I have is the most basic 18-55m which is very softened in image quality. I wish the photos were sharper.

[@DinoBytes]

May be worth trying a different lens?

[@frankwong9486]

Most you can have starter kit without broke the bank: 35 1.8G / 50 1.8 18 140 / tamron 17 50 A16 or VC version Nikon 300F4D For wide angle maybe tokina 11-16

[@robert43g]

1 year ago I bought a Nikon D 2xs ( pro version of this camera) for $300 Oz with battery and charger to go with my Nikon D500 . I am not going to Mirrorless due to my age 63 and I dont see any reason to upgrade

[@d3xmeister]

I actually skipped the beginning of digital SLR’s (coming from film with slr and rangefinders) using only compact or bridge digital cameras up until the Nikon D40x

[@d3xmeister]

The D200 was one of Nikon’s most popular cameras. Even though the Canon had the full frame 5D available, it was almost double the cost of the D200, and the D200 was better built, it has way better autofocus and flash metering. Available full frame lenses at that time were still suffering on digital sensors with mushy edges, I actually knew landscape photographers who preferred the 10MP D200 to the 13MP 5D because they could get much sharper edges with the D200 and Niko DX or FX lenses compared to full frame 5D and EF lenses.

[@DinoBytes]

I agree, the 5D had a lot of promise, but fell short in some aspects. I bought one

[@heiner71]

I still have one of those, bought many years ago with a heavily creeping 18-200 lens. I never quite warmed up to this camera and only shot maybe 500-1000 photos with it. It is sitting forgotten in some case for at least 5 years.

[@RichardFraser-y9t]

Flog it on MPB?

[@heiner71]

@@RichardFraser-y9t , not worth doing.

[@DinoBytes]

Maybe try a different lens with it? The 18-200 was very flexible, but quite large and slow.

[@heiner71]

@@DinoBytes , maybe I try this. Spending money always works 🙂. Thanks for reviewing all these old-timers. Always jogs my memory and makes me remember what I still have hidden away in some closet.

[@roverdad]

Haha, just bought one last week along with some ai and ais lenses. Went back and got the 18-140. Loving it so far.

[@DinoBytes]

Excellent! How are the old lenses working on it?

[@roverdad]

They are great, got the 50 1.4 AI which is my favorite, 35-70 3.3-4.5 AIS, which is decent, 20 2.8 AF that I haven’t really used yet and the 35-70 3.5 AIS which is fantastic. (2nd favorite). The trick is focussing with the manual focus lenses. I am looking for a catz eye screen that has the manual focus prisms to assist with that.

[@SteveMorton]

I inherited a D300 and lenses in 2021, it was a bit of a learning curve only previously using Canon gear, but I few years on I love how advanced it was/is for its time. I also still use my Canon EOS20D from 2004 (Vintage? ) Those can also be had for very little money these days, hence why I've kept mine. It works, use it, why not. #nobadcameras

[@DinoBytes]

You may enjoy my EOS 10D video too!

[@TL-xw6fh]

Ah, I love my D200 and D80. Will never sell them. Tough as nails, and btw, the D200 has a global shutter too! Just don't see what the fuss is about presently with the Sony A9 global shutter.

[@tc8231]

You should revisit the Sony a100! I love mine despite it showing its age.

[@DinoBytes]

Yes, I definitely have plans to do that. Same sensor I think...

[@matthieuzglurg6015]

I would agree that the D200 is one of the best DSLRs to get under $100, howver on MPB it's regular that we see D300 cameras for well under 100 and they're absolutely worth it over hte D200 in my opinion. Sensor is slightly better (better DR, lower noise, not a ground breaking difference), but it shoots faster (especially with the battery grip), is has live view, a better viewfinder, better control layout (imho) and a much better autofocus system with 3D tracking. I bought mine for €59 on MPB about a year and a half ago, in in near-pristine condition with under 30k shutters on the clock and honestly it was one of the highest value cameras I've ever bought. The D200 is still up there for value, but I really think the D300 is a meaningful upgrade in pretty much every way and yet doesn't cost more money to get. Also, quick correction about the sensor : the sensor used in the D80 (and also the D40X and D60) is very similar as the one used in the D200, but it's not exactly the same. It's the same bae, but with a different circuitry to lower the power consumption (mainly through voltage regulators). That doesn't have much impact on the image quality itself, but that's the reason why the D200 can read up to 5 frames per second while all the other 10MP CCD Nikon cameras are limited to 3fps : that wasn't market segmentation, that was a limitation induced by the lower power consumption of the modified sensor. Also, I don't know if you'll read this comment, but if you have a priviledged way of communicating with MPB, could you ask them to display shutter count numbers on mirrorless cameras as well, when that's possible? Because right now they only do it for DSLRs, and it's really difficult to judge if a camera has been used to death or not when shopping for mirrorless bodies

[@DinoBytes]

Thanks, yes, it has faster readout, which I kinda mentioned in the burst part, but should have been more explicit about that difference with the D80. As for the D300, it's also a great camera, but I know some people have a CCD fetish, so wanted cater for them too. It is interesting how most models within a few years are priced similarly, even with quite different capabilities, so it makes sense to go for the most recent or powerful, but I do also enjoy exploring older models. I'll mention the shutter count aspect to MPB.

[@matthieuzglurg6015]

@@DinoBytes thanks !

[@classic.cameras]

I have thr Fujifilm S5 Pro version of this camera. I love the feel of Nikons in the hand. Very good old ccd cameras.

[@DinoBytes]

I have some of the old Fujifilm DSLRs awaiting my attention!

[@classic.cameras]

@@DinoBytes Can not wait! Love your reviews Gordon. Its a month away but have a Happy Christmas all the same.

[@DinoBytes]

@@classic.cameras thanks, you too!

[@jienwen74]

Hi Gordon, how about a review of a D2X and D2Xs?

[@DinoBytes]

Maybe, but I have lots of others I'd like to do first...

[@ruff1draft]

Just bought a Nikon D5600 to go with my Nikon D5500 so I can do street portraits and events

[@matskay1971]

I liked the controls and ergonomics of D200 so much that i went and bought two used D200 from Mpb-UK. I wonder why ppl buy latest and greatest expensive cameras when you can do the same things with this inexpensive 20 year old camera. Except for extreme low light images and Videos i don't think it lacks behind the newer cameras in any ways. The Raw file size from this camera is so easy to work with i don't use my computer at all, i do all my photo editing and post processing work on Lightroom Mobile app.

[@DinoBytes]

It's true. And if you want to match the build quality on a modern camera, you'll be spending well over 1k

[@Jack_Warner]

This was my first decent digital camera. I bought it in 2007 from Jessops. I think the body was £850.

[@DinoBytes]

Do you still have it?

[@Jack_Warner]

@@DinoBytes I passed it down to my partner's daughter, and she wrecked it, but it does still work. She left it outside, and it got covered in mud and other grime. I told her I'll never give her anything of value again. I've got a D810 that I've had since 2018, and it serves me well.

[@DinoBytes]

@@Jack_Warner oh no! But it would be a good test of toughness!

[@jfphotography69]

Still have my D200.

[@DinoBytes]

Hope you still use it sometimes!

[@jfphotography69]

@@DinoBytes Hardly, and it has hardly any clicks on it. It ended up in my closet after I got the D500, don't own the D500 anymore, killed it in a freak mishap. then got a pristine with 10K click on it D850, used that for a few years before moving to the Z9, which is a D850 on steroids. Still own the D850 and still use it, but not as often as I used to.

[@wymanair]

Man this takes me back…. I had the D80 and not to be outdone my Dad bought the big brother D200 😊 Champion cameras, esp the D80 in my opinion because it still allowed screw drive AF which was dropped by the replacement “small body” dslrs

[@DinoBytes]

Very true, the D80 was fantastic, hope you saw the retro video I made about it last year. Also hope all's well with you Mark, I miss our meet-ups!

[@wymanair]

@ Likewise!

[@Wszyc]

my wife upgrade from D200 to sony a6700 for wildlife 3 months ago :)

[@DinoBytes]

Is she happy with the change? The size is much smaller and the AF will be better!

[@Wszyc]

@DinoBytes she is, but to be honest not the af is the reason she is we never had problems to photograph even moving subjects with 70-300 lenses that were moved by "screwdriver" ( the shaft that goes from the body). Af was always good enough but the ISO performance comparing to new cameras is terrible ( and we use telephoto zooms that are 5.6 or 6.3) and we were stuck with really old lenses because not all nikon f lenses are fully compatible with old bodies for example nikon 200-500 f5.6 lens looses control over apeture on d200 :( so we had two options move to sony apsc cameras or buy d500 ( we need that crop for our wildlife photography) canon was not taken in to consideration Im in the canon ekosystem my wife wanted to have something different :) But generally d200 is awesome but you are stuck with old heavy glass if you are wildlife shooter :)

[@Wszyc]

about the compatibility of the cards our d200 is running fine with 64GB compact flash ;)

[@DinoBytes]

Nice! Thanks for the info!

[@RichardFraser-y9t]

I tried mine with a 64gb Scandisk Extreme from my D810 and no go.

[@DinoBytes]

@@RichardFraser-y9t interesting...

[@DinoBytes]

can you tell us which type of card please?

[@eltinjones4542]

If I had one I wouldn't sell it. However if I didn't, I wouldn't buy one either, just like my D40x Ps I love the fact that these camera don't do video. I hate paying out for bells and whistles video that I never use

[@DessieTots]

I wish MPB would stop sponsoring videos as their prices are stupidly high for much of the stock.

[@DinoBytes]

As a long-term customer BEFORE they started sponsoring some of my videos, I disagree. Compared to shops which sell used gear, MPB's prices can be similar, often cheaper in my experience. I agree the MPB price is normally higher than what you might see on an auction site BUT whenever I buy cameras from, say, eBay or FB marketplace, they're almost always untested / sold as spares. Most have non-working batteries, adding around 15-20 for a replacement, or more if you need a charger too. Some don't even power up when you give them a new battery, so it's a gamble. And no private seller will give you a 6 month warranty. So when you consider MPB are guaranteeing it'll work AND including working batteries and chargers, then that's why their prices may be higher than eBay. And if they stopped sponsoring videos, it would become harder for a channel like mine to survive, so if you like anything I do, you should be happy they're supporting me. But ultimately no-one's forcing you to buy from them. I'm just illustrating an example where they sold a working D200 in great condition with an original battery, charger and 6 month warranty for £86. If you find anywhere which can beat that with the same condition and warranty, please let me know.

[@FoarteMisto]

You did not show the top screen illumination !

[@DinoBytes]

I know, I regret not doing that. I'll do it for my next one, and may show a photo on the posts page for this one!

[@truetothegame2928]

Takes great photos, but a heavy brick !

[@DinoBytes]

True, but the D80 is a lighter option

[@ruikazane5123]

Must be nice having dealers like MPB around. Even if I can pay, unfortunately, customs and delivery to where I am will exacerbate the cost and worry of it arriving, and in good nick. At the local FB marketplace, prices are crazy. D90 with shutter error for over $300!? Is $170 decent for an EOS 600D with a cheap third party lens? There are very few camera stores around me (most are rather far) and they are highly unlikely to sell older gear for a reasonable price. Tough luck for us. I don't have a phone either (just this laptop) so if I am to document my project progress I would rather have a camera instead, for the same price the actual camera will do me better at night. Either way, should be better than a D2 we used to take pictures with!

[@DinoBytes]

Whereabouts are you based?

[@ruikazane5123]

@@DinoBytes I'm in the Philippines, where old gear is still very common. There were still paid film photographers into the 2010s!

[@DinoBytes]

@@ruikazane5123 do you ever get the chance to travel to Japan or South Korea? There's lots of great used camera stores there if you get to travel.

[@RetroMarkyRM]

i see Gordon... I click like :)

[@DinoBytes]

That's the way it should be!

[@RetroMarkyRM]

@@DinoBytes ha! Love your retro camera reviews btw. I have a D300...so trying to stop myself from buying a D200

[@DinoBytes]

@@RetroMarkyRM I think you need it to compare the CCD and CMOS!

[@RetroMarkyRM]

@@DinoBytes Yeh I am aware of that. I do have a D80 ... so may well compare them!

[@RetroMarkyRM]

I bought a D80 for my partner's daughter (to teach her photography) and I find myself really liking the jpegs striaght out of the camera

[@vic_the_roman]

Mine is in great condition but has a bad CF reader slot. 😓

[@DinoBytes]

Oh no! Does this mean you can't record images?

[@vic_the_roman]

@DinoBytes Exactly. But its fine. Repair project 😎

[@urbanimage]

Assuming there are no bent pins, they might just need cleaning. You could try carefully pushing the card in and then popping it out using the release button, keeping the cf card aligned in the rails without removing it completely. Do this in and out a few times. If that doesn't work, could also try adding a little contact cleaner to the CF card contacts and giving it another try.

[@vic_the_roman]

@urbanimage Thanks! Will try it!

[@crazymaly20]

Recently got one, unfortunetaly mine got a dead battery syndrome, so it is not turning on if I have a G-lens screwed on and i am limited to AI/AIS and the screw AF-lenses. If anybody had a problem like please hit me up.

[@DinoBytes]

Hmm, that's an interesting error, I'll look out for it. Are the electrical contacts in the mount with G lenses clean?

[@RichardFraser-y9t]

I had a problem with battery contacts, does it come on if you lightly push down on the battery in its compartment? I temporally solved that with a bit of thin card on the end of the battery and lightly pushing the battery door shut then properly fixed it with the cheep 2nd hand MB-D200 battery grip.

[@crazymaly20]

@@RichardFraser-y9t Hey Thank you so much for replying, i dont have the camera with me, but will definetly try it in a couple of weeks. But basically the problem occurs with any AF lens. I use a lot of manual lenses and the camera works just fine with manual lenses, that's why i did not notice it in the beginning. But as soon as I screw on an AF lens (doesnt matter if AF or AF-G, remembered that wrong, in my first message), the dead battery syndrome will happen and the camera turns on only for half a second or so. If i put then a manual lens back on, it will work just fine. It's on firmware 2.01 and has a shutter count less than 7k. I think i will first try dedicated contact cleaner like Gordon suggests.

[@crazymaly20]

@@DinoBytes so far i was to cautious to treat the contacts, but you are right. I should give it a try and get some contact cleaner. I just misremembered that the scew af lenses were working, they are not, any lens with electrical contacts cause the camera to shut off immediately and signal an empty battery. thank you for the answering by the way, i really appreciate any help and interest in my problem.

[@tomperry9034]

Faint memory of Nikon recommending no CF card bigger than 4gb in this camera. Might be that there wasn't that much bigger kicking about then.

[@DinoBytes]

Yeah, there's a few comments here from people using up to 32GB

[@80-80.]

It was a great camera back then, but the EOS 5D stole everyone's attention at the time.

[@DinoBytes]

I agree, and I fell for it too.

[@dima1353]

I'm not sure this is the best option. It was a professional camera at the time, so its size and weight were justified by the speed, reliability and advanced autofocus, but now it doesn't have a very good burden/image quality/functionality ratio. For leisurely amateur photography, this is dead weight. I also would not recommend any camera without an effective dust shaker. I don't think that the new generation of newbies should necessarily go through this. I miss the dust on the sensor and cleaning it before each shooting even less than I miss the unreliable autofocus of DSLRs from the 2000s. Gordon, I respect you very much, but I personally think that this is probably one of the worst possible purchases. It's better to buy something more compact, more convenient, more pleasant, something that won't bore your head with the thought "is it worth taking this brick with me?", something a generation or two newer. As for the CCD colors, please don't join this madness. You are a respected, ancient KZbinr, you are above this. Imagine you're in the woods with this camera. You're fiddling with the tripod, bending into awkward positions, trying to frame the shot. And then you see someone walk past you... with a D5000, for example. His load is lighter, he'll get tired later. The image quality is higher, he has a live view and a rotating screen, and this will allow him to reduce the time it takes to prepare each shot, as well as save energy and mental health. Beginners are very active in searching for unusual angles, they climb trees or, on the contrary, lie down on the grass and mud - there is nothing more boring than shooting exclusively from head level. So even if you buy a D5100, the difference in price will be covered in a few months by the savings on a washing powder 😁. More opportunities for creativity, fewer barriers - these are things that matter. The convenience of the physical controls and the strength of the body - no... not for how this camera will be used today. And amateur DSLRs are not that bad in terms of controls.

[@DinoBytes]

I agree, if you like shooting at high or especially low angles, a camera with live view and a tilting screen is far more desirable. But if you want a solid, traditional DSLR, the D200 is hard to beat, and the D80 gives the same quality in a lighter body.

[@vireakcambodia5172]

Sony a300 please

[@DinoBytes]

Here's my original review of it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6fNc5Vjoq17Y9k

[@WilsonGomez]

Under $100, that's 4 rolls of film.

[@DinoBytes]

Including processing? I think it may be closer to three in some places!

[@grahamniven]

Easily find a D300 under a ton. My D700 was a ton forty.

[@DinoBytes]

I look forward to revisiting the D700

[@cmartin_ok]

You over-paid! I bought a somewhat battered one a couple of years ago for around £40 (OK so used camera prices have risen in the past couple of years but I reckon I got a better bargain that you did). Enjoy your new purchase !

[@DinoBytes]

40 quid! Nice work!