Nikon DSLR for a beginner?

[King Kong Matt]

I have shot digital photography before and I have read some very basic books on photography, but I have no real experience beyond that of a beginner (no experience with flashes, varying lenses, etc.).

What, in general, system would you recommend? I have heard a lot of people mention that the D70s is a good system for a beginner and a good camera for the price. I have also hear people state that the D200 is not a good camera for a beginner.

What would you recommend based on my description above?

Thanks in advance,
Matt

 

[OE2X]

Matt,
Topside I'm a professional photographer that uses Nikons. I mainly use the D2X's, but I also have a D200. Not having used a D70 I can't compare.

The D200 is a professional camera for what I think are two reasons: Large file size along with being able to shoot a high rate of photos per second.

Keep in mind that with DSLR's - anything you buy today will be outmoded by next month. So buying the best may not give you longevity as far as upgrading. It used to be with film SLR's that a decent body would last you 20 or more years. I have 40 year old Leica's that work just as well today as they did when they were first made. The same cannot be said to be true of DSLR's from five years ago.

My question for you is how great is your desire to learn how to use a DSLR? The basic workings of a D70 and lenses are the same as the D200 or D2X. Using a flash on any of these can be set on auto - TTL - and works rather well. That said your budget also has to be considered. At $2000. for the D200 body it gets spendy quick.

A D200 is a workhorse that can take the abuse of a pro. The D70? Maybe...

I would go with a couple of zoom lenses. It used to be that you wanted fixed focal lenses because they were so much sharper. That is no longer the case. Zooms made by Nikon are awesome in their optical quality.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The Nikon D50 is another option. I have used both extensively and to be honest I prefer the D50. It has a more flexible auto focus system and the auto exposure produces better results.

The D50 has only one command wheel rather than the two on the D70s, and like most Nikons both are overly dependent on multi layer menus, but none the less the D50 is for the most part easier to use and more intuitive for a beginner. Plus it is slightly smaller and noticeably lighter.

So for less money you can get a D50 with same image sensor as the D70s but with updated autofocus and metering systems in a package that is smaller, lighter and easier to use.

 

[kdietz]

While I love my D200, I think you would be better served with the D70s....we used them for over a year underwater and it's totally capable of producing excellent results

Check out our website for examples of both http://www.kdietz.com

Karl

 

[Amy B]

Check out our website for examples of both http://www.kdietz.com

WOW, beautiful photos Karl!!

 

[Mariozi]

I agree with DA Aquamaster... go cheap, take the D50.
There is going to be a great change in DSLR market in the next 2 years with the new paricipants (Sony, Panasonic...).
Best advice I can give for begginers DSLR:
- go cheap;
- buy the least numbers of DX Lenses you can (better if ONLY the 10.5mm)
As for housings go for a system that gives you a history of compatibility on ports accessories (Sea&Sea - mine -, Aquatica or Ike - dont like much, used to be a cheap option, now there is little difference...).

 

[King Kong Matt]

While I love my D200, I think you would be better served with the D70s.

Can you expand on this a bit? In other words, (putting cost aside for the purposes of this discussion) is there a specific reason or set of reasons that a D200 may not be well suited for a beginner?

Check out our website for examples of both http://www.kdietz.com

Really great work. You both should be proud.

 

[ronpriskie]

If I already own a D70 and want to get into UW photography, is there an "inexpensive" option for housings, or do I have to spend $3K more?

 

[kidsdream]

A basic Ike housing runs around $1500 then you will need a couple of ports. so let's say about $400ish. Now you'll need a couple of lenses if you start with a 60mm and a 10.5 you are adding and other grand. If you don't have a strobe you'll need a least $950 for a stobe and an arm setup ($2100 will bring you 2 Inons and some ULCS pieces).

Now the Ike set-up is the bottom end. Durable and servicable certainly, but not very good comparitively as it relates to ergonomics and true ease of use. Prices go way-up from there. A Subal set-up for a D70 and a couple of Ports (including a dome) will run nearly $5000 without strobes arms and cables etc. You could look for a nice Aquatica setup on ebay or wetpixal.com as a good mid price option.

 

[ssra30]

D70s is a very capable camera and its sensor is definitely good enough for a magazine cover so it is definitely good enough for most people. However, D200 and D2X will give you better AF system, more features/options that may or may not be helpful underwater. However, because once you buy housing, ports, strobes, lenses, the price difference between D50, D70s and D200 will not seem that huge so I would consider getting the best camera that you can afford. Most underwater photographers don't upgrade as often as land photographers just because the housing costs just as much if not more than the body in most cases. So buy it once and make sure that it will most likely be good enough for your need as long as possible.
Personally I think D200 probably has the best value for the money. Another thing to consider, D200 viewfinder is significantly better than D70s so that is also quite helpful underwater.