Nikon has just announced its new DSLR, the 10.2 megapixel Nikon D200. It retains the 1.5x DX crop factor, which Nikon has stated will remain a standard for Nikon digital SLRs. It can shoot 5 fps and maintain this speed for 22 RAW/NEF shots or 37 JPEG/FINE shots. It's squarely aimed against the EOS20D (8.2mp) but with an estimated shipping date of "Spring 2006," is it too little too late for Nikon?
| Canon EOS 5D |
Canon EOS 20D |
Nikon D2X | Nikon D200 | Olympus E300 |
Pentax *ist DS |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pixels | 12.8mp |
8.2mp |
12.4 mp |
10.2mp |
8.0mp |
6.1mp |
| Frame Rate | 3fps (17 burst) |
5fps (9 burst) |
5 fps HSC: 8fps |
5fps 1800 shots per battery! |
2.5fps (4 burst) |
3fps (144 burst) |
| Memory | CF I/II |
CF I/II |
CF I/II |
CF I/II |
CF |
SD |
| Weight (Body) |
810g |
685g |
1070g |
830g |
624g
|
605g |
| Price | Body ~$3300 |
Body ~$1300 |
Body $4500 |
Body $1699 |
B+Lens ~$800 |
Body ~$800 |
From the feature list, these things strike me as really neat:
- 1800 shots per battery? The little EN-EL3e batteries don't look any bigger than the batteries in the 20D, which only gets 300-400 shots per charge. This has definitely piqued my interest.
- 0.94x magnification finder. With the 1.5x crop factor, in reality it's a 0.62x magnification, but that's still pretty good for a DSLR.
- Finder blackout of 105 msecs and a response time of 50msec puts it at the top of its class.
- Separate R G B histograms (as well as the standard luminance histogram) means you can avoid R G B clipping in one channel. Very important.
- Ability to program in data for non-CPU lenses -- use that Nikkor legacy in your closet.
Should you get a Nikon D200 or Canon EOS 20D or.... Even speaking as a Canon gal, Nikons have better flash performance and better metering in difficult conditions. Nikon also has better wide-angle lenses (while Canon has the lead in telephoto and image stabilization). The Nikon D200 has much better battery life than the 20D, it has better LCD screen, larger buffer size, much better weatherproofing and rigidity, etc. If you're a Nikon fan, I think the D200 is the camera you've been (patiently.... oh so patiently) waiting for. Now all Nikon needs to do is get these cameras out NOW rather than the "Spring 2006" ETA.
DPReview.com has a good preview of the new Nikon.
Anything else you noticed? Post comments below! (Please, please register using TypeKey if you can, otherwise I have to manually approve unregistered comments).
Canon says 1000 shots for the 20D, so if the 1800 are Nikon's numbers... (actually I didn't read any review which stated that 20D's battery was just last 300-400 shots).
Carsten -
Canon says 1000 shots, but that is continuous firing. In real life, if you're in the field you'll get closer to 300-400 shots. But I guess if we apply the same math of roughly 30-40% of stated figures, then the Nikon's battery life will be 500-700 shots which is still twice as many as Canon.
Last Sunday afternoon I cranked off 1200 images on my D50 before the low battery warning went on. No flash, autoreview off, chimping one or two images every 10 or 20 shots. This is simply phenomenal performance and it far exceeds what the average user would require. Compare that to my first DSLR, (Fuji S1) which got 300 pix per rechargeable and needed an new landfiller every 600 shots. If automotive engineering progressed this fast, Hummers would get 100mpg.