I got a D200 last summer with just 964 shutter count in pristine condition. Took it to Portugal and was the best decision ever. Got the most amazing photos. It's a beautiful camera. I also have a Nikon Z8 and a ZF, but this D200 I love it.
Old CCD Sensor DSLRs are like magic - forget all that discussions from GearHeads about DR, AF speed, Megapixels...its mostly shit. Doesn't count - what does only count - your very own, imagination & creative vision, it's all about the composition. The rest is B$.
I'm only shooting on old soulful digital cameras (Canon 5D Classic, 6D, Nikon D200, Fuji S5 pro, Olympus E-1 & E-300, Fuji x-pro1, etc) but of all those cameras the Nikon D200 is my most loved one (have 2 just in case) and will never be sold. The metering is so superb, the images are soft yet sharp, creamy and the grain on high iso is ❤️. Long live the D200 🎉
DSLRs are not dead. My most used camera lately is d70s. It's robust, simple, relatively light and just a joy to use. Picture quality and character straight from the camera is more than enough anyways. When it comes to the pure shooting experience I'm choosing d700. Sometimes I will just look at a scene through its beautiful and huge viewfinder and won't even take a photograph. The scene 'has been seen' if that makes sense, and that's enough.
@@wmwanderer Yep, D700 is a beast. Paired with something like 300mm full metal lens you have a full experience of carrying a rifle :) An a strong kickback from the shutter mechanism just adds to this feeling. Love it :)
@@antonvoloshin9833 I use it most often with my favourite landscape lens, which is 80-200/2.8 ED. That combined with a camera gives a weight of around 2.5 kg :D I love the results and the whole experience though. Would highly recommend!
im still rocking my dads d70s that he bought brand new and gave to me. still in mint condition and takes amazing photos. i want to pick up a d200 as well. CCD sensor for lyfe
When the D200 came out it was a workhorse of a semi-pro camera, second to the D2H/D2X flagship. I upgraded from the D100 to the D200 and shot with it for a decade. My most successful and memorable images was shot with that camera to this day.... I slowly migrated to mirrorless starting in 2012 while phasing out my D200, [still own and use it today along with the D100 on occasion] but after a decade with mirrorless I am back to DSLRs with up to date bodies, Why? well, many reasons. I'll just say this; with extensive use and living with SLRs, DSLRs, Mirrorless, it is the DSLR that in my personal experience that is the undeniable practical and creative photo tool outside of my 6x6 cameras that are robust, built to last, ergonomically sound and better value all around that shoots the same images as any consumer mirrorless camera. I am not concerned with video so That alone is reason enough to return to DSLRs but I feel I don't have to be careful about anything with a DSLR like I did with the fragile mirrorless bodies I owned.
Great video! As a casual photographer, the biggest benefit of my DSLRs is I can use (almost) all my lenses on each camera. My Nikon 105mm f2 DC lens (which cost more than *any* of my bodies) works on *every* camera I own - spanning a 43 year range. Nikon's F mount DSLRs are what made my move to digital possible. Once photography went digital, we knew old tech would be left behind in the wake of rapidly developing new tech. But old tech doesn't mean 'bad' and I continue to tell friends who want to get into photography now to find an old DSLR, because it has never been easier (or cheaper) to get into the hobby. For some context, I currently have a Nikon Nikkormat FTn, Nikkormat EL, FM2, N70, FM3A, F100 - and along the way had an F, F3HP, FE2, N8008, and N90. My first DSLR was the D70, then added a D7000, and I have recently added the D200 as I missed out on it earlier. Moving from my F100 to the D70 was pretty easy, as they both had a similar feel, and the D7000 even more so. The D200 is a tank, sits nicely in my hand, has a lovely CCD sensor, and will likely become the body I grab most often.
I love my D200! With my aging eyes, I find it much easier to view with an OVF instead of straining my old eyes on a tiny bit of led screen. I love the CCD sensor too, much better than my XT3. The secret is slightly under exposing and adjust exposure in post. That gives the saturated but natural colours that thd CCD sensor is famous for. Also, I only need one battery per day, good for over 1,000 + images! My X-T3 can't even managed 200 shots per charge.
That's great, and Nikon's commitment to F-mount was incredible, but let's not ignore that you can use every F mount lens ever made, every Canon EF lens, FD, etc on a mirrorless camera with an adapter
Still holding onto my old D5000 for various reasons (I think Nikon is already on the 7th gen of that series?), but it's still a great camera that splits the difference in many ways. Can use it with optical viewfinder or screen, shuttered, or live view for shutterless behavior. Also some other stuff like interval mode, and even some video although that's its weakest aspect. Got two lenses (wide-zoom and moderate tele-zoom), but I'd also like to at least get two more. (Maybe something macro, and something fixed range with large aperture.) On top of that it also seems to be well enough supported on Linux, although not via Nikon themselves afaik.
Since 1960 I have used roll film cameras, 35mm rangefinders, 35mm SLRs, digital rangefinders, DSLRs and mirrorless. Recently I sold my Fuji X Pro 3, XT3 and XT30 and bought a second hand Nikon D750 with a set of Nikon AF-D lenses. With those lenses the D750 has a highlight-protect metering setting. It also has rear screen Live View with exposure review if needed but I prefer the TTL viewfinder. What joy!
I am literally so excited. I have recently received a Nikon D200 from my mother in law with like four different lenses and when I saw it in this thumbnail I totally geeked out.
DSLR's also serve a purpose for graybeards like myself - comfort. I learned to shoot on an SLR, and worked as a news photographer for years with SLRs, and the muscle memory still works when using a DSLR. I can have my D7200 with me for digital, my faithful old F3HP for film, and use the same lenses back and forth to boot. Both cameras just feel like the same tool to me. I do shoot mirrorless a good bit now (primarily with a Fujifilm X-E2S) and I love it, but even though the skills are the same, the feel and the EVF kind of throw me off and make me feel like a novice. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but it is true.
I'd give some of the most recent Olympus models a shot. I learned how to shoot on a film SLR (well, first a 110 garbage point and shoot, then a Pentax Auto 110, then a Pentax ME Super) then went to a DSLR. I'm still saving my money up for an OM-D camera because it feels surprisingly similar. The mirrorless cameras that have the EVF on the corner just weird me out.
I love my D7200, always impressed me when I come back from going out and review photos. Never really thought I was missing anything with its performance
I got a d200 about a year ago after only ever shooting with a sony a6100 before that and I absolutely love it. The colors it produces are fantastic and while nikon cameras are a bit fugly, once you get used to everything it is incredibly ergonomic and puts everything you need at your fingertips. I recently replaced the a6100 with an a7iii but I still shoot with the d200 most of the time because its just so much more fun and keeps me in the moment.
Nikon DSLR cameras are much better looking than some of the modern Sony and Canon cameras - and leagues ahead of the mirrorless Z6/Z7. And ergonomically they are brilliant - just hold one.
This was my first DSLR, finally moving past film SLR and digital P&S cameras. The "DSLR feels like a mistake" is a statement I would challenge though. They ran circles around the first two generation of Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras, until the A9. It is worth considering that going from step 2 to step 5 does need steps 3 and 4.
Although it is loud I like the d700 shutter over any other camera. It has a great feedback the vibrations runs through your hand like shooting a gun. Later dslrs like d810 and d5 don't have the same great feedback from the shutter like d700 has.
I am still shooting with a D750 and have no desire to change it. It's an awesome piece of kit, especially in low light. Agree that it's more about the way you hold the camera and your demeanour is more important than camera size when shooting street.
I sold my D200 when I upgraded to a D750. I like the D200 however the D750 has higher resolution, far superior low light performance, is full frame and has a better grip. Yet it is very slightly lighter than the D200. Before the D200 I used a Nikon FM film SLR (I still have it). The great thing about the D200 is that I could use all my manual focus Ai-S Nikkor lenses. Coupled & metered perfectly, easy to focus (lesser bodies such as the D80 could not do that). Back to the D750 it is a perfect camera - the D780 is still made (effectively the D750 Mk2}. So the DSLR is not dead and it certainly was not a “mistake”. I very much doubt that’ll I ever trade in my D750 for a Z6 or Z7 … for one thing all I want is a stills camera .. I’m just not interested in using a mirror less camera with all its extra video capabilities that (for me) just push the price up and makes them unnecessarily complex.
Good deal, I was lucky and paid only 95 Euro for the D200 / 24mm 2.8 AF-D combo😎 I like to use the affordable 50mm 1.8G on it for portraits. The D200 doesn't feel that much different from my much newer D750. Only zooming in on pictures is a bit fiddly.
If size is a problem, you could try a Nikon D40 or Nikon D3000 with a small fixed lens like the one you used in the video. OVF + CCD + Zone Focus. Coincidentally I bought a Nikon D200 a few weeks ago because I work with Nikon DSLRs and would like to try one with a CCD sensor. It is a true professional battle tank of its time. Lots of physical buttons and controls available, no video or live view - which brings it closer to a film camera. And the color tones of this CCD sensor have something unique, at least compared to the other Nikons I have. Good video - as always - by the way.
Picked up the Canon 5D and 5Dii both for hundred quid each! Both are incredible cameras, and still very capable today. Even by today’s standards, the 5D delivers incredible image quality with a film like grain structure and render. The 5Dii is superb also. I’ve adapted a few older manual focus vintage lenses to these bodies. So for very little financial outlay, you can get a quality pro camera that can compete with mirrorless equivalents. Remember, what made a camera professional when it was released, is still relevant today. Regarding Leica, I’m seeing the Leica M8 at around £850 to £1000 now…. so still not cheap, but if you’re patient you can get bargains. My Leica M9 died, so I’m really really missing the rangefinder experience at the moment :/
@@jnicholls8146The best price for budget Canon DSLR is the 20D, probably the Canon equivalent of the Nikon D200. The 20D is the direct ancestor of the 5D classic - the 5D classic is essentially a full-frame 20D. (The 20D is APS-C). I had the 20D for many years, and now have the 5D. They look and feel so much the same, it's very hard to tell them apart. (With exact same button layout & menu.) The pictures they take are incredibly close, same "look" and quality to them. Sometimes it's hard for me to tell them apart which camera was used to shoot it. The 20D has two advantages: one being the price (about $50-$70) and it also has a built in flash, which compensates highly for its not as good low light ability as the 5D. These two cameras use the same battery, in case one has money right now for the 20D, the upgrade later to the 5D will be easy. (5D ii and later Canons use different battery.)
I got a Sony Alpha A350 DSLR from 2008 a while ago for €50. I've bought a few lenses for it, all of which were really cheap. The cheapest was €30 and the most expensive was €65. I love some of the pictures I've been able to get with it and it's just a bunch of fun. I don't need to worry about breaking expensive gear
Thank you for sharing George . I shoot street photography with a Nikon D70 / D 300 / D 200 / D700 , I shoot from the waist rather like a TLR camera , set to wide angle I get everything I want & I can straighten anything up in post . Looking through the viewfinder on street photography is a luxury , but needless to say holding any camera above waist level on the street photography whether it's mirrorless or not will often alarm the subjects. I simply do not get the footage with a nifty fifty or less ,I shoot with a multi focal zoom 18-250mm hence it offers huge versatility , long distance shots are great without alarming the subjects , it's all subjective . Back in the day the CCD sensors was made to replicate film as they contain silver oxide within the sensor , at some point when the public fully wake up about the filmic files these old Nikon D series cameras put out the price of these old tanks will sky rocket , so best get them whilst their still cheap .
I have been shooting with Olympus mirrorless cameras since i bought my first OM-D E-M5 back in 2013. Before this, I used Nikon manual focus film cameras. Last week I ordered an Olympus E-400 DSLR kit just for fun (10 MP CCD).
I've had a E-410 since 2007. Has around 300k shutter activations and still works perfectly. You need to turn off the filtering and noise reduction to get the best from these cameras. Setting Sharpness to -1 can also help as the default tends to over sharpen.
I have owned three D200's in the past 15 years - after owning my first one for a few months I realised that Nikon ai and ai-s manual focus lenses can fully meter and you get focus confirmation in the viewfinder and you can register each lens in the camera. I have never used an auto-focus lens on a D200 since.
"...for some reason they think Fuji and Ricoh are the only two cameras they should consider..." Well done on that statement George! I went from film to Nikon D300 and stayed there for years. Highly recommended!
I'm using one of these together with a Sigma Art 30mm f1.4. I love it for the same reasons, plus all controls have an explicit dial or button and it's just so nice to use. Quick access to everything. And don't forgot the ergonomics. Yes, it is a big chunk but it fits so well into your hand!
Fun fact: Fuji licensed the D200 from Nikon, renamed it 'S5 Pro' and significantly modified the sensor and imaging processes. This led to a camera with substantially better dynamic range and arguably better color, particularly of human skin. A lot of wedding and portrait photographers used them. Because of those improvements, used S5s fetch significantly higher prices on the used market than the D200..
I still shoot with my D200 I bought new in 2006. It’s a great camera though I have a D750 and D850. I doubt I ever part with the D200. It’s just works.
I always enjoy your videos because of your obvious enthusiasm for photography, and you make using this old DLSR look like a lot of fun. Personally, I spent years shooting film, then DSLRs (for a about three years) and then went to mirrorless with Olympus with their first PEN cameras and then the break-through original E-M5 and I've never looked back. Anything which shortens the feedback loop between the shutter click and seeing the results greatly speeds your learning curve, and mirrorless cameras with a good EVF are the best at that because - at least with Olympus and OM Systems Live View features - you see your images in the EVF in real time. Adjust whatever until you see what you want and then grab the shot. I would think that going from film to this kind of experience would be liberating beyond words for many shooters. Still, I think it's highly valuable when respected vloggers like you highlight the great values in digital cameras available now for US $300 or less. They work just as well as when new when they were thousands of dollars and considered the bleeding edge of technology.
Just wanted to say that your street photography has really leveled up. Been watching your videos for a little while now, and can really see the evolution in your street photography over time. Your videos helped inspire me to pick up an Olympus em1 and begin taking up the hobby for myself, and I'm now watching this video after recently purchasing a Sony A100, and am excited to give that a go as well.
A little while back, I made a comparison between CMOS and CCD sensors... and it tursn out that those sensors are almost identical when it comes to color output. And I mean it makes sense, right ? Why should a photodiode react differently to color based on how the data is collected from the sensor itself (cause that's really the only difference there is in essence, a CCD reads in columns, and sometime all the colums at once, while a CMOS reads line by line... but ultimately the photodiodes are generally pretty similar, and so is the color filter array). What matters the most when we're talking about CCD cameras and their relation to color is not the fact that they're CCD cameras, but rather the fact that they're cameras coming from a time when CCD was still the primary technology used in camera sensors. Read : the 2000s. The D200 was released in 2005. I'm pretty sure you would be able to get very filmic tones and colors from a CMOS camera released in the same period, like for example teh 12MP CMOS D2X, or the 12MP Canon 5D, both released in 2005 as well. And the reason for it is that at that time, camera brands were trying to convert people from film, so they really put care in giving their sensors some "filmic" tones and colors, to give yet another arguments for people on the fence. This is especially visible in cameras like the Canon 5D classic in my opinion (Nikon D700 as well). I myself love to use a 4Mp Nikon D2H from 2003 to get my "filmic tone" images, and it doesn't even have a CCD nor a CMOS, it has a JFET sensor (older veriant of CMOS made by Nikon only for this camera) When film "died" (once the digital market was tru;y prevalent) in the early 2010, the focus shifted : camera brands were now competing withing the digital realm only, not also with film in the picture. So then color science evolved from the innacturate film tones to the more clinical and "correct" approach of color reproduction.
I just purchased a D200 for 90 Euros with a five {5} year warranty, amazing. Still getting to know it but I love uing it along side my Nikon D3000 and Canon G12. I am able to use my lenses frommy D3000, so that is a great bonus. Keep the good informative videos coming.
I just picked up a D200 from MPB (US) for $44.00 last week. The top LCD screen had been cracked and some of the info on that screen is missing, but everything I need is either in the Menu or viewfinder. Has 28K actuations and works fine. I bought the Nikon D1X and D100 new back when they came out and did wedding and portrait photography with them. Sadly the D1X died years ago, but the D100 still works. I quit doing photography for about 15 years and recently got back into it because I enjoy it. Other than the Fuji X-T2 that I bought last year all of my cameras are Nikon DSLRs. Maybe I'm old school (or just old!) but I came up in the film days (Canon A-1s, etc., Mamiya twin lens, RB67) and I enjoy my Nikon DSLRs for now. Thanks for your content George.
I was an early adapter to mirrorless, with the LUMIX G1 in 2008. Recently I was given a Canon crop-sensor DSLR and I love the TTL optical viewing, fast and precise AF and selection of lenses available. Cameras like these are sleeper street-shooters, with the precision of TTL composing and precise AF.
Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts. Here in Brazil, where gear is awfully expensive, we still have a DSLR market. For instance, the official Canon store still sells 5D mk II, 250D and EF glass. Many amateurs and professionals use DSLRs and buy them new and second hand.
The D200 is the only camera I feel comfortable leaving in Program mode, never changing the Exposure comp, and jpeg. I've had a lot of cameras from pro DSLR to a couple new mirrorless and this is definitely my favorite camera.
The D200 is an amazing camera that produces wonderful photos. Very hefty pro level. Found one nearly new in box with a grip for cheap. I love big chunky cameras!
Solid points as always, thanks George. Two notes from a long time and happy viewer: //1 The D70 and D80 (with SD card slot) is the lugable D200. Both have the AF motor that their CCD siblings lack to drive the 24mm or 35mm etc. On my local market, Nikon glass is considerably dearer than Pentax, Olympus, Sony (Minolta) A and some Canon EOS. I've been spoiled by framing with a tilt or flip LCD on mirrorless and would recommend the Sony SLT range with EVF because of that and its absolute bang-for-buck and availability. I'm looking at a A68 bag with both kit zooms (decent, the long one in particular), a 50mm, batteries, tripod, flash at about €225 or 190 brexit coins. Top glass like the Tamron SP primes is easily half price of other mounts. Otherwise Pentax because of IBIS, weather sealing, MF PK compatibility and fantastic interface, ergonomics and fairly cheap pro (aka ltd.) glass but do some research on the solenoid issue first. K200D is the D80 killer from the CCD range; IBIS, weather sealed, 4xAA battery powered, top LCD. Both Sony A and Pentax PK can adapt M42 and Adaptall but not Nikon F or Canon FD or EOS afaik. //2 Some of these street shots are not as carefully curated as the rest of the video. Maybe allow some more time while editing to pick out a collection and leave more screen time for your final picks. Some of your subjects also seem somewhat surprised to be photographed and might not appreciate showing up on youtube either. In a very short while the image indexing robots can track faces across all www platforms. I don't know anything about the legalese and am not about to start discussing that here, it's just a personal opinion. Sorry for all the words! I truly enjoy your channel and inspiration, all the best.
Thank you for the Nikon info and also valuable feedback, I don't often get such detailed and thoughtful feedback so I'll definitely take that on board - have a great day!
I shot my D200 for 5+ years and still love it, even moreso than the D7200 I had after it. I finally moved to Fuji last year and really really like it for so many reasons, but the D200 still holds a place in my heart... I sold all my Nikon gear save for it and a 50 1.8
Love my Pentax k3 iii, it’s not the best specs in the world when compared to mirrorless cameras of the same price and year, but the experience of using it is… fun. It’s not perfect and thats what makes it so enjoyable. It’s heavy and thats nice.
Zone focusing is a property of the lens - not the camera. Try the Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS. It’s a manual focus lens that I used on a Nikon FM film camera a D200 and still use on a D750. The D200 being a cropped sensor camera it gave an equivalent focal length of 42mm (ideal for street photography). It has “zone” markings for every f-stop from f/8 to f/22. Small, light, easy to use and excellent image quality. BTW the “death” of the DSLR is somewhat over exaggerated!
Good video!! I have that 24mm lens on a D2x that I got very cheap. It's a lovely combo. Three thoughts. One: a good DSLR is just so easy to hold, especially the full size ones. Try a D2x. The D200 will feel small afterwards. Two: Nikon's lens range is vast and includes lenses from Zeiss, Sigma, etc. Many of these great lenses are available for under 200eur. Three: full frame Nikon DSLRs are pretty cheap. Cheap lenses, cheap cameras, bullet proof build.
Started with Nikon DSLR's in 2010 & shot them for 12 years then moved to the micro four thirds system. The MFT is awesome but there is just something cool about those old Nikons. I trades and sold all my equipment except for a D40. Yes, the little 6mp entry level camera that you just can't replicate. The CCD sensor matched with a 35mm f1.8 lens is just pure fun to use. I totally understand the draw to these. The D40 will always be a camera in my collection!
I really liked this video since I still shoot my Nikon D3000 with either kit lens or the 35mm F/1.8 DX prime (which looks close to a 50mm on FX). It has an ancient 10MP CCD sensor and no video features at all but I knew that when I purchased it in 2010. Back then, making the jump from a Panasonic pocket camera to this Nikon was a major thing :) Although I wanted to make the jump to a modern mirrorless I never did it.
I appreciate cameras for reasons other than what I initially buy them for. Examples: My end-game DSLR is my 6D. I like its smaller size, simplicity, and image quality. It was really my first that could do well in low light. However one of my goals was a little better AF, which it does not have. Plot twist: I learned to use it for sports photography just the same. I picked up an R8 after the dust had settled on the entry-level full frame models. I wanted the better AF - which has been fantastic - however I learned I don’t actually need it. I like its smaller size and the rear screen for a FEW things. One day I may even shoot a video clip with that camera. Or not. And so I’m still using EF glass, to support my film Canons I always threaten to start using again.
I'm on a similar path, I had a Canon 20D which unfortunately broke and could not be fixed, and then I replaced it with an M50 mark II mirrorless. The autofocus on the mirrorless is amazing, and it can also shoot video (that I do a lot for my channel). However, I was very disappointed with how the photos feel with the mirrorless with the mirrorless lenses. So I started using adapted EF lenses with all digital lens corrections turned off, and that gave back a lot of naturalness to the mirrorless shots. Eventually I got a 5D, which I LOVE, but initially found its autofocus and low light abilities lacking. I got a Sigma ART lens (35mm F1.4) and with that lens both issues on the 5D are gone. It takes superb sharp photos in any light conditions, focusing is blazing fast and always accurate. Even the low light shots look quite amazing, far exceding the lower / mid range Canon EF lenses in brutally lower noise floor at high ISOs. Something I never thought possible that a lens can change... I was eyeing the 6D as the low light solution before (and I still would love to have a 6D), but at the moment the 5D-ART combination is truly amazing, and elevated the 5D to a level I expected from a Leica. (The super sharp ART lenses do give it a Leica-like rendering.)
I have to admit that I often pick it up instead of my Sony A7ii even if this sounds strange, but the shooting experience and the colors are so nice straight out of camera. Sure my Sony offers tons of resolutíon and I can do with the files whatever I want to. Still some of my favourite pictures come from my D200 that I got myself last year. The only thing I don't do with the D200 is astrophotography but that's it. Also I had the D200 as my "backup" camera when shooting a paid wedding and I do have to say that paired with the 50mm 1.8G I got some of the nicest shots of the wedding.
I bought a D200 earlier this year. My first Nikon, but wow I love that camera. Feels great in the hand and the images have a special feel. I got hooked and then bought a D800E, lol. Its nice to have fun and not worry about the latest gear
Still love my Kodak DCS6xx series DSLRs based on the greatest SLR ever made, the Nikon F5, using the Leica M8 and M9-P all the time, because of the size.
Awesome cameras, I have the cheap D80 I bought for $10 with 350 shutter activations. Takes great pictures. I do love my X100S and unless I'm shooting "Macro" mode the OVF is fine. My ideal camera would be a CCD sensor, with a leaf shutter for high speed flash sync, an OVF, and an actual rangefinder patch, when I want. I'd need a 28, 35, and 56mm lenses with leaf shutters.
For the record I have two Nikon D70s, two Canon 5D, three Fuji S3, an Olympus E1 and E500, a Minolta Dimage 7, and a couple of Canon point and shoot cameras. They are all different and they all get used.
What a lot of fun! Thank you for the perspective. It makes me want to get back into a decent DSLR (my workhorse DSLR died - which is why I bought a mirrorless). One of the few things that drives me nuts about my RF lenses is exactly what you are getting at - focus distance is only available on the viewfinder or back - and as to zone markings - forget it! Though to be fair, I'm more likely to slap an FL or FD lens on with an adapter and just use it manually anyway. :D The other thing that drives me nuts about RF lenses is that the rings are flush with the body - you're not expected to use any rings except zoom as a primary control, and it really shows. They're pretty, sleek, and the rings just don't fall to hand like they should.
Having recently been shooting with an RF camera, I find them especially frustrating 😅 they're as big and heavy as a DSLR but with sub par mirrorless features, feels like the worst of both worlds!
Damn I still regret selling my canon t3i, not just for the nostalgia, that was my first camera and that’s how I learned. And now I’m looking for a new dslr for my collection and this one just hit that sweet spot. Thanks for this video
I rember that I paid over £1500.00 for mine when they first came on the market and I was lucky a s there was a waiting list for them then. Paired with a Nikon 17-55 F2.8 AFS the image quality was superb. The build quality of these Japanese made bodies was outstanding.
In addition to many analog cameras, I had extensive MFT equipment with various MFT cameras, but despite all the options, I was never able to enjoy it. Then, a good year ago I sold all the MFT equipment and started with a Nikon DSLR, shortly afterwards I now have the D200. D300, D700, D2x, D3, some in multiple versions - YES, GAS - and I just really enjoy using them. And a point that shouldn't be neglected in comparison to mirrorless cameras: I take an old DSLR Nikon and just take photos for a few days with one battery charge - sensational. Have a good time everyone - with whatever cameras... Andy from Switzerland
I have used both a Canon 40D and currently still use a Nikon D7200, both cracking good cameras that do what they were intended for - taking damn good photos.
Nikon D3500 renders well, but the focus points are so limited, I don't use it much these days. For landscapes, no problem. For the street, not the best. I now own a Z5 and with the 40mm lens have a wonderful full frame, with a decent battery life, 2 SD slots, and a joy stick for the focus positioning, though I still tend to select by finger. The strange thing is that over time you begin to appreciate using the monitor more and more, with raising and lowering the camera becoming easy to do without using body gyrations. And the Z5 is a tilt only monitor -- perfect for the street. It cost less than going the Fujifilm system, and works like a charm. Nikon Z5 and Lumix GX9 are great for the street cameras.
I never move the focus point from centre - focus and recompose is quicker than trying to move the focus point unless the camera is on a tripod. Or pre-focus on a spot and wait for the subject.
DSLRs are big and loud... Enter Pentax KP with limited lenses. It has a "ninja mode" when you set it live view and set to electronic shutter. Also, the k3 series has the quietest mechanical shutters available on any DSLR.
George, I guess the D300 has some little improvements that count a lot. Would you agree? AF, Sensor cleaning and so on.. and yet it is an old excellent filmic and super sympathic camera to use.
Last year I got two D200 in great condition for around £80 each. You could get 20 of them for the price of an M8. They are not inferior in any way and you won't cry if something happens to them.
The D700 is a great deal for around 250$ as well and it takes the same batteries. The only issue with these early cmos sensors vs the CCD sensors of the D200/D80/D70/D60/D40 is that the net files need some more work depending on the lighting conditions it was shot. These cameras can offer stunning results and CCD grades like smooth butter on Capture Nx2
Que pena el estado de su Nikon D200. Le falta la tapa sincro flash, la tapa de la pantalla BM-6 se ve sucia, y falta el protector del visor DK-21. Un gran cámara como ella merece un mejor cuidado. A la mía, no le falta nada. Todo original.
The D200 is indeed a great bargain, particularly when paired with old manual AI, AIs & AI'd Nikkors. There are probably a hundred or more models out there, many of them quite cheap. The D200 meters them fully and they're just the thing for zone focus. Re. the "small" 10 meg files, I would love to see what something like Gigapixel AI could to for them, re. big prints.
I have a pile of DSLR's and a Nikon Z 8. I use them all. I esp like the D200, D700, D810. To be honest, size and weight when you consider like for like isn't hugely different. I'll give you the mirror noise, but meh for sports, street and portrait, DSLR is the best choice IMO. For landscape, mirrorless makes some sense because we use the monitor more than the OVF. But DSLRs can still do that, no problems what so ever. I find it odd that sports guys want to spend hours essentially looking at a TV screen. If you are interested, I have done a blog post on the D200 if you google, with my name you can read about it, and it's CCD magic.
I'm in a weird situation where I shoot my Fujifilm X70 without looking at it all. You can shoot it like a waist level finder a la Vivian Maier yes, but I quickly got used to blind shooting 28mm. My style of street photography is mostly on people, my camera is rarely above by chest and a lot of my shots do give a kinda child-like POV which works to the nostalgia vibe im doing with the film recipes. I have an external OVF for it, it does give me that analog experience, but honestly blind shooting 28mm got me so many interesting candid shots I never would have gotten pointing my pocket brick at someone.
I picked up my old APSC DSLR for the first time in a few years after using mirrorless. I was dead set that I'd never go to mirrorless because my first experience with an EVF was AWFUL. So slow, refresh rate was terrible. When the Z9 and Z8 came out, I finally found an EVF that was better than an OVF. When I looked through that tiny APSC optical viewfinder after using EVF exclusively for a few years, I'm so much more appreciative of my big (modern) EVF.
Man you don't know how lucky you are to be able to take street photos in peace and no one throws a fit at you. I'm in the US and people are so confrontational here sometimes or run away from the camera lol.
Nothing wrong with DSLR’s. Nikon D200, D700 & D500 all for under the price of a current Nikon mirrorless covers every contingency and they produce excellent results. For street an old micro 2/3’s for not much is fine. I love the variety and interchangeability of Nikon lenses. Heaps of old Nikon, Sigma, etc makes for a fantastic range. Not everything needs to be new.
Well, I live in the land of freedom (United States). I love my dSLRs and still prefer the look of my 5D images but I've been almost exclusively mirrorless for the past 10 years. There's just so much hassle going around with dSLRs. Traveling was a nightmare because they always guaranteed TSA would pull you out for more extensive search and questioning. You were also barred from entering certain areas with a dSLR. Other places that would allow you to enter would mean constantly being approached and told, "no pictures," even if I wasn't even using it but had it visible. All of that disappeared when I bought a Sony a5000. No one ever takes a second look at it. My main camera now is a Sony A7CR. I do get some attention but its always older people asking, "Is that a film camera?"
I was so happy to finally upgrade my D70 a few years ago. CCD too noisy in low light and the shutter loud. Sad how quickly pro lenses fell in price for slr.
I bought the D200 as my first camera last year and took it with me overseas. It took some wonderful photos and had so much fun shooting with it however the poor iso and tiny screen makes is really hard for me to tell if the the photo I've taken is properly in focus. After a year of using this camera religiously, I honestly would like to switch to a camera/lens set up that is more clinical and modern. I always edit my photos and I feel like I can just make it look more "film like" in light room
Whats funny is my first serious cameras were…a mirrorless camera (GH1) and a film SLR (FM2). That was 2009 and I kind of just skipped DSLRs altogether. I’ve used them plenty but never actually owned one.
I have got my D200 in 2009... for 2500EUR. For a few years I was really into photography. This camera is quite some part of my own personal history. I just started to get back to it (at least iam planning to do so), when i left it in the shelf only using the Sony RX100 II (the 4 was to much money :D) for some holiday shots not real going out grabbing some landscapes, abandoned building raids etc. any more The issue I faced in the past: got all the cheapest lense for some portrait shots (Nikkor 50mm/1.8F) but well for some proper wide-angle lenses I had no money or I didn't see the point in spending that kind of money on a more and more outdated DSLR with only 10MP + the real bad low light abilities just made no point. Kind of maybe regret that now or not? I am trying to get my hands on an used Tokina 11-16 ATX DX II hopefully I am gonna manage that. But of course again I had some doubts if that is really a good idea getting back at it with that bloody old camera. I guess your content here really let me consider that it might be not a bad idea. Getting back to the roots, some real photography were you actually have to think and compose while taking your shots, because lightroom and co. won't be able to fix any mistakes you have done while taking your shots :) puh. looking forward to get out again :D :) hehe Thanks!
Nikon DSLRs, specifically the DXX line and DX line may be big, and bulky, but also some of the most ergonomic cameras to ever exist in my opinion. For general photography and sports at least
Love your videos and your perspective. I was looking for a d700 but they're well over $400 CAN so picked up a d 200 for the astonishing price of 80 bucks Canadian which is under $60 US. I love it! Probably don't need the d700 now with the fantastic DX Nikkor lenses I got for it, also for a steal.😅 Compares very well to my Canon 5D mark ii.
Old pro-DSLRs from Nikon are the bargain of the century. Though I mainly shoot analog, when I go for digital I pick my D700 or my IR-converted D200. I paid 350 and 80 (!) EUR, respectively for them. Another insane bargain is the Nikon D3300 - although a beginner-DSLR, the 24mp sensor in this little gem is no joke! And the D3300 is tiny and light!!!
What really bothered me about DSLRs was that they just didn't have good manual focus ergonomics the way older SLRs had. The split-screen/prism viewfinder was such a great tool for focusing, and for some reason DSLRs just did away with them. I find that manual focussing can be much easier done with mirrorless cameras when compared to DSLRs.
Not all DSLRs are big. The Canon 100/200D (SL1/2) is tiny, light, inexpensive and accepts a 24mm 2.8 pancake. Re Fuji OVFs, I find them reasonably accurate, and no worse than the crop of a typical aps-c DSLR, plus you can see outside the frame which aids composition. The main issue with zone focusing manual lenses on DSLR cameras, is there is no Leica style tab as a distance guide. Add-on focus tabs have been available in the past (and may still exist?), and at a pinch you could put a knotted rubber band on the focus ring, with the knot acting as preferred distance and closer-further to left and right. More commonly, the photographer stops far enough down to flirt with diffraction and induce noise on older camera models, while having to look at the focus scale every time they take a shot, using a field of view that is already cropped from the original focal length. Apart from that, I agree the optical viewfinder has many advantages.
I've owned a lot of Nikon cameras. To this day, I still love the color out of the d200 the most, even if the overall image quality on my newer cameras is superior... Also the build of the gen 2 and 3 nikon bodies can't be beat. The d750 felt like a big downgrade from the d700 even though on paper it had a lot of upgrades...
Have you noticed how much smaller the D200 is compared with the Sony? I have recently gone back to shooting with my Nikon DSLRs - I don't do video and never print above A3, usually only A4. I don't really buy into the "CCD look", I don't crave noiseless pictures at ridiculously high ISOs because I was brought up on film, and the fact remains that the older DSLR cameras offer a great opportunity for superb photographs.
Check out MPB here and grab a used camera deal!
MPB UK: prf.hn/l/QLBLRLl
MPB US: prf.hn/l/y8b8X8w
MPB EU: prf.hn/l/BJ1JqJo
Personally I need at least 45MP, 20 stops of dynamic range and 30Fps for the photos I post to Instagram.
🤣
Ya, that is the bare minimum for Instagram
lol
Nowhere near enough, social media needs images from £6000 plus mirrorless cameras as a bare minimum, just ask tony an chelsea 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Ahaha 😂
I got a D200 last summer with just 964 shutter count in pristine condition. Took it to Portugal and was the best decision ever. Got the most amazing photos. It's a beautiful camera. I also have a Nikon Z8 and a ZF, but this D200 I love it.
Try to get a S5 pro if you can find one cheap: body of the D200 with a fuji super CCD sensor. It takes F mount lenses 😁
Old CCD Sensor DSLRs are like magic - forget all that discussions from GearHeads about DR, AF speed, Megapixels...its mostly shit. Doesn't count - what does only count - your very own, imagination & creative vision, it's all about the composition. The rest is B$.
I'm only shooting on old soulful digital cameras (Canon 5D Classic, 6D, Nikon D200, Fuji S5 pro, Olympus E-1 & E-300, Fuji x-pro1, etc) but of all those cameras the Nikon D200 is my most loved one (have 2 just in case) and will never be sold. The metering is so superb, the images are soft yet sharp, creamy and the grain on high iso is ❤️. Long live the D200 🎉
love the old cameres, i myself got a E-1 and an E-30
Be honest, you just like that sound of the mirror slap. 😊
It's probably 40% of my reason 😂
Focus less on gear and more on light, composition, timing and storytelling in the images
My dad gifted me his old d200 a few weeks ago-my first camera. Glad to see it getting some love
Install Capture NX2 and you will be delighted. It has U point technology, just use the 2012 noise removal option instead of the standard one.
DSLRs are not dead. My most used camera lately is d70s. It's robust, simple, relatively light and just a joy to use. Picture quality and character straight from the camera is more than enough anyways. When it comes to the pure shooting experience I'm choosing d700. Sometimes I will just look at a scene through its beautiful and huge viewfinder and won't even take a photograph. The scene 'has been seen' if that makes sense, and that's enough.
D70 and relatively light is an overstatement, that thing is massive
@@TOMMYOOST well I find it rather small compared to my beloved D700 :D
@@wmwanderer Yep, D700 is a beast. Paired with something like 300mm full metal lens you have a full experience of carrying a rifle :) An a strong kickback from the shutter mechanism just adds to this feeling. Love it :)
@@antonvoloshin9833 I use it most often with my favourite landscape lens, which is 80-200/2.8 ED. That combined with a camera gives a weight of around 2.5 kg :D I love the results and the whole experience though. Would highly recommend!
im still rocking my dads d70s that he bought brand new and gave to me. still in mint condition and takes amazing photos. i want to pick up a d200 as well. CCD sensor for lyfe
When the D200 came out it was a workhorse of a semi-pro camera, second to the D2H/D2X flagship. I upgraded from the D100 to the D200 and shot with it for a decade. My most successful and memorable images was shot with that camera to this day.... I slowly migrated to mirrorless starting in 2012 while phasing out my D200, [still own and use it today along with the D100 on occasion] but after a decade with mirrorless I am back to DSLRs with up to date bodies, Why? well, many reasons. I'll just say this; with extensive use and living with SLRs, DSLRs, Mirrorless, it is the DSLR that in my personal experience that is the undeniable practical and creative photo tool outside of my 6x6 cameras that are robust, built to last, ergonomically sound and better value all around that shoots the same images as any consumer mirrorless camera. I am not concerned with video so That alone is reason enough to return to DSLRs but I feel I don't have to be careful about anything with a DSLR like I did with the fragile mirrorless bodies I owned.
Great video!
As a casual photographer, the biggest benefit of my DSLRs is I can use (almost) all my lenses on each camera. My Nikon 105mm f2 DC lens (which cost more than *any* of my bodies) works on *every* camera I own - spanning a 43 year range. Nikon's F mount DSLRs are what made my move to digital possible.
Once photography went digital, we knew old tech would be left behind in the wake of rapidly developing new tech. But old tech doesn't mean 'bad' and I continue to tell friends who want to get into photography now to find an old DSLR, because it has never been easier (or cheaper) to get into the hobby.
For some context, I currently have a Nikon Nikkormat FTn, Nikkormat EL, FM2, N70, FM3A, F100 - and along the way had an F, F3HP, FE2, N8008, and N90. My first DSLR was the D70, then added a D7000, and I have recently added the D200 as I missed out on it earlier. Moving from my F100 to the D70 was pretty easy, as they both had a similar feel, and the D7000 even more so. The D200 is a tank, sits nicely in my hand, has a lovely CCD sensor, and will likely become the body I grab most often.
I love my D200! With my aging eyes, I find it much easier to view with an OVF instead of straining my old eyes on a tiny bit of led screen. I love the CCD sensor too, much better than my XT3. The secret is slightly under exposing and adjust exposure in post. That gives the saturated but natural colours that thd CCD sensor is famous for. Also, I only need one battery per day, good for over 1,000 + images! My X-T3 can't even managed 200 shots per charge.
That's great, and Nikon's commitment to F-mount was incredible, but let's not ignore that you can use every F mount lens ever made, every Canon EF lens, FD, etc on a mirrorless camera with an adapter
@@PASquared but probably not with auto aperture nor autofocus ;)
@@knwohwo9737 that is indeed true depending on the body
Still holding onto my old D5000 for various reasons (I think Nikon is already on the 7th gen of that series?), but it's still a great camera that splits the difference in many ways. Can use it with optical viewfinder or screen, shuttered, or live view for shutterless behavior. Also some other stuff like interval mode, and even some video although that's its weakest aspect. Got two lenses (wide-zoom and moderate tele-zoom), but I'd also like to at least get two more. (Maybe something macro, and something fixed range with large aperture.) On top of that it also seems to be well enough supported on Linux, although not via Nikon themselves afaik.
Nothing beats an optical viewfinder and nothing will ever beat it
Exactly, there's nothing simpler than that.
Since 1960 I have used roll film cameras, 35mm rangefinders, 35mm SLRs, digital rangefinders, DSLRs and mirrorless. Recently I sold my Fuji X Pro 3, XT3 and XT30 and bought a second hand Nikon D750 with a set of Nikon AF-D lenses. With those lenses the D750 has a highlight-protect metering setting. It also has rear screen Live View with exposure review if needed but I prefer the TTL viewfinder. What joy!
I am literally so excited. I have recently received a Nikon D200 from my mother in law with like four different lenses and when I saw it in this thumbnail I totally geeked out.
I wish you lots of fun!
DSLR's also serve a purpose for graybeards like myself - comfort. I learned to shoot on an SLR, and worked as a news photographer for years with SLRs, and the muscle memory still works when using a DSLR. I can have my D7200 with me for digital, my faithful old F3HP for film, and use the same lenses back and forth to boot. Both cameras just feel like the same tool to me. I do shoot mirrorless a good bit now (primarily with a Fujifilm X-E2S) and I love it, but even though the skills are the same, the feel and the EVF kind of throw me off and make me feel like a novice. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but it is true.
I'd give some of the most recent Olympus models a shot. I learned how to shoot on a film SLR (well, first a 110 garbage point and shoot, then a Pentax Auto 110, then a Pentax ME Super) then went to a DSLR. I'm still saving my money up for an OM-D camera because it feels surprisingly similar. The mirrorless cameras that have the EVF on the corner just weird me out.
I love my D7200, always impressed me when I come back from going out and review photos. Never really thought I was missing anything with its performance
I got a d200 about a year ago after only ever shooting with a sony a6100 before that and I absolutely love it. The colors it produces are fantastic and while nikon cameras are a bit fugly, once you get used to everything it is incredibly ergonomic and puts everything you need at your fingertips. I recently replaced the a6100 with an a7iii but I still shoot with the d200 most of the time because its just so much more fun and keeps me in the moment.
Nikon DSLR cameras are much better looking than some of the modern Sony and Canon cameras - and leagues ahead of the mirrorless Z6/Z7. And ergonomically they are brilliant - just hold one.
This was my first DSLR, finally moving past film SLR and digital P&S cameras. The "DSLR feels like a mistake" is a statement I would challenge though. They ran circles around the first two generation of Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras, until the A9. It is worth considering that going from step 2 to step 5 does need steps 3 and 4.
You think the D200 shutter is loud? Try the D700 - then watch the crowd scatter like there were shots fired 💥😉
Although it is loud I like the d700 shutter over any other camera. It has a great feedback the vibrations runs through your hand like shooting a gun. Later dslrs like d810 and d5 don't have the same great feedback from the shutter like d700 has.
Pentax 6x7: Hold my beer.
@@tdunster2011 Ah yes - the Pentax "Howitzer" 😜
I am still shooting with a D750 and have no desire to change it. It's an awesome piece of kit, especially in low light. Agree that it's more about the way you hold the camera and your demeanour is more important than camera size when shooting street.
I sold my D200 when I upgraded to a D750. I like the D200 however the D750 has higher resolution, far superior low light performance, is full frame and has a better grip. Yet it is very slightly lighter than the D200. Before the D200 I used a Nikon FM film SLR (I still have it). The great thing about the D200 is that I could use all my manual focus Ai-S Nikkor lenses. Coupled & metered perfectly, easy to focus (lesser bodies such as the D80 could not do that). Back to the D750 it is a perfect camera - the D780 is still made (effectively the D750 Mk2}. So the DSLR is not dead and it certainly was not a “mistake”. I very much doubt that’ll I ever trade in my D750 for a Z6 or Z7 … for one thing all I want is a stills camera .. I’m just not interested in using a mirror less camera with all its extra video capabilities that (for me) just push the price up and makes them unnecessarily complex.
Good deal, I was lucky and paid only 95 Euro for the D200 / 24mm 2.8 AF-D combo😎 I like to use the affordable 50mm 1.8G on it for portraits. The D200 doesn't feel that much different from my much newer D750. Only zooming in on pictures is a bit fiddly.
If size is a problem, you could try a Nikon D40 or Nikon D3000 with a small fixed lens like the one you used in the video. OVF + CCD + Zone Focus. Coincidentally I bought a Nikon D200 a few weeks ago because I work with Nikon DSLRs and would like to try one with a CCD sensor. It is a true professional battle tank of its time. Lots of physical buttons and controls available, no video or live view - which brings it closer to a film camera. And the color tones of this CCD sensor have something unique, at least compared to the other Nikons I have. Good video - as always - by the way.
Picked up the Canon 5D and 5Dii both for hundred quid each! Both are incredible cameras, and still very capable today. Even by today’s standards, the 5D delivers incredible image quality with a film like grain structure and render. The 5Dii is superb also. I’ve adapted a few older manual focus vintage lenses to these bodies. So for very little financial outlay, you can get a quality pro camera that can compete with mirrorless equivalents. Remember, what made a camera professional when it was released, is still relevant today. Regarding Leica, I’m seeing the Leica M8 at around £850 to £1000 now…. so still not cheap, but if you’re patient you can get bargains. My Leica M9 died, so I’m really really missing the rangefinder experience at the moment :/
The original 5d produces unique and beautiful images. Prices are going up
@@jnicholls8146The best price for budget Canon DSLR is the 20D, probably the Canon equivalent of the Nikon D200. The 20D is the direct ancestor of the 5D classic - the 5D classic is essentially a full-frame 20D. (The 20D is APS-C). I had the 20D for many years, and now have the 5D. They look and feel so much the same, it's very hard to tell them apart. (With exact same button layout & menu.) The pictures they take are incredibly close, same "look" and quality to them. Sometimes it's hard for me to tell them apart which camera was used to shoot it. The 20D has two advantages: one being the price (about $50-$70) and it also has a built in flash, which compensates highly for its not as good low light ability as the 5D. These two cameras use the same battery, in case one has money right now for the 20D, the upgrade later to the 5D will be easy. (5D ii and later Canons use different battery.)
I got a Sony Alpha A350 DSLR from 2008 a while ago for €50. I've bought a few lenses for it, all of which were really cheap. The cheapest was €30 and the most expensive was €65. I love some of the pictures I've been able to get with it and it's just a bunch of fun. I don't need to worry about breaking expensive gear
Thank you for sharing George .
I shoot street photography with a Nikon D70 / D 300 / D 200 / D700 , I shoot from the waist rather like a TLR camera , set to wide angle I get everything I want & I can straighten anything up in post .
Looking through the viewfinder on street photography is a luxury , but needless to say holding any camera above waist level on the street photography whether it's mirrorless or not will often alarm the subjects.
I simply do not get the footage with a nifty fifty or less ,I shoot with a multi focal zoom 18-250mm hence it offers huge versatility , long distance shots are great without alarming the subjects , it's all subjective .
Back in the day the CCD sensors was made to replicate film as they contain silver oxide within the sensor , at some point when the public fully wake up about the filmic files these old Nikon D series cameras put out the price of these old tanks will sky rocket , so best get them whilst their still cheap .
I have been shooting with Olympus mirrorless cameras since i bought my first OM-D E-M5 back in 2013. Before this, I used Nikon manual focus film cameras. Last week I ordered an Olympus E-400 DSLR kit just for fun (10 MP CCD).
I've had a E-410 since 2007. Has around 300k shutter activations and still works perfectly. You need to turn off the filtering and noise reduction to get the best from these cameras. Setting Sharpness to -1 can also help as the default tends to over sharpen.
I have owned three D200's in the past 15 years - after owning my first one for a few months I realised that Nikon ai and ai-s manual focus lenses can fully meter and you get focus confirmation in the viewfinder and you can register each lens in the camera. I have never used an auto-focus lens on a D200 since.
"...for some reason they think Fuji and Ricoh are the only two cameras they should consider..." Well done on that statement George! I went from film to Nikon D300 and stayed there for years. Highly recommended!
I'm using one of these together with a Sigma Art 30mm f1.4. I love it for the same reasons, plus all controls have an explicit dial or button and it's just so nice to use. Quick access to everything. And don't forgot the ergonomics. Yes, it is a big chunk but it fits so well into your hand!
Fun fact: Fuji licensed the D200 from Nikon, renamed it 'S5 Pro' and significantly modified the sensor and imaging processes. This led to a camera with substantially better dynamic range and arguably better color, particularly of human skin. A lot of wedding and portrait photographers used them.
Because of those improvements, used S5s fetch significantly higher prices on the used market than the D200..
I still shoot with my D200 I bought new in 2006. It’s a great camera though I have a D750 and D850. I doubt I ever part with the D200. It’s just works.
I always enjoy your videos because of your obvious enthusiasm for photography, and you make using this old DLSR look like a lot of fun. Personally, I spent years shooting film, then DSLRs (for a about three years) and then went to mirrorless with Olympus with their first PEN cameras and then the break-through original E-M5 and I've never looked back.
Anything which shortens the feedback loop between the shutter click and seeing the results greatly speeds your learning curve, and mirrorless cameras with a good EVF are the best at that because - at least with Olympus and OM Systems Live View features - you see your images in the EVF in real time. Adjust whatever until you see what you want and then grab the shot. I would think that going from film to this kind of experience would be liberating beyond words for many shooters.
Still, I think it's highly valuable when respected vloggers like you highlight the great values in digital cameras available now for US $300 or less. They work just as well as when new when they were thousands of dollars and considered the bleeding edge of technology.
Just wanted to say that your street photography has really leveled up. Been watching your videos for a little while now, and can really see the evolution in your street photography over time. Your videos helped inspire me to pick up an Olympus em1 and begin taking up the hobby for myself, and I'm now watching this video after recently purchasing a Sony A100, and am excited to give that a go as well.
Wow, thank you! And that's great to hear, thanks for watching!
A little while back, I made a comparison between CMOS and CCD sensors... and it tursn out that those sensors are almost identical when it comes to color output. And I mean it makes sense, right ? Why should a photodiode react differently to color based on how the data is collected from the sensor itself (cause that's really the only difference there is in essence, a CCD reads in columns, and sometime all the colums at once, while a CMOS reads line by line... but ultimately the photodiodes are generally pretty similar, and so is the color filter array).
What matters the most when we're talking about CCD cameras and their relation to color is not the fact that they're CCD cameras, but rather the fact that they're cameras coming from a time when CCD was still the primary technology used in camera sensors. Read : the 2000s.
The D200 was released in 2005. I'm pretty sure you would be able to get very filmic tones and colors from a CMOS camera released in the same period, like for example teh 12MP CMOS D2X, or the 12MP Canon 5D, both released in 2005 as well. And the reason for it is that at that time, camera brands were trying to convert people from film, so they really put care in giving their sensors some "filmic" tones and colors, to give yet another arguments for people on the fence. This is especially visible in cameras like the Canon 5D classic in my opinion (Nikon D700 as well).
I myself love to use a 4Mp Nikon D2H from 2003 to get my "filmic tone" images, and it doesn't even have a CCD nor a CMOS, it has a JFET sensor (older veriant of CMOS made by Nikon only for this camera)
When film "died" (once the digital market was tru;y prevalent) in the early 2010, the focus shifted : camera brands were now competing withing the digital realm only, not also with film in the picture. So then color science evolved from the innacturate film tones to the more clinical and "correct" approach of color reproduction.
I just purchased a D200 for 90 Euros with a five {5} year warranty, amazing. Still getting to know it but I love uing it along side my Nikon D3000 and Canon G12. I am able to use my lenses frommy D3000, so that is a great bonus. Keep the good informative videos coming.
I just picked up a D200 from MPB (US) for $44.00 last week. The top LCD screen had been cracked and some of the info on that screen is missing, but everything I need is either in the Menu or viewfinder. Has 28K actuations and works fine. I bought the Nikon D1X and D100 new back when they came out and did wedding and portrait photography with them. Sadly the D1X died years ago, but the D100 still works. I quit doing photography for about 15 years and recently got back into it because I enjoy it. Other than the Fuji X-T2 that I bought last year all of my cameras are Nikon DSLRs. Maybe I'm old school (or just old!) but I came up in the film days (Canon A-1s, etc., Mamiya twin lens, RB67) and I enjoy my Nikon DSLRs for now. Thanks for your content George.
I was an early adapter to mirrorless, with the LUMIX G1 in 2008. Recently I was given a Canon crop-sensor DSLR and I love the TTL optical viewing, fast and precise AF and selection of lenses available. Cameras like these are sleeper street-shooters, with the precision of TTL composing and precise AF.
Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts. Here in Brazil, where gear is awfully expensive, we still have a DSLR market. For instance, the official Canon store still sells 5D mk II, 250D and EF glass. Many amateurs and professionals use DSLRs and buy them new and second hand.
The D200 is the only camera I feel comfortable leaving in Program mode, never changing the Exposure comp, and jpeg. I've had a lot of cameras from pro DSLR to a couple new mirrorless and this is definitely my favorite camera.
The D200 is an amazing camera that produces wonderful photos. Very hefty pro level. Found one nearly new in box with a grip for cheap. I love big chunky cameras!
Solid points as always, thanks George. Two notes from a long time and happy viewer:
//1
The D70 and D80 (with SD card slot) is the lugable D200. Both have the AF motor that their CCD siblings lack to drive the 24mm or 35mm etc. On my local market, Nikon glass is considerably dearer than Pentax, Olympus, Sony (Minolta) A and some Canon EOS. I've been spoiled by framing with a tilt or flip LCD on mirrorless and would recommend the Sony SLT range with EVF because of that and its absolute bang-for-buck and availability. I'm looking at a A68 bag with both kit zooms (decent, the long one in particular), a 50mm, batteries, tripod, flash at about €225 or 190 brexit coins. Top glass like the Tamron SP primes is easily half price of other mounts.
Otherwise Pentax because of IBIS, weather sealing, MF PK compatibility and fantastic interface, ergonomics and fairly cheap pro (aka ltd.) glass but do some research on the solenoid issue first. K200D is the D80 killer from the CCD range; IBIS, weather sealed, 4xAA battery powered, top LCD.
Both Sony A and Pentax PK can adapt M42 and Adaptall but not Nikon F or Canon FD or EOS afaik.
//2
Some of these street shots are not as carefully curated as the rest of the video. Maybe allow some more time while editing to pick out a collection and leave more screen time for your final picks. Some of your subjects also seem somewhat surprised to be photographed and might not appreciate showing up on youtube either. In a very short while the image indexing robots can track faces across all www platforms. I don't know anything about the legalese and am not about to start discussing that here, it's just a personal opinion.
Sorry for all the words! I truly enjoy your channel and inspiration, all the best.
Thank you for the Nikon info and also valuable feedback, I don't often get such detailed and thoughtful feedback so I'll definitely take that on board - have a great day!
Not sure how selecting the best metering mode for your subject helps you to nail focus [2:16] 🙃
I shot my D200 for 5+ years and still love it, even moreso than the D7200 I had after it. I finally moved to Fuji last year and really really like it for so many reasons, but the D200 still holds a place in my heart... I sold all my Nikon gear save for it and a 50 1.8
Love my Pentax k3 iii, it’s not the best specs in the world when compared to mirrorless cameras of the same price and year, but the experience of using it is… fun. It’s not perfect and thats what makes it so enjoyable.
It’s heavy and thats nice.
Zone focusing is a property of the lens - not the camera. Try the Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AiS. It’s a manual focus lens that I used on a Nikon FM film camera a D200 and still use on a D750. The D200 being a cropped sensor camera it gave an equivalent focal length of 42mm (ideal for street photography). It has “zone” markings for every f-stop from f/8 to f/22. Small, light, easy to use and excellent image quality. BTW the “death” of the DSLR is somewhat over exaggerated!
Need more of this content. Don't need the newest gear to enjoy photography. Plenty of options out there that still take good images..
I wanted a CCD sensor camera for my digital collection and the D200 was the one I went with. So much fun to use and love the pics!
Ive just bought Nikon D200 for my Nikkor af 75-300mm f4.5-5.6. Such a beautiful camera
Good video!! I have that 24mm lens on a D2x that I got very cheap. It's a lovely combo. Three thoughts. One: a good DSLR is just so easy to hold, especially the full size ones. Try a D2x. The D200 will feel small afterwards. Two: Nikon's lens range is vast and includes lenses from Zeiss, Sigma, etc. Many of these great lenses are available for under 200eur. Three: full frame Nikon DSLRs are pretty cheap. Cheap lenses, cheap cameras, bullet proof build.
Started with Nikon DSLR's in 2010 & shot them for 12 years then moved to the micro four thirds system. The MFT is awesome but there is just something cool about those old Nikons. I trades and sold all my equipment except for a D40. Yes, the little 6mp entry level camera that you just can't replicate. The CCD sensor matched with a 35mm f1.8 lens is just pure fun to use. I totally understand the draw to these. The D40 will always be a camera in my collection!
I really liked this video since I still shoot my Nikon D3000 with either kit lens or the 35mm F/1.8 DX prime (which looks close to a 50mm on FX).
It has an ancient 10MP CCD sensor and no video features at all but I knew that when I purchased it in 2010. Back then, making the jump from a Panasonic pocket camera to this Nikon was a major thing :)
Although I wanted to make the jump to a modern mirrorless I never did it.
I picked up a D200 from Adorama Camera in Manhattan for 65 dollars last year in perfect condition, it’s a great camera to mess around with.
I appreciate cameras for reasons other than what I initially buy them for. Examples:
My end-game DSLR is my 6D. I like its smaller size, simplicity, and image quality. It was really my first that could do well in low light. However one of my goals was a little better AF, which it does not have. Plot twist: I learned to use it for sports photography just the same.
I picked up an R8 after the dust had settled on the entry-level full frame models. I wanted the better AF - which has been fantastic - however I learned I don’t actually need it. I like its smaller size and the rear screen for a FEW things. One day I may even shoot a video clip with that camera. Or not.
And so I’m still using EF glass, to support my film Canons I always threaten to start using again.
I'm on a similar path, I had a Canon 20D which unfortunately broke and could not be fixed, and then I replaced it with an M50 mark II mirrorless. The autofocus on the mirrorless is amazing, and it can also shoot video (that I do a lot for my channel). However, I was very disappointed with how the photos feel with the mirrorless with the mirrorless lenses. So I started using adapted EF lenses with all digital lens corrections turned off, and that gave back a lot of naturalness to the mirrorless shots. Eventually I got a 5D, which I LOVE, but initially found its autofocus and low light abilities lacking. I got a Sigma ART lens (35mm F1.4) and with that lens both issues on the 5D are gone. It takes superb sharp photos in any light conditions, focusing is blazing fast and always accurate. Even the low light shots look quite amazing, far exceding the lower / mid range Canon EF lenses in brutally lower noise floor at high ISOs. Something I never thought possible that a lens can change... I was eyeing the 6D as the low light solution before (and I still would love to have a 6D), but at the moment the 5D-ART combination is truly amazing, and elevated the 5D to a level I expected from a Leica. (The super sharp ART lenses do give it a Leica-like rendering.)
I have to admit that I often pick it up instead of my Sony A7ii even if this sounds strange, but the shooting experience and the colors are so nice straight out of camera. Sure my Sony offers tons of resolutíon and I can do with the files whatever I want to. Still some of my favourite pictures come from my D200 that I got myself last year. The only thing I don't do with the D200 is astrophotography but that's it. Also I had the D200 as my "backup" camera when shooting a paid wedding and I do have to say that paired with the 50mm 1.8G I got some of the nicest shots of the wedding.
I bought a D200 earlier this year. My first Nikon, but wow I love that camera. Feels great in the hand and the images have a special feel. I got hooked and then bought a D800E, lol. Its nice to have fun and not worry about the latest gear
I agree with you and your lens plus camera combo. Great vid! Thanks for sharing.
Still love my Kodak DCS6xx series DSLRs based on the greatest SLR ever made, the Nikon F5, using the Leica M8 and M9-P all the time, because of the size.
Awesome cameras, I have the cheap D80 I bought for $10 with 350 shutter activations. Takes great pictures. I do love my X100S and unless I'm shooting "Macro" mode the OVF is fine. My ideal camera would be a CCD sensor, with a leaf shutter for high speed flash sync, an OVF, and an actual rangefinder patch, when I want. I'd need a 28, 35, and 56mm lenses with leaf shutters.
For the record I have two Nikon D70s, two Canon 5D, three Fuji S3, an Olympus E1 and E500, a Minolta Dimage 7, and a couple of Canon point and shoot cameras. They are all different and they all get used.
What a lot of fun! Thank you for the perspective. It makes me want to get back into a decent DSLR (my workhorse DSLR died - which is why I bought a mirrorless).
One of the few things that drives me nuts about my RF lenses is exactly what you are getting at - focus distance is only available on the viewfinder or back - and as to zone markings - forget it! Though to be fair, I'm more likely to slap an FL or FD lens on with an adapter and just use it manually anyway. :D
The other thing that drives me nuts about RF lenses is that the rings are flush with the body - you're not expected to use any rings except zoom as a primary control, and it really shows. They're pretty, sleek, and the rings just don't fall to hand like they should.
Having recently been shooting with an RF camera, I find them especially frustrating 😅 they're as big and heavy as a DSLR but with sub par mirrorless features, feels like the worst of both worlds!
Damn I still regret selling my canon t3i, not just for the nostalgia, that was my first camera and that’s how I learned. And now I’m looking for a new dslr for my collection and this one just hit that sweet spot. Thanks for this video
I rember that I paid over £1500.00 for mine when they first came on the market and I was lucky a s there was a waiting list for them then. Paired with a Nikon 17-55 F2.8 AFS the image quality was superb. The build quality of these Japanese made bodies was outstanding.
In addition to many analog cameras, I had extensive MFT equipment with various MFT cameras, but despite all the options, I was never able to enjoy it.
Then, a good year ago I sold all the MFT equipment and started with a Nikon DSLR, shortly afterwards I now have the D200. D300, D700, D2x, D3, some in multiple versions - YES, GAS - and I just really enjoy using them.
And a point that shouldn't be neglected in comparison to mirrorless cameras: I take an old DSLR Nikon and just take photos for a few days with one battery charge - sensational.
Have a good time everyone - with whatever cameras...
Andy from Switzerland
I have used both a Canon 40D and currently still use a Nikon D7200, both cracking good cameras that do what they were intended for - taking damn good photos.
Nikon D3500 renders well, but the focus points are so limited, I don't use it much these days. For landscapes, no problem. For the street, not the best. I now own a Z5 and with the 40mm lens have a wonderful full frame, with a decent battery life, 2 SD slots, and a joy stick for the focus positioning, though I still tend to select by finger. The strange thing is that over time you begin to appreciate using the monitor more and more, with raising and lowering the camera becoming easy to do without using body gyrations. And the Z5 is a tilt only monitor -- perfect for the street. It cost less than going the Fujifilm system, and works like a charm. Nikon Z5 and Lumix GX9 are great for the street cameras.
I never move the focus point from centre - focus and recompose is quicker than trying to move the focus point unless the camera is on a tripod. Or pre-focus on a spot and wait for the subject.
Pro tip: If you scream while taking the picture no one will notice the loud shutter
DSLRs are big and loud...
Enter Pentax KP with limited lenses. It has a "ninja mode" when you set it live view and set to electronic shutter.
Also, the k3 series has the quietest mechanical shutters available on any DSLR.
George, I guess the D300 has some little improvements that count a lot. Would you agree? AF, Sensor cleaning and so on.. and yet it is an old excellent filmic and super sympathic camera to use.
Last year I got two D200 in great condition for around £80 each.
You could get 20 of them for the price of an M8. They are not inferior in any way and you won't cry if something happens to them.
The D700 is a great deal for around 250$ as well and it takes the same batteries. The only issue with these early cmos sensors vs the CCD sensors of the D200/D80/D70/D60/D40 is that the net files need some more work depending on the lighting conditions it was shot. These cameras can offer stunning results and CCD grades like smooth butter on Capture Nx2
Just ordered a Nikon D200 myself. It is supposed to be an upgrade from my trusty, old Nikon D50. Looking forward to trying it out.
Que pena el estado de su Nikon D200. Le falta la tapa sincro flash, la tapa de la pantalla BM-6 se ve sucia, y falta el protector del visor DK-21. Un gran cámara como ella merece un mejor cuidado. A la mía, no le falta nada. Todo original.
The D200 is indeed a great bargain, particularly when paired with old manual AI, AIs & AI'd Nikkors. There are probably a hundred or more models out there, many of them quite cheap. The D200 meters them fully and they're just the thing for zone focus. Re. the "small" 10 meg files, I would love to see what something like Gigapixel AI could to for them, re. big prints.
I have a pile of DSLR's and a Nikon Z 8. I use them all. I esp like the D200, D700, D810. To be honest, size and weight when you consider like for like isn't hugely different. I'll give you the mirror noise, but meh for sports, street and portrait, DSLR is the best choice IMO. For landscape, mirrorless makes some sense because we use the monitor more than the OVF. But DSLRs can still do that, no problems what so ever. I find it odd that sports guys want to spend hours essentially looking at a TV screen. If you are interested, I have done a blog post on the D200 if you google, with my name you can read about it, and it's CCD magic.
I'm in a weird situation where I shoot my Fujifilm X70 without looking at it all. You can shoot it like a waist level finder a la Vivian Maier yes, but I quickly got used to blind shooting 28mm.
My style of street photography is mostly on people, my camera is rarely above by chest and a lot of my shots do give a kinda child-like POV which works to the nostalgia vibe im doing with the film recipes.
I have an external OVF for it, it does give me that analog experience, but honestly blind shooting 28mm got me so many interesting candid shots I never would have gotten pointing my pocket brick at someone.
I picked up my old APSC DSLR for the first time in a few years after using mirrorless. I was dead set that I'd never go to mirrorless because my first experience with an EVF was AWFUL. So slow, refresh rate was terrible. When the Z9 and Z8 came out, I finally found an EVF that was better than an OVF. When I looked through that tiny APSC optical viewfinder after using EVF exclusively for a few years, I'm so much more appreciative of my big (modern) EVF.
Zone focusing? 2 suggestions: Nikon FE, Nikon D700. Both splendid.
Man you don't know how lucky you are to be able to take street photos in peace and no one throws a fit at you. I'm in the US and people are so confrontational here sometimes or run away from the camera lol.
It's not always easy, in London people avoid confrontation much more - in Manchester where I live I'm much more careful
Nothing wrong with DSLR’s. Nikon D200, D700 & D500 all for under the price of a current Nikon mirrorless covers every contingency and they produce excellent results. For street an old micro 2/3’s for not much is fine. I love the variety and interchangeability of Nikon lenses. Heaps of old Nikon, Sigma, etc makes for a fantastic range.
Not everything needs to be new.
I love my Canon 5D. Full Frame DSLR from the same era. I'd love to see you compare the two
Well, I live in the land of freedom (United States). I love my dSLRs and still prefer the look of my 5D images but I've been almost exclusively mirrorless for the past 10 years. There's just so much hassle going around with dSLRs. Traveling was a nightmare because they always guaranteed TSA would pull you out for more extensive search and questioning. You were also barred from entering certain areas with a dSLR. Other places that would allow you to enter would mean constantly being approached and told, "no pictures," even if I wasn't even using it but had it visible. All of that disappeared when I bought a Sony a5000. No one ever takes a second look at it. My main camera now is a Sony A7CR. I do get some attention but its always older people asking, "Is that a film camera?"
I was so happy to finally upgrade my D70 a few years ago. CCD too noisy in low light and the shutter loud. Sad how quickly pro lenses fell in price for slr.
my last camera before mirrorless was a Nikon D300, it was my dream camera when I got it.
Hi George
What colour settings did you have on the camera while doing this video. They are so beautiful. Were they JPEGs or raw edits
Edited!
I bought the D200 as my first camera last year and took it with me overseas. It took some wonderful photos and had so much fun shooting with it however the poor iso and tiny screen makes is really hard for me to tell if the the photo I've taken is properly in focus. After a year of using this camera religiously, I honestly would like to switch to a camera/lens set up that is more clinical and modern. I always edit my photos and I feel like I can just make it look more "film like" in light room
nice video .... but what about M9 .... OVF range finder / CCD 18Mpx / Zone focus ... but ... not cheap 🙂
Whats funny is my first serious cameras were…a mirrorless camera (GH1) and a film SLR (FM2). That was 2009 and I kind of just skipped DSLRs altogether. I’ve used them plenty but never actually owned one.
I have got my D200 in 2009... for 2500EUR.
For a few years I was really into photography.
This camera is quite some part of my own personal history. I just started to get back to it (at least iam planning to do so), when i left it in the shelf only using the Sony RX100 II (the 4 was to much money :D) for some holiday shots not real going out grabbing some landscapes, abandoned building raids etc. any more
The issue I faced in the past: got all the cheapest lense for some portrait shots (Nikkor 50mm/1.8F) but well for some proper wide-angle lenses I had no money or I didn't see the point in spending that kind of money on a more and more outdated DSLR with only 10MP + the real bad low light abilities just made no point.
Kind of maybe regret that now or not? I am trying to get my hands on an used Tokina 11-16 ATX DX II hopefully I am gonna manage that. But of course again I had some doubts if that is really a good idea getting back at it with that bloody old camera.
I guess your content here really let me consider that it might be not a bad idea. Getting back to the roots, some real photography were you actually have to think and compose while taking your shots, because lightroom and co. won't be able to fix any mistakes you have done while taking your shots :)
puh. looking forward to get out again :D :) hehe
Thanks!
Very well presented! Well done George!
Never shot film, my main camera is D7200, but have come to love shooting with no viewfinder on my X-A7 and LX100M2.
Nikon DSLRs, specifically the DXX line and DX line may be big, and bulky, but also some of the most ergonomic cameras to ever exist in my opinion. For general photography and sports at least
Love your videos and your perspective. I was looking for a d700 but they're well over $400 CAN so picked up a d 200 for the astonishing price of 80 bucks Canadian which is under $60 US. I love it! Probably don't need the d700 now with the fantastic DX Nikkor lenses I got for it, also for a steal.😅 Compares very well to my Canon 5D mark ii.
discretion in street photography is over rated :D
This is my only camera to this day. I use a 40+ years Nikon 24mm lens with it nicer to use than the AF plastic stuff
Excellent and no silly muzak. I might yet subscribe.
If you liked the Nikon D200, you should also consider the Fuji modified D200, the Fuji S5 Pro.
Old pro-DSLRs from Nikon are the bargain of the century. Though I mainly shoot analog, when I go for digital I pick my D700 or my IR-converted D200. I paid 350 and 80 (!) EUR, respectively for them. Another insane bargain is the Nikon D3300 - although a beginner-DSLR, the 24mp sensor in this little gem is no joke! And the D3300 is tiny and light!!!
What really bothered me about DSLRs was that they just didn't have good manual focus ergonomics the way older SLRs had. The split-screen/prism viewfinder was such a great tool for focusing, and for some reason DSLRs just did away with them. I find that manual focussing can be much easier done with mirrorless cameras when compared to DSLRs.
Not all DSLRs are big. The Canon 100/200D (SL1/2) is tiny, light, inexpensive and accepts a 24mm 2.8 pancake. Re Fuji OVFs, I find them reasonably accurate, and no worse than the crop of a typical aps-c DSLR, plus you can see outside the frame which aids composition. The main issue with zone focusing manual lenses on DSLR cameras, is there is no Leica style tab as a distance guide. Add-on focus tabs have been available in the past (and may still exist?), and at a pinch you could put a knotted rubber band on the focus ring, with the knot acting as preferred distance and closer-further to left and right. More commonly, the photographer stops far enough down to flirt with diffraction and induce noise on older camera models, while having to look at the focus scale every time they take a shot, using a field of view that is already cropped from the original focal length. Apart from that, I agree the optical viewfinder has many advantages.
I've owned a lot of Nikon cameras. To this day, I still love the color out of the d200 the most, even if the overall image quality on my newer cameras is superior... Also the build of the gen 2 and 3 nikon bodies can't be beat. The d750 felt like a big downgrade from the d700 even though on paper it had a lot of upgrades...
I've got a 5D Mark II, 7D, and D200, they're all heavy AF. I need something smaller, lugging these bricks around takes the fun out of it.
Have you noticed how much smaller the D200 is compared with the Sony? I have recently gone back to shooting with my Nikon DSLRs - I don't do video and never print above A3, usually only A4. I don't really buy into the "CCD look", I don't crave noiseless pictures at ridiculously high ISOs because I was brought up on film, and the fact remains that the older DSLR cameras offer a great opportunity for superb photographs.