Nikon D1X or D2H still worth buying?

[MrCoffee]

Hi Everyone,

I have a friend that just upgraded to a D3, and he has offered me his D1X or D2H before he dumps them on eBay. I do realize that both are a bit dated, but I currently shoot with a D1H some of the time, and I really love the camera. Both have under 20k on them, and have been well taken care of. He wanted around $300 for the D2H and $275 or so for the D1X. The price is very good compared to KEH, and pretty good compared to eBay. I can't afford a D3 or a D90. I guess I was wondering if folks in the"real world" are still shooting with the D2H or the D1X.

At the moment, I am covering a couple of sporting events a month, and not a whole lot more then that. Still do a lot of other shooting in the meantime, which I pretty much cover with my Canon gear.

Thanks in advance for any thought, advice or suggestions,
MrC

[jdepould]

Up until last year a lot of the combat camera folks were shooting on D2h ... the results weren't spectacular when you put them up against even a D300. They're all great shooters, but even with 2.8 glass, the body was a limit.

Honestly, I think your D50 is probably the best camera in your kit as far as image quality. Have you considered selling off some stuff and consolidating down to one mount?

[MrCoffee]

Hi jdepould, thanks for the reply.

Nope, not really thinking about selling stuff off, I still tend to use all the gear I have at one point or another. And I still like Canon once in a while for fun shooting, thou I have trimmed the gear down a lot. My wife and my oldest son tend to grab the 10D or the D70 for push the button dummy shooting, (sometimes the D50) and I am fine with that.

I do plan to purchase a D300/D3?/D2X/D90 in the not too distant future, but I was wondering if either of these cameras produce shots acceptable enough. I am really drawn toward the D2H, because I like my D1H so much, and because of the buffer size. (ok, I admit it, it's just a fun thing, not something I NEED).

My thought were towards street/documentary style shooting, possibly photojournalism, not toward creative/glamour/portrait.

I know quite a few people still shooting for papers with D2H/D2X cameras. But you really aren't going to find a decent 2X under $900.

[Almond.Butterscotch]

Originally Posted by jdepould

Honestly, I think your D50 is probably the best camera in your kit as far as image quality.

Not the D70?

[LoveDSLR]

Originally Posted by MrCoffee

I am really drawn toward the D2H, because I like my D1H so much, and because of the buffer size. (ok, I admit it, it's just a fun thing, not something I NEED).

Yeah, I love Nikon pro bodies too. I'm a Nikonian for over three decades using F series pro SLR, but I don't like the D1 and D2 IQ when compared with the Canon DSLR. That's why I had been using D30 and 5D until the introduction of the D3.

One of my friends owned a number of D2H and gladly dumped them for three D3.

Originally Posted by MrCoffee

My thought were towards street/documentary style shooting, possibly photojournalism, not toward creative/glamour/portrait.

Leica M9? Maybe a Micro 4/3 camera + used Leica lenses (zone focusing).

[jdepould]

Originally Posted by Almond.Butterscotch

Not the D70?

Nope. The D50 is probably the best 6MP body Nikon ever made. Extremely clean for a crop sensor, best of the generation.

[Dreadnought]

The D2Hs is able to make some very nice images if you're not cropping them too heavily. I was pretty surprised at the quality with JPEG/Fine and the proper WB set. The LCD is garbage...everything always looks green, but the images come out pretty good considering its a 4MP camera...

[MrCoffee]

Originally Posted by Dreadnought

The D2Hs is able to make some very nice images if you're not cropping them too heavily. I was pretty surprised at the quality with JPEG/Fine and the proper WB set. The LCD is garbage...everything always looks green, but the images come out pretty good considering its a 4MP camera...

The LCD thing must be something with the old Nikon DSLR's cause my D1H everything looks red.... I love the Nikon and Canon Pro Bodies. I think I might grab the D2H just for fun. And for shooting Paintball. D1H does quite cut it for quality (no DUH!) but it handles the speed of the game quite nicely. We will see. I have some time to think on this, since he is just going to hold onto it for me.

Cheers!

[Danylu]

All I can add to this discussion is that the Nikon square pro bodies have excellent build quality and should be fine until you need to crop.

Also, if you are getting decent prices from your mate - then go for it. I mean, what is the worst that could happen? You could simply sell the body again if, after you purchased it, you discovered that it didn't suit you.

[Fraucha]

Originally Posted by Danylu

All I can add to this discussion is that the Nikon square pro bodies have excellent build quality and should be fine until you need to crop.

Also, if you are getting decent prices from your mate - then go for it. I mean, what is the worst that could happen? You could simply sell the body again if, after you purchased it, you discovered that it didn't suit you.

Or ... you could convert one to I.R.