Nikon D200 Review
This review of the Nikon D200 was written and submitted by Randy McKown from New Image Photography.
The Nikon D200 made its debut just over 3 years ago and has since been replaced by the D300. However, this doesn’t mean the D200 is completely out of the picture. We’ve been using the Nikon D200 as one of our primary workhorses in the studio for almost 2 years and I can safely say it has proven itself to be a powerful asset. Since the introduction of the Nikon D300, prices on the D200, which was originally priced just under $2000, have dropped as low as $799. This makes the D200 a very tempting purchase for any photographer.
At a quick glance photographers will notice the following features:
- 10.2 million effective pixels
- 2.5-inch TFT color LCD monitor
- ISO range of 100-1600 plus three boost settings to a maximum of 3200
- Shutter speeds from 1/8,000 to 30 seconds including Bulb
- White balance with nine modes and manual fine-tuning
- 11-area MULTI-CAM 1000 autofocus system
First impressions mean a lot to most people. When you hold the Nikon D200 in your hands for the first time, you know you’re holding a top grade camera. With it’s high quality magnesium alloy body, professional design and weighing in at 2 lbs without a lens, you’ll be feeling like a pro before you even fire off your first shot. A heavy-built solid body has always been a major factor for me when purchasing a new SLR and the D200 definitely lives up to those standards.
Too often, photographers tend to overlook white balancing features when shopping for a new camera. As a working professional photographer, I don’t have a lot of time to waste on pointless image processing. I hear a lot of photographers complain about always needing to fix the blue washed out cast produced by their DSLR. Many of those photographers find it hard to believe when I tell them I spend less than 1% of my time correcting white balance. Nikons are known for reproducing vivid colors right out of the camera and the D200 is no exception. It actually uses the same advanced image processing engine as the D2x. This has saved me countless hours in photoshop, giving me more time to actually spend behind the camera.
Looking through the viewfinder, you will notice the D200 has two AF area modes. The Normal Zone (11 area) which is great for stationary subjects and a Wide Zone (7 area) which covers a wider area of the frame and comes in handy when shooting sports, action and any other moving subjects. The D200 has another feature, which has become popular in newer models, and that is the option of overlaying grid lines. This feature can be turned on or off but I recommend taking advantage of it. It’s a great tool to use when applying the rule of thirds, balancing a horizon, shooting architecture and overall composition of the scene.
I personally don’t have much use for high speed shooting in my professional work. However, the 5 fps high-speed continuous shooting did come in handy when shooting my kids during soccer season last year. The D200 allows you to capture high-resolution images at a rapid 5 frames per second in continuous bursts of up to 22 NEF (RAW) or 37 JPEG (fine – large) shots.
When it comes down to it, my main concern is that my camera produces sharp, vibrant, images for my clients. The D200 does just that. You don’t even need to spend a couple grand on a top of the line lens to get it. To prove this, take a look at the images below. Here we have the original image, shot with a cheap $150 Nikon 28-100 zoom. Viewing the image at 100% you can see how sharp an image the D200 can capture even without the aid of expensive glass. Note that this image also has not been given any post-process sharpening.
To sum it up, the D200 provides excellent quality and it’s built to last. I’m proud to say that after nearly 2 years of heavy full-time usage, the body used to take the image above still looks and functions like it did the same day it came out of the box.
If you’re looking for more detailed information you can find more specs on the Nikon D200 below.Sensor
- 23.6 x 15.8 mm CCD (DX format)
- 10.2 million effective pixels
Image Sizes
- 3872 x 2592
- 2896 x 1944
- 1936 x 1296
File Formats
- RAW (compressed / uncompressed)
- JPEG (3 levels)
Auto Focus
- 11/7 area TTL
- Multi-CAM 1000
AF Area Mode
- Single Area AF
- Continuous Servo AF
- Group Dynamic AF
- Closest Subject Priority Dynamic AF
Exposure Metering System
- Spot AF
- Variable Center-weighted
- 1,005-pixel RGB sensor 3D Color Matrix Metering II
Exposure Compensation
- ±5EV
ISO
- 100 – 1600
- Up to ISO 3200 with boost
Shutter Speeds
- 30 – 1/8000 sec
- 1/250 sec X-Sync speed
- Bulb
Mirror Lockup
- Yes
Continuous
- 5 fps
- 37 / 22 frames (JPEG / RAW)
White Balance
- Auto
- Six presets
- Manual preset (four)
- Kelvin temperature
- Fine tunable
Image Params
- Six preset looks
- Sharpening: Auto, 6 levels
- Tone: Auto, 3 levels, Custom
- Color: 3 modes
- Saturation: Auto, 3 levels
- Hue: -9° to +9°
Viewfinder
- Eyepoint 19.5 mm
- Frame coverage 95%
- Magnification approx. 0.94x
- B-type Bright View Clear Matte II
LCD
- 2.5 ” TFT LCD
- 230,000 pixels
- Removable protective cover
Timelapse
- Yes
Remote
- 10-pin remote terminal
Wireless
- Yes, optional WT-3 transmitter
GPS
- Yes, NMEA 0183 with optional cable
USB
- USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
Storage Media
- CompactFlash (Type I/II)
- MicroDrive
Battery
- Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e (7.4 V, 1500 mAh)
Vertical Grip
- MB-D200
Dimensions
- 147 x 113 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.4 x 2.9 in)
Weight
- 830 g (1.8 lb) without battery
The Nikon D200 is available at Amazon for around $800 USD.
Randy McKown is the founder of XposurePro, which offers photography tips and information relating to the business of photography. He also owns & operates a portrait studio along with his wife and fellow photographer Lisa McKown. Randy can also be followed on Twitter.
Tags: Camera Reviews, Digital Camera Reviews, Nikon, Nikon D200
25 Responses to “Nikon D200 Review” - Add Yours
January 28th, 2009 at 8:27 am
I have been shooting my D200 for about 2 1/2 years now and its still going strong. I fully agree with the recommondation
January 28th, 2009 at 10:18 am
As somebody who has used a D200 and D90 both extensively, I really like the D90’s updatedness better. The only noticeable thing the D200 has over the D90 is an extra half a frame per second (obviously there’s a few pro features missing on the D90).
The D90’s high ISO performance destroys the D200’s, and that’s one of the reasons I got it over the D200.
January 28th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
once,i want to purchase this camera..really love it!!!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:34 am
I have the D300 and LOVE it. I love the vividness SOOC. I upgraded from the D70s, which I also really liked. I just love Nikon cameras.
January 29th, 2009 at 1:43 am
I started with a d40 and upgraded to a D200. Although I agree with most of the info in this article, I disagree with mention about sharpness. D200 pictures tend to be soft much more so than the d40 or d90. In most threads you read about people adjusting their sharpness in camera. I will say however that the d200 does have a lot of other great features and the colors and the exposures are really great. Its worth the money, but their is a learning curve with this camera.
Any tips on getting sharper images (less soft) pics with the d200 would be appreciated.
January 29th, 2009 at 3:33 am
d200’s lightmeter:
I recently upgraded to a used d200 that i got for a song. i’m passing along the d70 to a new photographer. I agree there is a learning curve but have found many resources available online to speed up that process. having said that i would not recommend the d200 as an entry level dslr.
I was happy with the image quality of my d70 as well as many options including it’s flash sync speed but i upgraded b/c of the d200’s ability to meter with my collection of used AI and AIS lenses. faster, older nikkor/nikon lenses can be found relatively inexpensively all over the place but metering by chimping on the histogram with different lighting can be burdensome. .
I’m not a pro and can’t spend too much money on a camera but this is a serious camera with great abilties and was (and i guess still is) considered to be a fantastic camera by many pros.
ps. the d200 eats batteries
January 29th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Seriously, is this what we’ve come to at DPS. In exchange for a new and “improved” site, we get craptastic articles like this. Really, the D200 is dead and we don’t need more reviews on it. Most of the useful reviews were written 3 or 4 years ago. I don’t care if it’s the camera you use, it’s out of date and no one wants to hear about what you can do with it.
January 29th, 2009 at 9:20 am
I really enjoyed the review about the Nikon D200, as it shed some light and understanding but not as a new camera user, but as a camera user of 2 years, I was able to better grasp and understand both technical and practical uses, and relating to your experiences has been quite refreshing.
Having said that it does not matter how old a camera is in general, a great photographer is one that has a good eye and understands the universal technical functions of a camera to achieve the desired result. Some of the best photographers in the world use old film cameras to reach a result that a digital SLR no matter how good will not match or exceed the desired result.
So the question remains – What makes a good photographer? Certainly not having the most recent camera body!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Sure it is yesterday’s news, but some folks can’t afford today’s news. The D200 was a great leap forward in focus speed and overall reaction times. I have sold my used ones to friends and they are very happy. If you are looking for better focusing, upgrade to a katzeye focusing screen. Also disable all in camera adjustments – like sharpening, or presets for “portrait”. The D200 “eats batteries” comment is unusual – if you have IS lenses turn the IS off unless absolutely necessary. Then watch the batteries last roughly 400 frames each.
January 29th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
@stephen
I actually really like seeing reviews of old gear, if anything just to get a discussion going in the comments. They are useful to those of us still deciding whether to go used/outdated or cheaper new gear route. After all, original reviews of D200 did not have comparisons vs D300 or D90!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
If you are thinking of the D200, don’t. Go for the Fuji S5 Pro. Its the same body with a far superior sensor and captures high dynamic range far better than the D200.
It requires a bit more post-processing but the resulting pictures are well worth the effort!!
January 30th, 2009 at 5:20 am
had you compared your cheap lens with a 24-70 f2.8 I have no doubt you would have seen a difference, plus you were shooting in a controlled environment. In the real world quality glass makes all the difference for repeatable results.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:28 am
I agree with slava33 100%
I purchased my D200 last september and I could not be happier!
January 30th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
To Stephen’s comment that the D200 is dead: It must be nice to be in the top 1% of people who can afford to purchase a new DSLR every time one is released. I think people who are new to photography or haven’t the means will appreciate an article about a super although discontinued camera that can be had relatively cheap new or used. And to be able to buy this camera used and still get plenty of use from it says alot about its robust nature and quality capture abilities. Few people print larger than 8×10 and a good 6MP can do that!
February 1st, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I am not sure what Rosa meant by D200 being softer than D40. I have a feeling this is an issue with the camera or the user. I went from D40 to D200 and was impressed. Using the same 18-55 kit lens on the D200, I noticed less chromatic aberration in the highlights and better metering. Lens is the difference sometimes but the camera body itself also is part of the total equation for the final image.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Old? Yeah but it is reliable and produce pro photos. Just what they said it’s not the camera but the person behind it. And for me who still cannot afford the D300, my D200 still gives me the required shots.
February 4th, 2009 at 10:00 am
The D200 is a great camera………mine is a little over a year old and I’m very happy with it. Yes not everyone can afford the latest and the greatest!
The ……”wow….nice photos…..you must have a great camera” just doesn’t do it for me……….it’s like saying “gees that was a great meal…..you must have some great pots and pans in the kitchen”
Its the photographer that makes the photo, not the camera……and older models did and continue to produce great images in the right hands.
February 7th, 2009 at 12:00 am
I am a D300 user and I just bought a used D200 as 2nd body. and the first thing i noticed was the softness and vividness of D200’s default settings. My D300 is a lot sharper.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:57 am
The D200 is only 600 at best buy. i just can’t help but to get it. the built is much better than by 40x. The d300 is a much better camera, but for 600 bucks there is nothing bad to say from a starter.
March 6th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
I tend to agree with Rosa, I went from a D40X to the D200, and find that the D200 seems to be a bit softer. It is as someone pointed out possibly a photographer problem, there is a lot more to set on the 200, but it is still a great camera and I hope will still be in my bag for many years to come.
And as for the comment about Fuji, I would just say that if you buy one make sure you get an extended warranty. Mine spent more time being repaired than it did in my bag. The best move I ever made was dumping it, even though it was still under warranty.
April 30th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Just reading up on the D200, which I ordered yesterday from Best Buy. I currently have only a D300, and I love it. But I don’t do anything with it I can’t do with a D200 except a small amount of low light stuff and 14 bit macro. I believe it is going to be an excellent second camera. It will come in very handy at ball games where I occasionally have to switch to a short lens. Now I can just strap the D200 and a 105mm or 50mm to my belly. Reviews like this are very helpful because they point out advantages and disadvantages which sometimes saves me the effort of trial and error. Thanks for the review.
May 6th, 2009 at 7:01 am
In the field of digital photography i am a newcomer of only 4 years as opposed to 30 using film/plate cameras. I have had a D200 for 2 years and am just getting to know it. I have found that digital changes so fast I am amazed that guys can learn a new camera then rush out and buy another 6 months later when new techknolegy appears. Personally I have found the D200 is a bit poor in metering and can underexpose anything between a half to three quaters of a stop its not a problem and just needs compensating for. There seems these days to be an obsession with pixels I have seen images taken on a 4 meg Olympus that you could cut your finger on, why because the lens was excellent the D200 is a good workman like camera and in digital terms although a bit long in the tooth is very capably and the build quality is as good as any Nikon around. Age does not stop a camera from producing good results despite not having everything the more up to date DSLR’s have, you just need to know its limitations (all cameras have them) Excellent results are possible even on a relitive old timer (ask anyone who still runs a Gandolfi 10 X 8 or Blad 6×6 with a Planner lens)
May 29th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
is funny how even the newest stuff also has its disadvantages. nothing is perfect. I just purchased the D200 a couple of weeks ago. soon after that my dad went out and bought the D300. he came over my house and we took pictures of the exact same thing inside my house. The exposure was A LOT BETTER on my D200. Yes, the D300 is an awesome camera with newer technology and it does do other things very nicely, but so does the D200. my dad spent about $2,700 for his D300 and the 18-200 VR lens. I spent $1,550 on my D200, 18-55VR, 11-16 2.8 Tokina, 50mm 1.8 and photo software. ha ha ha! my pictures can be just as sharp as his and still have 1K in my pocket for other goodies including batteries. Ken Rockwell mentions on his D300 review to trash the D200??? I dont think so.
June 6th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
totally cool camera for d price.
July 30th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Gotta love the effort you put into this blog :)
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