Nikon D200 Review
The D200 is the long awaited replacement for the D100, one of Nikon's most popular digital cameras ever. Nikon took a long time to release the D100's replacement (nearly 4 years!), and there are some very major improvements to this model over its predecessor. Faster, Smarter, Stronger is Nikon's marketing slogan for this camera and it pretty much sums up all the improvements over the D100. The most immediately obvious is the jump in megapixels from 6 to 10. This is a pretty substantial increase and it makes a real difference in picture quality and the ability to print images at very large sizes compared to the D100, but there is much more! Shooting speed has been increased to 5 frames per second, the viewfinder and LCD preview screen are much larger and brighter, there's better autofocus, better metering, much faster image processing and read/write times, USB 2.0, iTTL flash with Commander mode, 1/8000 sec top shutter speed instead of 1/4000 sec, on an on... While many of these improvements are also available in Nikon's more recently released and less expensive D80, the D200 is aimed at a more professional market thanks to its beefier metal body, faster burst rate and weather sealing that enables it to operate in wet weather conditions.
Image Quality. Does the D200 Deliver?
The D200 saw Nikon introduce a new Sony-manufactured 10-megapixel CCD chip, a design which several other DSLR manufacturers have adopted as well. The good news is that this chip performs very well in the D200, delivering excellent color, contrast and detail. Image files created by the D200 definitely have more "depth" than those from Nikon's 6 megapixel offerings (the D40, D50, and D70), allowing you to crop into images much further while still retaining enough detail for large print sizes. In fact, when used correctly, the D200 can deliver almost astonishing levels of detail, providing a big "wow" factor when zooming in on the built-in LCD preview screen or a home computer monitor.
10 megapixels is a lot of data and few users will find that this isn't enough for their needs. Still, it's worth noting that you can also shoot at lower resolutions with the D200 (or most any other digital SLR for that matter). The D200's standard image size is Large, which yields 10 MP files (3872 x 2592 pixels at 300 dpi). You can also change the setting to Medium yielding 5.6 MP (2896 x 1944 pixels) files or Small, at 2.5 MP (1936 x 1296 pixels), which most users overlook. Remember that these dimensions are all at 300 dpi, so they are very big files with loads of data to work with. Don't shrug off the smaller shooting sizes as they still deliver great image quality and there are many times when the largest size settings are overkill (for example, I shoot a lot using Medium size for snapshot type images when I'm travelling). People who only shoot photos that end up on the Web can also shoot at much lower resolutions. Post-processing time is greatly reduced as well as noise levels at higher ISO settings (more about that later). Below are sample images shot at the 3 different resolutions to give you an idea of how they compare.
D200 JPEG samples showing level of detail at different resolutions
(click thumbnails for slideshow) |
Buddha
Size: Large
Scaled down
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Buddha
Size: Large
100% Crop
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Buddha
Size: Medium
100% Crop
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Buddha
Size: Small
100% Crop
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As far as color rendition, the D200 produces images that are generally excellent, but there is a tendency towards the warm end of the color spectrum. This warm tendency of course varies a lot depending on white balance settings and shooting conditions, so you won't see it in all photos. Unlike the D70 however (which tends more towards the cool side, having a blueish cast), the D200 doesn't seem to underexpose, as evidenced by the consistently good histograms it generates. Having upgraded myself from the D70, I had gotten used to moving the Levels Highlight slider in Photoshop to the right for almost every image that I shot. The D200 images in comparison usually don't need much Levels correction. For the most part, I've found that D200 files need far less post-processing than those from the D70 and my standard workflow for D200 files usually involves nothing more than adding a bump in the middle of the tone curve and some Smart Sharpening in Photoshop. In cases where the orange tint is stronger than I'd like, I usually can correct it with the Cooling Photo Filter in Photoshop or by doing some minor color correction.
| Some D200 Examples showing off the color and image quality |
Outdoors w/Nikon 17-55mm DX
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Outdoors w/Nikon 17-55mm DX
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Portrait w/Nikon 17-55mm DX
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Portrait with
Nikon 18-70mm DX
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In my experience, the D200 is capable of producing great-looking photos with excellent detail as well as color, contrast and saturation. This doesn't mean that you never need to post-process to get the very best results though, or that you won't have to experiment with the different in-camera settings to get the right look for the different types of shooting you do. In fact, the D200 offers a plethora of user customizable shooting options in the Shooting Menu, allowing you to tweak Tone, Color, Saturation, Hue and Image Sharpening before the image ever leaves your memory card. It took me a few months of experimentation to find what worked best for my kind of shooting, and I'm still experimenting and learning. Fortunately, one of the best features of the D200 is the ability to save commonly used Shooting Menu settings into four easily accessible Menu Shooting Banks. These shooting banks are labelled A, B, C and D and can be found in the Shooting Menu (camera Icon) under Shooting Menu Bank. This makes it easy to group and save your commonly used settings so that you can quickly access them for different shooting situations. Note that you can also change the names of the banks to whatever you like, making them more descriptive (eg. Studio, Portrait, Indoor Sports, Snow Sports, etc.). This is a feature that you'll want to explore as it's one of the best things about the D200 and makes it very quick to access your commonly used camera settings.
Sharpness and Noise Performance
While some people have complained about "softness" and high ISO noise on the D200, the truth is that one needs to use proper technique and the proper Image Sharpening settings to get the best performance from this camera. Case in point is the "softness" issue, which makes out-of-camera images appear rather soft or "seemingly" out-of-focus. Being a more professionally oriented camera, Nikon chose to not use a lot of in-camera sharpening on the D200. This contrasts with more consumer-oriented cameras like the D40, D50 and even D80, which perform more sharpening in-camera and thus appear sharper straight off the memory card. Most D200 users, Nikon believes, prefer to do their sharpening through post-processing rather than in-camera. The default D200 setting is for very little in-camera sharpening, but the beauty of the D200 is that you can change the sharpening levels from within the user menu to suit your preference. This gives you the flexibility to increase or decrease the sharpening settings best fit your workflow.
So what's the difference between in-camera sharpening and sharpening in post-processing? In my experience I've found that sharpening through Photoshop's Smart Sharpen filter (or any other software's sharpen filter) gives quite a bit better results than in-camera sharpening, and this is not a big surprise. The problem with in-camera sharpening is that besides being less precise, it also sharpens image noise that's usually present in high ISO shots. Thus, in order to get the best noise-free performance out of the D200, you'll want to avoid using in-camera sharpening at higher ISOs.
To change the Sharpening settings you need to access the Shooting Menu (Camera icon), scroll down to Optimize Image, Select Custom, scroll down to Image Sharpening, and select a different setting. While there are several different settings available for Sharpening, I've found that for important shots I set the Sharpening to Normal (default setting) or even Medium Low. This does indeed produce "soft" images but they sharpen up VERY well using Photoshop's Smart Sharpening filter. For my quick "snapshot" type images, I generally boost the sharpening to +2 High. This makes the images look nice and crisp without having to visit Photoshop. The High setting works really well with the Medium image size setting (5.6MP, 2896 x 1944 pixels) to produce great-looking, sharp point-and-shoot type photos that don't need any post-processing and take up far less space on the memory card. Remember that all of these different shooting options can be grouped and saved into one of the menu banks for easy retrieval.
Below are some high ISO sample from the D200 illustrating that this camera can perform very well when cranking up the ISO levels. All of these photos were shot with the in-camera sharpening set to 0 Normal and afterwards sharpened in Photoshop using the Smart Sharpen filter.
| D200 Noise Performance at High ISO |
800 ISO
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1250 ISO
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1600 ISO
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So what's the secret to controlling noise at high ISO with the D200?
There's some very interesting things about the noise performance of the D200 sensor that are worth noting. One is that noise from this sensor is much more like fine "film grain" than traditional CCD noise, which causes big blurry color splotches in shadow areas. Even at 1600 ISO, the images from the D200's sensor appear like a very fine grain, maintaining color fidelity but avoiding the uglier kind of "chroma" noise that was common with the D100 and earlier Nikon cameras. Once again, in-camera sharpening will exacerbate this graininess, although it tends to look much worse on a computer monitor at full size than it does when printed out on a desktop color printer. That's why turning your in-camera sharpening down is critical when shooting at high ISO. The other interesting thing about noise on the D200 is that you can get better noise performance by shooting at a lower resolution and NOT shooting in the RAW format, at least when using Adobe Camera Raw as your image editor. RAW photos at 10MP (Large size) are usually the noisiest from the D200's sensor. JPEGs shot at the same resolution resolution as RAW demonstrate less noise, and JPEGs shot at the Medium or Small size show even less. Here's a few of sample images to demonstrate this. Note that results will be different based on the RAW converter you use; these images where processed with Adobe Camera Raw (ACR).
Noise is lower in the JPEG than in the RAW file
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1000 ISO
Large Size RAW/NEF: 100% Crop
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1000 ISO
Medium Size JPG: 100% Crop
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| More Examples of Noise at 1600 ISO (all camera settings identical except for image Type/Size) |
1600 ISO
RAW/NEF Large
100% Crop
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1600 ISO
JPEG Large
100% Crop
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1600 ISO
JPEG Medium
100% Crop
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1600 ISO
JPEG Small
100% Crop
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| Shooting data: Nikon 17-55mm DX @55mm, 1600 ISO, f4.0, 1/160 sec, Cloudy WB |
There's more ways to improve the noise performance in the D200, such as avoiding underexposure and using the correct white balance. I regularly shoot at higher ISOs with the D200 and have been for the most part pleased with the output. While I don't think that the D200 matches the low noise performance of some of Canon's DSLR models like the 5D, it's not impossible to get good results from the D200. Where the D200 really differs from a camera like the 5D is that you really need to get the exposure correct to avoid heavy noise. The 5D gives you much more latitude where you can underexpose and still avoid excessive noise when you lighten up the levels in post-processing. It's also worth pointing out that the D200's noise is far more grain-like than Canon's, so when things do get bad, photos look more grainy than blotchy, and the color and detail still hold up pretty well. Nikon's newer cameras like the D40 and D80 seem to have better noise performance than the D200 and it appears that Nikon is trying harder with each new camera model to catch up with market leader Canon in the noise department.
Build, Handling and Ergonomics
You don't have to hold the D200 in your hands for very long to realize that it is a solid and well-crafted piece of machinery. Compared to all of the plastic cameras out there, the D200's metal-framed body feels like it means business. Even though it's assembled at Nikon's huge Thailand factory along with the low-end D40 and D80, the D200 is screwed together very well and reflects the company's decades long commitment to crafting some of the best cameras in the industry. There's no doubt that Nikon takes pride in its products and you will too if you end up owning a D200.
Based on the design of the highly regarded F100 film body, the D200 fits perfectly into your hands and all the controls seem to be placed according to the best common sense. Size-wise the D200 falls in-between the smaller D80 and the larger D1 and D2 series. It's an excellent size, but if you have small hands, the D80 could be a better choice. The D200 is also fairly heavy, weighing in at around 2 lbs (1000g) with the battery installed, so if weight is an issue, the D80 could be a better option at only 1.5 lbs (668g). For me though, the feel of the D200 and its more substantial weight inspires confidence and I've never babied it or treated it with kid gloves; it can take quite a bit of reasonable abuse without any problems.
Another nice thing about the D200 is that it can use a battery grip, making it easier to hold for portrait shooting and giving you the kind of vertical shooting capability that you only get with a D2x or D2H. The MB-D200 battery grip uses the same EN-EL3e batteries (x2) as the body so you can use the batteries interchangeably between the grip and the camera. This is a good thing since the D200's battery performance is one of its few weak points. While the performance is not terrible, compared to the D70 the battery life is definitely inferior. One of the very first accessories you'll want to buy if you own a D200 is an extra battery, and make sure to keep it charged and carry it with you at all times. One improvement over the D70's battery however is that the D200 uses an intelligent battery design that provides feedback on the remaining charge and estimated amount of remaining shots (you can't use the D70 batteries in the D200). The battery info can be accessed through the Setup menu (Wrench icon) and is generally quite accurate. It also tells you roughly how old your battery is and how well it's holding its charge or if it needs replacement.
Quite a few D200 users report that the battery life actually increases with usage over time. I don't know if this is true or not, I can't tell if mine has but subjectively there doesn't seem to be much of a difference after many months of owning my D200 and heavy usage. I have found though that you boost the battery life a little by turning down the brightness a notch or 2 on the LCD screen and also shooting in JPG vs RAW. Every little bit helps.
Operational Speed
Here's an area where the D200 really shines. All of Nikon's current DSLR models are speedy and the D200 is near the top of the list in this department. Everything about the camera is quick and you won't be left waiting around when you release the shutter or flick the power switch. You can shoot up to 5 frames per second which is even enough for sports photography, making the D200 a very versatile camera indeed. Image preview on the LCD screen is quick and zooming in and out to check your work is plenty fast, nothing to disappoint here.
Portraiture and Skin Tones
The D200 has a dedicated "Portrait" setting in the Optimize Image menu that is optimized for shooting people at close range. It's supposed to lower contrast while "lending natural texture and rounded feel to the subjects skin". I don't notice a lot of difference between this setting and the "Normal" setting, but I've tried it and it seems to work OK, though you should be aware that the setting is only applied when you are shooting JPEG. If you shoot RAW the settings are ignored unless you use Nikon Capture to process your RAW file.
In any case I've gotten good results with the D200 for portraits, though I've found Fujifilm's S3 to do a better job with skin tones especially for Caucasians. Like most digital cameras, Caucasian skin tones tend too much towards the magenta end of the scale with the D200 and require post processing to get looking like they aren't sunburned. This can be annoying because the rest of the color is usually good so you have to isolate the skin tones in Photoshop and adjust the curves and it's difficult to get them looking just right. My approach with fixing the magenta cast is to convert the image to CMYK mode, select the skin tones with the Color Range tool or by masking, call up the Curves dialog and take down the magenta curve a bit while boosting the yellow curve. Afterwards I convert the file back to RGB as you can see in the sample shots below. For a really good tutorial on fixing skin tones with more detailed info, check here.
| D200 skin tones have a magenta cast |
Skin tone straight out of camera before retouching.
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Skin tone after retouching in Photoshop
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Flash Photography
One of the nicest features of the D200 is that the built-in (pop-up) Speedlight flash can control remote flash units using Commander Mode. Commander Mode on the D200 allows you to fire and adjust the output of one or more remote SB800 or SB600 flash heads with full iTTL metering. Previous Nikons like the D70 allowed you to fire remote flashes, but not to adjust their output. The D200 gives you the same control over your remote flash units that you previously needed to buy an external SB800 flash for, which is Nikon's most expensive flash head. The whole system works as part of what Nikon calls the Creative Lighting System and it's something that works very well either in a studio or in the field. As a stand alone flash, the D200's built-in Speedlight does a respectable job, but for any serious flash photography you'll want to invest in at least one SB600 or SB800. Below are some sample photos taken with the D200 and my "portable lighting studio", consisting in this case of a single SB800 flash attached to a 30" umbrella. These photos were shot back stage of a musician just before his performance. It took 5 minutes to assemble and disassemble the lighting and it all fit into my medium sized camera bag (D200 included!).
| D200 with off-camera SB800 fired by built-in Speedlight |
SB800/SB600 mounted to umbrella with adapter. The umbrella diffuses the light output.
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Portrait with (1) remote SB-800 on light stand, D200 built-in flash in Commander Mode
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Portrait with (1) remote SB-800 on light stand, D200 built-in flash in Commander Mode
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Portrait with (1) remote SB-800 on light stand, D200 built-in flash in Commander Mode
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Conclusions
The D200 is a pretty deep and complex camera if you want it to be, but the nice thing is that you don't have to dive into all the complex menu options to get nice photos. Just pick it up, put it in Programmed Auto mode (P) and start shooting. Over the long run though you'll want to invest time in reading the manual to get the most out of it, as there are endless possibilities. This is probably the biggest difference between it and the D80, as the D200 simply gives you endless customization options (besides the bigger, more robust body and faster shooting speed), and is designed less as a point-and-shoot than the D80. Interestingly, the D80 has a bit better noise performance than the D200, and the D40/D40X even better noise performance still. It seems Nikon's best low-noise algorithms have been adopted in its newer, lower-end cameras, making the D200 a seem a bit long in the tooth since they all share the same sensor. Still, the cheaper cameras like the D80 and D40 sacrifice a bit of detail in return for delivering better low light capabilities.
There's plenty of things I didn't cover in this review simply because I'd have to write a whole book to cover everything, but check back as this review will be continually updated over time. As an owner of many film cameras and several digital SLRs over the years, I can say that the D200 is one of the best, but not perfect. There's very little that this camera can't do and its lovely ergonomics will endear it to any photographer that appreciates a well-designed camera. Aside from the sub-par battery life, and the magenta cast to skin tones, about the only bad thing you can say about the D200 is that the newer D80 offers most of the same features, but at a lower price. The D200 isn't the great value it was before the D80 appeared and shoppers need to look hard at the extra features of the D200 to see if they are really worth the extra price over the highly capable D80. But, if you tend more towards the professional end of the spectrum rather than the casual shooter, and you appreciate the benefits of a weather resistant metal body over a plastic one, the D200 could be your best bet.
Pros: Fast, durable, highly customizable, image quality, great built-in flash, massive feature list, large viewfinder
Cons: battery life, grainy images at high ISO, unnatural skin tones
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D200 Flyer, 2 pp [PDF, 1.2MB]
