Best time to buy D200?

Unlike many who are posting here, I do NOT want to purchase from the initial batch of D200's. There will be feedback to Nikon, some running changes, firmware upgrades, etc. My guess is the minimum time for anything to take effect in the end product is mid-summer, 2006.

Since I'm not a pro, and don't have an unlimited supply of funds, I'll be keeping this thing for a number of years (it'll be my first dSLR). I'm thinking patience is the best option - if there are any kinks, 6 months is the mimimum to iron them out.
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Gene in Deep South Texas

Gene J. Paull said:

Unlike many who are posting here, I do NOT want to purchase from
the initial batch of D200's. There will be feedback to Nikon, some
running changes, firmware upgrades, etc. My guess is the minimum
time for anything to take effect in the end product is mid-summer,
2006.

Click to expand...

Firmware upgrades for the camera can be done by you. They do not need to be sent to a service facility.

Gene J. Paull said:

Since I'm not a pro, and don't have an unlimited supply of funds,
I'll be keeping this thing for a number of years (it'll be my first
dSLR). I'm thinking patience is the best option - if there are any
kinks, 6 months is the mimimum to iron them out.

Click to expand...

It sounds like you've already made up your own mind as to when the best time to buy will be.

Remember to include camera, cost of any accessories you need right away (CF cards), possibly computer upgrades and if you want an external speedlight that has iTTL.

And you might want to get the computer upgrade you need out of the way about a month of so before getting the camera - so you get the latest hardware/best prices and yet you're not dealing with the computer upgrade at the same time as you are with the new camera.

--
-----Bear

Buy a used D100 - still a fantastic camera and "cheap as chips" as some people say in England ...!

Bilbo
--
Cor blimey gov'nor !

Happy waiting

I'm holding on too as I won't really have much use for the camera until the motorsport season begins here again in Feb. By which time many people will have posted their opinions and images, that's plenty of time to know exactly the cameras strengths and weaknesses and time enough too I hope to iron out any QC issues that could come to light.
I still cant wait to get my hands on one though.

Blurry

I've already been told by my Nikon dealer, thats the reason for late shipment, all Canadian late shipments will already have the upgraded firmware, and that all US 15 Dec 05 shipments will have to be upgraded, even the odd early Canadian will have to be upgraded.

Any shipments in Jan, Feb will be okey, which is okey by me, as my old D1X Timex is still ticking well.
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Herman
http://www.hermanroote-photography.com

Herman Roote said:

I've already been told by my Nikon dealer, thats the reason for late shipment, all Canadian late shipments will already have the upgraded firmware, and that all US 15 Dec 05 shipments will have to be upgraded, even the odd early Canadian will have to be upgraded.

Click to expand...

Were you told any reason of the need for the upgraded firmware? It would be great if it dealt with the banding issue being discussed here and on FM.

As I see it, if the camera is in high demand and the supply is low because this was not expected, then I would be leary of the more immediate subsequent products because in ramping up production, quality control might easily take a back seat to just getting them out the door. As demand and supply more or less equalize then quality will again become more of a priority. This is not limited to only the final product but also individual components whose production also has to be ramped up. I believe component failure was one of the major causes for BSOD and the manufacturing dates for the D70's that failed appeared to have been that second production cycle. I could be wrong about this but I noticed that D70's produced in March-May after the introduction of this camera failed more often. I'm probably going to wait until june or at least until the supply equalizes with the demand.

Just got off the phone with the dealer, they don't really know what is is but did not sound like anything serious, I don't think they want to make it public knowledge right now, but he did tell me the one he rec'd the other day had the in office upgraded firmware installed by nikon.

I've been dealing with the same store owner for over 20 years and he's very straight with me, and told me if I wasn't in a big rush for the D200 to hold off till late spring or even summer when I could just walk in and grab one off the shelf for a few bucks less.

Every DLSR cam nikon came out after the D1 series needed to upgrade the firmware.

Cheers
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Herman
http://www.hermanroote-photography.com