Nikon's acknowledgement of banding for D200

Tweedledee wrote:
So, sports fans, I guess I sit this game out

Tweedledee said:

until next year and see what happens.

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Don't feel too bad. I wouldn't mind being in your shoes. If I were, I would sit it out and wait for the next model. My choices at this point are not so good. (1) Live with it. (2) Sell it at a loss. (3) Huff and puff and rant at the dealer in hopes of wearing him down enough to get a refund.

Contrary to what this last month has been like for me, I am much happier spending less time and energy testing and evaluating my camera and haunting this forum.
--
Mike St James

'The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.'
-Mark Twain

lol, I should consider buying lottery after receiving a 'long' banding D200

CCarroll said:

You posted all those nice car pictures. Now you are complaining
about a problem you don't have. Why?

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Every day brings new discoveries, new information. Don't we all have the right to revise our views? I have flipped and flopped on this myself. You get your machine back from Nikon, do a couple of tests, and see no LONG BANDING, just a little SHORT BANDING. Are you looking for or expecting other problems at this point, like decreased dynamic range? No. Concentrating on the banding. As the days pass and the images accumulate, we have a better opportunity to evaluate the "repair." AND Nikon's attitude regarding the "artifacts." So don't be too surprised if some minds get changed as time passes. It's going to happen.

--
Mike St James

'The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.'
-Mark Twain

Adam Kmiec said:

where are all the people who:

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Adam Kmiec said:

Ok, now that said, I applaud nikon for finally posting an FAQ about
the problem. It took longer than I think it should have, but that
said, this is a good step in the right direction.
--

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I agree. Knowing where we stand (and where Nikon stands) is an improvement. I think their statement will harden decisions both ways. People like me who are tipping back and forth on whether to keep the camera or not are going to have an easier time making a firm desision one way or the other. Knowing that there will be NO 100% fix down the road a few months is valuable to me.

I'll say this though; I stepped outside my judgement and experience envelope when I bought this machine in the first release. I knew better; what good is getting older if you can't learn a few things? But I did it anyway. Never again.
--
Mike St James

'The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.'
-Mark Twain

Hang in there Mike - we can always hope for a miracle. I have the uncomfortable feeling that the D200 suffers from some fundamental engineering issue that won't completely go away without a different sensor type or some other non-trivial component. I guess this episode would upset me more if I didn't have my obsolete, but trustworthy, D100 to limp along with. [8^)

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Why do you think it will be in production for a few years. It very well could be replaced by a D300 at PMA 2007. If Canon comes out with a D200 competitor (35D) more so then the 5D already is. And Sony and Pentax bring out 10MP cameras, they will have to get a move on things.

I personally expect a full frame D3X (maybe D1F) this year, and a FF D300 to follow within a year from then, and the D80 getting the D200 chip.
--

Minolta 1929-2006, you will be missed so very much. You rode with Glen into the space
age, if only we could all ride along with you into the digital age forever.

Eh, Depends how you read this.

I read it pretty straightforward and they are basically saying there isn't a issue. Just don't go pushing your camera to some crazy extreme. Some early units may have some issue and they are taking care of that. But in general Banding isn't a bug, it's just the way the camera is.

Its no different then purple fringing. If you try you can get it, but under normal use, it's not. And even with it there, it's not a bug, it's just the way it is.

--

Minolta 1929-2006, you will be missed so very much. You rode with Glen into the space
age, if only we could all ride along with you into the digital age forever.

It seems that there were two main issues elaborated on in Nikon's FAQ. One had to do with what they call "long" banding (Type II/III in Bjorn-speak), and the other with "short" banding (Type I).

All Nikon said was that long banding would be addressed by service, and that short banding was considered a "normal" artifact. This is pretty much in line with what the "naysayers" have been stating.

Nikons response basically states, that in some early units, the long variety of banding may be present, and Nikon will adjust the camera for free, (lovely), short banding is not an issue but simply another artifact of the camera, new shipments of the D200 will be subject to the same artifacts, i.e. (short banding) A brillantly written legal document, and introducing a new artifact to the existing nuances of digital photography. The point being type 1 banding is within specs.

PhotoTraveler said:

Eh, Depends how you read this.
But in general Banding isn't a bug, it's just
the way the camera is.

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Ya, back doors popping out of the old DC-10s wasn't a design flaw, it's just the way they were. Some people might think I'm fat, but that's no way to look at it; it's just the way I am! Big corporations do this all the time. If there's a problem, moderate it, then just call it something else, and never let yourself be moved off that position. Corporations aren't necessarily evil or deceptive...it's just the way they are.

--
Mike St James

'The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.'
-Mark Twain