Hi,
The D100 can't compete against the D1H in many areas. I shoot a lot of motorsports, and there's
no way I could even begin to shoot using a camera with a 3-shot buffer. Heck, I can find the limitations on the 26-shot buffer in the D1H as it is, if I make use of the full 5 fps speed.
Then there's the question of file size and the CF card write speed. The D1H has a smaller file size, so it can clear space in the buffer at a faster rate than the D100 could. Plus, we don't know yet if the D100 has an equivalent bits-per-second write speed. That'll have to wait until Phil gets a D100 to review.
Still, the combination of large dual-ported buffer memory and smaller file size will put the D1H far, far ahead of the D100 in shot capture rate. the D100 does not look like a camera for sports shooters of any sort. I know that if I tried to use one, it would hit it's limits on the very first green flag. That's when I need lots of buffer space, even when shooting a series of individually aimed shots (as opposed to mashing the trigger and letting the camera play 'video camcorder emulation')
Next, we have to look at the low-light capability. The D1H has a larger pixel well than the D100, so it's pretty certain to outperform in this area as well. Another common type of shooting I do on a regular basis is shoot at professional bowling tournaments. Indoors, poor lighting, and no flash allowed. I can shoot with the D1H at ISO 1600 with an f2.8 or faster lens and get shots that print at 8x10 size with acceptable noise levels.
It remains for a review of the D100 before we'll really know how well it performs at ISO 1600, but I really don't expect it to come close to the capability of the D1H.
These are all performance issues that will continue to make the D1H sell well even if it's 2x the cost of a D100. When we start looking at the mechanical package, we'll see other things that are different. Since others have pointed those out already, I'll not duplicate it all.
As already pointed out, the two cameras are aimed at very different markets. They really aren't competing against each other. Pros will buy D100's as backup and assistant bodies, but they'll also have D1H and D1X bodies in their bags as well. Most pros carry several camera bodies anyway, and use the correct one for the job at hand.
Us higher-end amateurs are the ones faced with making the D1X/D1H/D100 type of decision. The general consumers won't be needing the extra features of the D1 series, so there won't be much time spent on choosing the D100 over the D1H for them. The choice is pretty easy for them.
However, if you're looking for a major price drop on a D1 series camera because the D100 is arriving in the marketplace, then I think you're in for a long wait...... The D1H is still selling in the $4000 range, and the D1X in the $5000 range, from what I can see both in the local shops and at the usual on-line web stores.
Stan
But D100 is 6.1MP, what is the D1H, 2.75MP, sorry for it.
--Amateur PhotographerProfessional Electronics Development Engineer
