To D1 or not to D1

Rudy

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Had lots of digicams, now on an 5700, pictures are good, focus in lowlight is good, as long as you dont zoom to much. BUT, the overal speed is just not up to it.

yesterday, i played with a d1, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!! in terms of handling and speed, picture quality i couldnt test.

only 2 downsides, price, and mpixels???. (found a new one (demo) for 2200€ $, with a zoom 28/80.

Does anyone here can give me advise?? is the picture quality really that "marginal" ? Does the cam holds a value? Am i better of with a second hand canon d30??

Thanks for all the advice!!

Rudy
 
TAKE IT !

The D1 is still one of the best D-SLRS around. Don´t listen to guys that say it is not up to date. This people are rather comparing datasheet instead of taking pictures. I bought a D1 in January this year and I do not worry about 6MP D100 or D60 because the are only semiprofessional ( AF-speed, ... ). I´m sure that the D1 pictures will surprise you - resolution is not everthing!

Joachim
http://www.joachimgerstl.com
Had lots of digicams, now on an 5700, pictures are good, focus in
lowlight is good, as long as you dont zoom to much. BUT, the overal
speed is just not up to it.
yesterday, i played with a d1, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!! in terms of
handling and speed, picture quality i couldnt test.
only 2 downsides, price, and mpixels???. (found a new one (demo)
for 2200€ $, with a zoom 28/80.
Does anyone here can give me advise?? is the picture quality really
that "marginal" ? Does the cam holds a value? Am i better of with a
second hand canon d30??

Thanks for all the advice!!

Rudy
 
Yes Joachim, i also feel, that even my nikon 5700 5mpixels, has noisier pictures then the d1. An when i look on your site...

But it remains expensive, and i have to be sure to make the right decision. Just looking for a way to justify the investement!!! You know what i mean;-)

I also had an e100rs, and i always loved that for the speed, although the image quality was not up to it.

Where would you buy one?, I believe you live in Germany, i am from Belgium, so any tip is appreciated!! The cams are les expensive in Germany.
(a trip to Germany is only a matter of some hours)

Greeettttzzzzz
Rudy
 
------- the D1 was a battle camera rushed through in a fight with Kodak who refused to let Nikon co-market a D-SLR a few years ago ~ remember all Kodak camera had either Nikon or Canon on the pentaprisim.

This camera, the original was very badly made, not thought out properly, suffered from so many problem that it would make you weep --- whilst there was a ‘silent upgrade’ there is now way of knowing if any individual camera was done.

I was tempted to get a used D1 just before the D100 arrived --- well it was just total junk I posted and got flamed but it’s your money. If you got a good one it would serve well but it’s pixel count and third generation (behind) technologies make it a dying, uncompetitive camera.

If you have work for it for six months to a year then go for it, work it hard and retire it.
Thanks for all the advice!!

Rudy
--
What's a photographer without a camera?
 
But it remains expensive, and i have to be sure to make the right
decision. Just looking for a way to justify the investement!!! You
know what i mean;-)
------------- worried about money? Well think on hard then – does this discontinued camera carry a 12-months warranty?

And investment – there are no monetary investments in digital cameras – they are all loss makers.

The older cameras in particular were made with many components having a two-year life cycle from the chip manufacturers, many products were never designed for the digital camera environment all these things are improving and a bit of toughening is creeping into ‘for digital camera’ production lines before being chosen and assembled in any particular brand of camera.

So – this is not an investment – you are taking €2,000 and blowing it --- don’t forget that. What you personally get for your money may well be invaluable, it may well be the perfect learning tool at an inexpensive price (for this class) and one that many might give their eye teeth for, but investment – in money – no. Kiss the money goodbye! Consider it like a holiday – blow the money and enjoy the photos.
 
I did not know it was such a bad camera, (why are the pros using it then?)

But, the d100 is in my opinion, not a match compared to the d1, in terms of handling and speed.
Tough decision!!!
Rudy
 
I did not know it was such a bad camera, (why are the pros using it
then?)
But, the d100 is in my opinion, not a match compared to the d1, in
terms of handling and speed.
Tough decision!!!
Rudy
GerBee, what are you using, owned a d1, did you???
 
While there were certainly some issues with the early D1 cameras it was not nearly so bad as Ger Bee makes it out to be. There was/is the "silent upgrade" issue which is pretty darn embarassing for Nikon (I am told that you should buy the later SN's to avoid the potential for this problem) and the rubber on the CF door tends to loosen and possibly fall off. But, the D1 is still a great camera! Traditional Nikon Pro solid feel and the very responsive in terms of AF and shutter.

I bought my D1 for fast action such as the USAF Thunderbirds (you can see some pics at http://www3.photosig.com/userphotos.php?portfolioId=50939 ) and it worked fantastically. I sucumbed to the "not enough mega pixel feeling" so I sold the D1 and just replaced it with the D100. While the D100 is a great camera, it is not nearly a D1. The only advantage the D100 has is pixels and simplicity, the D1 has the advantage everywhere else.

Sam
This camera, the original was very badly made, not thought out
properly, suffered from so many problem that it would make you weep
--- whilst there was a ‘silent upgrade’ there is now way of knowing
if any individual camera was done.

I was tempted to get a used D1 just before the D100 arrived ---
well it was just total junk I posted and got flamed but it’s
your money. If you got a good one it would serve well but it’s
pixel count and third generation (behind) technologies make it a
dying, uncompetitive camera.


If you have work for it for six months to a year then go for it,
work it hard and retire it.
Thanks for all the advice!!

Rudy
--
What's a photographer without a camera?
--
Sam
D100, CP5700
 
------------ I would not buy the D1 in the beginning ~ it's a long story and histroy now anyway.

The D1 was the ONLY choice available ~ forget Kodak and Canon are not out a year yet so there was no realistic competition.

A good D1 is fine but the D1h IS the camera of choice, the D1 was a first generation machine and had a lot of problems – that much is history. I have now way of telling if you have a good one or not, if you have it’s a bargain ~ if not it’s expensive to repair and maintain out of warranty.

You need to see a Nikon service record for this machine – that’s my advice, if it has not service record on the Nikon Service Centres headed paper ~ you just don’t know what it is like.
 
GH
Had lots of digicams, now on an 5700, pictures are good, focus in
lowlight is good, as long as you dont zoom to much. BUT, the overal
speed is just not up to it.
yesterday, i played with a d1, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!! in terms of
handling and speed, picture quality i couldnt test.
only 2 downsides, price, and mpixels???. (found a new one (demo)
for 2200€ $, with a zoom 28/80.
Does anyone here can give me advise?? is the picture quality really
that "marginal" ? Does the cam holds a value? Am i better of with a
second hand canon d30??

Thanks for all the advice!!

Rudy
--



http://www.digital-life-21.com/forums/
Nikon D1x, Nikon FM3A, Canon S45
 
Had lots of digicams, now on an 5700,.....played with a d1, WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!!
=========================

My advice is get a new D100 and shoot nefs from the start. With all the issuses of the dear ole D1, and the positives over a D100 are flash sync speed, handling speed, FPS, USB vs. Firewire, build quality and a proven worldwide press corp 'trial by fire' that it has PASSED! I would say a used D1h is the answer for the moment, but that is about $3000 now. But ultimately how can you go wrong selling the 5700 and getting a D100?

Pernel S Thyseldew
http://www.digthatcrazyfarout.com

--
Pernel Pixel is Pure Digital Now
D-1 - D100 - 60mm f2.8 - 17-35mm f.2.8 - Oly 3030z (pocket pal)
Past Life: lost TWO Nikon SP's !@^@! - F's - Ftn's - Nikormat EL
 
You have both i see, but in the d100 range, i would also consider the d30/60 from the darkside...

I am confused, what is outdated in the d1?? i am searching for it!! Firewire?? 4.5fps? big ccd? or maybe, the real pro body??

Otherwise, a nice second hand d30 will also do the job i think.
And yes, the 5700 is the top prosumer, but just that, and no more than that!!!

Thinking, thinking, thinking....
Rudy
 
Maybe my D1 is the only good one Nikon has ever built. Sorry, but some of the comments made are really ridiculous. The D1 is a 100% pro-mashine and was the real breaktrough of digital photography. Here is my D1 : D100 comparison.

D1:

AF-speed
4.5 frames per second ( 20 images buffer )
built like a rock
shutter speed and sync speed
sharper and cleaner images !!!
better handling
firewire

D100:

resolution

Don´t get me wrong. The D100 is a very good camera but it can´t match a D1 in so many fields that it is not even close as professional as a D1. Use a 80-400VR on a D100 ( SLOOOOOOW ) on a D1 it is still no fast lens but its good enough for most kind of shooting.

Take a Flashcard to a shop in your town and try both cameras. Try them with non AF-S lenses and compare speed and handling.

Download the pictures on your PC on compare them and finally buy what you like most. If you don´t care about speed you can´t get wrong with a D-SLR no matter if it is a D1, D100, D60, S2, 1D, ....

Joachim
http://www.joachimgerstl.com
You have both i see, but in the d100 range, i would also consider
the d30/60 from the darkside...

I am confused, what is outdated in the d1?? i am searching for it!!
Firewire?? 4.5fps? big ccd? or maybe, the real pro body??

Otherwise, a nice second hand d30 will also do the job i think.
And yes, the 5700 is the top prosumer, but just that, and no more
than that!!!

Thinking, thinking, thinking....
Rudy
 
Not better, different...I don't own a D1 but a D1x and my wife has a D100...It all depends what you want in a camera. Will you abuse your camera ? Then go for the D1. If it's for family and vacation pics, go for the D100. Although I like the D100, for it's lightness and 'low profile factor', the build quality is up to coolpix standards. For example, I know for sure that the CF door will break sooner of later. It's enough to rub it softly with your thumb to see it moving in any direction. Also the knob for iso,wb,quality and shooting mode is rediculous. I really think that the person responsible for this design was/is on drugs. But, at least people don't stare at you when you show up. My D1x is also suitable as a self defense tool. When you hold it in your hands, you FEEL quality. The AF speed is not a match for a D100. D100 on the other hand, produces less noise in higher ISO. I still don't understand why my D1x produces more noise at 400ISO than at 800...

The D1x has it's own quircks but if I had to choose for myself again, it would be a D1 series, not the D100. At €2200 it's €600 cheaper than a D100 and €700 more expensive than a 5700 in Belgium and if it has a late SN, you'll be fine...Don't believe people saying that you'll be buying an expensive paperweight. It was also said about the D1x when the D100 came out. It would become obsolete in a matter of months. But to my surprise, the pictures it takes are still of top quality.

Thomas
You have both i see, but in the d100 range, i would also consider
the d30/60 from the darkside...

I am confused, what is outdated in the d1?? i am searching for it!!
Firewire?? 4.5fps? big ccd? or maybe, the real pro body??

Otherwise, a nice second hand d30 will also do the job i think.
And yes, the 5700 is the top prosumer, but just that, and no more
than that!!!

Thinking, thinking, thinking....
Rudy
--
http://www.pbase.com/tomwac
 
Not better, different...I don't own a D1 but a D1x and my wife has
a D100...It all depends what you want in a camera. Will you abuse
your camera ? Then go for the D1. If it's for family and vacation
pics, go for the D100. Although I like the D100, for it's lightness
and 'low profile factor', the build quality is up to coolpix
standards. For example, I know for sure that the CF door will break
sooner of later. It's enough to rub it softly with your thumb to
see it moving in any direction. Also the knob for iso,wb,quality
and shooting mode is rediculous. I really think that the person
responsible for this design was/is on drugs. But, at least people
don't stare at you when you show up. My D1x is also suitable as a
self defense tool. When you hold it in your hands, you FEEL
quality. The AF speed is not a match for a D100. D100 on the other
hand, produces less noise in higher ISO. I still don't understand
why my D1x produces more noise at 400ISO than at 800...
The D1x has it's own quircks but if I had to choose for myself
again, it would be a D1 series, not the D100. At €2200 it's €600
cheaper than a D100 and €700 more expensive than a 5700 in Belgium
and if it has a late SN, you'll be fine...Don't believe people
saying that you'll be buying an expensive paperweight. It was also
said about the D1x when the D100 came out. It would become obsolete
in a matter of months. But to my surprise, the pictures it takes
are still of top quality.

Thomas
That was my thought also,

D1, it seems top quality, and if i am happy with the pics today, why shouldt i be in a couple years? Will the quallty vanisch, when it gets older??
But, it remains expensive ofcourse!!!

btw, is the pro-look a negative thing??

Rudy
 
Allee rudy, zijn we niet betrouwbaar nimeer ;-)

(dutch to my friend rudy, just nice to meet here :)

Imho it's a bit expensive, i once left a D1h alone for a little bit more, but all depends on needs and desires (photojournalism f.i.).

take care!
 
Allee rudy, zijn we niet betrouwbaar nimeer ;-)

(dutch to my friend rudy, just nice to meet here :)
Hoi Jimmy,
Tuurlijk wel, ben alleen een beetje teleurgesteld;-(

Had to reply in dutch, so we understand eachother.
Imho it's a bit expensive, i once left a D1h alone for a little bit
more, but all depends on needs and desires (photojournalism f.i.).

take care!
But, i fell in love, maybe let it cool down a bit, and make the decision, some days later, so my mind clears up. 2,2k is alot of money
See you
Rudy
 
I have had my D1 for just a few weeks and continue to be amazed by this camera. The picture quality and detail it captures is superb. I think part of the reason it takes such detailed photos given that it is "just" a 2.74mp camera is that each pixel site is so big and therefore can use all the light falling on them. I have res'd up NEF's by 200% in PS and they really hold together. As for all the BS in this thread about the D1 being out of date and so forth well.....
Avid amature. Home site http://www3.sympatico.ca/the_printed_pixel/index.htm
 
For a mint D1? Just to make sure, i dont pay to much for it.

Rudy
 

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