D1: Smaller, lighter, faster - better.

[J. Kiely Jr.]

Hello all,

I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera if you want to or don't...

But I'm not into flame wars so I'll just post what I know.

Over the last week I have shot a significant number of images and paid deadline assignments with both the DCS520 and the D1.
To whit, it works very well.......

• yes there is noise present in both cameras at higher ISO's and at the extreme edge of the sensitivity range of the CCD's even at the lowest "speeds".
• The slight D1 noise in my camera exhibits an odd horizontal pattern. Odd & annoying. DCS noise is more random and heavier in the blue channel
• The D1 is much faster in image acquire (picture taking) and image transfer (no conversion from TIFF to JPED in propretary softwares). I am able to post-process and move D1 images into the layout system twice as fast as the DCS thanks to the standard JPEG files of the D1
• The D1 image file is close to 2MB larger in Photoshop than the DCS image. (7.5MB vs. 5.7) More data to work with in post-production means better reproduction.
• The D1 SB-28DX speedlight combo is so much better than DCS system that it's not worth discussing.
• The D1 holds like a F5 in the hand. Feels perfect in size and weight both for horizontal and vertical shooting, the DCS is very bulky and much more difficult to hold vertically.
• D1 NiMH battery lasts 2 to 3 times longer than the DCS NiCAD pack.
• What noise there is in D1 images is so far at the end of the spectrum as to not be a concern at all in newspaper or magazine repro. Learn good Photoshop techniques - the D1 creates an image of such wide latitude that the little noise is insignificant in the end.
• D1 images are sharper shot for shot, what with no filter in front of the mirror.
• D1 viewfinder is much brighter than the DCS520 (EOS) and DCS 620 (F5) due to the position of the low pass filter. (I assume)
• The auto white balance of the D1 is amazingly accurate as it is TTL. No exterior sensor to be fooled. Measures the light falling on your subject not your camera body.
• The use of CompactFlash is very smart. Very small media (the Microdrive is the size of a large postage stamp! - Amazing) coupled with the fact that no high volume consumer cameras use PC cards, but that many use CF means that CF cards will flourish and improve rapidly. A 1GIG IBM CF is due in first quarter of 2000! A 340MB card already holds 245 or so pix from the D1.
• The D1 has the F5 1005 point meter -- perfect exposures without worry almost always.
• The LCD on the D1 is gorgeous, bright and sharp and has a clever cover to protect from nose grease.

Did I mention that the camera is FAST! Anyone who shoots with an F5 or F100 will be making pictures, good pictures, with a D1 in no time - the D1 is that similar to those bodies in layout and control.

Say what you may but I have a very low serial number body in my hand and it works very well. This is a great tool for newspaper photography and can only get better with tweaking. As for me, it is the finest all around digital SLR camera in the world right now, hands down.
It is perfect for my job, it may not be perfect for everyone.
The sooner I get my second body the happier I'll be.

Congrats to Nikon -- the D1 is a kick-butt camera, digital or otherwise.

peace,
J.

 

[Bill Harris]

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

But I'm not into flame wars so I'll just post what I know.

Over the last week I have shot a significant number of images and paid
deadline assignments with both the DCS520 and the D1.
To whit, it works very well.......

• yes there is noise present in both cameras at higher ISO's and at the

extreme edge of the sensitivity range of the CCD's even at the lowest
"speeds".

• The slight D1 noise in my camera exhibits an odd horizontal pattern.

Odd & annoying. DCS noise is more random and heavier in the blue channel

• The D1 is much faster in image acquire (picture taking) and image

transfer (no conversion from TIFF to JPED in propretary softwares). I am
able to post-process and move D1 images into the layout system twice as
fast as the DCS thanks to the standard JPEG files of the D1

• The D1 image file is close to 2MB larger in Photoshop than the DCS

image. (7.5MB vs. 5.7) More data to work with in post-production means
better reproduction.

• The D1 SB-28DX speedlight combo is so much better than DCS system that

it's not worth discussing.

• The D1 holds like a F5 in the hand. Feels perfect in size and weight

both for horizontal and vertical shooting, the DCS is very bulky and much
more difficult to hold vertically.

• D1 NiMH battery lasts 2 to 3 times longer than the DCS NiCAD pack.
• What noise there is in D1 images is so far at the end of the spectrum

as to not be a concern at all in newspaper or magazine repro. Learn good
Photoshop techniques - the D1 creates an image of such wide latitude that
the little noise is insignificant in the end.

• D1 images are sharper shot for shot, what with no filter in front of

the mirror.

• D1 viewfinder is much brighter than the DCS520 (EOS) and DCS 620 (F5)

due to the position of the low pass filter. (I assume)

• The auto white balance of the D1 is amazingly accurate as it is TTL. No

exterior sensor to be fooled. Measures the light falling on your subject
not your camera body.

• The use of CompactFlash is very smart. Very small media (the Microdrive

is the size of a large postage stamp! - Amazing) coupled with the fact
that no high volume consumer cameras use PC cards, but that many use CF
means that CF cards will flourish and improve rapidly. A 1GIG IBM CF is
due in first quarter of 2000! A 340MB card already holds 245 or so pix
from the D1.

• The D1 has the F5 1005 point meter -- perfect exposures without worry

almost always.

• The LCD on the D1 is gorgeous, bright and sharp and has a clever cover

to protect from nose grease.

Did I mention that the camera is FAST! Anyone who shoots with an F5 or
F100 will be making pictures, good pictures, with a D1 in no time - the
D1 is that similar to those bodies in layout and control.
Say what you may but I have a very low serial number body in my hand and
it works very well. This is a great tool for newspaper photography and
can only get better with tweaking. As for me, it is the finest all around
digital SLR camera in the world right now, hands down.
It is perfect for my job, it may not be perfect for everyone.
The sooner I get my second body the happier I'll be.

Congrats to Nikon -- the D1 is a kick-butt camera, digital or otherwise.

peace,
J.

Right on! I have had my D1 for a week now, and yes it has this banding problem at extreme exposures but thats not how I am going to shoot with this camera. Nikon has done a great job with this camera. Check out my website: http://www.nikoninformant.com

Bill

 

[Tim]

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

But I'm not into flame wars so I'll just post what I know.

Over the last week I have shot a significant number of images and paid
deadline assignments with both the DCS520 and the D1.
To whit, it works very well.......

• yes there is noise present in both cameras at higher ISO's and at the

extreme edge of the sensitivity range of the CCD's even at the lowest
"speeds".

• The slight D1 noise in my camera exhibits an odd horizontal pattern.

Odd & annoying. DCS noise is more random and heavier in the blue channel

• The D1 is much faster in image acquire (picture taking) and image

transfer (no conversion from TIFF to JPED in propretary softwares). I am
able to post-process and move D1 images into the layout system twice as
fast as the DCS thanks to the standard JPEG files of the D1

• The D1 image file is close to 2MB larger in Photoshop than the DCS

image. (7.5MB vs. 5.7) More data to work with in post-production means
better reproduction.

• The D1 SB-28DX speedlight combo is so much better than DCS system that

it's not worth discussing.

• The D1 holds like a F5 in the hand. Feels perfect in size and weight

both for horizontal and vertical shooting, the DCS is very bulky and much
more difficult to hold vertically.

• D1 NiMH battery lasts 2 to 3 times longer than the DCS NiCAD pack.
• What noise there is in D1 images is so far at the end of the spectrum

as to not be a concern at all in newspaper or magazine repro. Learn good
Photoshop techniques - the D1 creates an image of such wide latitude that
the little noise is insignificant in the end.

• D1 images are sharper shot for shot, what with no filter in front of

the mirror.

• D1 viewfinder is much brighter than the DCS520 (EOS) and DCS 620 (F5)

due to the position of the low pass filter. (I assume)

• The auto white balance of the D1 is amazingly accurate as it is TTL. No

exterior sensor to be fooled. Measures the light falling on your subject
not your camera body.

• The use of CompactFlash is very smart. Very small media (the Microdrive

is the size of a large postage stamp! - Amazing) coupled with the fact
that no high volume consumer cameras use PC cards, but that many use CF
means that CF cards will flourish and improve rapidly. A 1GIG IBM CF is
due in first quarter of 2000! A 340MB card already holds 245 or so pix
from the D1.

• The D1 has the F5 1005 point meter -- perfect exposures without worry

almost always.

• The LCD on the D1 is gorgeous, bright and sharp and has a clever cover

to protect from nose grease.

Did I mention that the camera is FAST! Anyone who shoots with an F5 or
F100 will be making pictures, good pictures, with a D1 in no time - the
D1 is that similar to those bodies in layout and control.
Say what you may but I have a very low serial number body in my hand and
it works very well. This is a great tool for newspaper photography and
can only get better with tweaking. As for me, it is the finest all around
digital SLR camera in the world right now, hands down.
It is perfect for my job, it may not be perfect for everyone.
The sooner I get my second body the happier I'll be.

Congrats to Nikon -- the D1 is a kick-butt camera, digital or otherwise.

peace,
J.

Right on! I have had my D1 for a week now, and yes it has this banding
problem at extreme exposures but thats not how I am going to shoot with
this camera. Nikon has done a great job with this camera. Check out my
website: http://www.nikoninformant.com

Bill

Ditto to both of you!

Tim

 

[Louis]

Tim Goodwin wrote:
Thanks for you up-beat post on the D1.
You touched on many good and valid points in which the D1 excells over the 620.
I especially like your statement about learning photo techniqes, that's
what is about, isn't it.
Many photogs, now of days, see but don't think. They relied on the camera
to see and think for them.

Louis

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

But I'm not into flame wars so I'll just post what I know.

Over the last week I have shot a significant number of images and paid
deadline assignments with both the DCS520 and the D1.
To whit, it works very well.......

• yes there is noise present in both cameras at higher ISO's and at the

extreme edge of the sensitivity range of the CCD's even at the lowest
"speeds".

• The slight D1 noise in my camera exhibits an odd horizontal pattern.

Odd & annoying. DCS noise is more random and heavier in the blue channel

• The D1 is much faster in image acquire (picture taking) and image

transfer (no conversion from TIFF to JPED in propretary softwares). I am
able to post-process and move D1 images into the layout system twice as
fast as the DCS thanks to the standard JPEG files of the D1

• The D1 image file is close to 2MB larger in Photoshop than the DCS

image. (7.5MB vs. 5.7) More data to work with in post-production means
better reproduction.

• The D1 SB-28DX speedlight combo is so much better than DCS system that

it's not worth discussing.

• The D1 holds like a F5 in the hand. Feels perfect in size and weight

both for horizontal and vertical shooting, the DCS is very bulky and much
more difficult to hold vertically.

• D1 NiMH battery lasts 2 to 3 times longer than the DCS NiCAD pack.
• What noise there is in D1 images is so far at the end of the spectrum

as to not be a concern at all in newspaper or magazine repro. Learn good
Photoshop techniques - the D1 creates an image of such wide latitude that
the little noise is insignificant in the end.

• D1 images are sharper shot for shot, what with no filter in front of

the mirror.

• D1 viewfinder is much brighter than the DCS520 (EOS) and DCS 620 (F5)

due to the position of the low pass filter. (I assume)

• The auto white balance of the D1 is amazingly accurate as it is TTL. No

exterior sensor to be fooled. Measures the light falling on your subject
not your camera body.

• The use of CompactFlash is very smart. Very small media (the Microdrive

is the size of a large postage stamp! - Amazing) coupled with the fact
that no high volume consumer cameras use PC cards, but that many use CF
means that CF cards will flourish and improve rapidly. A 1GIG IBM CF is
due in first quarter of 2000! A 340MB card already holds 245 or so pix
from the D1.

• The D1 has the F5 1005 point meter -- perfect exposures without worry

almost always.

• The LCD on the D1 is gorgeous, bright and sharp and has a clever cover

to protect from nose grease.

Did I mention that the camera is FAST! Anyone who shoots with an F5 or
F100 will be making pictures, good pictures, with a D1 in no time - the
D1 is that similar to those bodies in layout and control.
Say what you may but I have a very low serial number body in my hand and
it works very well. This is a great tool for newspaper photography and
can only get better with tweaking. As for me, it is the finest all around
digital SLR camera in the world right now, hands down.
It is perfect for my job, it may not be perfect for everyone.
The sooner I get my second body the happier I'll be.

Congrats to Nikon -- the D1 is a kick-butt camera, digital or otherwise.

peace,
J.

Right on! I have had my D1 for a week now, and yes it has this banding
problem at extreme exposures but thats not how I am going to shoot with
this camera. Nikon has done a great job with this camera. Check out my
website: http://www.nikoninformant.com

Bill

Ditto to both of you!

Tim

 

[Kenneth Fox]

Thanks for the glowing reports about the D1. I'm considering a purchase and any info is greatly appreciated.
Here's my question:

Is the D1 just a newspaper camera? Can it produce excellent or very good images in the portrait studio? 80% of the prints we make are 11x14 and smaller. How good is an 11x14 from the D1 ( a photo with 4 to 6 people in it )?
Ken Fox

 

[rob]

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

But I'm not into flame wars so I'll just post what I know.

Over the last week I have shot a significant number of images and paid
deadline assignments with both the DCS520 and the D1.
To whit, it works very well.......

• yes there is noise present in both cameras at higher ISO's and at the

extreme edge of the sensitivity range of the CCD's even at the lowest
"speeds".

• The slight D1 noise in my camera exhibits an odd horizontal pattern.

Odd & annoying. DCS noise is more random and heavier in the blue channel

• The D1 is much faster in image acquire (picture taking) and image

transfer (no conversion from TIFF to JPED in propretary softwares). I am
able to post-process and move D1 images into the layout system twice as
fast as the DCS thanks to the standard JPEG files of the D1

• The D1 image file is close to 2MB larger in Photoshop than the DCS

image. (7.5MB vs. 5.7) More data to work with in post-production means
better reproduction.

• The D1 SB-28DX speedlight combo is so much better than DCS system that

it's not worth discussing.

• The D1 holds like a F5 in the hand. Feels perfect in size and weight

both for horizontal and vertical shooting, the DCS is very bulky and much
more difficult to hold vertically.

• D1 NiMH battery lasts 2 to 3 times longer than the DCS NiCAD pack.
• What noise there is in D1 images is so far at the end of the spectrum

as to not be a concern at all in newspaper or magazine repro. Learn good
Photoshop techniques - the D1 creates an image of such wide latitude that
the little noise is insignificant in the end.

• D1 images are sharper shot for shot, what with no filter in front of

the mirror.

• D1 viewfinder is much brighter than the DCS520 (EOS) and DCS 620 (F5)

due to the position of the low pass filter. (I assume)

• The auto white balance of the D1 is amazingly accurate as it is TTL. No

exterior sensor to be fooled. Measures the light falling on your subject
not your camera body.

• The use of CompactFlash is very smart. Very small media (the Microdrive

is the size of a large postage stamp! - Amazing) coupled with the fact
that no high volume consumer cameras use PC cards, but that many use CF
means that CF cards will flourish and improve rapidly. A 1GIG IBM CF is
due in first quarter of 2000! A 340MB card already holds 245 or so pix
from the D1.

• The D1 has the F5 1005 point meter -- perfect exposures without worry

almost always.

• The LCD on the D1 is gorgeous, bright and sharp and has a clever cover

to protect from nose grease.

Did I mention that the camera is FAST! Anyone who shoots with an F5 or
F100 will be making pictures, good pictures, with a D1 in no time - the
D1 is that similar to those bodies in layout and control.
Say what you may but I have a very low serial number body in my hand and
it works very well. This is a great tool for newspaper photography and
can only get better with tweaking. As for me, it is the finest all around
digital SLR camera in the world right now, hands down.
It is perfect for my job, it may not be perfect for everyone.
The sooner I get my second body the happier I'll be.

Congrats to Nikon -- the D1 is a kick-butt camera, digital or otherwise.

peace,
J.

 

[rob]

Hi J
Sorry for the empty mail just now, here it comes again.

At last some professional reasoning in this world of gossip and bad mouthing.

I can not believe how people from Canon and K0odak are involved in rubbishing the D1. It is cheap and childish and their time would be better spent pushing their own beloved second rate manufacturers to match the D1.

They are worried and as a Nikon fan for twenty years or so I love it. And the D1 is just the beginning I am sure from Nikon.

If youre one of those people out there who make a purchasing decision based upon nonensense from unknown photographers websites purporting to show 'tests' then I am sure Nikon would not want you as a customer.

If you are waiting for a D1 any day now and are (still) not sure whether to go ahead or not then sell your'e option because there are thousands and thousands waiting.
This is a winner and the whole business knows it.

No-one said the D1 is perfect. Ferraris have crap petrol consumption and Toyotas are, well, Toyotas. Its horses for courses.

I have shot night football with the D1 and seen it demo'd it in a studio in raw with Nikon Capture and printed on an Epson 9000. Astonishing is an understatement. With the new PC 85mm Micro, move over 5x4 digital!!!

Unlike others companies Nikon will not have to give away free lenses to persuade pros to move back to where they belong. Nikon remains the choice or pros motivated by quality and back up service, not price giveaways or gimmicks.

For all those unhappy Canon/Kodak customers out there: get on youre own forum and stop bashing the D1 before you even have got one.

The only language those guys understand is money, order and buy the D1 in your thousands and maybe that will wake those huge congolomerates up!
Cheers
Rob

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

But I'm not into flame wars so I'll just post what I know.

Over the last week I have shot a significant number of images and paid
deadline assignments with both the DCS520 and the D1.
To whit, it works very well.......

• yes there is noise present in both cameras at higher ISO's and at the

extreme edge of the sensitivity range of the CCD's even at the lowest
"speeds".

• The slight D1 noise in my camera exhibits an odd horizontal pattern.

Odd & annoying. DCS noise is more random and heavier in the blue channel

• The D1 is much faster in image acquire (picture taking) and image

transfer (no conversion from TIFF to JPED in propretary softwares). I am
able to post-process and move D1 images into the layout system twice as
fast as the DCS thanks to the standard JPEG files of the D1

• The D1 image file is close to 2MB larger in Photoshop than the DCS

image. (7.5MB vs. 5.7) More data to work with in post-production means
better reproduction.

• The D1 SB-28DX speedlight combo is so much better than DCS system that

it's not worth discussing.

• The D1 holds like a F5 in the hand. Feels perfect in size and weight

both for horizontal and vertical shooting, the DCS is very bulky and much
more difficult to hold vertically.

• D1 NiMH battery lasts 2 to 3 times longer than the DCS NiCAD pack.
• What noise there is in D1 images is so far at the end of the spectrum

as to not be a concern at all in newspaper or magazine repro. Learn good
Photoshop techniques - the D1 creates an image of such wide latitude that
the little noise is insignificant in the end.

• D1 images are sharper shot for shot, what with no filter in front of

the mirror.

• D1 viewfinder is much brighter than the DCS520 (EOS) and DCS 620 (F5)

due to the position of the low pass filter. (I assume)

• The auto white balance of the D1 is amazingly accurate as it is TTL. No

exterior sensor to be fooled. Measures the light falling on your subject
not your camera body.

• The use of CompactFlash is very smart. Very small media (the Microdrive

is the size of a large postage stamp! - Amazing) coupled with the fact
that no high volume consumer cameras use PC cards, but that many use CF
means that CF cards will flourish and improve rapidly. A 1GIG IBM CF is
due in first quarter of 2000! A 340MB card already holds 245 or so pix
from the D1.

• The D1 has the F5 1005 point meter -- perfect exposures without worry

almost always.

• The LCD on the D1 is gorgeous, bright and sharp and has a clever cover

to protect from nose grease.

Did I mention that the camera is FAST! Anyone who shoots with an F5 or
F100 will be making pictures, good pictures, with a D1 in no time - the
D1 is that similar to those bodies in layout and control.
Say what you may but I have a very low serial number body in my hand and
it works very well. This is a great tool for newspaper photography and
can only get better with tweaking. As for me, it is the finest all around
digital SLR camera in the world right now, hands down.
It is perfect for my job, it may not be perfect for everyone.
The sooner I get my second body the happier I'll be.

Congrats to Nikon -- the D1 is a kick-butt camera, digital or otherwise.

peace,
J.

 

[Dan Morris]

Thanks for those comments. Have you found any stabilized lenses for use with the D1 similar to those available for the 520? Or adapters for the D1?

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

But I'm not into flame wars so I'll just post what I know.

Over the last week I have shot a significant number of images and paid
deadline assignments with both the DCS520 and the D1.
To whit, it works very well.......

• yes there is noise present in both cameras at higher ISO's and at the

extreme edge of the sensitivity range of the CCD's even at the lowest
"speeds".

• The slight D1 noise in my camera exhibits an odd horizontal pattern.

Odd & annoying. DCS noise is more random and heavier in the blue channel

• The D1 is much faster in image acquire (picture taking) and image

transfer (no conversion from TIFF to JPED in propretary softwares). I am
able to post-process and move D1 images into the layout system twice as
fast as the DCS thanks to the standard JPEG files of the D1

• The D1 image file is close to 2MB larger in Photoshop than the DCS

image. (7.5MB vs. 5.7) More data to work with in post-production means
better reproduction.

• The D1 SB-28DX speedlight combo is so much better than DCS system that

it's not worth discussing.

• The D1 holds like a F5 in the hand. Feels perfect in size and weight

both for horizontal and vertical shooting, the DCS is very bulky and much
more difficult to hold vertically.

• D1 NiMH battery lasts 2 to 3 times longer than the DCS NiCAD pack.
• What noise there is in D1 images is so far at the end of the spectrum

as to not be a concern at all in newspaper or magazine repro. Learn good
Photoshop techniques - the D1 creates an image of such wide latitude that
the little noise is insignificant in the end.

• D1 images are sharper shot for shot, what with no filter in front of

the mirror.

• D1 viewfinder is much brighter than the DCS520 (EOS) and DCS 620 (F5)

due to the position of the low pass filter. (I assume)

• The auto white balance of the D1 is amazingly accurate as it is TTL. No

exterior sensor to be fooled. Measures the light falling on your subject
not your camera body.

• The use of CompactFlash is very smart. Very small media (the Microdrive

is the size of a large postage stamp! - Amazing) coupled with the fact
that no high volume consumer cameras use PC cards, but that many use CF
means that CF cards will flourish and improve rapidly. A 1GIG IBM CF is
due in first quarter of 2000! A 340MB card already holds 245 or so pix
from the D1.

• The D1 has the F5 1005 point meter -- perfect exposures without worry

almost always.

• The LCD on the D1 is gorgeous, bright and sharp and has a clever cover

to protect from nose grease.

Did I mention that the camera is FAST! Anyone who shoots with an F5 or
F100 will be making pictures, good pictures, with a D1 in no time - the
D1 is that similar to those bodies in layout and control.
Say what you may but I have a very low serial number body in my hand and
it works very well. This is a great tool for newspaper photography and
can only get better with tweaking. As for me, it is the finest all around
digital SLR camera in the world right now, hands down.
It is perfect for my job, it may not be perfect for everyone.
The sooner I get my second body the happier I'll be.

Congrats to Nikon -- the D1 is a kick-butt camera, digital or otherwise.

peace,
J.

 

[Janusz]

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

Hi,

I read your comments about D1 and being Canon user for 15 years have to say it looks like it is time for me to switch to Nikon gear. Do you think D1

is capable camera for candid wedding pics. I am thinking about buying it for this purpose so I look for opinions from people that actually had hands

on experience with this camera. Unfortunately there are not many yet and because you are if you could share your opinion I will appreciate it very
much.
Sorry for my English.

Janusz Blicharski
http://janusz.11net .

 

[Yvan]

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

Hi,
I read your comments about D1 and being Canon user for 15 years have to
say it looks like it is time for me to switch to Nikon gear. Do you think
D1
is capable camera for candid wedding pics. I am thinking about buying it
for this purpose so I look for opinions from people that actually had
hands
on experience with this camera. Unfortunately there are not many yet and
because you are if you could share your opinion I will appreciate it very
much.
Sorry for my English.

Janusz Blicharski
http://janusz.11net .

Will you switch to Canon again, when it brings out a new DCS-camera with better features? Some people seem more concerned to race after the newest non-plus-ultra camera than doing pictures. If one does start this race, you´ll never get a camera in you hands because at the pace digital cameras are chasing each other, you would have to switch brands every single year. As a Canon-user, you surely have a lot of professional lenses (if not, you don´t need a pro-digicam either) which gave you satisfaction over the years. Do you really want to change all your lenses (and loose lots of money) just beacuse of a digicam which will most probably be outperformed in less than 2 years? It´s up to you, but remember: it´s not the camera which makes good pictures.

 

[Janusz]

Will you switch to Canon again, when it brings out a new DCS-camera with
better features? Some people seem more concerned to race after the newest
non-plus-ultra camera than doing pictures.

Well, some people are more concerned about their equipment than doing pictures
but I actually do quite a lot of them.

If one does start this race,
you´ll never get a camera in you hands because at the pace digital
cameras are chasing each other, you would have to switch brands every
single year.

I am not going to. For fifteen years I was loyal Canon user. The next 15 can be Nikon guy.

As a Canon-user, you surely have a lot of professional
lenses (if not, you don´t need a pro-digicam either)

How you know what I need.

I never had pro body. For 15 years I were using A1and recentlly A2 bodies and never needed so called pro top of the line body to shoot over 300
weddings in last 10 years.
Aren't you more concerned about equipment than picture taking?

I have quite a few Canon lenses but they already paid itself many times and even if I will switch to Nikon it does not mean that I have to give them to
salvation army or trash

which gave you
satisfaction over the years. Do you really want to change all your lenses

No, but I can't mount them on Nikon body.

(and loose lots of money) just beacuse of a digicam which will most
probably be outperformed in less than 2 years?

Again you are more concerned about equipment than picture taking.

I am not going to buy D1 to loose money but to make money. In 2 years I will propobly buy another one (if I will keep my EF lenses maybe it will be
Canon

It´s up to you, but
remember: it´s not the camera which makes good pictures.

That is why I don't care if it is Canon or Nikon and for $5k range I don't have a choice. It is not my fault that Canon overslept

Janusz Blicharski
http://janusz.11net.c

 

[Yvan]

It was not my intention to question your choice or your experience, neither to express my concern about the camera-gear. I am the least one to believe that the gear or the brand makes the difference. I´ve been using Canon cameras professionally over 7 years doing about 2-3 rolls of film per day (press-photographer). Now that I´m no more in the press-business, I´ve changed to digital and belive it or not: to a Nikon (Coolpix 950). Not because Nikon would be better than Canon (or vice-versa), but because the Nikon suits my needs. Canon makes also excellent digital cameras (Pro70, S10), but for another kind of people. But if I was still needing a professional camera, I would stick to Canon (DCS2000 or wait until some new camera hits the market next year) because I wouldn´t want to change my lenses (the most important stuff in camera gear; far more important than the camera itself) every time a new camera comes out. That´s the same reason most professional press-photographers won´t change to a D1, unless they have already Nikon-gear. There are still a lot of people, especially beginners, who think that the D1 will make out of them professional photographers. If you do not belong to this people, that better. If like me, you turn to Nikon because you really believe that the D1 suits your needs and don´t want to change to Canon again, go ahead and you still have my respect.

 

[Janusz]

It was not my intention to question your choice or your experience,
neither to express my concern about the camera-gear.

Yvan,

Those discussion boards will be no discussion boards if we always agree with other people's opinions. There is nothing wrong about questioning

sombody's choice or experience. Snow is not always white and as a photographer you know why.

Janusz Blicharski
http://janusz.11net.com

 

[Danny #13324]

Snow is not always white and as a photographer you know why.

There is no 18% grey snow??

Danny

 

[Paul Smith]

But if I was still needing a professional camera, I would stick to Canon
(DCS2000 or wait until some new camera hits the market next year) because
I wouldn´t want to change my lenses (the most important stuff in camera
gear; far more important than the camera itself) every time a new camera
comes out. That´s the same reason most professional press-photographers
won´t change to a D1, unless they have already Nikon-gear.

Yvan, the reason there's a log waiting-list to get a D1 is because hundreds of press photographers and newspapers are clamouring to get them. I know of several UK newspapers that each had orders for over 20 of the cameras.

I took delivery of mine a couple of days ago and, so far, think it's great - not perfect, by any means, but it does what I bought it for and will both save me money (in film and processing) and make me money by being able to get pictures to my clients earlier. I'm sure that the camera will more than pay for itself within a year. If, in a year's time, there's a much better version then I'll probably buy it.

Luckily, I've always shot with Nikon so I already have a large complement of Nikon lenses. My greatest wish for now is for Nikon to produce a lens with the equivalent focal range of my 24 - 120mm zoom. The 17 - 35mm doesn't give me the necessary range at the long end and only just suffices for the short end. So, come on Nikon, let's have a 17 - 85mm zoom, it doesn't have to be F2.8, I'll settle for F3.5-5.6.

Cheers,

Paul Smith

 

[EricD]

I've been reading a lot of info on how people dislike the banding issued with the D1. The banding noise was just the last disappointment for me. I thought Id share my first experience with the camera and contrast it to the statements in this post. The D1 used was a very pleasing camera to have in my hands but the more I used it the more I became disappointed.

Hello all,
I thought this was a Nikon list... not a Nikon bash-fest. Buy the camera
if you want to or don't...

But I'm not into flame wars so I'll just post what I know.

Over the last week I have shot a significant number of images and paid
deadline assignments with both the DCS520 and the D1.
To whit, it works very well.......

• yes there is noise present in both cameras at higher ISO's and at the

extreme edge of the sensitivity range of the CCD's even at the lowest
"speeds".

• The slight D1 noise in my camera exhibits an odd horizontal pattern.

Odd & annoying. DCS noise is more random and heavier in the blue channel

• The D1 is much faster in image acquire (picture taking) and image

transfer (no conversion from TIFF to JPED in propretary softwares).

I was just reading where Kodak will be providing new firmware for their

cameras which will add in camera JPG and Tiff processing while keeping the original RAW Tiffs. As for JPG's it would be nice to have them when necessary but I'm not willing to give up the flexibility of lossless raw files. As far as the D1 noise goes, the examples I've seen have been intolerable (for me) above 400 ISO. The noise I've seen in the D1 images doesn't look like an easy thing to tackle. My 800 and 1000 ISO shots from a DCS520 are better than the D1 above 400 ISO. I can't begin to tell you how this disappointed me. Regardless, because of my excitement, I went on to use the camera on several shoots. There were a few things I was impressed with but nothing to convince ME the D1 was worth the $5000 price tag.

The first chance I got to shoot the D1 was at a football game. I began to use the camera in JPEG mode for the fist play. When I realized this I put the camera in a 2.7r mode I think and clicked off 10-12 images for the second play. When the third play started I wasn't able to get off another shot. Even during the third play I was only able to get 3 or 4 shots before the buffer filled again. I tried desperately to switch back to JPG mode but the camera sat there blinking at me for what seemed 2-3 minuets before it would even let me switch file modes. When I realized the D1 didn’t perform nearly as well outside of JPEG mode it was clear the D1 wasn't going to work out for me. Quite frankly, outside of JPG mode, the D1 was very frustrating to shoot in light of my experience with a DCS digital camera.

I amable to post-process and move D1 images into the layout system twice as
fast as the DCS thanks to the standard JPEG files of the D1

• The D1 image file is close to 2MB larger in Photoshop than the DCS

image. (7.5MB vs. 5.7) More data to work with in post-production means
better reproduction.

I’m not comfortable editing JPEG’s. I think you should point out when it comes to editing images, a 5.7 meg lossless raw file easily goes the distance with a 7.5 meg lossey JPG's. Every time a JPG file is saved it looses information. I would never feel comfortable editing a JPG file. I realize there are applications for JPG files but its difficult for me to imagine why a pro shooter would be willing to give up the flexibility of a Raw file for a lossy JPEG original.

• The D1 SB-28DX speedlight combo is so much better than DCS system that

it's not worth discussing.

The D1 I used worked very well with the SB-28DX speedlight. I think the

D1's auto scene balancing JPG files (auto white balanced and EV+ - corrected before they are saved as JPEG’s) help keep it more consistent than the results I've seen from the 620/SB-28D combo. I've used the 620's/strobe combo and it’s quite manageable after you get use to it. I've also used the DCS520 with an E-TTL strobe and it’s also very good.

• The D1 holds like a F5 in the hand. Feels perfect in size and weight

both for horizontal and vertical shooting, the DCS is very bulky and much
more difficult to hold vertically.

I agree that the D1's size is great! But you said you were a DCS520 shooter and the DCS520 is not difficult in my opinion to hold at all and my hands aren’t that big. The DCS620 was a bit bulky but nothing I couldn't get use to. I guess I don't mind the size differences that much.

• D1 NiMH battery lasts 2 to 3 times longer than the DCS NiCAD pack.

Yep, the basic difference between NiMH and NiCad is resistance to memory and life. The D1 I shot got me through about 2.5 hours of active shooting and still had a little life when I finished. The D1 battery has a big door molded to the end of it. The DCS cameras I've shot don't last quite as long but I can easily carry around several in my pocket's which don't have bulky doors attached to them.

• What noise there is in D1 images is so far at the end of the spectrum

as to not be a concern at all in newspaper or magazine repro. Learn good
Photoshop techniques - the D1 creates an image of such wide latitude that
the little noise is insignificant in the end.

The Noise/Banding I've seen in the D1 above 400 ISO, I have not been able to effectively remove with PhotoShop. Sorry, but I felt the banding I saw above 400 ISO was significant and I can't imagine it not showing in magazine print. If your fixing D1 JPEG's with PhotoShop how does it save you much time.

• D1 images are sharper shot for shot, what with no filter in front of

the mirror.

I noticed that but I think it was because the D1 is sharpening images in the camera as it processes JPEG files. That’s a lot of decisions being made for me at capture. Id rather have the option to do my own level of sharpening post capture. Anyway, both cameras have a filter in front of the CCD. I’ve never tried but I think you can take the filter out of the DCS so a filter does not influence your images at all.

• D1 viewfinder is much brighter than the DCS520 (EOS) and DCS 620 (F5)

due to the position of the low pass filter. (I assume)

I didn't see an appreciable difference in the view finder brightness of any of the cameras but the D1’s viewfinder was a bit more magnified than the DCS620’s viewfinder. I liked the red focus zone indicators similar to the ones on the DCS520. The DCS620's focus zone indicators are more difficult to see.

• The auto white balance of the D1 is amazingly accurate as it is TTL. No

exterior sensor to be fooled. Measures the light falling on your subject
not your camera body.

I thought the D1 auto white balanced was good in ideal lighting but when I shot the D1 under florescent lighting and other artificial sources I was less impressed as it never seemed to drive florescent lights to a good neutral. I tend to use the custom white balance feature on a DCS which again allows me to make the WB decision. On a DCS I can easily back the White balance out and change it to my liking. The whole point here is, with the D1 your stuck with a JPG that has been scene balanced relatively out of your control. If you want to change it you’re have to use PhotoShop controls and resave your file.

I saw some info on a site indicating that white balance is one 0f the improvments in the new firmware Kodak will release soon.

• The use of CompactFlash is very smart. Very small media (the Microdrive

is the size of a large postage stamp! - Amazing) coupled with the fact
that no high volume consumer cameras use PC cards, but that many use CF
means that CF cards will flourish and improve rapidly. A 1GIG IBM CF is
due in first quarter of 2000! A 340MB card already holds 245 or so pix
from the D1.

I used the D1 with a 64 meg CF and a 340 Microdrive card and it was fairly fast. It took about a 1/2 second longer to get a JPG file to the disk than the DCS takes to get a RAW tiff but as long as I was shooting JPG mode with the D1 it wasn't an issue. I guess the DCS cameras will be able to use dual CF, Microdrives, Type ll cards and type lll cards with the new firmware. I have to say I’m not a fan of large capacity storage cards. Large memory cards (1gig) can hold and loose a lot of hard work. I would rather use several smaller cards as a little insurance against accidental loss.

• The D1 has the F5 1005 point meter -- perfect exposures without worry

almost always.

• The LCD on the D1 is gorgeous, bright and sharp and has a clever cover

to protect from nose grease.

Can't say Id ever use a camera like the D1 with a cover on the LCD. Kinda defeats the LCD's purpose. Another thing I didn’t like about the LCD was the fact it crops the displayed image off at each horizontal end. I found this very annoying when I wanted to check a shot for content. Was the ball in the edge of the shot? Yep it was, to bad I could'nt see that until I got back to my PC. I did like the sharpness and size of the D1 LCD but quite honestly I found the LCD to be very slow when reviewing images. It was unexpectedly slow compared to the instant response on the DCS. I only use the LCD for image content and exposure information so the smaller LCD size on the DCS suits me. As for the nose grease on the LCD, that’s what your shirt is for

Did I mention that the camera is FAST! Anyone who shoots with an F5 or
F100 will be making pictures, good pictures, with a D1 in no time - the
D1 is that similar to those bodies in layout and control.

Did you try S (single shot) mode? I couldn’t believe it made me wait 2 or 3 seconds after each shot before allowing me to shoot another shot. The DCS cameras I’ve used allow me to shoot in S mode as fast as I can push the button until the buffer is full.

I’m curious here, I thought the D1 and DCS body controls were both very intuitive to use however I thought the D1 user interface (UI) was just plain clunky compared to the DCS. I thought some of the buttons on the D1 were to small to easily use and find in a dark environment. It appears the D1 was largely using the CP 950's UI, which never impressed me to begin with.

Say what you may but I have a very low serial number body in my hand and
it works very well. This is a great tool for newspaper photography and
can only get better with tweaking. As for me, it is the finest all around
digital SLR camera in the world right now, hands down.
It is perfect for my job, it may not be perfect for everyone.
The sooner I get my second body the happier I'll be.

I think my issue with the D1 was expectations. I think Nikon made a bit too much about it comparing it to a DCS 520 and DCS 620 as a lower cost replacement. I was very exited about the D1 after reading the spec sheet but I was truly disappointed when I got to use it especially outside of JPG mode. I always resented Kodak a little bit being the only company making cameras like the DCS520 and DCS620. I can honestly say I have a new appreciation for the work and forethought Kodak put into their current DCS products.

The D1 is not perfect for me, it may be perfect for someone else.

EricD