Lest anybody think I was trashing either camera, totally dismiss
those negative thoughts. Both the 5D and D200 are very fine
cameras--of which I'd successfully be able to use and wouldn't
have any doubts of success.
I wanted to test them with the battery grips because that is how
I'd use them unless travelling light. My bugaboo with the Canon
grip was definitely present with the 5D. It just doesn't have
enough finger-tip room and I feel like I'm filing my fingernails
down while using the camera. The D200's grip is
ever-so-slightly deeper and more angular which gives my
figertips a home. Also, the thumb location is recessed which
gives the thumb a comfortable pinch to the camera too. The
handling and control layout of the D200 is so much like the E-1.
The viewfinder's digital readouts are better to me because their
brightness and size and specific color is friendlier to my eyes.
The D200's just seem too small, but the full-time ISO display is
nice. You gotta love that LCD display on the top! Wow. Also,
the rear LCD on the Nikon is outstanding.
When I bought the A1 and the E-1 I very much enjoyed the new
"features" and capabilities the cameras offered me over my old
film cameras. However, what has happened is my eventual
migration back to the "basic" features of the cameras. I'm
shooting in Manual Exposure and Manual Focus modes more now than
I have in years. When I compare the "feature list" of the E-1
to the D200, it's almost embarassing. What a featureless tub
the E-1 is. However, what few "extras" the camera has, I barely
if ever use. As a person who primarily shoots RAW there are a
lot of settings and capabilities of these cameras which will
never be used. When you compare the "essential basics" there
really isn't much of any difference between any of these
cameras.
"More, Better, Faster" is really the mantra that is marketing
the new models. If "Enough, Good, Fast" is meeting the needs, a
person can pretty well ignore the new models. Unfortunately, I
am at a point where I could use "More, Better, Faster", however,
none of these cameras (other than the D2X--yowza), have any draw
for me. They're OK, and fine tools, but they just lack that "ah"
factor. The D2X is a camera I can sink my teath into, but not
at that cost.
I'm reminded of the time I bought my first Mamiya. This was a
camera which had few "features", but had a distinct
"professional tool" aspect to it. All three of my Mamiya
systems felt the same way. They demanded the best from you and
when YOU delivered, THEY delivered. They were "systems" cameras
which were part of a much larger world of professional tooldum.
My Crown Graphic was the same way. Just because a camera takes
interchangeable lenses doesn't make it a "systems" camera.
Walt's modular setup is proof of this.
My point is, Canon and Nikon both have developed extensive
"systems" which to some extent include legacy componants, but
even at that, there are plenty of shortcomings and
incompatibilities.
I'm not a person who just has to have the latest/greatest, but I
do appreciate out-of-box thinking. The D200 has quite a few
"fresh" features, whereas the 5D is largely the same camera as
the D60. Subtle changes and improvements with each new model,
but nothing earth-shattering. The biggest addition to the
system lately is the "Print" button. You know how much I've
been deriding Olympus for not having a "Print" button on the
E-1. Screw the megapixels, give me my "Print" button!
Ok, so with a new camera I gain megapixels. Anything more?
Well, for the occasional time I shoot sports, the extra
frame-rate would be nice. Anything more? Yeah, faster AF when
I'm not manually focusing would be nice. What else? The 2x3
aspect ratio does have it's advantages when doing some
landscapes. What else? I really want my "Print" button.
In reality, the only thing I'm really missing is the megapixels.
Everything else is "nice to have", but kinda falls into the
category of cupholders for the third row seat in a minivan.
You're right, Moose, maybe I'm not ready for a replacement
camera.
AG
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