Nikon D2H DSLR launched today
- Thread starter AJ23
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Unfortunately I am not surprised, and I've known about the noise problem for some months now. The good news is, I've just seen and worked with some D2h pictures from the World Cup Final, and they are very good indeed. And I can also quite safely say that even in my worst perceptions of its noise characteristics, the camera was still going to be perfectly sufficient for its intended target market; that is to say, not well heeled amateurs who should be buying something else. The pictures I worked with a very pleasant surprise and very good indeed.
The D1 springs to mind.
Watcher said:
The D1 springs to mind.
robinchee
Member
Any D2H users tested the iTTL accuracy and features?
For indoors, how about trying a bounce shoot and then a straight shot with the same settings at various distances. Most of the time if you bounce vs shoot straight, some flash compensation is required on other digital and film cameras. Also when you shoot very near, vs very far (but still within flash range), flash compensation is required. In short, shooting flash with digital is usually an constant compensation exercises. With film (on a F5 and F100), compensation is only required for bounce.
For outdoors, how about trying the high speed flash sync. The flash is supposed to automatically TTL at any speed. As the D2H loses a stop (1/250) in sync speed (vs the D1h/D1x 1/500), does the high speed flash sync compensate for it? Supposed to lose some range, but not sure how much range you would lose at 1/500 s.
Thanks to the D2H users for posting their photos and feedback.
For indoors, how about trying a bounce shoot and then a straight shot with the same settings at various distances. Most of the time if you bounce vs shoot straight, some flash compensation is required on other digital and film cameras. Also when you shoot very near, vs very far (but still within flash range), flash compensation is required. In short, shooting flash with digital is usually an constant compensation exercises. With film (on a F5 and F100), compensation is only required for bounce.
For outdoors, how about trying the high speed flash sync. The flash is supposed to automatically TTL at any speed. As the D2H loses a stop (1/250) in sync speed (vs the D1h/D1x 1/500), does the high speed flash sync compensate for it? Supposed to lose some range, but not sure how much range you would lose at 1/500 s.
Thanks to the D2H users for posting their photos and feedback.
AJ23 said:
oh come on, this 4 megapixel miracle has been observed by EOS 1D users for wat...almost 2 plus years?!?!
all this hoopla over something that is new is amusing me. And i observe many are now quick to take the 1D to task for seemingly lacking features, forgetting that in 2001 there's nothing that can come close, and it took 2 yrs for the competition to reach the same level.
a complete joke? are u sure? thousands of 1D users have been depending on it for 2 yrs in a variety of shooting situations. Yeah i can imagine them peering into their little LCDs for focus confirmation during hectic shooting.
"Oh did i get the decisive moment? oh dear.... the LCD says i didn't. let's try it again. shucks can someone tell them to replay the last 5 secs of that goal? we need the pictures man!"
Yeah i wonder what these manufacturers are thinking. I mean, how can they miss out having a zommable LCD for the Nikon F5, the EOS 1v, among others?!?!?! Duh...how do working pros work those cameras without step zooming? Canon must have thought photgs have microscopic eyesights!
how could we have shot for yrs on film without the benefit of step zooming? oh the horrors...
ability to turn off flash temporarily, yes, very useful. Locking flash value - pls Canon has had it for years.
btw i guess u need to watch out that u dun accidentally press the DOF preview while attempting to squeeze that button.....
"hmm why does the image become darker....."
i guess then u need to do more research on the "other offerings". Again, the 2 yrs old 1D has it. And has the same resolution to boot! oh dear....
"one for the we-have-it-too-department"
all that from 1 week of use?
how long did u have the 1D and D1h on hand to test, and how extensive are ur focus tracking tests?
"Focus tracking is now improved! it's just more satisfactory!"
this one takes a cake. I see Nikon likes to release a brand new flash system and obsolete its older ones everytime they have a new feature. Are all of these flashes backward compatible i wonder? is anyone keeping count of the number of flash systems?
- "truly workable wireless capability"
I dunno, my STE2 wireless transmitter, and the 550EX and 420EX have been truly wireless for 2 years, and the 550EX can act as a master transmitter without having to buy an additional external transmitter.
And locking flash exposure values has been a capability of the EX flashes for YEARS. Best of all, the same EX flashes can be used without loss of function on film bodies.
"Look ma, another flash system! see, no wires!"
i like the word "cameraness". it really sums up why this D2h is so mythical, and why so many want to buy it.
"It's the camera, stupid! Who cares wat we shoot??!"
Vinnievinyl
Member
Hi all,
Noise level of D10 and S2pro is lower they can be. But than what about the image detail, tone and other important factor for a good image? I only hope the review could be much more in depth. The noise of the image can always be lower by means of software. Nikon capture 3, 3.5 and 4 also has noise reduction function with some scarification on image detail. Are 10D and S2pro using the same algorithm in lowering their noise level?
I have attached a full size cropped image shot using D2h in ISO800 setting. You guys could probably try using some 3rd party noise reduction software(Neat image) to twig with it or print it out to see the image. You can also try by up sizing it by Bicubic interpolation method to see how the D2h image is different from the rest.
The image was converted from Raw without any PS twigging, feel free to applied any PS enhancement to see the effect.(USM, Level etc)
Last but not least, I'm sure D2h is only out to compete with the Canon 1D. Although 1D only has a resolution of 4.1MP, I still think it is a better pro camera compare to 10D. I Bought the D2h also mainly because it is in many aspect similar to the 1D.
Cheers
Vincent
Noise level of D10 and S2pro is lower they can be. But than what about the image detail, tone and other important factor for a good image? I only hope the review could be much more in depth. The noise of the image can always be lower by means of software. Nikon capture 3, 3.5 and 4 also has noise reduction function with some scarification on image detail. Are 10D and S2pro using the same algorithm in lowering their noise level?
I have attached a full size cropped image shot using D2h in ISO800 setting. You guys could probably try using some 3rd party noise reduction software(Neat image) to twig with it or print it out to see the image. You can also try by up sizing it by Bicubic interpolation method to see how the D2h image is different from the rest.
The image was converted from Raw without any PS twigging, feel free to applied any PS enhancement to see the effect.(USM, Level etc)
Last but not least, I'm sure D2h is only out to compete with the Canon 1D. Although 1D only has a resolution of 4.1MP, I still think it is a better pro camera compare to 10D. I Bought the D2h also mainly because it is in many aspect similar to the 1D.
Cheers
Vincent
RD,
First and foremost, thanks for the very insightful view, I am sure you mistook some of my postings. Lets get into the details ...
(1) Yes, IMO giving the convenience of a digital system without equipping it with the very essence of what it should actually help to do is a serious oversight, there is no excuse for this, period ;
(2) Canon has this ages, yes I am aware of that but that happen to be just one thing it can do. FYI, it can be used to disable the flash, lock the flash value, bracket your shots, spot meter, cw meter and matrix meter, etc. All these at a logically placed location, at least for the Nikon users. Please don't go around telling me or anyone else you can accidentally press the DOF preview button cuz we have the DOF preview button for nearly all our bodies and for years too, unlike ... you know, so we are quite aware of its "location" on our system, thank you ;
(3) Do read this point again. I said, logically placed and works well, I am not saying it has it and others don't. Now, try taking a series of shots in mixed lighting conditions with the 1D, and do the same for the D1H and D2H. See the difference in nailing the correct WB. In my personal experience, the 1D with the external ambient sensor and the D1H (without any) managed some shots but the hit rate isn't as impressive. That is not the case with the D2H, it is not something that can be explained, nor I am saying it is all perfect but the result is truly very reassuring, do give it a spin in the abovesaid conditions (extensively if possible) and you will get the idea ;
(4) It is not just 1 week. I can't say much in details but it is longer than what you would expect. The longest period I had spent with the EOS system is for about a month and yes, I shot with both cameras in baseball games, and other sporting events as a guest photographer in Xing Shou Shi Jie, a local magazine published in the Kaoshiung region, Taiwan. This is when I covered a week long baseball tournament in the southern county stadiums. The opinion is not to put down the 1D's capability because in reality, it is truly a swift and sleek machine but though it locks on faster it is IMHO that it is less confident in holding on to a lock than the D1H. This is especially true in stadium conditions at night where lighting is quite limited. Of course, I won't call this an extremely extensive test but I was given the same feedback from some fellow sports photographers I know that they noticed this "syndrome". Also, as a sidenote, I find the AF sensors too concentrated to the center portion to my likings. As for the D2H, my findings so far, and basing on my experience with the D1H, I find it to be discernibly better and more confident so to say, especially in even lower lighting conditions ;
(5) Well, I am not sure, or you may think I am not qualified to judge this as a non-Canon user but deep down, or somehow, do offer us your extensive experience on the "wireless option" in your system. I am all ears to its what is from you description, a really kickass system. Also, there is no loss of functions for the DX and the latest SB-800 speedlights if they are to be used on Nikon's film bodies too, just FYI ;
(6) Likewise, I like this word too but before that, the credit goes to Rob Galbraith for the use of this word, "cameraness" as a term to describe the ergonomics and physical working capability of the camera. That is, if you get what I really mean without the use of any pun.
Lastly, my post is provided to SS for his question, it is in no way an attack towards users of any other systems. The experience I provided above are based actual usage and insights I had with them.
That said, my usual stand remains, regardless of what Canon or other manufacturers are to offer, even if they are "miles better" than what my system can offer, they will not be relevant to me unless they are capable of taking F-mount lenses. As such, please refrain from turning this discussion into a brand orientated flamewar.
Thank you.
First and foremost, thanks for the very insightful view, I am sure you mistook some of my postings. Lets get into the details ...
(1) Yes, IMO giving the convenience of a digital system without equipping it with the very essence of what it should actually help to do is a serious oversight, there is no excuse for this, period ;
(2) Canon has this ages, yes I am aware of that but that happen to be just one thing it can do. FYI, it can be used to disable the flash, lock the flash value, bracket your shots, spot meter, cw meter and matrix meter, etc. All these at a logically placed location, at least for the Nikon users. Please don't go around telling me or anyone else you can accidentally press the DOF preview button cuz we have the DOF preview button for nearly all our bodies and for years too, unlike ... you know, so we are quite aware of its "location" on our system, thank you ;
(3) Do read this point again. I said, logically placed and works well, I am not saying it has it and others don't. Now, try taking a series of shots in mixed lighting conditions with the 1D, and do the same for the D1H and D2H. See the difference in nailing the correct WB. In my personal experience, the 1D with the external ambient sensor and the D1H (without any) managed some shots but the hit rate isn't as impressive. That is not the case with the D2H, it is not something that can be explained, nor I am saying it is all perfect but the result is truly very reassuring, do give it a spin in the abovesaid conditions (extensively if possible) and you will get the idea ;
(4) It is not just 1 week. I can't say much in details but it is longer than what you would expect. The longest period I had spent with the EOS system is for about a month and yes, I shot with both cameras in baseball games, and other sporting events as a guest photographer in Xing Shou Shi Jie, a local magazine published in the Kaoshiung region, Taiwan. This is when I covered a week long baseball tournament in the southern county stadiums. The opinion is not to put down the 1D's capability because in reality, it is truly a swift and sleek machine but though it locks on faster it is IMHO that it is less confident in holding on to a lock than the D1H. This is especially true in stadium conditions at night where lighting is quite limited. Of course, I won't call this an extremely extensive test but I was given the same feedback from some fellow sports photographers I know that they noticed this "syndrome". Also, as a sidenote, I find the AF sensors too concentrated to the center portion to my likings. As for the D2H, my findings so far, and basing on my experience with the D1H, I find it to be discernibly better and more confident so to say, especially in even lower lighting conditions ;
(5) Well, I am not sure, or you may think I am not qualified to judge this as a non-Canon user but deep down, or somehow, do offer us your extensive experience on the "wireless option" in your system. I am all ears to its what is from you description, a really kickass system. Also, there is no loss of functions for the DX and the latest SB-800 speedlights if they are to be used on Nikon's film bodies too, just FYI ;
(6) Likewise, I like this word too but before that, the credit goes to Rob Galbraith for the use of this word, "cameraness" as a term to describe the ergonomics and physical working capability of the camera. That is, if you get what I really mean without the use of any pun.
Lastly, my post is provided to SS for his question, it is in no way an attack towards users of any other systems. The experience I provided above are based actual usage and insights I had with them.
That said, my usual stand remains, regardless of what Canon or other manufacturers are to offer, even if they are "miles better" than what my system can offer, they will not be relevant to me unless they are capable of taking F-mount lenses. As such, please refrain from turning this discussion into a brand orientated flamewar.
Thank you.
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