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Reviewed by UK Guest, 25th Apr 2004. |
| Review Summary: 18 months on - one of the soundest purchases I ever made |
Overall Score: 5/5
 
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Review: We have been using a pair of D100s now for about 18 months. Our pictures have appeared in newspapers and magazines, on billboards, bus and trainadverts, as well as brochures, modelling portfolios, flyers and otherpromotional material.
We've also used them alongside press photographers working with the D1 andthe D2, which has given us a lot of opportunities for discussion andcomparison.
We stand by all of the comments we originally made on this camera - at itsprice point the overall quality and range of features are extraordinary.Nikon currently classify the D100, the D1 and the D2 as professionalequipment, whereas the just released D70 is classified as high-endamateur.
Comparison to the D1 and D2 series cameras
The D100 scores over the higher priced D1 and D2 in that its resolution is50% larger, which makes it suitable for a wide variety of local andregional advertising such as bus campaigns. Without enhancement, the D100resolution is just big enough when used portrait to cover the height of astandard billboard without further enhancement.
The D100 is plastic framed, whereas the D1 and D2 have metal frames. Aspress workhorses, this makes them far more robust, but photographers haveoften commented that they would rather have the D100.
However, the real advantage of the pricier cameras is in their sustainedframe rate. The D1 will spit out 10 shots a second, whereas the D100 ismuch more leisurely at 3 frames a second. There is also a lag betweenpressing and the shutter releasing which is annoying when shooting a fastmoving subject. The D1 and D2 are firewire equipped, whereas the the D100uses USB, which slows transfer of large numbers of images, although thedifference is merely inconvenient in most situations.
On the professional series, therefore, our conclusion is that if yourequire speed and robustness, the D1 or D2 is the appropriate choice. Onthe other hand, if you are relatively careful with your equipment but needthe maximum in image quality, the D100 is a better (and far cheaper)choice.
Maximising image quality on the D100
In terms of image quality, we have discovered that the ultimate accessoryto the D100 is Nikon Capture 4.1. This software is provided as a thirtyday trial with the camera, and retails for around GBP 100. Its advantageis that it opens up the full world of Nikon raw pictures, the NEF format.A free Photoshop plugin for NEF is included with the camera, but this isstrictly limited in its functions. Using Nikon Capture, it is possible toadjust all the non-mechanical parameters in the camera after the event. Inother words, instead of being stuck with the original choices of whitebalance, sharpening, noise filter and colour mode, you can edit themdirectly without degrading the image. Capture also offers you up to 2stops of exposure compensation in either direction, and a full suite ofdetail enhancement and colour balancing tools. Even after you have madethese adjustments and saved them, you can go back to the original becausethe raw file itself is not altered, only the processing instructions.
Essentially, NEF is the equivalent of negatives whereas TIFF or JPEG arethe equivalent of prints. The downside is that the D100 will only shoot 3NEFs before its memory buffer is full, and it will then spend some timetransferring to its memory card. Nonetheless, where quality is an issue,NEF takes us several stages beyond anything which can be achieved bypost-processing TIFFs or JPEGs in Photoshop.
It is still important to understand that the D100 does not reach thequality of film. For ultimate quality, shoot on a film based SLR or,better, medium-format.
Lenses
Because the CCD on Nikon's digital range of SLRs is smaller than 135 film,lenses behave as if they were comparatively longer. Thus, a 35mm lens forthe D100 is the equivalent of the 'normal' 50mm lens for film.Unfortunately, Nikon have been slow to release prime lenses for theirdigital range, and the fastest available Nikkor 35mm is only f2. However,the D100's built in shake compensation option substantially improvesperformance at lower speeds.
All your old Nikon lenses will work with the D100, even the manual ones.However, there are now Nikkor DX lenses which are specifically targettedat the digital range. At the time of writing, (aside from the fish-eyelens) these are all zoom lenses, which inevitably introduce a measure ofoptical compromise.
Comparison to the D70
The D70 is Nikon's newcomer, and is around GBP 300 cheaper than the D100.It is lighter (which in the Nikon world usually means less robust) and istargetted at the enthusiast, with more hand holding including specialpicture modes. In terms of specification, the D70 is as good as or betterthan the D100 in its electronics. However, it is less expandable and willnot, for example, accommodate a separate power grip with voice recordingand additional batteries. With a recent Nikkor lens, battery life on bothcameras is extremely good. However, with some of the early autofocuslenses, such as the highly rated Micro-Nikkor 55, the power drain is muchgreater.
On comparison, my buying advice would be to go with the D100 if you intendto use the camera in any professional capacity, and to go with the D1 orD2 if you are regularly shooting for newspapers, especially if you coversports events. By 'professional' I mean using the camera as part of yourlivelihood. On the other hand, if you are a serious amateur, the D70 willproduce pictures which are as good as any the D100 can manage, and 1.5x aslarge as D1 or D2 pictures.
If you are comparing the D100 with non-Nikon digital equipment, then yourmain points of comparison should be 1) optics and 2) brand reputation. Interms of optics, Nikkor lenses maintain their reputation as the ultimatein the 35mm and digital world. More to the point, there is now a verybroad pool of second hand lenses available, many at silly prices. You_can_ access Nikkor optics through the Fuji range, but there is anintrinsic risk: Nikon are committed to supporting their own products,there is no guarantee that their future lenses will be Fuji compatible. |
Ratings
| Value For Money: |
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5 |
| Review Score: |
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5 |
| Recommended? | |
Yes |
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Digital Cameras