Summary: This camera is was an expensive piece of plastic junk and when it was stolen in 2004, i was able to replace it with a D2hs which quite frankly is a gem.
Strengths: In its day the 6 megapixels was good
Weaknesses: Slow focusing, useless in built flash, build quality atrocious, shutter lag unacceptable. USB 1.1 meant it took ages to download photos.
Summary: This camera is suitable for advanced amateurs and professional users. I understand some of the negative comments made here, but I also do not agree with them.
I think it is more difficult to get good results with this model than with later Nikon cameras that are aimed more at the amateur market. That said, with the D100 you can achieve top quality pictures and even in 2006, this camera remains up there with the finest DSLRs ever brought to market. The images are to my mind closer to film than you can get with many comparable models. Many of the best images you see on the web have been taken with the D100 camera and this is not a coincidence. It is a strength of this camera that it can produce bold, contrasty images with high resolution, subtle colour rendition and low noise. It is capable of producing commercial, punchy images, and this also makes it an ideal journalists camera.
The D100 handles better than all the other DSLRs I have used. The weight and balance of the camera, are excellent. Its not too heavy, yet feels robust, which is important if you are putting larges lenses on the body, which I do from time to time. The layout of the camera is clear and I like the fact that the ISO setting is on the main dial. Its not cluttered with a lot of settings you will never use like the D70 and D50.
To unlock the potential of the camera, you need to take RAW files and to process them using Nikon Capture (either version 4 or NX). You will get better results out of the camera if you first load a custom curve and doing this will eliminate any criticism that the camera underexposes. Out of the camera images can also seem soft because of the design of the anti-aliasing filter. You will achieve the best results by focussing the images with your software (rather than to rely upon in camera-sharpening). Three stage focussing techniques will help achieve the highest image quality. Its also important to master the D-Lighting function of Nikon Capture as mentioned by another reviewer. D100 images can also seem noisy at low ISOs, or after sharpening, but the noise reduction feature in Nikon Capture is excellent and eliminates the problem (at the expense of a slow write time for the resultant image file).
These techniques are not work-rounds to inherant flaws. They are essential techniques that you need to get the best out of any Nikon DSLR image file. Its just that with the D100, they are mandatory if you are to get the best possible results.
If you have moved beyond point and shoot photography, and are prepared to spend time developing your post-processing techniques, then in 2006, the D100 still deserves close consideration.
Strengths: Build (apart from the CF door).
Weight, balance, handling.
Sensible controls.
More subtle colours than you can achieve with cheaper Nikon DSLRs.
Top image quality (with appropriate processing).
Suitable for professional and advanced amateur users.
Commercial potential of images.
Freely available software for sensor remapping (the only DSLR for which such software is available).
Weaknesses: Slow buffer and write times.
Longer learning curve needed to release potential of RAW files.
Out of camera image quality can seem disappointing (esp. JPEG files)
Flash system has been superceded.
Summary: Good resolution, easy to use, ability to use all of your Nikon lenses. When you get the color balance right, the images are of a great quality. The cost is not too high, if you consider what some other digital cameras are going for. But maybe you get what you pay for. Poorly built, mine no longer works, and it was always handled with care.
Strengths: The image quality is good, especially in RAW mode. You can shoot in a variety of JPEG formats, and in TIFF and RAW, as well. It's easy to use, not heavy, the battery life seems to be long (but I haven't tried another DSLR to compare), and it's quite light. This is not a bulky camera and I feel like it's ergonomic. The main strength of this camera, for me, was simply that I could use my Nikon lenses with it. At the time I purchased it, there were much fewer Digital SLR's available. The manual's informative.
Weaknesses: Build quality is poor. Yes it's light, but it also feels like a plastic toy. I agree with the reviewers who said that the Auto White Balance doesn't work well. I would like to add that it works so badly, it's almost useless. The camera seems to have no idea of what the true temperature of the light is, so I'm constantly using the presets and adjusting it. Auto-focus is slow and inaccurate. When I use my friend's Canon equivalent I'm astounded at how much faster, smoother, quieter, and accurate the Auto-Focus is. When you shoot in RAW mode, even with a high-speed CF card, the camera works so slow it's almost unusable. And last, but definitely not least, my D100 no longer works, through no fault of my own. Yesterday I tried to turn it on and there was no response - it was completely dead. The manual offered some advice, none of which aided in the problem. This camera is DEAD. When you think about it, all the technical limitations of the camera are secondary, the bottom line is that I bought a $1500 camera and got less than 2 years of use out of it. I don't think I got my money's worth. My experience with this camera: a bad value and poorly built.
Summary: I have owned a D100 for over 2 years now and I am somewhat puzzled buy the poor reviews of this camera by some “Experts” and “Professionals”. The D100 is an excellent camera and everything you would expect from Nikon. I have spent hours browsing online photo galleries by numerous photographers and it has become uncanny how easy it is to identify D100 and other Nikon digital SLR photos. They are sharper and have better color and contrast.
One of the problems the “Experts/Professionals” seem to have with the D100 is its exposure programming. I would think that someone with as much understanding of photography as an “Expert/Professional” would be able to figure out what is happening here. Digital “film” is more like color slide film than color negative film; its exposure latitude is rather narrow. It has a strong tendency to washout detail in over-exposed highlights. Then again, digital tends to get noisy when underexposed. So it appears that Nikon has programmed the D100 to expose in a manner that sometimes appears to be slightly underexposed. But, come on, would Nikon leave you with that kind of finished product?
Don’t spend all that money on a Nikon Digital SLR, without buying “Nikon Capture 4 Editor”. Capture 4 contains a neat little tool called D-Lighting. D-Lighting rectifies what Nikon appears to have done to the D100’s exposure program in order to retain all of the photo’s detail and minimize noise. The results are fantastic. Frankly, I shoot .nef and do all of my editing in Capture 4. It’s a good program even though it could use some further refinement. It has pretty much replaced PS and PSP as my primary editor. Unfortunately, Nikon only sells Capture separately. In my opinion it’s a necessary addition to your Nikon.
The “Experts/Professionals” also complain about the D100’s metering system not working correctly all of the time. Did you guys ever wonder why Nikon left you with center-weighted and spot metering selections? As great as Matrix Metering is, it’s not going to work for every exposure. While Nikon’s multi-sensor metering (Matrix) is probably the best in the industry, none are universally usable in every situation.
As far as a problem with the D100’s white balance settings, I honestly don’t know what the “Experts/Professionals” are talking about. I find the D100’s white balance setting very accurate and reasonably adjustable. However, there is not a digital camera on the market with spot-on white balance under every light source. That’s why Nikon, and every serious camera manufacturer, provide the option of a manual preset. The “Experts/Professionals” will put color-correcting filters on their film camera lenses and studio lighting, yet complain about once in a while having to preset the white balance?
Ok, I do love my D100 but I will be the first to admit that the camera does have a couple of shortcomings. The one that I bump my head on the most is the limitations of the Continuous Shooting Mode. Five to seven frames and you have to wait until the buffer clears. I shoot moving aircraft regularly (I’m an airline pilot) and really envy the D70’s Continuous Mode. This shortcoming would seriously annoy anyone frequently shooting sports. The slow flash sync speed is another area that once in a while causes a little concern. Just keep in mind, that from manufacturer to manufacture and model to model, cameras are different, but it is simply a matter of learning the differences from one camera to another to make them deliver the results you expect. In one review someone complain that the D100’s mode select knob will lockup the camera until returned to a shooting mode. Well, so what! Learn to deal with the system. If you are in the back of my airliner do you want me to use the same landing technique I would use in my Piper Cub? Landing an airplane is an art very much like photography; learn to use the specific equipment you have and adapt to the current situation.
The D100 is a great camera and while not an amateur’s camera, I would highly recommend it for any intermediate or higher photographer. Well, maybe with the exception of a few “Experts/Professionals”.
Strengths: Versatility
Color
AF system
Exposure system
Build quality
Battery Life
Lens system availability
Flash system availability
Nikon Capture Editor
Similar Products Used: Numerous Nikon SLR film and digital cameras.
Customer Service: Very good. When brand new the flash would pop when it was retracted scorching the housing and flash lens. Problem eventually resolved itself but left the damage. NikonUSA replaced damaged parts, updated the firmware, cleaned the CCD, and replaced my lost viewfinder bumper. All for free. Only downside was the four week turn-a-round.
Summary: I am surprised at the bad press this camera gets. I own two of them and use them professionally every day. They take beautiful pictures and have never failed me yet.
I hear white balance complaints all the time but I have never experienced them. I suspect few people really understand the concept anyway.
For years we pros spent hours in the darkroom for every hour we shot film. Now that we are digital we expect beautiful pictures to spring out of the camera without work. Probably 90% of my news photos are published just as they came from the camera. Editorial is another thing altogether. Now my loupe is a 19" monitor and my doging wand is Photoshop. Accepting this, the D100 is a very fine camera.
This camera is great for the intermediate photographer. It is easy to use and the controls are intuitive. You can carry it all day. If you are a professional shooting news get the battery pack. Using the built in recorder rather than a pencil and notebook is nirvana!
The time for proper technique is when the photo is taken. Not later in Photoshop. I shoot almost everything on the Auto White Balance setting. Not swimming at noon however. Making the right choices in the field will insure you have what you need later.
For most photographers this camera is far more than they need. It will help the intermediate photographer get better.
I wish the flash would sync at 1/500th. I wish the buffer was a bit bigger. I use a card reader so I don't care about USB 1. The menus are clear and easy to use.
In all I think this camera is a solid hit and now that the prices are where they are, a real bargain. For sports, snag a D2H. It is very cool. Otherwise consider this camera. It will make you look very good.
Strengths: Wonderful color rendition.
Excellent skin tones.
Easy controls.
Good price.
As reliable as it can be.
Weaknesses: Slow flash sync.
Shutter is a bit noisy.
Similar Products Used: Most of the Nikon line.
Mamiya, Canon, Olympus....just about everything at one time or another.
Customer Service: I have had no problems either camera. I have called Nikon three times with questions. What could be better than 24 hour tech support? Nikon is a class act.
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