What to look for in a camera body?

[DRB022]

So Nikon makes a bunch of cameras, and every single one from the D5000 through the new D3S has 12 MP. So why buy any of the more expensive ones?

 

[PhotoXopher]

There's much more to photography than megapixels.

Off the top of my head:
Build, frames per second, ISO abilities, features, dedicated buttons, inputs, outputs...

 

[itznfb]

The D3s has built in awesomeness.

 

[Big Mike]

Some have a larger (physical size) sensor....that's a big plus.

One of the easiest ways to figure this out...is to go into a camera store and ask to see two cameras...the top of the line and the entry level DSLR. handle them for a few seconds and the differences should be a little more clear.

 

[Garbz]

How about the fact that a D90 is expected to clonk out after some 50000 photos, where as the D3 are rated to well over 150000.

What you pay is for the refinement not the megapixels. Build quality (metal bodies that'll survive a fall an environmental sealing), more features (faster frame rate, ability to store custom white balance and select exact kelvin values), better designed sensors (yes it's still 12mpx but the system probably produces less noise), larger sensors (full frame 12mpx is quite a different beast to APS-C 12mpx), and many other refinements like that.

 

[PhotoXopher]

How about the fact that a D90 is expected to clonk out after some 50000 photos, where as the D3 are rated to well over 150000.

D90 is rated at 150,000 shutter actuations, D80 is 100,000 I believe... Actually I'm not sure if any of Nikon's DSLR's are rated as low as 50,000 now that I think about it.

 

[Derrel]

Straight from Nikon's own web page:
D90 from Nikon

"Durable, high precision shutter: Testing to over 100,000 cycles assures shutter life and accuracy."

They are not guaranteeing 100,000 cycles--they test the shutter design to that many cycles,and apparently, most make it.

http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Digital-SLR/25434/D3.html

"Nikon's self-diagnostic shutter system: Tested to 300,000 cycles, this system is a clear indication of advanced engineering and durable construction."


If you get your Nikon information from Garbz, be prepared for bogus, half-wrong information; I would say his estimation that the D3's shutter lasting for well over 150,000 cycles is quite far off when Nikon is specifying the D3 for a duty cycle of 300,000.

 

[DRB022]

Okay so the biggest argument I see is the duty cycle. So if you drop $5200 for the D3S Body then it dies after 300,000 pics, wouldn't it make sense to just get 6 D5000 bodies and get about twice the pic number? Yeah I know that picture quality is a little bit better with a D3S or D3 (notice I'm leaving the way-to-stupidly-good D3X out of this argument), but the lens is more important than the body and it seems like unless you actually make a living taking photos you get WAY more bang-for-your-buck with a D5000 or D90. Correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[Garbz]

If you get your Nikon information from Garbz, be prepared for bogus, half-wrong information; I would say his estimation that the D3's shutter lasting for well over 150,000 cycles is quite far off when Nikon is specifying the D3 for a duty cycle of 300,000.

I like how you personally attacked me for getting that wrong, but said nothing about N0YZE. You're a wealth of information Derrel, but an absolute arse.

So was the point of my post the exact shutter rating, or the fact that the more expensive body has twice the rating as the cheap one? Way to go getting worked up about trivial numbers.

 

[IgsEMT]

So Nikon makes a bunch of cameras, and every single one from the D5000 through the new D3S has 12 MP. So why buy any of the more expensive ones?

DRB, in your profile, it says that you have D40 and D5000, why have two similar style bodies?
So to add to the following

Build, frames per second, ISO abilities, features, dedicated buttons, inputs, outputs

I'd love to see you grab d5000 and yank a lens on w/o autofocus motor and use AF :thumbup:
So here's a quick difference, lets say D90, D300, D300s, D700.
D90 - good at high ISO, doesn't have the PC connection, so you can't connect a radio to it, unless you buy an adapter or via sb800flash.
D300 - does have the pc sync, is better built but lack the video (for me, video isn't important feature.)
D300s - its like d90+d300 all in one.
D700 - Fx, larger sensor thus compating ISO 1600 w/ d90 or d300, d700 will be cleaner.
There is a reason why these cameras are out there and why folks who shoot for living buy them. For a beginner it might not matter, for someone who has to shoot 100-200 weddings a year, having a reliable body is a must.

Hope that at least partially helps.

 

[jdag]

Steak at TGIFriday's = $11.99
Steal at Morton's (or Capital Grille, or Smith & Wolensky, etc.) = $50
They are both the same beef, right?

 

[IgsEMT]

Steak at TGIFriday's = $11.99
Steal at Morton's (or Capital Grille, or Smith & Wolensky, etc.) = $50
They are both the same beef, right?

There is a place in NY called Peter Luger Steakhouse. Number of years ago, my ex girlfriend (now Wife ) went there. We left with $200 less and didn't enjoy that stake ONE BIT. I see your point but I'll take TGIF or Outback over PeterLuger any day. :lmao:

 

[Derrel]

One feature you might find is that on the cheaper, pentamirror bodies, the view through the viewfinder is slightly dimmer and less-contrasty than it is through the top-level bodies which use a heavy,solid all-glass pentaprism.

Cheaper bodies use pentamirror viewfinders. Also, on the lower-end bodies, the mirror is slightly smaller than on the high-end bodies, and when using long lenses of 500 and 600mm, the undersized mirror causes a steep,visible drop-off of the image. Not many people would know this, but it's common. "oversized mirrors" used to be touted by camera makers 30 years ago, but users of $350 Nikons will probably never care how a 500 or 600 frames a scene.

Higher-end bodies also have MUCH faster shutter lag time, and a much faster (ie, shorter) mirror black-out time, which has now become known at latency. Its not just the firing rate but the time the mirror takes to go up,and return to viewing position. With a professional-class Nikon, the ultra-fast shutter lag time AND the much faster latency or mirror blackout time, it is significantly easier to "time your shot" and easier to judge how your timing was. A real world example is Pac-10 football field goals and kick offs; with the D70, you have to press the shutter release button as the kicker's leg reaches the back or "cocked" position in order to capture the impact of the foot on the ball; with a D2x, you have about 3 times more margin for error,and can begin the shutter release about halfway between cocked back and halfway to the ball; the camera is "that much faster".

The more costly Nikons are very different from the consumer-level models. But the biggest visible difference is the pentamirror vs pentaprism. AF sophistiation is a big difference; if a Nikon costs $1,500 or more, it gets the "pro" AF system.

 

[musicaleCA]

And cheaper bodies have 90-whatever-% viewfinders instead of 100%. And they probably have lower-quality LCD's (not that that matters much). And they look cooler. And they do stuff.

As Garbz put it so well, you pay for the refinements to the camera. And there's a lot to be said for durability and weather sealing. I love having my 24-70 and 70-200 duo on my two 7D bodies, and no having to worry about a little rain here in Vancouver when I'm shooting. That alone is a huge plus. (Plus the 70-200 has a deep hood, covering the front element from rain, and the 24-70 has a similarly deep hood, with the front element zooming inside the hood, rather than the hood being attached to the front element. When it's raining, I don't have to worry so much about water getting on the front element. Yet another big bonus to having top-end gear with very solid, sturdy design.)

In the end, you pay for the refinements—those little things that will make your life ever so much easier. That and durability. For the person shooting constantly, every day or almost every day, durability is not a nice thing to have, it's a necessity.

 

[KmH]

So Nikon makes a bunch of cameras, and every single one from the D5000 through the new D3S has 12 MP. So why buy any of the more expensive ones?

• Auto-bracketing
• CLS
• More focus points
• better AF module
• external buttons for faster setting changes
• availability of Nikon verticle grips
• places to plug in external microphones, PC sync cable, wired remotes
• multiple memory card slots
• more fps in burst mode
• higher shutter speeds
• can AF using non/AF-S lenses
• top LCD
• 2 command dials
• Full non-compressed RAW capture
• better viewfinders

There's more, but that will be a good start.