Another D80 Vs. D200 question

[LucyZ]

I have been researching these two trying to determine which would be the better buy. They both are about $600 now. Other then the metal/plastic frame there doesn't seem to be much difference. Is one a better camera? I have noticed that neither B & H or Adorama carry the D200. Is that because it is considered an obsolete model? Thanks for any help.

 

[epp_b]

The D80 and D200 has the same sensor, but there are many significant feature differences. The sturdier build quality and weather sealing are the first things you'll notice on the D200, but it also has many other things like more dedicated controls, metering with non-CPU lenses, more custom functions, etc.

If you can get either for around the same price, get the D200, no question.

 

[JerryPH]

It goes a little beyond that... though the sensors are the same, they sure do NOT perform the same.

The D80 is a consumer camera, the D200 was designed as a prosumer camera, and does get better results. I do not see many D80's with as clean an ISO 1600 as the D200.

Example:

There is also the fact that a D200 is weather sealed and has a faster focus acquisition and double the shutter life. If you can get both for about the same price, there is no comparison... get the D200.

The reason the D200 is no longer carried is that it was replaced by the D300 and is no longer manufactured.

 

[epp_b]

That is awfully clean for ISO 1600 on that sensor! Mind posting a 100% crop of the out of focus area before running it through noise removal (if any)?

 

[N1LSS]

Wow, that really is clear for 1600

 

[djacobox372]

I have been researching these two trying to determine which would be the better buy. They both are about $600 now. Other then the metal/plastic frame there doesn't seem to be much difference. Is one a better camera? I have noticed that neither B & H or Adorama carry the D200. Is that because it is considered an obsolete model? Thanks for any help.

For the same price, it's a no-brainer... the d80 is the plastic cheapo version of the d200.

The ONLY pro of the d80 over the d200 is battery life, the d200 had rather poor batter life.

The d80 is also lighter, but only because it's made of cheap plastic (okay it's probably "expensive plastic").

The d200 has better controls, shoots faster, has more in-camera functionality, and most importantly to me: it meters with nearly every nikon lens ever made! Nikon has made incredible SLR lenses for more then 30 years--with the d200 you can use nearly every one of them with full metering. The d80 requires that the lens be a modern computerized version, otherwise you have to guess your exposure.