Repair/replace question

jswoolf01

Advice wanted, please:

My Nikon D2H just died on me. I'm pretty sure I know the problem: the shutter mechanism failed, despite having only 83,000 actuations on it. It failed to come back down after taking a shot, and now it acts flaky when I press the shutter button, sometimes it comes back down, sometimes not, sometimes partway. In any case it isn't usable.

I have two other bodies, a D80 and a D200. I do a lot of shooting for an action-photography company which requires fast, accurate focusing above all else, and for which a secondary control set is very helpful; I use the D2H for that. I use the D200 for most of my own serious shooting, and the D80 for casual stuff and as a backup body.

I figure I have three choices:

1) simply drop the D2H and continue with the D200 as primary and D80 as backup body.

2) get the D2H repaired.

3) replace the D2H with a more advanced body. If I go this route, then focusing speed and better low-light performance are critical.

Any suggestions?

-- Jon W.

ziggy53

The Nikon D3/D3s would be my first recommendations for what you describe as the primary use of fast action photography. The only downside is that your lenses would have a wider FOV than you are probably accustomed to. The D700 would be a reasonable second choice but with the same FOV caution. Coming from a D2H you could compensate by cropping if 4 MPix is all that's required.

A Nikon D300/D300s is probably closer to a direct modern replacement and I think you would find AF speed acceptable, although I believe that the single digit cameras are better and even the D700 is generally considered a little faster.

If the D200 meets your criteria for AF speed and accuracy then by all means use it. I do believe that in most other respects the D200 image quality is roughly equal to the D2H/D2Hs once the image has been normalized to 4 MPix.

Qarik

repair your d2h and then sell it along with d80. Use the proceeds for D700 or at least D300s.

ziggy53

Qarik wrote: »

repair your d2h and then sell it along with d80. Use the proceeds for D700 or at least D300s.

If Nikon replaced both the shutter and the mirror box, which they might do based on the number of actuations, then repair costs might (likely) exceed the usual value of a D2H camera (especially if you include shipping costs).

jswoolf01

Ziggy: unfortunately, even a used D3 is far beyond my budget right now. I should have added that I'm on a shoestring, budget-wise. Any new camera body will have to be either a lower-range one, like a D90, or else used.

I realize that the D90 isn't considered a pro-quality camera, but truthfully, if I can't get a D3 (and I can't), then the D90's max ISO of 3200 looks attractive. The quality at that setting is at least passable according to the reviews I've read, and it might let me use a decent shutter speed even under the poor lighting of a typical indoor riding arena. Have you ever used a D90? Any comments on its quality?

ziggy53

jswoolf01 wrote: »

... I realize that the D90 isn't considered a pro-quality camera, but truthfully, if I can't get a D3 (and I can't), then the D90's max ISO of 3200 looks attractive. The quality at that setting is at least passable according to the reviews I've read, and it might let me use a decent shutter speed even under the poor lighting of a typical indoor riding arena. Have you ever used a D90? Any comments on its quality?

The D90 does fine for image quality and in those terms it can match the D300 nicely. The AF section is not up to rapid action. If you are used to the D2H then the D90 would likely feel like a downgrade in terms of AF speed and general responsiveness. (Camera responsiveness includes things like shutter lag, mirror blackout and frame rate.)

Lens selection may also become an issue but the D90 has similar lens compatibility to your D80.

Since your original primary consideration was AF speed and accuracy, I don't think that the D90 would be a primary recommendation.