Customer Reviews

Nikon D100 6MP Digital SLR Camera

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I'm not a professional photographer. I don't make a living off of my pictures. Most pros I've seen would opt for the much more expensive D1x or Canon EOS-1D as their primary DSLR, but wouldn't hesitate to have a D100 in their bag as a backup. If you're a very serious amateur or have professional aspirations, look no further than Nikon's new D100. At 6.1 MP, it can easily compete with standard 35mm film cameras up to 8x10 prints and beyond. Most people in this market will be wrestling between the D100 and the Canon D60. I'm not wed to Nikon, so the deciding factor in my selection was availability, price, and overall feel. The D100 just felt better and more substantial--with better switchgear--than the Canon. In most head-to-head reviews they usually come out in a draw, leaving it up to you to decide. They each possess strengths and weaknesses that the other doesn't, which balance the reviews without a clear nod to one over the other. Generally, most reviews tend to favor the sharpness of the Canon for still or studio work and the Nikon for outdoor or action work. The easiest decision will be whether you're fortunate enough to already have an existing lens collection. If you do, then the decision has already been made. If not, you can't go wrong getting the D100. There simply isn't enough room for a detailed review of the D100 in an Amazon blurb, but you'd be well advised to check out sites like DPreview.com (especially) and a myriad of others like StevesDigicams.com, etc. I would recommend getting the MB-D100 multifunction battery grip too. It adds another battery and the ability to use six (6) AA's in a pinch, plus it gives you a vertical grip, shutter release, and duplicate controls when in portrait mode, as well as a mini microphone and speaker that allow you to record voice remarks for each photo if you desire.

Naturally, the D100's image quality is astounding. Mated with quality lenses and proper technique you are left with no excuse for not producing the best photos you've ever taken. Friends and onlookers will drool with envy where ever you go, because you just can't hide a D100 with an MB-D100 grip and a fast AF 80-200mm f/2.8 ED IF zoom in your shirt pocket--forget about candids.

It's big, it's heavy, and it's all Nikon--and everyone will know that you're serious about your picture taking.

I have been buying various digital cameras for the past 4 years, starting with the 2 megapixel Olympus C-2020, then trading up to the C-3030 and eventually the 3 mp C-4040. Although these cameras take wonderful photos and are a great form factor for travelling, etc, they all suffered from one significant shortcoming: shutter lag. So, I was inspired to pay the higher price for a digital SLR.

I now have the Nikon D100 with a variety of lenses and I can enthusiastically say that it is the best camera I have ever used -- digital or film. In program mode, it is nearly impossible to take a bad photo with it. It does an amazing job of focusing - fast and accurately. (In order to get full autofocus capabilities, you can use any Nikon "D" or "G" type lenses) And it feels and works just like a film SLR camera. No shutter lag at all.

Also, the user interface is sensible and easy to use. This is especially important for this camera since there are so many customizable features.

My only disappointment with this camera is that in order to get the 10-pin connector (which allows the use of remote controls, for example), you have to pay (Money) for the battery pack. That is a lot of money to spend and a lot of size and weight to add to the camera in order to get access to a tiny but useful connector.

This camera and the Canon D60 seem to be the begining of a whole wave of amazing digital SLRs, as I see that Kodak, Canon and others have new ones coming out with even higher resolutions. But I think that my D100 will keep me happy for several years.

This is an awesome digital picture-taking machine, which heralds the imminent death of 35 mm film. The D-100 does pretty much everything that a high-end film SLR does, and it does it beautifully. A 512MB CF card will enable the D100 to take hundreds of high-quality pictures that are indistinguishable in quality from those taken with film. The Six-megapixel images in Large/Fine or RAW mode are quite competitive with their film counterparts for almost all purposes. The advantage of digital, of course, is that the consumer, equipped with pretty much any computer, can process and print the pictures him or her self with far more power and flexibility than one had in a darkroom processing film. The digital darkroom has arrived.

The D100 can use Nikon's entire line of autofocus lenses and many of the older manual focus lenses, allowing the photographer to easily migrate from film to digital. The camera has spot, matrix, and center-weighted exposure options, a programmed mode, apature priority or speed priority, as well as all of the manual options. Autofocus is crisp, fast, and works very well in low light. This camera is nearly as powerful in terms of its focusing and exposure options as the Nikon F5, which is the film camera I used for years before replacing my F5 with the D100.

Perhaps the greatest testimonial for the D100 is that it is notorious that the vast majority of photographers who I know who have bought a D100 never (or at least rarely) shoot film ever again.

The D100 takes OK shots right out of the camera, but to get best results most photographers will want to "process" the pictures through either Nikon's own program "Capture 3" or an aftermarket program like Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. I and probably most others have found that some of the post-processing settings on these programs really improve the images produced by the D100. This is a deliberate design "feature" of the D100 in that the D100 anticipates that serious photographers wish to retain a certain amount of control over their images. Accordingly, rather than making all of the decisions for you, the D100 produces images for which final exposure and contrast decisions can and should be made in a post-processing program such as Adobe Photoshop Elements or Capture 3. That having been said, the D100 can and does produce fine images without using a post-processing program. But almost all users have probably found that the best results are achieved by using such a program. In my opinion this is true of pretty much all of the high-end digital cameras out there, and is not confined to the D100. This is the power of digital photography--the photographer, at little cost (a low-end PC and $100-200 program are all that are required) can have a powerful "digital darkroom" which yields tremendous control over how the images turn out.

Physically, the D100 is ruggedly built. The rear LCD is bright and clear. The menu systems on the D100 are very well designed and quite intuitive--after familiarizing myself with the manual for several hours, I now find that I do not need to refer to the manual at all even for very complex "custom" situations. The menus are not overly "layered" as is the case with some digital cameras. The on-board flash is fine for snapshot portraits and the like, but most serious users will want to spring for either the SB-50DX or the SB-80DX flash, both of which are more or less designed for the D100.

Negatives on the camera are few. I mentioned above the post-processing issue, which in my mind is not a negative, but instead is just Nikon giving the photographer as much power and flexibility as possible. The matrix metering is not as powerful on the D100 as on the top-of-the-line F5, inasmuch as in tricky lighting situations the D100s center-weighted or spot metering will sometimes yield better results. Having said that, after several hours of experimenting I can now confidently take consistently good pictures with the D100 in fill-flash conditions. In common with the exposure issues, the D100 more or less requires photographers who want very "sharp" images to apply "sharpness" post-processing. Most of us have probably found that this produces better results than setting the sharpening in-camera, for reasons that exceed the scope of this review.

By the way, the battery life in the D100 is phenomenal. The on-board proprietary Nikon battery lets you take many hundreds of pictures, and serious shooters can buy at modest cost the MD-100 accessory which lets you shoot with either 2 Nikon batteries or a bunch of AAs. Either way this allows you to literally shoot all weekend likely without needing to recharge. The Nikon batteries recharge in a bit over an hour.

For good reason the D100, retailing now (October 2003) below $1,500, has put powerful digital photography in the hands of serious amateurs. It is a well-designed and sturdy camera that is a delight to own and use.

There are plenty of reviews here and elsewhere that extol the virtues of this camera and I have found the quality to be very good. At this stage I don't plan on using film again.

But, three issues need to be pointed out to prospective buyers.

TTL flash. If you have enjoyed using TTL flash on your nikon film cameras for years and have learned to love it, beware. The D100 does not support TTL flash, only D-TTL. Your trusty macro ring flash or SB26 will not work in TTL mode. Read the owners manual online to check the flash compatability list before you commit. You can use your flash in manual mode and get instant feedback on the lcd monitor, but if your subject has flown and your manual setting was wrong, tough! The strange thing is the the Fuji S2 which uses nikon lenses and flashes can work in TTL flash mode. If flash is very important to you then look at the S2.

Another issue to remember is the ccd sensor is smaller than a 35mm frame so there is a 1.5x magnification factor applied to all of your lenses. This is great news for your 300mm f2.8, which becomes 450mm f2.8, wow! In my case it is not so good when my 18-35mm goes to 27-52.5mm. For all you wide angle devotees, 27mm is nothing like 18mm is it? You can now buy a 12-18mm lens especially for nikon digitals but it is not cheap and it won't work on your film cameras.

Finally, if you plan on using the bulb setting for exposures of a few minutes, such as for astrophotography, The results may disappoint. There is not only electroluminescence picked up from other on-chip electronics, but the chip appears to heat up with long exposures. If you do 3 x 5 minute exposures with the lens cap on, the noise level increases significantly with each exposure. This makes dark frame subtraction dangerous as you may well loose photographic data. The camera would probably perform better in very low ambient temperatures, but I haven't tried that so far.

Otherwise an excellent camera.

Stop reading this review and just buy this wonderful camera if you're serious about digital photography.

There are only two REAL digital interchangable SLR to choose from. Nikon D1H or D100. If you are not a photojournalist, needing to carry your gear to desert war zone, and extreme environments. You don't need the ruggedness of D1H, which is based on the F5 body. If you don't need the insanely large memory buffer of D1H, D100 will satisfy all your need.

D100 has higher resolution than both the extremely fast D1H and the higher resolution cousin D1X (but slower), at half their price. The only thing that's lacking is a smaller memory buffer, hence slower, and a slower flash sync at 1/180. Unless you're doing a lot of daylight fill-flash, I wouldn't worry about this limitation.

Since the D100 is based on the N80, it's comfortable to hold and use. The user interface is so much better than Canon's. It's more ergonomic and comfortable than the more expensive Canon too. Not to mention that Canon's is lacking a playback zoom feature which I find it very important in Digital. You don't want to download your photo to your notebook computer every dozen shots to examine the details and sharpness, do you?

Of course, it can use all your Nikkor lens. (That's the main reason I'd never buy Contax, Pentax or Minota's digital camera. Their lens selection is just too limited.)

Just buy it and you'd be happy.

I recently upgraded to the D100 after having used the Coolpix 5700 for six months. The Coolpix was great, but the D100 is greater.
Many of its functions, for instance, can be controlled by turning a dial or pushing a button; many consumer digital cameras require you to menu surf in order to change a simple-yet-important setting, such as metering mode or flash output. Better yet, the external controls are easily accessible. The D100's program mode is incredible; I have yet to take a picture in it and be disappointed by the results. Additionally, I can get 6+ hours of continual use; when I shoot for several minutes a day, the battery can last for weeks before the battery meter indicates a slight drop in battery strength.
The camera excels in other areas, too. Its noise level is extremely low. In fact, in low-light situations, I do not hesitate to use settings of ISO 1250 or 1600, which show noise only if you scrutinize darker areas in the photo. I daresay that the D100's grain in its pictures is lower that that of the grain in equivalent-speed film. Unfortunately, the two highest ISO settings, HI-1 and HI-2, equal to ISO 3200 and 6400, respectively, show appreciable amounts of noise, but are acceptable for situations when you really need for the camera to be fast. The camera's low noise levels let me shoot in near-infrared light (with optional filters), something that can be tricky with digital cameras because they are designed to reject most infrared light (thus requiring a high sensitivity when working in NIR).
I have just one complaint about the D100, and this is very significant if you do indoor action with a flash. The D100's maximum shutter sync speed is 1/180 of a second. This means that with a flash, the D100's maximum shutter speed is 1/180, opening the door for blurring of subjects. I recommend that you not use a flash and take advantage of the superbly-low noise levels at some of the higher ISO settings.
Unless you plan to shoot a lot of indoor action using a flash, I wholeheartedly recommend this camera.

I call the Nikon D100 the "VOLVO" of digital SLR cameras. It is safe and rugged, and once you buy one, you cannot buy any other. I bought the D100 about 3 months ago, and after test-driving it for a few months, I have been very happy with it.

Photography has been my hobby for the past 12 years. I am an avid (and loyal) Nikon user, being the owner of the N70, N90, F4, and F5 35mm SLR cameras (yes, I have a thing for Nikon). Therefore, it is almost logical for me to stick with the Nikon brand, and hope that the lenses are interchangeable.

I was quite skeptical about the capabilities of digital cameras, and I never thought digital technology will be able to catch up to film resolution for a while. Until now. I have to say that the Nikon D100 convinced me to take the first steps towards the digital revolution.

Now, I primarily use the Nikon D100, and use my film cameras as back-up. I've only used my film cameras during rainy days, so that my new toy/investment would not get wet.

I've made a brief list of what I noticed about the D100.

Pros:
-instant on
-fast response
-nice fit in [my] hand; very ergonomic
-superb resolution
-default pictures have higher contrast
-compatible with Nikon lenses, especially the Nikor F mount lens
-LCD monitor cover comes with the camera(Thanks, Nikon!)

Cons:
-6MP, compared to the 8MP of the Canon (20D and 350D)
-moire effects
-no firewire connection
-does not properly tag JPEG images with correct color profile; have to use Nikon View software to separate images for full Adobe compatibility

One camera that almost swayed me away was the Canon EOS 20D. I was fortunate to have friends who have these cameras, so I was able to make a head-to-head comparison of the Nikon vs. the Canon, and the pictures and features "side-by-side." The pros and cons of each camera balance each other out, so in the end, it all comes down to personal preference, and what you like or dislike about these cameras.

For me, it was because of loyalty* and investment. I saved a few thousand dollars because my lenses (especially the Nikor F mount lens) are compatible with the Nikon D100 (I was informed that they are also compatible with the D70, but that is second-hand information).

Conclusion: The Nikon D100 is a great camera, which is cheap enough for the amateur photographer, and advanced enough for the professional photographer.

Footnotes:

* Loyalty did not come instantly. Like I said earlier, I have been a photographer (and therefore camera enthusiast) for 12 years, and it took me a few years to appreciate a good camera.

I am a serious amateur and after several years use (and happy ones at that) with a Sony Cybershot, I had outgrown it. I've owned the camera for nearly two weeks now and I am quite pleased with its performance and the quality of the photos. The advantages of this camera are many: interchangable lens, manual controls, camera settings easily changed from a dial and buttons right on the camera body so it is easy and quick, fantastic battery life, no shutter lag (in milli-seconds) and a number of others. It is not as light in weight as the Sony but it feels comfortable in my hands. The LCD screen allows you to review the images afterwards but not before - another reason the battery lasts so long. You will need to buy the lens separately. I purchased the inexpensive but decent for the price Nikkor Zoom 28-85mm G but there are other reviewers who took serious issue with this lens because of its plastic construction and its optics. Thus far my photos have come out very clear though I have not taken photos at every f stop. It has three metering modes matrix, center weighted and spot. You can also adjust exposure compensation. There seems to be a tendency to under expose the photographs which may be related to my technique or optics. In comparison with the Canon, I cannot comment as I have not used that camera. However, I know that Nikon has made high quality cameras both fully mechanical and digital. I would recommend it for serious amateurs who are going take a lot of photos and want the option of manual controls.

Obviously from the other reviews the camera is fine. The problem is if you have a problem with it. My auto-focus gave out about a week after the warrant ended. I was charged $775.00 to repair it. Nikon kept it for 38 days. Sent it back and never reapaired the problem.

They took it back worked on it for a week- waived the $293.00 charge. Guess what? I am on holsd with the service department as it was sent back with the same problem.

Speaking of service forget about ever speaking to a real person unless you have 2-4 hours to kill.

never again .

I'll be the first to tell you I'm no professional but so far this camera has been amazing. For the past four years my wife and I have been using the Nikon N60 and it has more than met our needs. My decision to switch to digital was based on 2 important points. First, we found 16 undeveloped roles of film around the house. After realizing it would cost well over a hundred dollars to develop them and I know we won't like at least half the shots, we decided we needed to move to digital. Now with the D100 I can pick-and-choose exactly which shots I keep, retouch, crop etc then download them to someone like Walmart.com. For exactly the same price I end up with the exact pictures I want. Up to now I refused to get a digital because the N60 takes such beautiful shots. Past digital cameras' shutter lag was so bad you'd have to predict where a moving subject is going to be when you hit the button. What sealed the deal for us is the D100 has no noticable lag, and it uses all the lenses we already had for the N60.

The D100 looks and feels just like my old N60 only lighter. It acts and sounds just like a 35mm SLR, the camera internals are the same except with a sensor in place of the film strip. In fact a co-worker, and long time digital user, was checking it out and couldn't figure out why it was "all blurry" when he looked through the view finder. He also had a hard time finding the "zoom button".

I highly recommend this camera. If you were reluctant to switch to digital because you loved your old SLR then this is definetly the replacement for you.