Nikon announcements on Feb 16th.

Wretched may be too strong a term.

I only know one person with a D2H. He had only one complaint; noise.

Other issues raised by others on the D2H include:

1) Color rendition, especially skin tones

2) Color shift as you near infrared

The new camera may fix these issues along with some updated features such as metering and an new LCD.

This camera was marketed for the PJ/sports crowd. How can you have a Sport shooting camera with poor noise performance at higher ISO's?

The camera may reach the noise performance of the 1DmkII (no one knows yet), but the 1DmkII offers the same relative level of performance, but with twice the megapixels. Sure, megapixel count isn't the holy grail, but I'd just as soon spend a few extra bucks and get 8 instead of 4.

We've seen a lot of leap frogging with new models from Canon and Nikon, but I don't think the D2Hs leap frogged anything.

As a matter of fact, I'm considering housing it. Aquatica, are you listening

I think you may be pleasantly surprised. Several housing manufacturers have anounced the intent to produce D2X housings. I believe the D2Hs will fit in the same housings. Don't quote me on it, though.

I've owned a D2H for about a year, and I can say unequivocally that the image quality from the camera is better than the D100 I shot prior. I have bumped into rare color shifts, and the noise issue does rear its head IF you underexpose. Well exposed shots are beautiful, and the camera controls highlights much better than my D100 did. The JPEG processing in camera is great so I usually don't need to shoot raw like I did with the D100. Overall, I think it is a very good tool for its intended purpose. Whether or not it matches up to Canon's offering is a matter of individual preference - many agree that the handlin/focusing/metering of the camera is the best in the industry. My big disappointment with the D2Hs is the price, but I guess it will drive up the resale on my D2H once the inventory is gone. It would've been nice if it had been 8mp, but I gotta admit that it was a relief going from 6 to 4 when it came to editing files. I've used it strictly for event photography, and I've yet to find myself wanting more MPs. I think for macro uw it would be an interesting choice - I will try it in my Seacam housing before I order the D2x.

Besides, if it is good enough for Moose and Thom, it is more than good enough for me.

Oh yeah - the flash exposure of this camera is the best we've yet to see in a dSLR. It is interesting that the cameraness of this camera often gets totally discounted in favor of noise and MPs. Fast, precise focus and accurate metering and flash exposure are at least as important (I think more so).

The D2Hs certainly won't convince many Canon-shooting PJ's to switch if that's what you're saying, Herb. Besides, Nikon makes white lenses, too.

Anyone expecting Nikon to be so compelling that they'll convice Canon shooters? I think they'd settle for more modest success. Most PJ's have considerable investments in lenses so he goal for Nikon is to be good enough for their customer base. I can't see the D2Hs having major appeal for the underwater crowd anyway.

It's odd, isn't it? The Canon "high speed" camera is definitely very appealing for underwater use and it makes a darned good topside camera too. I guess "mine goes to 8" is good enough.

I agree that the Nikon's appeal for underwater use isn't as good. For macro photography, you want detail, and having used cameras from 3 to 14 megapixels, I think 4 just isn't good enough.

I think the D2Hs will make a great backup and topsides use camera for underwater photographers that already own the D2x.

Cheers

James

I think my plan going forward may be to house the D2H I own already and then upgarde the S2 to a D2X. That way I can have two camera bodies that fit the same housing. Just need to see how good the D2X really is.

The Canon "high speed" camera is definitely very appealing for underwater use and it makes a darned good topside camera too.

James, I can not resist, but this definitely reminds me to your old „Nikon days“ :

What you don't want is a very high framerate, a sensor designed for high-ISO shooting as a priority, and a cropped sensor with no DX lenses available.   So why is the 1DmkII attractive as an underwater camera?  Beats me...

 

1. A very high framerate camera used underwater can be taken topside and used.

 

2. The sensor is great at low ISOs as well. It wasn't necessarily "designed for high-ISO shooting as a priority."

 

3. Cropped sensor isn't always a bad thing. For macro, it is great, and actually, for wide angle, it's great as well. .........

Julian

Oh dear Julian

zing!

Alex, how is that D70 review going? You were planning on doing a review on the D70 weren't you? The only thing I don't like about it so far is the very small viewfinder, is it still large enough to compose underwater?

Hi Luiz,

Today, I think that the D70 is the best F mount camera for UW photography. It is a great camera at a good price. Small, cheap and has lots of housing choices. It has fast flash synch for sunbursts and black background macro etc. It writes RAW quickly.

This picture was taken on the last day I used the D70. And this was in a housing without the GS viewfinder. I had no problem using the top AF sensor and composing this image. But small viewfinders do take getting used to - and whether you are happy with one is entirely subjective.

There are lots of D70 housing reviews on Wetpixel:

http://www.wetpixel.com/module-pagesetter-...-3-pid-46.phtml

http://www.wetpixel.com/module-pagesetter-...-3-pid-45.phtml

http://www.wetpixel.com/module-pagesetter-...-3-pid-41.phtml

http://www.wetpixel.com/module-pagesetter-...-3-pid-38.phtml

Plus I have a slightly updated version of my D70 Subal review on my own website - that includes pix taken with the camera:

http://www.amustard.com/?page=kit&ext=d70&...ge=photo&size=s

I don't plan to write a review on this camera, now. But I do plan to have a first impressions review of the D2X and Subal's housing for it in the next issue of UWP magazine (out at the start of March). Photos limited to pool shots!

Alex

p.s. The D2Hs is an update of the D2H for the same price - not really a new camera. I suggest we wait 8 days before judging Nikon's latest DSLR.

p.p.s Please can nobody quote old posts of mine because I will certainly contradict myself!

This whole thing just makes me wanna puke. I am silently and patiently waiting for Nikon to come out woth more megapixels, a fill 35mm sensor, reduced noise sensor and bigger DR...all in a DSLR. I love their lenses so I wait for a camera that will give me what I think I can use for several more years. They make these crappy announcements and, like Herb said, who needs 4mp these days? News photographers, sports photographers alike can just set the image to JPG low quality and bang off as many shots as their little hearts desire. What the F in Nikon thinking? Get smart, get lean and bite the fricken bullet...make a decent camera that can compete with Canon...geez.

Joe

Well said Joe!!

It is funny all this talk of new cameras and announcements and the disappointment most people have in a lot of the new cameras in terms of advances.

I went digital because I knew that it would save me all the $$$ I was spending on film and processing and that I would love 80 shots a dive on a 1GB card in RAW on the Fuji S2 and not having to waste the last few shots on a roll of film so I could have 36 shots on the 2nd tank of a dive trip.

I also expected that as digital camera were moving ahead rapidly, I would replace my camera probably every year.

So here we are almost three years on and Canon, while producing better some cameras that are probably better than the S2, are nowhere near superior enough for me to sell all my Nikon lens and make a switch.

The Fuji S3 has about 1/3 of the additional features it should have, and the housing manufacturers don't exist at the moment and it is looking less likely that they will.

Current Nikon models don't justify replacing the S2, and the confidence I have in Nikon right now is not high. The D2X is starting to look compelling, but I need to see more samples before I commit and it is a LOT of money. And the D200 may be better value for money - if only they would tell us about it.

Kodak... Well I have done business with Eastman Kodak before and I really don't like the company as a whole. I didn't like their film (I only shot Fuji Velvia and Provia F in the end and Agfa for B&W). I don't like their business and if a company was ever likley to jump up and bite you in the ass it is these guys. Nikon may ignore you, buy Eastman actually don't like you. *personal grudge statement ends here*

I am at heart a technology guy and I WANT to upgrade. I love new toys and features. However, right now I am struggling to find something to upgrade to - it feels like no one wants my money. And not one camera today is capable of the sun shots out of the camera you could do with film.

Oh btw, I did get all the benefits I had hoped for by going digital. Best decision I ever made.

M

Agreed. Just because your camera has been upgraded it doesn't mean you have to. Alex

I agree with both of you guys, if I had a digital system, and if it was working satisfactorily for me, I wouldn't be looking into upgrading. My problem is that I am still shooting film! I made a trip to Brazil a couple of weeks ago and I haven't seen my slides yet as they have been sent to Fuji processing. You can't imagine how badly I want a digital system right now.

However, since the D2x is not an option for me, Nikon gives me no choice except to seriously consider a Canon 20D (especially now that Canon has introduced the 60mm macro USM). I've been using a D70 for the last few days, and I find it's autofocus very slow (ok, ok, I am spoiled by my F100 AF). I am still hoping that Nikon will introduce something soon (D200), but I am going to Indonesia in May and I want to carry a digital system. I will wait until late March, and I am even willing to shoot film in Indonesia, but only if Nikon makes the announcement that I am waiting for...

Oh dear Julian

 

zing!

Not one of my finest hours, but it was too tampting ...

Julian