Rating: 
Summary: Wow!!
Review: I just got back from seven days in Yosemite with my D100 which I bought back in December. I shot 6071 images. I took two batteries. I changed the batteries three times and I only had to recharge twice. I never had any downtime. I bring the images into Photoshop and make one small levels change, one small selective color correction to the neutral colors, and one small unsharpen filter change. I apply the same three changes to every image automatically and the images are perfect. I upload to one of the online photo services and get perfect 5x7s. I only use the small+fine resolution setting since I never need more than 5x7s. The small+fine resolution (1504x100) is just a little smaller than a 2Meg picture (1600x1200) and has plenty of data for high quality snapshot images. The ISO/ASA sensitivity settings are great. I don't even bother using a flash. When I'm indoors, I set the ISO to 1600 and fire away. If the image comes out too dark, I set the exposure compensation to +1ev all the way up to +4ev. I was able to capture indoor images that I've been trying to get for years, and I didn't need to use slow speeds and a tripod (who'll let you use a tripod indoors anyway these days). I have found that the program mode works really well with lenses that have the 62mm front end. My 28mm lens with the 52mm front end doesn't seem to let enough light in, so the image is a little overexposed, but I fixed that by setting the exposure compenstion to -1ev. It's also important to set the ISO Auto feature to OFF. Great battery life and enought buttons and switches and settings to allow for lots of creativity. I've used Nikons for twenty five years and I've had many disappointing non-Nikon digitals. I'm very, very happy with this one. Sometimes I dream of the D2H, but this is half the price and very lightweight which is important to me when I'm in the field. I'm already thinking of buying a second one so I won't have to change lenses. I bought mine right here at Amazon and I'd do it again.
Rating:
Summary: D-lighted (sorry, I'm in love)
Review: I just got the camera 3 days ago and did my first headshots today. Awsome! Great camera. Happy client. Fast work flow. I was torn between the Canon D60 and the Nikon. And to be honest went with Nikon because it was the one that was available for my shoot -- But no regrets. Great camera.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Camera
Review: I read many reviews before finally deciding to spend this much money for a camera - and I am so glad I did. Proof is in the pictures processed and they are beautiful. All of the important buttons are on the outside and easily reachable. Autofocus is fast and accurate. Battery life is long and camera is easy to use and learn.Lag time with pictures was always a problem with the other cameras I had used, but with this camera that is a thing of the past. I really haven't found anything bad complain about with this camera. A great buy.
Rating:
Summary: Nikon D100
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Film SLR!
Review: I was expecting the resolution to be not quite up to film SLR standards, but what a suprise. Maybe custom photolab work could make film shots a higher resolution, though I doubt it. Taking the same shot with film, processing it through standard processing and comparing it to identical exposure, lens etc. with the D100 the digital camera outstripped the film camera in spades. No more film for me. No more trips to the processor, no more film costs, no more waiting. Just shoot and downlaod and manipulate away in the digital environment. I use this camera professionally(ronwood.com) for my work and can not recommend it too highly. Delighted!!!
Rating:
Summary: Definetly not a Pro
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Semi-Pro or Serious Amateur DSLR
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Oh Baby... Where have you been?
Review: I've always been an avid Nikon user. And from now on I'm even more than ever!
I haven’t been able to put it down since buying it in July, 2004.
The picture quality & clarity is amazing, as if you’re actually there in the photo!
I’ve flown front seat in a helicopter this summer and took some great arial photos! "National Geographic Magazine" here I come!!!
This baby has a lot of great functions!
The quick speed of the playback monitor & deletion of unwanted photos are must-have functions! It's nice to have only good photos, rather than over-exposed trash. I’ve been able to take so many photos with this thing, I don’t know what I’ll be doing with my F90X and the rest of my other film cameras. There’s no end to the imagination with the D100. With my F90X, the colors and effects are lost during the development of the film and the printing of the photo. Having the D100, I’ll have less worry over my photo’s results.
During my partner's 25-day business trip, he only shot about 362 photos out of 598 & only recharged the battery once. Spares come in handy, that's for sure! I have a 20-35mm. f/2.8D Zoom lens. I used that baby left and right with the F90X and it seems to be the perfect lens for the D100 (FYI…this lens is discontinued and has been replaced by a 17-35 f/2.8D).
Our D100 is loaded with a 1Gb memory card that gives me 598 frames configured as jpeg normal, large (3,008 X 2,000) Pixels.
Battery life is excellent. We don’t have to change the battery all that much, and when we do, it recharges quite promptly. If you don’t play with the monitor frequently you should be able to take about 1600 shots on 1 battery.
Obviously, frequent use of the Monitor takes up a lot of battery juice. I try not to use the monitor much because of just that. Owning this Baby is fantastic, because it’s saving us a bundle of money on film & reprints.
If our friends ask for a copy of a photo/s, we just email them out and it’s done! No more waiting on Friday afternoons at the photo lab!
Some Good Technical Points about the D100:
- Dynamic-Area AF (Auto Focus): Useful when you have an erratically moving subject. The focus will readjust itself.
- You can adjust the ISO sensitivity from 200 to 1600 and HI-1 and HI-2. Trust me, it works great with proper use!
- White Balance: (the color of light reflected from any object). The white balance makes sure that whites are whites in any given situation instead of coming out a shade of gray.
- AF-Assist Eliminator: It helps the camera Auto-focus on a poorly lit subject by sending a beam of light on the subject to help the focussing process.
- Memory Buffer: is extremely quick for fast, consecutive shots.
- Comfortable to hold in right hand
- Fairly Light, depending on the lens used
- You can input comments on the monitor, with the keyboard area, to the comment area and attach it to your picture.
- All Nikkor lenses are compatible with the D100, depending on the nature of the lens. Some minor adjustments or compensations or different settings may need to occur. (out of focus or manual lens, AF-S, AF-I Nikkor lenses etc…)
- True to life color photos
Photo Manipulation:
Each photo, when uploaded to the computer is about 1.5Mb in size.
With the use of Photoshop, I usually have to make only minor adjustments to the levels, depending on what needs to be enhanced. With the D100, I’ve tried taking photos indoors without the flash, but it doesn’t guarantee clarity unless you crank up the ISO sensitivity, and use the noise reducer. You may find yourself needing to use the flash indoors, more often, because it will most likely result in a blurred or distorted photo. With the D100, I'm able to capture indoor images I've only dreamt of, and didn't need to use slow speeds and a tripod.
Our first Nikon was the F1 standard model with a Photomic Head, in 1969. I've had many disappointments with my non-digital Nikon models because of multiple visits to the repairman, resulting in the carbon track in the Photometer being worn out & couldn't be replaced. That would explain why all my photos were always over-exposed. I’ve always had wrong readings.
My partner’s decision to switch to digital was one of his greatest purchases within the past year, among other things! I suggest you invest in this camera because you won’t be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: ABSOLUTELY WORTH MAKING THE JUMP TO DIGITAL SLR
Review: I've been using digital for several years and a Nikon film SLR and this is the best combination of both. There is a short learning curve to learn how to make adjustments, but once you learn its a breeze. From fully automatic shooting to manipulating every aspect of shooting this camera performs like a Ferrari. The quality in .jpg is absolutely amazing. With this camera and Photoshop you will have print quality photos immediately. I'm only using a 512mb cf card and it holds up to 150 high quality images. I do a little freelance once in a while and I will be using 100% digital from now on. Unless you're doing full page magazine spreads or large blow ups, no need to spend the extra money for the higher end digital SLR's. This is a winner all the way around. www.davidbailey.com
Rating:
Summary: ABSOLUTELY WORTH MAKING THE JUMP TO DIGITAL SLR
Review: I've been using digital for several years and a Nikon film SLR and this is the best combination of both. There is a short learning curve to learn how to make adjustments, but once you learn its a breeze. From fully automatic shooting to manipulating every aspect of shooting this camera performs like a Ferrari. The quality in .jpg is absolutely amazing. With this camera and Photoshop you will have print quality photos immediately. I'm only using a 512mb cf card and it holds up to 150 high quality images. I do a little freelance once in a while and I will be using 100% digital from now on. Unless you're doing full page magazine spreads or large blow ups, no need to spend the extra money for the higher end digital SLR's. This is a winner all the way around. www.davidbailey.com
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