Nikon D200 or D300. Is the Focusing Sytem on the D300 much faster?

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Baloo

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Roger
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I am thinking of purchasing a D200 or a D300, the camera will be used almost exclusively for taking pictures of model aircraft, at present I use a Olympus E520. Reading reviews of the two cameras most of the improvements of the D300 over the D200 will possibly not be much benefit to me except the focusing system. I will be using mostly AF type lenses not AF-S so do users think that the D300 would be much better. I fancy a D200 because of the "classic" status and I would like to try the older sensor, but am worried the focusing may be slower than the E520. Unfortunately there is not a camera shop within reasonable distance where I could compare the two.

Roger
 
Focusing system - are they static or flying - what lens are you using?
 
They are flying and I will initially be using a Nikon 105 AF lens, looking to purchase a slightly longer prime in the future.
 
Bearair said:
They are flying and I will initially be using a Nikon 105 AF lens, looking to purchase a slightly longer prime in the future.
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do you mean a Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens
 
No the lens that I have is the older Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro with the AF mount as opposed to the AF-S. I have held on to my older lenses from the 90s so nothing with an AF-S mount. This is one of the reasons I am looking at either the D200 or D300 with the compatibility with my older lenses.
 
The D300 is cheap as chips these days, seems a bit silly to buy an even older camera when the D300 is at such a good price for a decent spec camera

Funnily enough my first DSLR was an Olympus E520, and i went from that to a D300 a few years ago, i've now got a D7100, but still miss some of the features on my old D300

But as Bill is trying to get at, i think the lens you use will have the most difference when it comes to taking shots of planes in motion, and at distance
 
Bearair said:
No the lens that I have is the older Nikon 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro with the AF mount as opposed to the AF-S. I have held on to my older lenses from the 90s so nothing with an AF-S mount. This is one of the reasons I am looking at either the D200 or D300 with the compatibility with my older lenses.
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That's not the best lens for moving objects a little distance away ... Macros/Micro lens are usually slower to focus than conventional stuff

I know it is not answering the question but if you are looking at price a Nikon 70 300mm f4.5/f5.6 ..... even the one without VR that you can pick up for £100 may be better

I would think that you need a fast focusing lens and good AF tracking to get reasonable shots

I never had a D200 but it did not find my D300 too bad for birds in flight with the 70 300mm VR lens ......... although 300mm is really too short

The D300 is slower to focus than the newer, more modern Nikon bodies ...... I know that they are out of your budget ............ but maybe one of the cheaper, more modern DX bodies would be better, you need to read up on the focusing systems in the cheaper Nikon DX bodies and see if a more modern (used) model will be more suitable...... at maybe the same price as a used D300

Sorry that I have maybe confused rather than helped


PS - also always check with the Nikon Body/lens complicity charts that some of the older lens will in fact AF with certain bodies
 
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I had looked at the newer bodies but those within my price range would not work easily with my older non AF-S lenses or my even older manual ones also really like the size and easily accessible controls on the D200 and D300. I do not need lightning fast focusing as unlike with birds I can ask the pilots to fly where I want to take the shot and ask them time and again till I get it right! So I am pretty determined to go for a D200 or D300 it is how the two compare for focusing speed I was mostly interested in. I had settled on looking for a nice D300 then a friend in Ireland offered me his D200 which I know will be in excellent order and well looked after. So its really whether there is a big difference in the two bodies.
 
Good as the D200 was in its day, newer models eclipse it in every way except cheapness. I borrowed a D3200 for an airshow last year and it was way better than the D200 was (or maybe it's me that's improved!) Faster and more accurate AF being the most important improvement for me for that application as well as the extra pixies.
 
I am curious about the comment about "classic status" for the D200. What is supposed to be so good about it other than it is better than a D100?
On the other hand, In my view D300 is hard to beat nowadays for performance/money. If any nikon DX format camera deserves classic status I think it is the D300.

The af on my D7100 is definitely better for model aircraft than my D300 but the D300 is perfectly ok when you get used to it and in some ways I still prefer the D300 to the D7100.

I would say though that, unless the models you photograph are all slow flying gliders, you are going to really struggle with a 105mm screw focus lens. I find models much harder to photograph than birds in flight
 
would any of the latest bridge cameras be better and within your budget?
 
The "classic status" remark was what I picked up from reading many reviews on the D200, I probably misunderstood. From the comments made it sounds as if my old 105mm is not going to be much use and I would be better of investing in a AF-S lens. Still not sure whether the difference between a D200 and a D300 focus wise will be noticeable when fitted with a better lens. I do appreciate everyone's comments though.
 
Thanks Bill, I bought a Nikon V1 thinking that the focusing speed would be really advantageous when shooting models but I think the EVF is a limitation. I would like to keep a DSLR, but it sounds like to improve greatly over the E520 then I will have to look at more expensive cameras.
 
If your lens is a AF lens you could also look at the D7000, which has an in-built focus motor and more megapixels which maybe useful for cropping compared to the D300. These can be had for around the £300 mark seconhand or £395 new from HDEW. > http://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/nikon-d7000-digital-slr-camera-body-584-p.asp

Wex have a secondhand D300 for £256 which seems cheap as you also have warranty > http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...=53609038012&gclid=cio1iy2l2mqcfqsewwodpbqaqq

Also, the D7100 prices will start dropping now that the D7200 has just been released, this has an excellent AF system these are going for around £450 Secondhand and new for £495 from HDEW (they were £585 a few weeks ago). > http://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/nikon-d7100-camera-body-1257-p.asp

HDEW import cameras themselves so are cheaper than high street shops. I have used them for a couple of camera purchases and they are a good company to deal with.
 
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Bearair said:
Thanks Bill, I bought a Nikon V1 thinking that the focusing speed would be really advantageous when shooting models but I think the EVF is a limitation. I would like to keep a DSLR, but it sounds like to improve greatly over the E520 then I will have to look at more expensive cameras.
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I have a couple of V1 which I mainly use on a tripod for shooting Dragonflies with the FT-1 and Nikon 300mm f4

Nomatter what people say about it being quick to focus, it is only so with native lens ...... with the FT-1 plus Nikon AF-S IMHO it is not and really not much good for moving objects
 
I dd not realise the 7000 would work with AF lenses, I will have a read of a few reviews. By what everyone has said I will forget the D200. Bill how do you get on with the very slight time lag when you are shooting with the V1? I find when following a subject the EVF shows the picture you have just shot that is what I mean when I say time lag.
 
now there's a thought Roger, the CX sensor on the V1 has a x 2.7 crop factor and one of the native lens is a 30 110mm VR f3.8/f5.6 ....... so you get almost 300mm at f5.6, (well not really f5.6 .. but that's another story), the AF system on the V1 is quite sophisticated and I sure has AF tracking etc., plus other modes.

Not sure if I used the 30 110mm but I have one somewhere ......... the only problem is with the FOV at 110mm is finding the bird/small plane ....... I'll have a go with it tomorrow and see what it's like for moving subjects ........ does the EVF show the picture that you have just taken .. ever for a second ..... not sure I'll have to check

I think that the lens is not expensive at all used and I would think that will practice you will get good results

I'd think about the lens first and then the body
 
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Bill I have added a post to the V1 owners thread, if you have time to look at it any advice would be most welcome.

Roger
 
I decided after the advice on here to go for a D300, Wex offered me a reasonable price for the E-520 and I liked the idea of buying with a warranty.

Thank you all for your help.

Roger
 
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I know it is too late, but in answer to your original post, my brother recently went from D200>D300 and one of his first comments was about how much quicker the focussing seemed to be. This comment was before you posted, and I know it had no scientific backing but I think you have made a wise choice.

Minimise shutter lag at all costs for moving objects.

It is yuk, doesn't matter how used to the camera and how much you compensate for it,
 
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Thanks Shreds a bit of reassurance is always welcome, at the very worst I can go back to using my old manual lenses and hyper-focal distance! :)
 
if have a D200 a D300 and a D4, forget the D200 and go for the D300 as its an awesome camera but needs a good lens for best results for moving objects. Ive used mine professionaly for motorsport with superb and reliable results. in good light its hard to tell if ive taken the picture with the D300 or my D4...

if you click on my website bellow and watch the slide show, pretty much every picture on there is with the D300
 
Thanks suggs, really enjoyed looking at your slideshow, motorcycles are my first love, Laverda's in particular. Finding a really good lens to partner the D300 will be my next project, but first I am looking forward to getting my grubby hands on the D300 and start learning.
 
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