Yeaaaa another camera question

[Freeskier]

I've finally found my broke ass a job, doing fisheries observing for dfo here in bc. So, after years of being a broke student I can start to buy things for me! A camera is super high on the list. But, as I'm still poor, a used one seems like the best bet. A couple buddies of mine shoot the Nikon d200 and recommended it to me as a decent used body. As an intermediate beginner should I look at somehting like this? or something newer and eat the cost right away. Can anyone help?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Well what's your budget? What's most important to you in a camera?

The D200 is a spectacular body, but it was announced in November of 2005 so it was out before all the crazy high ISO performers were available. Above ISO 640 or so it starts to get pretty noisy. On the plus side, it has a great AF system, pro build quality, and some people still insist it has some of the best base ISO image quality in a crop sensor. It's a very well featured body.

All that said, something like a D300 is a night and day better cam, and used ones can be had for well under $1,000 (especially now that the D300s is out and D400 coming this Summer) if the pro DX type camera is what you're after.

Without knowing more about what you want to take pictures of and your budget it will be difficult to do much more than make fairly general comments.

[Freeskier]

Yeah I figured after I posted that it might be better to include some more info. Ill be taking it up the mountain fairly regularely, out on the fishing boats etc, so its definitely going to be an outdoor camera. I want something that will be fairly rugged and durable. My budget for a body would be well under 1000, so that I can afford some lenses and stuff. This is just going to be a first dslr, upgrading from film but I want something that will allow me to improve and last for awhile. That help a bit? Thanks for the responses!

[Mitsu3000gt]

If I were you I'd look for a used D300, it's built like a tank and is completely weather sealed.

Here's a guy selling a D300 body + 16-85 VR (excellent beginner lens) for $1200 obo:

http://www.nikonians.org/forums/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=221&topic_id=652&mesg_id=652&page=

That 16-85VR is NOT weather sealed though, only the "pro" lenses are fully dust/weather sealed. It's not like a misting of water will hurt them, but if you ever plan on using it in the rain or if it will ever take a pretty good splash, you will want a fully sealed lens as well.

[clem24]

I have a D200. The D300 feature set was not compelling enough for me to move up, even if the CMOS sensor and high ISO is "better". I am not afraid to shoot my D200 up to ISO 1600.

You can find a used D200 for almost half the price of the D300. Used prices for a D300 are still going for ridiculous amounts for some reason (usually around the $1000 mark - as pointed out in the post above mine) while the D200 can be had for half of that.

Sounds to me like budget is a conern. I'd easily get a D200 and spend the extra $500 on a nice lens (used Sigma 30 f/1.4 or Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 comes to mind). After you've outgrown the D200 (it'll be a while - I still haven't out grown mine), wait until Nikon delivers the successor to the D300s. If the jump is anything like the D90 to the D7000, then it should be fairly epic and you'll regret spending so much on a used D300 body. This is the body that I am waiting for.

Seriously the D200 is an absolute bargain body for what it does.