# Would you trade a Nikon d5000 for a d200?



## iAstonish (Mar 7, 2010)

Given they were both in the same condition.

I shoot NCAA basketball and lug my camera around a lot. I like the build quality of the D200, as well as the button layout for changing settings. I know that I will be downgrading the sensor and Mega pixel's from m D500, but the build, customization, and slightly faster burst rate makes the d200 an appealing body.

Any insight on this trade? Good idea, bad idea, fair?


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## JimmyO (Mar 7, 2010)

If you wanna...

If your shooting basketball id worry about getting some better glass first...


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## iAstonish (Mar 7, 2010)

JimmyO said:


> If you wanna...
> 
> If your shooting basketball id worry about getting some better glass first...



On that for the summer. Season is over now, the turn out was pretty good given the lens I was working with though.


Anyway, advice needed on the topic...


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## Joves (Mar 7, 2010)

Well I cant really say. But I will say that you will gain the important option of more glass being usable with the D200. With the D5000 you are limited to lenses with built in motors, unless you like to manually focus. You will lose the Higher ISOs as well. You have to decide what trade offs you are willing to accept.


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## LBPhotog (Mar 7, 2010)

I wouldn't do it for the sole fact that the D5000 cmos sensor is better in lower lighting than the CCD (wait, it's been a while, was it a CCD in the D200 ... ) in the D200 ....

The nice thing about the D5000 is that it has the same chipset and processor as the D300s and the D90 so we know that it performs a lot better than the D200 at higher ISOs.  With your lack of fast lenses (at longer focal lengths) the performance of the CMOS sensor in the D5000 becomes the deciding factor.

Yes, the D200 may be better constructed; and, yes, the D200 may have a faster frame rate.  But, I think that the image quality is going to be more important that the other two factors as long as you are reasonably responsible with your equipment.


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## KmH (Mar 7, 2010)

Sport shooters got by ok with the D200 back in the day when it was the best in it's class.

No doubt the D5000 has better ISO performance but the better build, fps, external controls of the D200, coupled with the expectation of you having better glass for next season make it seem an easy decision to make.

But, it's you that has to decide.

With the advent of Nikon's current rebate for the D300s, I think that will depress used D300 prices somewhat ($1000) and you can have very near the same ISO performance the D5000 has but with all the advantages of the D200 *plus*.


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## manaheim (Mar 7, 2010)

I'm heavily biased against bodies that lack drive motors and physical controls for ALL common settings (iso, aperture, shutter, etc.)  I don't truly know if the d5000 lacks all of these things, but usually the sub-bodies do.

The point about the glass isn't without merit except that if you start buying "good" glass for a body that doesn't have a drive motor, you're going to pay a lot more for that glass because it needs an internal focusing motor.

I would INSTANTLY trade a D5000 for a D200.  No hesitation whatsoever.


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## Mike_E (Mar 9, 2010)

D200 hands down!

Did you see the thread a while back about the guy with the broken D90?  If I remember correctly the lens mount had broken from a minor bump/drop.  If you're going to shoot sports you need a rugged camera. (you can't always get out of the way, now can you?  )


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## outamyway (Mar 9, 2010)

Why haven't you already traded? 

Person with D200: "Hey, I have a D200, you have a D5000, would you like to tra..."
You: "Yes."


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## iAstonish (Mar 9, 2010)

outamyway said:


> Why haven't you already traded?
> 
> Person with D200: "Hey, I have a D200, you have a D5000, would you like to tra..."
> You: "Yes."




Because its not technically a trade, but I could sell my d5000 and get a d200 for a similar amount. I've decided to hold off and save up for a D300 for next season though because I need more than just a durable camera body, I also need high ISO capability, which I heard the d200 severely lacks.


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## outamyway (Mar 9, 2010)

:thumbup:

D300


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## Santa Gertrudis (Mar 9, 2010)

Have you thought about keeping the D5000 as a spare? Just a thought...


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## iAstonish (Mar 10, 2010)

Santa Gertrudis said:


> Have you thought about keeping the D5000 as a spare? Just a thought...



Not really lol

Finances as a college student :thumbdown:


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## Santa Gertrudis (Mar 10, 2010)

iAstonish said:


> Santa Gertrudis said:
> 
> 
> > Have you thought about keeping the D5000 as a spare? Just a thought...
> ...



I feel your pain


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## KmH (Mar 10, 2010)

iAstonish said:


> Santa Gertrudis said:
> 
> 
> > Have you thought about keeping the D5000 as a spare? Just a thought...
> ...


That wouldn't hold you back if you *really* wanted a D300.

I recently bought a nice used D300 for $900. So with the money from selling your D5000 and eating hot dogs for a month.......


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## iAstonish (Mar 10, 2010)

KmH said:


> iAstonish said:
> 
> 
> > Santa Gertrudis said:
> ...



Yea it would lol

I am saving up for my d30o. Its not a matter of me not being willing to make sacrifices in order to pay for the d300, its the exact opposite, I can't afford it without selling my d5000 to cover a nice chunk of the payment.


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