Jump to content

D2 For Everything?


Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I recently acquired a used D2 in very nice shape. Is this photography tool long past its usability for everyday use? I am not a professional. I will be using mostly for family photos. Portraits, sports, spontaneous moments and whatever strikes my interest.

 

I have mostly used film in recent years with an old Olympus om1 and a Nikon N90. I have tried a few Nikon models (Nikon V1, D5100 and D7000) from friends. The menu system is cumbersome though I am sure I could learn over time. Not sure I want to.

 

The simplicity of the D2 is attractive but I realize in the digital world, it is a dinosaur and perhaps past its use for an everyday tool.

 

I will not likely print over an 8X10 and my wife mostly wants 4X6 for scrap books. I was just getting local prints (4X6) made but all those services have gone away. I would have to send the rolls out with film.

 

The budget for a newer system is limited and would prefer to use a single piece. Just have to use my feet to move in or away for composition.

Link to post
Share on other sites

You should be in great shape with the D2 as long as you don't want to make prints larger than what you indicated. It's a very capable camera. I owned one for a couple of years and was extremely pleased with it. The only drawbacks were it's size and low light performance, at least in relation to the models that came later.

Edited by fotografr
Link to post
Share on other sites

So obviously still a viable piece of equipment. How many of you D2 owners continue to make photographs on a regular basis? Under what conditions would you choose the D2 over your more advanced pieces?

 

I have never been a multi camera user as I mostly shot the om-1 with just two lenses. I do own a couple of older Nikon lenses which I may apply to the D7000 my friend is offering for a decent price.

 

Perhaps I could use both. The D7000 is way more advanced than anything I have ever used. Seems to have options I have never even considered as a very amateur photographer. Much faster than the D2 but also very different. Same relative size as the D2. I have no interest in a pocketable camera.

 

The D2 appeals in the most simplistic way much like my old om-1.

Link to post
Share on other sites

You should be in great shape with the D2 as long as you don't want to make prints larger than what you indicated. It's a very capable camera. I owned one for a couple of years and was extremely pleased with it. The only drawbacks were it's size and low light performance, at least in relation to the models that came later.

 

 

I disagree with your observation of print size. I have several 16"x 20" images framed in my home ( created w/my D2) which rival anything I can do now with my X1. I loved that camera. I sold it several years ago-it was just to big and heavy. The IQ was amazing.

 

Enjoy your camera.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I am new to digital photography so the D2 should be a great learning tool. I did pick up the Nikon D7000 as well to use with the two older Nikkor lenses I have. However, I will put the Nikon aside for now and use the D2 exclusively for a while.

 

Still looking for D2 owners to comment on when and under what circumstances they pick uo their D2s in favor of more modern equipment.

 

Thank you.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I tend to use my D2 for day shooting on a whim because it's so much fun to use and produces extraordinarily good jpegs straight out of the camera despite its modest 5 megapixel sensor. All of the controls I need are on the outside of the camera meaning that I rarely have to root about in the menu to adjust things. And its f/2 Vario-Summicron lens is up with Leica's best and, until the D-Lux 6 was released in 2012(?), was the fastest zoom lens that Leica had ever produced. Not bad for a 10 year old digital camera.

 

Pete.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I no longer have mine (Lumix LC1 but essentially the same camera) but if you are happy with the focal range and if you are the type of photographer who is happy to take their time rather than run and gun, then it remains a great camera.

 

The lens is one of the best zooms I've ever used, aside from a bit of fringing in high contrast situations which modern software can easily deal with. If you try and keep to ISO100 if at all possible and only go up the ISO scale when absolutely necessary, you should be fine. Paired with a good flash if you often shoot indoors, then you can get some great results. Clearly it's not a good choice for sports or wildlife. Nor is it an obvious choice in poor light. So it's probably not for "everything" but it may well be "everything you need"? The biggest issue at some point may be whether it can still be serviced and repaired should the need arise, but hopefully it'll be a while before you need to answer that question.

 

Yes it's a digital dinosaur but that doesn't mean it's not worth using; in many ways my favourite camera (I have three) is my own digital dinosaur - an Olympus E-1 which is also a 5MP camera from the same era - in this case the first ever Four Thirds dSLR. I have A3 size prints hanging in my kitchen (produced with a bit of help in post-processing) from that camera which look great and still get appreciative comments. It is my only dSLR, still pressed into service when the weather conditions get tough....it appears to be indestructable!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Pete and Jon; Thank you for your comments and input.

 

Do you use the zone system at all in your digital photography? This equipment is all new to me and very different from my old Olympus OM-1. Everything I have recently read online suggest that the modern dslr and others have extremely advanced matrix metering that essentially does the same.

 

I have never been one to just snap away. Even for sports, I will just observe and wait for a moment.

 

Do you guys still use spot metering?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I disagree with your observation of print size. I have several 16"x 20" images framed in my home ( created w/my D2) which rival anything I can do now with my X1.

I have very nice 16" x 20" prints from my D2. A technician at a good photo lab took a look at a couple of files from my D2 and said that 18" x 24" would work.

Link to post
Share on other sites

... I forgot to ask about the D2. What exactly is is? ...

I suspect it was the world's first digital mirrorless camera with the earliest EVF. There's no mirror in the optical path so it's not a dSLR and it has no rangefinder so it's a hybrid.

 

Pete.

Link to post
Share on other sites

So obviously still a viable piece of equipment. How many of you D2 owners continue to make photographs on a regular basis? Under what conditions would you choose the D2 over your more advanced pieces?.

 

1. I have owned my D2 since it was first launched in March 2004. I have just ordered my first replacement battery for the camera.

 

2. Initially it was my only serious camera for illustrative photography and fully earned its keep. Now it is used purely for the pleasure and joy in operating a camera of its type; easy analogue controls and a simply superb Vario-Summicron lens. Provided you work within its parameters, its results bear favourable comparison with its much younger siblings from Leica.

 

Use it to its strengths and enjoy the experience!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

The EVF takes some getting used to. In daylight, the manual focus works great but in poor light, I cannot focus well at all.

 

Any comment on use of the zone system in digital photography? Do the matrix metering systems of today eliminate the use of spot meeting?

 

With a hand held meter and my old film camera, the process was different. The D2 along with the D7000 is my first experience with digital. The D7000 is overwhelming so I have not really tried that one yet.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Any comment on use of the zone system in digital photography? Do the matrix metering systems of today eliminate the use of spot meeting?

 

As a 'recovering Zonie' I am confident that there is no need for the system in digital photography, but I have read some amusing rationalizations.

.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Paul -

 

Always manually focus zoomed in all the way. The magnified focus helper works nicely, even in lower light.

 

The auto focus is quite good, and you might find yourself using it often.

 

Used intelligently, I've always found the D2 meter to be accurate.

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

Do you guys still use spot metering?

Sometimes. Mainly with wideangle lenses. Normally I will use the built-in basic meter, when the going gets tough, I'll switch to incident light readings.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...