[Leica] Digital camera purchase conundrum

[john.o.newell at comcast.net (J. Newell)]

I think I'm reasonably well qualified to offer you a view on this because, 
among other things, I own and use? a D100,?a n R-D1,? a D200 and a large 
pile of Leica M, Leica R and Nikon F gear. 



The comparison of the D100 and the R-D1 is better than some might think.? 
They?use the same sensor.? Neither is what I'd call pro or even prosumer 
build.? Both are capable of producing extremely good images if good 
technique and good lenses are used.? The weakest link IME with the D100 is a 
painfully slow write speed and small cache, so it is a poor choice for 
things like sports photography.? The R-D1 isn't much better.? The weakest 
link with the R-D1 is the fragile RF adjustment, which is user-adjustable 
but can be frustrating to keep up with. 



An R-D1 will probably cost you anywhere from $1k to $1400 depending on 
condition, etc. (haven't checked prices lately).? You can probably buy a 
D100 for $200-300 in very clean condition, which leaves a fair bit of money 
for lenses.? Some of the Nikon consumer zooms are surprisingly sharp and 
contrasty but often have relatively slow variable apertures and various 
distortion issues (which may or may not be a big issue, depending on what 
you're photographing).? Many will also be DX format and/or G-type (no manual 
aperture control) - might not be an issue if you don't spend too much and/or 
don't plan to get into full-frame sensor DSLRs any time soon. 



If you want to sort out Nikon hardware (digital and film), Thom Hogan's 
website has all kinds of reviews, as well as concise guides/opinions on 
packages ( www.bythom.com ).? Can't help on Canon but I'm sure others will 
jump in. 



If it were my money, I'd probably find a cheap, clean D100 or Canon 
equivalent and a couple of zooms (wide/normal and normal/tele) and chalk it 
up to T&E. 



YMMV; good luck.? The thing about digital is, as you say, that at this point 
any given camera spends a very short time at the top of the technocurve.? 
The good thing is that the "outdated" models often become relatively 
affordable and can produce very good results if you're not trying to cover 
the wall at Grand Central. 



John Newell