I thought I was a lousy photographer (Page 5): I am still shooting with a Sony a230 and an a350. No idea of shutter clicks, but they keep on going. They do everything I need, and the...

aellman Loc: Boston MA

PhotogHobbyist wrote:

It is sad that technology advances so quickly that... (show quote)

I am still shooting with a Sony a230 and an a350. No idea of shutter clicks, but they keep on going. They do everything I need, and the sensors give me great 8x10 prints. I have several old Minolta AF lenses which are compatible, so it gives me a nice little system. No need to upgrade until they both implode. > Alan

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

Foathog said the difference between the D200 and the D850 was, in his words... "infinitesimal", and that word means extremely small, so that would mean almost no difference. The reality is that there is a huge difference between the two camera's mention.

You might want to change your wording in that comment, or maybe you do think there is almost no difference between the two cameras. That thinking would of course be incorrect.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

uaeluor1949 wrote:

I rarely wrote on the UHH as I thought I was a lou... (show quote)

There is nothing wrong with a D200. Just don't expect to print wall murals with it (~10MP). Also you don't refurbish a camera per se to replace a shutter. Shutters are only replaced WHEN they ACTUALLY fail. They don't just start taking worse and worse images due strictly from age, only if they are malfunctioning. Any more than a 1940's Leica can not still take good film photos. But the fee to refurbish a D200 is likely more than a use one costs. So it is anyone's guess what was actually done to your camera.

uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl

E.L.. Shapiro wrote:

You are talking about an "uncontrolled experiment"- let me explain.

You may have accidentally became a "lousy photographer" and not because you are a bad guy, not knowledgeable, or anything bad. If you were getting constantly poorly focused images you may have had a defective camera to begin with, you may have unknowingly experienced an eyesight issue, or may have not been using the autofocus functions on your camera properly. You may have misconstrued camera movement or subject movement blur as focus shortcomings? The only way you could have actually diagnosed the problem was to run controlled tests by manually focusing on a target and then comparing the results to an auto-focused image. Mounting the camera on a sturdy tripod and making certain that the shutter speed was appropriate for any action is another test. If you did not conduct any of these tests and just randomly or indiscriminately sent the camera out for refurbishing- this may have made matters worse and the actual issue was never addressed. If there was no improvement in performance after the repair, you should have taken it up with the repair service immediately.

Even if your old camera was in perfect working order, it is still an old camera and will have lost any significant trade-in or resale value. It is not a bad thing that technology progresses- consider it an advantage to be able to avail yourself of better up-to-date gear.

If you are still finding an alarming percentage of out of focus or blurred images with your new camera, make certain that the autofocus function is set for the appropriate mode for the type of work you are doing- check into the manual and the camera's menu for these settings. Brush up on your depth of field theory especially when working with longer focal lengths at wide apertures and shooting wildlife etc.

Your new camera, if used judiciously, should provide excellent sharpness. Some folks around this forum are so preoccupied with acutance that one might think they are exhibiting their images on the Jumbotron at the local arena or producing photo-murals and billboards. Many are never even making substantially large prints. Some folks are quick to categorize older gear as junk, paperweights and door stops, etc, while in fact, they were decent in their era and have just outlived their usefulness and have been replaced by better offerings from the engineers, manufacturers and the retailers.

Enjoy your new camera. If you have time, run a few controlled tests as I have outlined and make sure everything is OK while the warranty is still in force. If it all checks out, just watch your technique as to AF settings, DOP, and shutter speed. Make certain that the AF is set to hone in on your subject and lock the focus in before re-composing. If you are handholding your camera in difficult conditions, a good investment might be in a sturdy grip, L-bracket or monopod. These accessors help reinforce steadiness and in maintaining precise focus

You are talking about an "uncontrolled experi... (show quote)

Thanks for the great advice. I should have described how I shoot:
I have used a tripod in the past, use the timer sometimes, manual mode & adjust for the lighting. Some times the photos were out of focus sometime sharp. I guess I'm too dense to think of returning the camera for a thorough refurb early on. I thought that when you refurb a camera they replace every moving part & check everything, that's why I thought that the problem was me. I'm not having any problem with the D850 even when I'm using an 80-400mm hand held & I have been able to use slower shutter speeds. I'm 69 & on medication for slight tremors. Years ago I used an Nikkormat with a 50mm 1.4. I went through many hundreds of rolls without having many blurry photos. I doubt very much that I'll ever use the D200 again, I'm so excited using the D850 that I'm trying to get out more. Thank you for your gentle instructions.

uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl

LCD wrote:

that faulty camera still made you a better photographer.

So true

hj Loc: Florida

JohnSwanda wrote:

That just depends on what your standards are and how many chances you take. My keeper rate hasn't increased over my more than 40 years as a photographer, because my standards keep getting higher.

For anyone getting 1 out of 10 keepers, I'd question their knowledge of the camera, their composition, knowledge of lighting or even their choice of subject. I don't want to shoot 100 pics just to keep 10. Wasting 90% of your time. There's that the old adage, give a monkey a camera and he'll get a few good pics. Shotgun approach instead of rifle.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

hj wrote:

For anyone getting 1 out of 10 keepers, I'd question their knowledge of the camera, their composition, knowledge of lighting or even their choice of subject. I don't want to shoot 100 pics just to keep 10. Wasting 90% of your time. There's that the old adage, give a monkey a camera and he'll get a few good pics. Shotgun approach instead of rifle.

And I would question whether you are really pushing yourself, trying new things. Failure is the best way to learn and improve, not a waste of time.

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

uaeluor1949 wrote:

Thanks for the great advice. I should have describ... (show quote)

Would like to have it, let me know what you want for it. I am 83 and have cancer would like to give it to my grand daughter.

uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl

I don't know what formula people use to get their keeper rate. I don't just take one or two shots of a subject. I measure my keeper rate not by how many photos are sharp but by how many I'm willing to print. If you think that's a bad keeper rate too bad, I'm happy with what I have. I finally moved from DX to FX. My lenses may be older but they are FX & are in perfect shape.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

uaeluor1949 wrote:

I rarely wrote on the UHH as I thought I was a lou... (show quote)

I had a D200 that I bought in 2007. Used it as my primary camera for 10 years. Gave it away, but have wished on numerous occasions that I had it back. It was the last Nikon that I am aware of that used a CCD sensor. That technology produces color rendition that most cameras today still aspire to. It was also the first camera that did not require that you wait until early next week to take a photograph after powering it on.

As for what was done during the refurb, several here have hinted that your shop may have been limited in how much they could do in that process due to parts not being available. In 2017, I traded for a used D300 (about 2 years newer than the D200) and needed to have the Aperture Interface Ring replaced. That part was long unavailable by that time, but I was fortunately able to find a junker body which had what was needed available for transplant. This left me needing to find a new set of rubber grips. The design of the camera requires that all of the grips be removed in order to disassemble the camera. Those grips can almost never be reused once they are removed. An extended search did not reveal any OEM grips, but I was able to find a set made by a third party. They almost fit, and they do serve well enough to allow the camera to be used, but they are in no way really right. If I ever find a "real" set of grips, I'll latch on to them, but I expect that any that remain are being guarded by their owners in case they might be needed later.

Anyway...I'm guessing that your shop likely did the best they could with the parts that were available to them. You might ask them for clarification before getting too up in arms over this situation.

I've read all the posts here and have not seen anyone offer specific suggestions that might help you improve your photographs. But I think that there are a couple of things you might look at. One involves camera setup and one involves technique. It's a little hard to tell for sure from your thumbnail image, but it looks to me like the focus in your image is on the grass in the foreground, not on the chick. Make sure that you are using the correct focus point so that you are asking the camera to focus on your subject, not the foreground. If that seems correct, then make certain that you are not locking focus before you complete your framing...you might have locked focus on the grass, then moved the camera to center the image on the chick. Of course, it is possible that there is a focus calibration problem, but the chances of that are not very high.

uaeluor1949 Loc: Polk City, Fl

Sorry, I can't sell or give away something that I believe is defective. It would be cheaper to buy one that is working perfectly than to get my camera fixed.

Abo

hj wrote:

Sorry to say, if you are only getting 10% keeper rate with your D850 you are doing something wrong. One out of 10 is not good.

The "keeper" rate depends on how selective an individual is ie
a photographer may reject an image he or she made that others
would keep.

Imho, "One out of 10 is not good." has the credibility of; A piece
of string is 10 inches.

Flickwet Loc: NEOhio

uaeluor1949 wrote:

Sorry, I can't sell or give away something that I believe is defective. It would be cheaper to buy one that is working perfectly than to get my camera fixed.

Many of us question the actual “defectiveness” of the d200 since the restoration, I wonder if there’s something else like a focus setting, lens prob or whatever. D200 is still a fine camera

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

uaeluor1949 wrote:

I don't know what formula people use to get their keeper rate. I don't just take one or two shots of a subject. I measure my keeper rate not by how many photos are sharp but by how many I'm willing to print. If you think that's a bad keeper rate too bad, I'm happy with what I have. I finally moved from DX to FX. My lenses may be older but they are FX & are in perfect shape.

I think the keeper rate is different for different types of photography. Shooting static subjects like landscapes or still lives where you have time to consider your subject, composition, and lighting should have a higher keeper rate. Action photography like sports or performance which lend themselves more to a spray and pray approach will have a lower rate. People photography always benefits by taking more shots. A fashion photographer doing a magazine cover shoot can take hundreds of shots to get the winning shot. But it's hardly a monkey with a camera.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I've seen many posts on UHH asking for the perfect starter camera for a youth. The D200 might just be the perfect thing. 10mp would be big enough to print to 4x6 or 5x7 easily. Probably even 8x10. Do a search for "best camera for" and maybe you'll find a home for your D200. It would be the perfect place to donate your camera and have it see some use.