p.3 #2 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
fnzmf25 wrote:
yeah I actually have the z8 with the z 24-70 f2.8…
I was hoping to find something that has that nostalgic filmic look sooc… mostly that soft warm colors…
I never used the D200, but did buy a D80 in 2006 which has the same or very similar sensor. I would not say the images looked like any soft or warm film images, though jpegs may look soft due to the primitive NR.
It gives the nostalgic look of the early 2000s noisy CCD sensors. Their images are quite sharp per pixel for those 10.2MP. You need to keep the ISO as low as possible and ETR.
p.3 #3 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
fnzmf25 wrote:
Thank you! For the period matching lenses, is the 17-55 f2.8 considered in that list?
And sorry I’m really not familiar with the older lenses. Are the primes that you suggested auto focus or manual focus?
The 17-55mm f2.8 was released in 2004, so definitely falls into the early digital period. I‘d say beyond 2008-2010 is when we enter the „modern digital“ era - the f1.8G line falls into that (first lens from that series was released in 2011 I think?)
Not all modern lenses are designed with modern look in mind though, the 24mm 58mm and 85mm f1.4G are definitely more „Classic“ in their rendering style.
Yes, all the lenses I suggested will autofocus on a D200 (all AF, AF-D and AF-S lenses will).
p.3 #4 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
Back in the day I traveled a lot with my D200 and I was quite pleased then. I recall my go to was a travel 28-300 Tokina, I have a lot of shots at odd FL, like 78 mm etc... and a 50 mm 1.4D that remains a fav lens on my IR converted Z6II (this is a great deep IR lens). A couple from my D200 era.. The images were kind of film like out of camera because of sensor limits and could be "helped" with software. The photography still is ok, gear and I have improved a lot in 20 years. First image is mexico, the second is a Russian helicopter that dropped me off middle of Kamchatka in the land of volcanoes and is departing to return in a week. I had a lot of good times with D200- I also had good times with the D100, which is another story. Probably been some years since I had my D200 out our my D100, I wonder if the batteries still function, I still have a pile of "huge" CF cards 8 gb 16 gb 32gb .... not used for a while. I am happy to see you using vintage dig gear.
p.3 #5 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
I use 18-55 on older Canon currently, thought I'd suggest it, but didn't simce I'm not using Nikon, then read D200 Colour King site some. Interesting site, thats one lens he's using. So id say one of those, very useful ~28-80 ff equivalent.
Another thing I do that I think he's doing: use the manufacturers raw processor (Capture NX?) That's probably going to make a bigger difference vs bodies.
Nikon has interesting inexpensive bodies, D3200 has 24mp, D7000 probably good at 16mp, not far behind, probably takes screw drive, D7200 just impressive. If you want CCD maybe just get D200 and get it over with though.
p.3 #6 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
I'm not sure what you are looking at in terms of "best glass" for your CCD sensor... I use a Leica M8 for street photography, thus I understand the appeal.
Because 35mm and 50mm are classic focal lengths for street and travel, maybe you should consider the AFS G 24mm f/1.4 (36mm after crop) and 50mm f/1.4 (or better 58mm f/1.4). I believe that both can still be purchased new and have good rebates on them right now...
p.3 #7 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
fnzmf25 wrote:
As a side note, is there any modern camera that could reproduce the d200 or S5 pro IQs?
Virtually any camera made in the last two decades can equal or better the IQ of a D200. There isn't really anything special about that camera.
As for compatible lenses, the AF-S 17-55mm f2.8 is probably the best DX zoom Nikon ever made. The AF-S 10-24mm f4 is also pretty good if you want something wider. The first version of the AF-S 70-200mm f2.8 is a good choice for a longer lens; while Nikon advertised it as being a full-frame lens, it really only covered the DX image area without significant vignetting so I always considered it another DX lens.
Alexandra Falls, Northwest Territories
NIKON D20017.0-55.0 mm f/2.8 lens18mmf/11.01/40s100 ISO0.0 EV
Louise Falls, Northwest Territories
NIKON D20012.0-24.0 mm f/4.0 lens24mmf/10.01/80s100 ISO0.0 EV
Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Muncho Lake
NIKON D20070.0-200.0 mm f/2.8 lens170mmf/4.01/320s250 ISO0.0 EV
p.3 #8 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
Tamron's 17-50 2.8 is a good smaller, lighter, and cheaper alternative to the Nikon 17-55.
It's not as good or sturdy as the Nikon but it makes a nicer carry/walk about package if that's a concern.
ETA - as I read further thru is thread the 18-70 f3.5-4.5 was mentioned and I'll second that recommendation. Still have mine after all these years.
p.3 #9 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
OffTrail wrote:
85 f/2 Ai-S, 85 f/1.8D, 85 f/1.4D, 85 f/1.8G and 85 f/1.4G. All good, all different flavors, all different sizes.
100 f/2.8 Series E punches well above its weight class, but the 105 f/2.5 Ai/Ai-S is a total classic. The 105 is my main portrait lens for digital and 35mm film.
135 f/2.8 Series E, Ai, and Ai-S are all optically the same, all fantastic lenses. I use a slightly older formula on the D200 and D2X often for portriats.
180 f/2.8 ED Ai-S is excellent, too.
75-150 f/3.5 Series E is a gem, I actually use it for a product lens on the Z8.
On the D200 vs. modern sensor thing, I honestly think that most of the "CCD look" is early-00's glass in front of a DX sensor with pleasing colors. I don't think the D200's colors are special because of the sensor tech (D2X also has fantastic colors, and it's CMOS). It's just an era of Nikon's color science that was particularly good, and the older glass with a DX sensor does have a look to it. When I got the D5, it had a lot of the same great earth/skin tones and I found that I could get close to that D200/D2X feel by using it in DX mode. Same goes for the Z8, so try that a bit alongside the D200 as well. But I still enjoy the older cameras, and I'm not saying don't get one! They're still plenty fun....Show more →
Actually have a question about the look related to the DX sensor - is it because the DX sensor is cutting off the soft corners? If so, how does it explain the performance of 17-55mm f2.8 which is a DX lens to begin with?
p.3 #10 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
fnzmf25 wrote:
Actually have a question about the look related to the DX sensor - is it because the DX sensor is cutting off the soft corners? If so, how does it explain the performance of 17-55mm f2.8 which is a DX lens to begin with?
It's cutting out softer corners, vignette, coma, it can cut off more noticeable effects of field curvature, etc. You also get increased depth of field for the same aperture and subject distance compared to FX. I think that "using the strongest part of the frame" was a bigger deal for people using their film lenses on digital. Lenses like the 17-55 were designed specifically for digital with more corrections in mind.
Also, the 17-55 actually projects a surprisingly large image circle for a DX lens. At 17mm, the FX frame can already see the full height of the image, and by about 40mm the FX frame is entirely covered. Here it is at 17mm on an FX sensor. The green is the DX area.
p.3 #12 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
OffTrail wrote:
It's cutting out softer corners, vignette, coma, it can cut off more noticeable effects of field curvature, etc. You also get increased depth of field for the same aperture and subject distance compared to FX. I think that "using the strongest part of the frame" was a bigger deal for people using their film lenses on digital. Lenses like the 17-55 were designed specifically for digital with more corrections in mind.
Also, the 17-55 actually projects a surprisingly large image circle for a DX lens. At 17mm, the FX frame can already see the full height of the image, and by about 40mm the FX frame is entirely covered. Here it is at 17mm on an FX sensor. The green is the DX area. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55039539992_fca1dd09a9.jpg...Show more →
p.3 #15 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
I had a D200, unfortunately not a lot of pics from back then. I took this with an old 80-200 f4.5 manual focus. I am pretty sure mine is old and maybe was not an AI lens at birth. I think it was sent back to the mothership to be "AI'D".
Anyway, it's a really, really cheap lens used well under 100 bucks. Probably pushing 50 yaers old and the focus/zoom is like butter.
This was on a D7000. It's a lame pic but I saved it because I kind of was suprised at how good it looked. I think it's pretty impressive for such an old lens. I did not shoot raw back then. Frawg by Mark Kasick, on Flickr
p.3 #16 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
Thank you.. just curious to hear more your thoughts …
NightOwl Cat wrote:
If you're after the CCD look of th e D200, then the Z mount images are more.. I want to say sterile, but my coffee hasn't fully kicked in yet at 0345
p.3 #17 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
KankRat wrote:
I think it's pretty impressive for such an old lens.
*groan*
While we have some very slow improvements in regards to how we make the lens elements (aspherical) and in regards to glas materials and coatings, there isnt really much of an improvement for lenses that are easy to make.
Those have been done well since ages and ages.
In the manual focus lenses thread, for example the AI 105/2.5 keeps getting praised.
There are also other lenses like the AI 55mm f2.8 micro or the AI 400mm f3.5 which are famous for their extreme sharpness.
The lens you talk about seems to be the 80-200/4.5 that I also own. Its also famous for its good performance. Ken Rockwell has a page praising it.
p.3 #19 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
OffTrail wrote:
Sorry if I'm clear as mud, that was a bit of a ramble
To clarify: The D200 has great colors regardless of sensor tech, and later bodies feel like they come back around to a similar color science. But part of the D200 look does typically involve older lenses (late film/early digital), and of course it always involves the DX field of view.
Here's just about the only thing close to an A/B that I have in my current LR catalog. It's not perfect, it's not all-encompassing, and it's haphazard, but it does demonstrate how close the colors can be. Z8 with 35 f/1.4G, D200 with 24 f/1.4G. I'm not a pro Flickr citizen, so you're stuck with their smaller size. Z8 first, D200 second. These were matched for WB, and the Z8 image was brightened to match. You can see the colors are close, but the rendering between a DX view and an FX view does differ.
So it seems like I might have gotten scammed with my d200 purchase from over a year ago lol I never carefully tested it until now
But long story short
I bought a used 17-55 f2.8 from Adroma - “only” $250 but everything looks great….
Then I checked it on my z6 versus d200
The d200 shots just look consistently soft - I don’t know if it’s the AF or other reasons, just couldn’t get it look sharp.
While on the z6 with FTZ and the DX view, it just looks amazing…. I’m sold on the old lenses and the DX view - don’t think I’m gonna try buying another d200 unless something really comes up on the board here
I want to try it on the z8 as well - will post when I have that, but my experience has been that the files coming out of the z6 is gentler and so I like it better.
TLDR the 17-55 f2.8 on z6 looks great, and will go with that for now… it might be the out of focus transition that I loved the most about…
Jan 17, 2026 at 11:51 AM
AmbientMike Offline • • • • • • [X]
p.3 #20 · Best optics, irrespective of price, for D200?
fnzmf25 wrote:
So it seems like I might have gotten scammed with my d200 purchase from over a year ago lol I never carefully tested it until now
But long story short
I bought a used 17-55 f2.8 from Adroma - “only” $250 but everything looks great….
Then I checked it on my z6 versus d200
The d200 shots just look consistently soft - I don’t know if it’s the AF or other reasons, just couldn’t get it look sharp.
While on the z6 with FTZ and the DX view, it just looks amazing…. I’m sold on the old lenses and the DX view - don’t think I’m gonna try buying another d200 unless something really comes up on the board here
I want to try it on the z8 as well - will post when I have that, but my experience has been that the files coming out of the z6 is gentler and so I like it better.
TLDR the 17-55 f2.8 on z6 looks great, and will go with that for now… it might be the out of focus transition that I loved the most about… ...Show more →
I have been getting lots of sharpness on older Canon bodies, after I figured out sharpening better. Default NR definitely a potential problem, too. So you might look at your sharpening settings trying different ones.
Older af especially on dx lenses tends to be not so accurate either so you might really try to make sure you are getting things in focus. I've been struggling on an 18-55 recently (much better lately) and no f/8 doesn't fix inaccuracy. Sometimes you wonder if the 18-55's got a bad reputation over focus accuracy which can be not so good, optics tend to be fine
