D80 vs D200
 

I am about to upgrade my D100. I have noticed a lot of grain at 800 ISO with a sigma 50-500 when comapred with a D50 under the same conditions. I cant decide on either the D200 or the D80. The spec sheets seem about the same apart from faster write speeds on the D200 and better build quality. I take mostly wildlfe pictures. Does anyone have experience with these cameras?

One word, D200.
I know in UK Nikon has many of the bases including the press. But if your main complain is grain then I am sure you will hate me even more, to ask you to have a look at any Canon's images at highest ISO... Well some sensors are better than others and I am talking of ISO 1600 and plus.

Thanks for that. I have a few nikon lenses and cant run to changing them as well. you dont say why the D200

Grain/noise can be reduced using programs such as neatimage. If shooting RAW images a RAW converter can also reduce noise. The larger filesizes of both D80 and D200 may permit more aggressive cropping which can be useful, particularly with wildlife photography. D50 employs in-camera noise reduction and is aimed at a different market sector to your D100. It therefore should be possible to produce the same smooth image as D50 from a D80/200 by employing post processing noise reduction.

Im considering an update sometime in the future from my D50, im more drawn to the d80 as it uses the same type of cards which would save me a fair bit. Can anyone tell me if the batterys are the same or not?

Ollie,

A quick bit of research tells me that the D80 uses the updated EN-EL3e battery used on the D200. This battery has a specified capacity of 1500 mAh at 7.4 V (11.1 Wh). Neither the D80, nor the D200, is compatible with older EN-EL3 or EN-EL3a batteries such as the one used in your D50.

Thank you for that.

D200 is stuffed with the pro features you find on D2X for 1/3 the price.
D80 is 10MP version of near entry but descent D70.
Choice if price is not an issue ($1450 vs $950) is obviously D200.
If budget an obstacle, best is to look at dropped price D70 itself...Won't make you the sheikhest or coolest one in the block but works well with math and logics.:cool:

Thanks for the advice.

Ollie,

Before you ask, the D70 uses the EN-EL3 battery, the same as your D50. The D70s uses the EN-EL3a battery which is compatible with the EN-EL3 battery.

Personally, I think it's better to invest in better lenses rather than fancier bodies. Unless you are regularly finding that there's things you simply cannot do with your existing body, I'd advise on better lenses rather than a new body.