Good image quality
Handles like a film camera
Small size and light weight
Good NiMH Batteries
Metering, exposure and color are all great

Nikon View DX software for the Mac is just not an acceptable product for a camera of this quality.

The D1 is a great camera for my purposes (newspaper photojournalism). It's a third the price of my first NC2000 and it's a much better camera.

Customer Service

Nikon customer service has always provided prompt and reliable service

Similar Products Used:

AP NC2000e
Kodak DCS620

Superior image quality
True 35mm handling
Blindingly fast 4.5fps
Good quality/compression
MANY custom options
Accepts older non-AF lenses
Histogram!

Custom features use numbers, not names
LCD placment
Poorly designed LCD cover
Heavy
All accesories must be Nikon
Manual doesn't give much info on using older lenses
Metering tends to be inaccurate. Need to use EV compensation all the time.
Any dirt or dust on the filter requires a trip to Nikon repair

I find the D1 to be a real PROFESSIONAL digital camera. It does have its quirks. The color and contrast is "different" from any other digicam I've seen or tried. It is very sensitive to color. Because of all the feature and color/exposure nuances, the learning curve has been a little steep. Once we got a handle on it, the camera was easy to use.

Customer Service

Nikon has a call-back system. The CS agent I spoke to was little on the rude side. He seemed a little put out by my "basic" questions.

Similar Products Used:

Olympus 2500
Nikon 950
Olympus 2000

+image quality
+flexibility
+works like F100 or F5
+color matrix metering
+rugged construction
+much cheaper than other "pro" cameras

-heavy
-lcd smudges easily from nose!
-different aspect ratio from 35mm
-requires SB-28X flash for full operation ($)
-much more expensive than consumer cameras

If you're serious about digital photography and enjoy Nikon quality, there is no other choice than the D1. At 8x10 print size, virtually indistinguishable from film (depending on printer).

Similar Products Used:

None

The D1 hasn't let me down yet.I get great portraits and great product shots from this work horse. Works awesome with a 340 mb microdrive, or compact flash. And the images get even better with the Capture software.

Needs to be compatible with more Firewire cards. and needs a longer battery life.

Great Camera!! I'm looking forward to the D-2.

Customer Service

great!!! but the only probs I've had are software based

Similar Products Used:

Various Kodak overpriced pro cameras.including the 520 and 660

Fast + solid motor drive, Good AF system, Great for newspaper work

Tiny viewfinder kills eyes, Critical focus only possible with AF, Very difficult to get accurate exposures when using fill-flash. Metering system unreliable, Plastic grip peeled off like a bananna, up to 2 second lag between pressing shutter button and shutter firing (after lcd turns off).

The D1 is an impressive tool in terms of its technology and speed, but I would like to see a lot fewer bugs, quirks, and design flaws in a camera at this price. But in the end it has saved us time and $ at the paper.

Customer Service

no contact

Similar Products Used:

first digi camera

No Film. Nikon Lenses and equipment. Speed.

sharpness. Color balance. File size. Motor drive is way too slow.

This is not professional level for print work. Can be used for on line or newspaper (maybe). Way too expensive for what I need.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F5. Hasselblad w/leaf back

+Image quality is great
+Nikon flexibility
+Works like F100 or F5
+Color matrix metering
+Rugged construction
+Much cheaper than other "pro" cameras
+Works with any Compact Flash including the new 1 gigabyte microdrive

-Must purchase new lenses because of aspect ratio.
-Requires SB-28X flash for full operation ($$)
- Wish the Photo Secretary with my F5 could be used by the D1.

I love this camera. And, if you're serious about digital photography and you are used to Nikon's quality, there is no other choice than the D1. The other cameras(6mil) are just too expensive, and the lower priced ones are not cameras. What a great camera to add to your Nikon Collection.

Customer Service

Haven't had to use them yet.

Similar Products Used:

-Olympus Digitals
-Kodak DC series $$$ get out your wallet

Unequalled build quality
Take anywhere in any weather
Amazing image quality from relatively modest resolution
Smoother more natural images than the Fuji S1
Ability to work with the RAW CCD data

None

The Fuji S1 is making big inroards into the prosumer camera market - mainly due to the large number of pixels it captures. I should know - I bought one. But the relality is that it is a $200 camera attached to a $3000 digital back - and it shows. I took mine back and bought the D1 instead. Before I did though I ran a small number of comparative tests - just to see if the images coming from both cameras were that different. Well they're not - if anything the D1 produces a more natural image without artifacts. So, if money is not the issue and you need a camera for all weathers (like here in England) then don't be shy - buy the D1.

Customer Service

Not needed

Similar Products Used:

Fuji S1 Pro

Control all parameters as with a classic film camera.
TTL 3D exposure metering (even with the SB-28-DX flash unit). Depth-of –Field preview.
Use all Nikon lenses (AI and newer). Give really film-like frames.
Battery longevity (500-1000 frames).

Heavy: the weight and the price for an amateur photographer. Needs large and costly Compact-Flash cards or better an IBM PC Card Hard Drive (350 Mo, 500 Mo or 1Go).
The position of the LCD screen is not the best one, just in front of your nose and smudges easily from nose and fingers.
the door of the card location seems to loose its rubber grip. It’s the right thumb position and we carry all the weight of the cam (more than 2 kg with lens, battery and card) on this particular place.

I'm a Frenchman so I apologize for my poor English. Be indulgent. Thanks a lot.

Nikon D1 seams to be the first “relatively” affordable digital SLR camera (I must admit I have to sold some old cameras and lenses to buy it).
I have started a digital experience with a Canon PowerShot Pro 70 18 months ago. After more than 1000 frames this camera shows its limits. It’s a very good camera but non-reflex viewfinder and no additional lenses limit the field of use.
I have bought the D1 to obtain all controls on shots as on my old Nikon SLR film cameras.
I use it since eight months and 3400 frames.
My aim was to use my old lenses (fortunately some are in D type) with a bright reflex viewfinder (smaller than on other Nikon cameras).
Actually I use the 24-120 F/3.5-5.6 D and the new 18-35 F/3.5-4.5 D ED most of time.
Use sometimes the 75-300 F/4-5.6 D ED and 60 F/2.8 D Micro Nikkor.
Results are often excellent cause with the D1 you only use the centre of the lenses, the best part of them, cause the CCD is smaller than a classic 24*36 frame, (nearly APS).
We may say that D1 makes your lenses better.
The only difference is the 1.5 ratio between D1 and classic cameras. So to have a very wide lens (20-28 mm like in 24*36) you must buy a 14 or 17/18 mm and they are not very cheap.
Especially the new 14 mm !!!!

Multi-zone auto-focus modes, 3D color-matrix metering, blazing mode (up to 4.5 fps) and bracketing modes always give you fine and well-exposed frames.
Lithium Niobate filter of the D1 gives great quality images and a sharp range of colours as when using a slide film.
High lights and shadows are detailed, sometimes more than with a classic print film.
You may change the ISO level (200 up to 6400), the Colour or B&W mode and the EV compensation between each frame; it’s one of great capability of digital photography. Forget the type of color (or B&W) print (or slide) film you have to take with you. You can shot anything you want with just a kind of media: your Compact-Flash Card. It’s a must for photographers.
If you need a real multi purpose digital camera and have great Nikon lenses, just buy it (or wait for a year or two for a lower price).

You may look at some pictures taken with the D1 on my site www.rousseaueric.com with links on my albums and more of the digital cameras sites.

Customer Service

Never have to call.

Similar Products Used:

Canon PowerShot Pro 70 (very good one)
Canon PowerShot S10 (not so good as the PWS 70 pro but very small and discreet)

USES ALMOST ALL NIKON LENSES

NOT GOOD FOR WIDE ANGLE SHOOTS BECAUSE OF ASPECT RATIO AND NOT GOOD FOR POOR WEATHER

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST NIKON CAMERA I HAVE EVER USED TO DATE. I HAVE ALL THE F'S WITH MOTORS AND THE ONE CAN TAKE IT ( 30,000 PLUS SHOTS BECAUSE YOU CAN) I LOVE THIS FORMAT BECAUSE OF IT.

Customer Service

OUTSTANDING. HAD TO SEND THE CAMERA BACK TWICE. SHOT IT SO MUCH THE MIRROR CRACKED.

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KODAK DCS 200