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Styled around the more traditional N80, the D100 has a full-featured
body, is nicely weighted and considerably lighter then you might expect,
given the amount of technology that's packed into it. The controls are
nicely situated, and navigating through the settings using the provided
four-way movement pad becomes second nature very quickly. Picture preview
comes courtesy of the built-in 1.8-inch LCD screen, which allows for a
cursory check of any pictures taken. Unlike earlier Nikon products, it's not
possible to use the screen on the D100 as an alternate viewfinder,
restricting its use in tight situations, but the results through the
"traditional" viewfinder are perfectly adequate.
As you would expect from a 6-megapixel camera, the image quality is
superb at all levels, from the highest resolution (a mighty 3,008 x 2,000
pixels) down to a less intense 1,504 x 1,000 pixels. At any resolution, the
output images are really very good, color saturation is well up to par, and
overall the results stand up well. On the downside, perfectionists may well
find there's a tiny amount less definition, but there's nothing here to
raise anything approaching serious issues.
Power is provided from a supplied rechargeable battery pack, which is
both light and long lasting--up to a maximum of two hours, depending on
flash usage. To recharge from empty takes around two hours, so it would be
worth investing in a second pack. The D100 takes Type I and II CompactFlash
as well as Microdrive units, which are invaluable for users looking to take
any more than a handful of pictures in a single session. Our tests showed a
256 MB CF card could handle around 40 high-resolution uncompressed TIFF
images, suddenly making a 1 GB Microdrive look extremely attractive.
The built-in flash unit, which pops up above the lens, is powerful and
efficient, proving effective in a variety of conditions. Unlike many digital
cameras, it only fires a single flash, effectively reducing red-eye without
sacrificing performance.
It's difficult not to be impressed by the D100. It's a stylish and
good-looking camera that proves that beauty isn't just skin deep by
providing results well above expectation. The inclusion of the fast-charge
battery pack means downtime is kept to a minimum, and the software packages
provided by Nikon (including NikonView 5) make it easy to manipulate your
images and save them out to hard drive, CD, or DVD. This is not a cheap buy,
especially when you consider the base price excludes any form of lens, but
for those with deep pockets the D100 is a force to be reckoned with. --Elly
Russell
Pros:
Cons:
The D100 features sophisticated digital image control technology;
exclusive, high-performance Nikon features such as 3-D matrix metering;
five-area dynamic autofocus with focus tracking and lock-on; plus, the
convenience and performance of a new built-in Speedlight which features
D-TTL flash control capability. And of course, the D100 provides full
compatibility with more than 40 AF Nikkor lenses, as well as numerous other
Nikon accessories, including a new multifunction battery pack and a new
Nikon Capture 3 software.
Feature include:
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