Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working my way through a selection of the current 
mid-range digital SLRs, with examples from Canon, Olympus and Sony. This week I’m taking a look at the Nikon D200. Like the others, the D200 is aimed at the advanced enthusiast or semi-professional. With a 10.2 megapixel CCD, a tough weatherproof body and exceptional handling and controllability, it has a specification that will satisfy even the most demanding photographer.
The D200 was announced in November 2005. Its name might suggest a close similarity with Nikon’s first non-professional DSLR the 6MP D100, which was launched in early 2002 and remarkably still going strong over four years later. However the D200 is much more than an update of the older model. Instead, it fits into the Nikon DSLR range above the D100 but just below the pair of professional workhorses, the D2h and D2X.
This applies to the price as well. The D200 has a recommended retail price of £1,299.99 body only, or £2,299.99 complete with the superb AF-S Nikkor 17-55 f2.8 lens that was supplied with the review sample, although this kit is available for around £2000 from some online retailers. For comparison, the D100 is £699 body only, while the D2X is £2279…..
Verdict
The D200 plugs a wide gap in Nikon’s DSLR range, and provides a bridge between the consumer-oriented D50, D70 and venerable D100, and the giddy heights of the D2x and D2h. It is big, heavy and expensive, but it provides the kind of build quality and performance that the serious amateur or semi-professional will be looking for. The lack of in-camera processing control is surprising, but with the right RAW conversion software it can produce truly stunning results. TrustedReviews - Nikon D200 - Digital SLR