Full Review

I considered myself a semi-professional photographer at one time, but when I decided that I really "needed" a camera after fifteen plus years out of the field, I found that I did not know anything about digital slrs. I ran out and bought what seemed to be a good deal without doing my research. Long story short, after a few months of frustration and lots of research, I sold that camera and got the Nikon D200. This is a wonderful camera. It is fast - there is virtually no lag between when I push the buttons to set the exposure to when it actually changes (this was a huge problem with my first dslr), and virtually no shutter lag (very important to me for shooting my kids' sporting events). Though the camera is very expensive, if you are serious about photography, you will make up for it in the long run over some of the less expensive brands when you start buying lenses. The Olympus that I initially purchased would only work with their 4/3 lenses, which were insanely expensive compared to similar Nikon, Canon or off brand lenses. If you already own another Nikon, you'll be in really good shape as I think all of their digital lenses and most if not all of there older lenses are compatible with the D200. Similarly, if you have Canon lenses, you might want to consider another another Canon instead of the Nikon. If you don't already have an arsenal of Canon lenses, though, the Nikon is a great camera. The picture quality is excellent and it is relatively easy to use. Due to the price, I do not recommend this camera for someone who does not have a proven love of photography, unless money is no object. If you are shopping for someone who is just getting interested in photography or just wants to take pictures as a hobby, consider the D70 or D80 which are very good cameras at much more affordable prices.