Nikon D200 Sensor

[Saknika]

We spoke about this before on Twitter, Scott, but it's so hard to find those that I wanted to ask you about it here, too; and give others the opportunity for some input just in case.

My sensor sucks when I get above ISO100. And from at you've told me, I shouldn't have as much noise as I do at ISO400.

It's been like this since I got it though, so is it possibly a factory defect? I'm not too good at understanding sensors, so I'm not sure what I should be looking at with this, nor what I should ask someone to do if I were to get it repaired and serviced.

[ScottWood]

I don't get what I consider really bad noise until I get to around ISO800 or higher. I shoot at up to ISO400 without really worrying about anything at all. At ISO400 I might get a little noise in the deep shadows, but it is very manageable.

I don't know the setting off of the top of my head, but either the manual or google should be able to help, but there is an option for in camera noise reduction. Make sure that this is turned on, but it really only applies to long exposure shots, which are more prone to noise in in lower ISO shots.

If there is a problem, I suspect that it is more of a problem with the image processor that takes the data from the sensor and creates the NEF file that is saved to the card. I would suggest making sure that your firmware is updated to the latest level if not already, and if that doesn't help, I would see if you can get a Nikon repair shop to take a look at it.

The D200 has been around a long time now, and while it isn't the low light performer that something like a D700 or even a D300 are, it really should be better than what you have reported.

[MarianMurdoch]

Perhaps posting a photo of an image and giving us the EXIF would be helpful.

[Saknika]

As soon as my work computer where those photos are becomes available (I let my bf use it for school work since his computer died and he can't afford a new one right now), I can definitely show you some photos as an example.

But yeah, even with the NR Scott, the quality is horrible, which is what concerns me.

[shp]

My ISO will only go from 64 to 400, but all the pictures would appear the same. I use a Kodak camera but I've been thinking about Nikon. I can't exactly figure out the ISO system if it isn't big enough for me to experiment with.

[Saknika]

Here you are Marian. I exported them at 10 inches on the long side, if you need them bigger to get a closer look, just let me know.

This one is ISO 250, with flash in a semi-lit area, f/5.0 1/100sec

The floor, in particular, gets to me. There's noise in it, and those mats had been washed before I got there (I know, I could smell the ammonia and bleach mixture when I walked in still), so it's not dirt. The focus isn't the best, however, I think this goes beyond them being out of focus.

www.photo-phantasy.com/images/hotlink/iso_001.jpg

This one is ISO 100, altered exposure because something went flukey, I forget what, natural light with reflector, f/8.0 1/320sec Still, I didn't have to alter the exposure so much that this should have happened.

www.photo-phantasy.com/images/hotlink/iso_002.jpg

So it even happens in ISO 100 sometimes, if you look at her face and the jacket of the guy behind her. And she's in focus!

I'd show you ISO 400 right now, but I'm trying to find the disc it's burned on, since that's actually been archived. I don't have a good organization system for those yet, so that could take me a bit. That'll start you off though.

EDIT: Also, NR was on for both these shots. I just leave it on as a default since I have so many issues.

[ScottWood]

Those images certainly make me think that there is something wrong with the image processing in your D200. Here is a link to a macro shot I took at ISO400. It is pretty much out of camera, the only thing I really did to it was tweek the levels.

www.scottwoodphotography.com/Nature/Other-Nature-Images/9737358_Qr4DN#659212520_ksJHz

If you look in the shadows, there is some noise, but it is certainly manageable.

[Saknika]

Yeah, I would not have been able to get that shot. I'd have noise out the wazoo. So it looks like I'm going to need to contact someone, since this is how it has always been. I wouldn't have even known any better though if you hadn't said something to me on Twitter. D:

[MarianMurdoch]

Did you, by chance, change your settings by accident? Perhaps from Fine to Regular or change the camera's color profile? Have you tried resetting it to default?

As a side note, you have your address on your images in the EXIF file. Not a good thing. Put your website or email as a contact, but putting your address in your EXIF opens you up to (1)stalkers, and (2) telling people "I have camera equipment here if you want to rob me." I'd seriously advise removing that from all future photos.

[Saknika]

I can't even figure out how to view that EXIF data on the web. ; I gotta say though, if someone actually was able to find my home and rob my equipment, I'd applaud them. I live 20-30min from any real city. Haha. But yes, I will remove that from future photos.

I just opened up my camera's menu to look, I can shoot RAW (current setting) or RAW+JPEG in Fine, or just JPEG in Fine, for a fine mode. I don't really have a colour profile in here except AdobeRGB and sRGB. I have always used sRGB, it's what was default.