For a vintage enthusiast, a new visit to an old haunt, with a different camera and lens setup, may end up with a completely new nostalgia for what was before. That was what I did recently, a visit to a public park I used to frequent, accompanied, this time, by a 10MP CCD Nikon D200 mounted with a Sigma Zoom-γ 21-35mm 1:3.5~4, a legacy from 1979. It was a quiet and quaint visit, though, as the park, which seemed to have been through an intense upgrade recently, was not as active as it was during a long weekend.
With both camera and lens being vintage, the essentials of a slow and laid-back shoot are all in place.
The Nikon D200, introduced in 2005, is a significant milestone in the evolution of digital SLR (DSLR) cameras. The camera, distinguished by its magnesium alloy body, combines advanced features from Nikon’s high-end D2X with functionalities for the enthusiast, and is categorized as a mid-range model positioned between entry-level models and professional-grade equipment.
The DSLR is fitted with a 10.2MP CCD sensor, Nikon’s Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module equipped the D200 with 11 focus points, and offered advanced tracking modes such as Closest Subject Priority Dynamic AF. Weather-sealed buttons and joints, a feature absent from competing models, allow the camera to be equally used in challenging conditions. The camera weighs 830 grams, body only.
Handling-wise, the controls of the D200 were optimized for intuitive controls, with a layout similar to the D2X for easy transition between the two. Direct-access buttons are available for ISO, white balance, and image quality, while the 2.5-inch LCD has a 170-degree viewing angle. The D200 chassis was also used as the base for the 'Frankenstein' Fujifilm FinePix S5 Pro.
The Sigma Zoom-γ 21-35mm 1:3.5-4, the world’s first wide-angle zoom lens when introduced in 1979, emerged during a transformative period in lens design as an answer to photographers’ demands for a portable wide-angle solution that could replace four prime lenses: 21mm, 24mm, 28mm, and 35mm. The lens pioneered the integration of the ultra-wide focal lengths into a single compact system with its 12-element, 12-group optical design with a floating element system to minimize distortion and aberrations.
The lens was made available with Canon EF, Minolta/Sony A, Nikon F, and Sigma SA mounts, and adapts to modern APS-C and Micro Four Thirds systems with equivalent focal ranges of 32.1–60.9mm for APS-C DSLRS, and 42–70mm for Micro 4/3s. The lens weighs 465 grams, measures 105mm in length, has a 67mm filter thread, with the manual zoom ring rotates smoothly across a 64° arc. The lens is notable for its all-metal construction, fixed hood, and, to some extent, historical significance.
Despite their ages, with the camera well into its twenties and the lens well past forty-five, both were exceeding agile and performed well beyond expectation. Images here were zoomed and framed in Aperture-priority mode with the camera set to its base ISO, lens aperture to f/5.6, with focusing almost hyperfocal close to its infinity end. Occasional listing of these items on auction sites, as available, will not cost you an arm or a leg either.
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