While I was waiting for Canon's 20d successor to be available hopefully in March or even later, I noticed yesterday that Nikon has a new semi-profession flagship out with the D200 ...

now that's a rocking-cool device... and while Canon-lens owners might hesitate to switch to Nikon I could return my loanes Canon 300d + lenses to my good friend Robert ...

apart from some cool specs you can read in the datasheets and other reviews I like some slight differences as major pro's for the D200:

• the Nikon D200 is available now
• has the 2.5" LCD screen I want on my DSLR
• has a nice ISO automatic mode for limiting the max. timing mode
• D200 is fast, smooth and quiet
• the Nikon D200 has another LCD for settings on the top surface. Three king buttons for compression mode (QUAL), WB, and ISO on the left.
• it has an option to store the Raw (even compressed Raw) in combination with a JPG version for faster browsing and distribution of the shots while still retaining the original raw shots... love this feature... I found myself shooting in both modes all the time just to make sure I have my favorite on the drive...
• the ISO setting is ALWAYS displayable in the viewer... finally :-) that's what canon doesn't seem to be able to accomplish
• it seems like it would be fair to describe the D200 as a 'compact D2X' - which is the MK1D pro cam equivalent at Canon
• you can program the system to do what I've been wanting for years: a one-push magnification that's high enough to see sharpness ... When you play this trick the D200 is smart enough to zoom in on the chosen focus point, even if it was off center. Brilliant! This saves you from having to scroll to the side to check your focus! It's so smart it even knows the AF point chosen in modes where the D200 gets to pick itself.

Some reviews I enjoyed just now are

• KenRockwell - this guy has a passion for this cam and I get the feeling if you read his experiences you'll love it just as I do
• Ken's comparison of D200 to the Canon EOS 5D and 20D - the EOS 5D - one sweet thing I'm thinking about for 2 months now compared to the D200 .. there can be only one for me :-)

• A full review on the D200
• a D200 Hands-On Preview from Nov 2005