Ay menso!

there was this song, or maybe commercial (around 10 years ago) - I like tomatoes, You like tomatos, I like potatoes You like potatos....

Basically, with the exception of the D90 so far, all the models I listed were ones that Nikon has made upgrades to before completely replacing them; D70/D70s, D40/D40x, D300/D300s. Some on here have speculated that the D90 may very well have an upgrade before it's replacement as well.

I left out the pro models because those tend to be the flagship models of any brand anyway.

"Going off topic for a sec: Honourable is the originaly way of writing it, Americans were just too lazy to write the "u". :D"

We also write color not colour. Behavior and not behaviour. Then there's civilization and not civilisation. Donut not doughnut. Gray is monotypic here but grey is also execpted LOL!

Well in fairness to Gentoo, who started this thread, he said NOT to include pro models. So I kinda hijacked the thread by sneaking in the D3 and D700. I like EdEnd's list. So then that would mean the D70 is the greatest of them all :^)

Monty11 your right we Americans do leave out "U" but we sometimes tend to put an "F" in front of it :^) *hee hee*

Haha, Monty11, I knew I'd strike a nerve.

Yes, the D700 is too expensive for me to buy, so it just flies over my head. I did put the D40 on the list, but that's because I own one. And yes, I respect your choices of course.

I don't mind the English spellings, I respect both spellings.

most sold? most popular? most used?

I think the longest running is the D40 - I see it in more hands than any other DSLR.

I would then say the D200.

D80 right behind it.

The D90/D300 are too "young" to see their ways into everyone's hands. . .and still too $$. . .wait for the D90 to drop a little, and you'll see the spike. . .

NSXType-R, not to worry, you don't have a D700 do you? If you would, you would have put it on your list for sure!And by the way, my list isn't there because all the others are wrong... well of course they are but before you know it I'm being arrogant ;)

As for the English, I'm most certainly not a Brit, I'm Dutch. But I happen to like the British way of writing and speaking. Adds to others thinking I'm arrogant ;)

Now off we go, back on topic!

Going off topic for a sec: Honourable is the originaly way of writing it, Americans were just too lazy to write the "u". :D

EdEnd, if you noticed, I did give an honorable (or honourable for you Brits :D ) mention to the D1 just for being the first.

And your list is very similar to mine, all I'm missing is the D700.

I think the list is missing out on the D1 and the D700. Both of them were shocking the market at their release. The D1 was just the first serious dSLR by Nikon, this is where it all started. And the D700 just gave you FX at a very affordable price, seriously shocking all D3 users.

For getting dSLRs mainstream the D70 was the best move by Nikon, while the D40 gave a really good camera for those who wanted to get started. So that would basically make my list, if there were to be a top 5 I'd really have to think hard between the D3X and the D90, both offering a completely new level in their own way. But I think the D90 wins just because it may have drawn some video people over to dSLRs. The D3X is just a sensor upgrade we'll see again in the future and it didn't really draw in a lot of new people.

Yes, it's final, the top-5 being:
1. D1 - for being the first
2. D70 - for being the first affordable dSLR
3. D40 - for making people change from compacts to dSLR
4. D700 - for making FX possible at a nice price
5. D90 - for giving us video that gives serious filmers some great gear

That's right the best would be an iphone :^)

The most used DSLR may not be the best DSLRs in our opinions.

those pbase stats seem odd - flickr's stats have the D80 as easily the most used Nikon camera...

The D300 definitely !!! I had two D70 which were very nice, but dirt and specs on the sensor gave me nervous breakdowns and nightmares ! I sold them both and got myself a D300 and a D60.

@ Nikodoby .. 1/500 flash sync ? My D70 does 1/8000 Flash Sync!

You may think I am crazy but I am thinking of getting another D70s.
Why ? Its the best camera to convert for IR photography.

D3.

It lifted Nikon out of the full frame lag behind Canon ... followed by the D700, which put a FF Nikon into a lot more eager hands.

D3X.

Because it actually swiped the perceptual lead from Canon ... which may be short lived, but at least Nikon grabbed the lead after years of perceptually lagging behind with their flagship camera.

These cameras aren't with-in reach of everyone, nor does everyone need what they deliver ... however they did a lot to put Nikon on the map again for a lot of professional photographers.

I'm one of them .... sold off an entire Canon system for a D3 and D3X. The new zooms also did a lot to make that an easier switch. Can't wait for the new 70-200/2.8 IS!

Go Nikon !!!!!!!!!

Heartyfisher, true, the D70 was important, but it wasn't the camera that brought me in. It was the D40 that brought me in. Without it, there would be no entry level Nikon- the D50 was a tad expensive, no? There would be no D40x, D60, D5000, D3000.

Plus the D40 debuted a much easier interface system, tailored so that both pros (perhaps moving from film for the first time) and beginners could use it with confidence.

But I will not deny, the D70 was a big seller.

And the D40 hooked me in- I know a lot (but not everything) because of this camera.

But yeah, I don't know much about the D70, so you're probably right about that. But for me, it's D40 for sure.

NikoDoby-
That flash sync is truly insane- I need to get a SB600 or higher for my D40. Yes, it will be odd, but I think pictures should come out nicely.

I wasn't into photography when the D1 and D100 was around (let alone the D70, although I still argue :D ). $2000 for body only would be very expensive indeed then. You gotta factor in inflation too. :D

Don't forget about the 1/500 flash sync! Sweet!

NSX yes the D1 and D100 started it all. But the D100 was priced at around the D700's price today. Upper $2000US. body only! Nikon went from that model to the D70 which came in at an "affordable" $1200US price when introduced. As heartyfisher pointed out even today (six years later) no other camera can touch some of it's features! Sweet!

D70/D70s by far is the best camera .. without it nikon will not be where it is today.. It was the cornerstone of nikon's success. Without it we may not have had a D300 or a D3. It basically turned nikon's fortunes around. We are not talking only Technical capability but timing and value for money and usability as well. My Quick calculation of D70+D70S from the pbase numbers make it as high as the other top 3 combined.

But technicaly it was no slouch either! My D70 can take photos at 1/8000 of a second with Flash!! There is still No other camera that can do that!

Second would be the the D3! The High ISO capability was shocking! The Pros snapped them up by the thousands. Just about overnight all the sports events were dominated by black lenses! The rest are just foot notes...

Well if you want to take it that way, then the D70 owes it to the D100, the first affordable nearly pro body without going into the single digit superpro bodies.

Heck, lets start it off with the D1 then, the first DSLR with good enough quality to win over film users.

NSXType-R, the D40 owes the D70 for it's success. They share the same sensor. Remember that the D70 was Nikon's answer to canon's 300D which was the "world's first DSLR to sell for $999US" when, at the time,DSLR's sold for more than $2000US body only. I wanted to buy the canon but when Nikon showed me the D70 it was love at first site !!!

I think we should leave Nikon film cameras to a seperate thread. There's too many good ones to put on a short list.

If you want ot talk film bodies, I'd vote for the F3hp. Small, professional, indestructible, full frame finder (100%), high speed motor drive... Preceded by F2, which was bulky and slower and flowed by the F4 - the first generation of the huge body, like what is this, medium format?

I just loved that camera.

Personally, I'd say D40 wins, based on price/bang for buck, timespan of production (two years, I think), and performance.

Besides, it's the camera that accompanies me. Can't get any better than that.

Runner ups-

Nikon D80 and D90- for bang for the buck as well
Nikon D200- for staying power, pro body and performance
Nikon D3- for being the first full frame body

Guys, you are also forgetting something else- what about film? Should I make another thread to discuss the best film bodies?

In any case, I'd nominate the FM2. Rugged dependable body. Nothing else comes close.

And obviously, with the FM2, the F6. The last of a legend.

I will say that d200, as it was the first dslr that make most of pro amateurs to go digital. For sure it wasn't the d300, as it was mostly either an upgrade camera for all the d40 users or a jump from d100. On the second position I would see d70 and d80 - the first one in reacher countries the second one in the rest of the world. Than d90 - as it was a major breakthrough in IQ in this price range - probably one of the best camera Nikon has ever produced, at least the best IQ+total handling to price factor.