Anyone here own a Nikon D70?

[ChrisnSteph]

Our Nikon Coolpix camera crapped out on us, so we're thinking about getting a really nice digital. Photography is a new hobby that I've gotten into, and I've been teaching myself on a Nikon N65. I'm really liking the D70 so far. Anyone have experience with this camera? I like the fact that I'll be able to use my current Nikon lenses with it. Just need some opinions, good and bad. (just don't try to talk me out of Nikon! I found it for about 600.00 online. Body only.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I just ordered a D70s this week.

I've been sitting at the door waiting for the Fedex man ever since......not here yet.

 

[Pop Daddy]

nope, we all get throw aways, where poor - homeless smily

 

[Ronda93]

I've got the D100. I say do it. Remember the D70/100 will crop your lenses by 1.5. So a 28-200 becomes a 42-300mm. Probably not important, but I missed the wide angleness of my lenses. They make some DX (digital only) lenses, but boy are they proud of them.

Biggest knock I've read on the D70 is an unpredictable problem with moire patterns in your pix.

If you really want to get in deep check www.nikonians.org

 

[Charade]

I have one and LOVE it! I've had it since last Sept/Oct.

The only bad thing that I can say about it is the internal pop-up flash is not great for indoor shots with low lighting. I was disappointed in the default settings. If you play with the flash settings (force it to be stronger), you can get better pics.

I bought the Nikon SB800 flash and (even though it's expensive) it's a GREAT flash! Much better than the built in one. The built in one is great for those outdoor shots that need a little fill flash.

All your lenses from your N65 will work just fine. The main reason I went with the D70 is the stable of lenses I had from my 6006. I bought the D70 with the kit lens. My next (and probably last) lens will be a Sigma 80-400 with optical stabilization. My older Olympus 2100 had a 10X (38-380) stabilized lens that took amazing low light pics without blur (or need of a flash) (see the pic in my siggy)

Be careful of that price. Even though the D70 has been recently replaced by the D70s. There is a new model, D50, that's a few hundred less but there are really no good user reviews because it hasn't been released yet.

Check www.resellerratings.com to see how that retailer stacks up.

 

[Charade]

Biggest knock I've read on the D70 is an unpredictable problem with moire patterns in your pix.

I've seen other peoples examples of this but have not experienced it myself. I think it's a relatively minor/rare problem.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Thanks for your opinions! I need to clarify that it's the D70s that we are looking at. I'm still very new to photography, and I'm still learning! I don't even know what lenses are the best for this or that. The lenses I own now are the Nikon 28-80, and the Tamron 75-300. I don't even know what it means when you say that it'll crop my lens by 1.5. Guess I'll have to look it up! Also, on the flash, I have a Sunpak 433AF flash. Would this work on the D70? Thanks!

 

[Charade]

A D70s for $600?? Run, don't walk away from that dealer!!!

One tip. DON'T use the "A" (automatic) mode. Use "P" mode.

Crop factor 101:

Since the electronic sensor in the D70 that captures the image is smaller than a single frame of 35mm film, light (the image that the lens sees) cast from 35mm lenses were designed to cover the entire (or most of it but for simplicity, all of it) frame of film.

Since the digital image sensor is smaller, the light (image from the lens) covers an area larger than the digital sensor. Hence the image gets cut off somewhat. The term for that is crop. It's the same thing that you do to a digital pic on you PC when you want to remove Uncle Fred (who's scratching his *****) from the picture before emailing or printing.

So what this means to you is that the lenses you have will be less wide angle and longer zoom than when they were used on your N65.

 

[Ronda93]

They call it a crop factor, but crop is probably not the best description. It's about the angle of view. The range you see with the 28-80 while it's mounted on a D70 will look the same as if it were a 42-120 mounted on the N65.

I doubt the Sunpak will work. The D100 takes my older flashes and works in auto mode, but my Coolpix 8800 won't even make my older flashes fire. The Nikon SB50DX will fire, but only in manual mode. The SB880DX is an awesome flash. If you get a dSLR a separate flash is a must to do indoor photos justice.

I know the D50 is coming this summer. I'd expect the D70 to drop sharply when it does. Sit tight if watching it fall in price after you buy will make you sad.

 

[Charade]

I have a Sunpak 433AF flash. Would this work on the D70? Thanks!

Most likely not. The D70(and s) have a new flash system. Even the latest models of Nikon flashes (except the ones that were designed to go with the D70) aren't fully compatible (not all functions work).

One really cool feature of the D70 is wireless flash. The Nikon SB800 can be remotely fired by the camera from a distance. I think up to 3 flashes can be controlled by the camera body.

There is only one third party (Sigma) flash that is fully compatible with the D70. It's about 2/3 the price of the SB800 (which is about $300).

 

[Charade]

Also for your reading pleasure...

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1034

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Also for your reading pleasure...

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1034

Thanks Charade!! Now about the price - you said run, don't walk from the dealer who would sell it to me for 600.00. Is that way too high? Or too low? Any suggestions?

 

[Charade]

Thanks Charade!! Now about the price - you said run, don't walk from the dealer who would sell it to me for 600.00. Is that way too high? Or too low? Any suggestions?

Too LOW!!! I smell a rat.

The average price for the body alone will be about $875 to $900.

I like www.bhphotovideo.com and www.adorama.com

Not always the cheapest but they both get high marks for great customer service.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Too LOW!!! I smell a rat.

The average price for the body alone will be about $875 to $900.

I like www.bhphotovideo.com and www.adorama.com

Not always the cheapest but they both get high marks for great customer service.

This is the place my dh found:

http://www.usaphotonation.com/products.asp?product_id=11972&dept_id=2528

They seem reputable, but I guess I'd better look into it further. Thanks again so much for your advice!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Hey Steph - is that place out of Brooklyn?

Most of those ultra cheap camera places seem to be out of there. It is funny because I was just talking about this earlier this week with somebody else. You order the camera for a really low price, then they require you to call to confirm the order...and they try to upsell you into a whole bunch of lenses and warrenties and other stuff that have the profit padded in. What happened to me is that when I refused all that other stuff, the camera suddenly became out of stock.

I tried to snag a D70/D70s on EBAY for awhile, but those auctions are going so crazy right now that I finally decided as might as well buy new.

 

[Charade]

This is the place my dh found:

http://www.usaphotonation.com/products.asp?product_id=11972&dept_id=2528

They seem reputable, but I guess I'd better look into it further. Thanks again so much for your advice!

Like I said, RUN RUN RUN (don't walk) from THAT place.

http://www.resellerratings.com/seller8278.html

Very low customer sat ratings!

Look here for average prices.

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=Nikon+D70s&btnG=Search+Froogle

Anything (except used) below about $850 I would be leery of the place.


You may want to look at the D70. It's about $100-$125 (get a flash!) less than the D70s. There really isn't that much of a difference (larger rear LCD screen 2 in vs. 1.8 in). The "software" changes to the D70s can be downloaded to the D70 with a firmware upgrade (easy to do).

 

[Charade]

Hey Steph - is that place out of Brooklyn?

Most of those ultra cheap camera places seem to be out of there. It is funny because I was just talking about this earlier this week with somebody else. You order the camera for a really low price, then they require you to call to confirm the order...and they try to upsell you into a whole bunch of lenses and warrenties and other stuff that have the profit padded in. What happened to me is that when I refused all that other stuff, the camera suddenly became out of stock.

I tried to snag a D70/D70s on EBAY for awhile, but those auctions are going so crazy right now that I finally decided as might as well buy new.

Yeah, what TF said!!!

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Yeah, what TF said!!!

I checked out that opinions website - wow. I will NOT even try and buy from that company! Thanks for the heads up.

 

[campinggal]

I'm a proud D70 owner since April of this year and I LOVE it!!!

When I initially decided on the Nikon, it was because I owned lenses that fit with my N65. After further reading, many folks were recommending the lens that comes with the kit so I went with the kit and I'm glad I did.

My favorite N65 lens is a 28-105 and if I were to put that on the D70, I'd loose the wide angle as it would be a 42 to whatever. That thought bummed me out as I love that range- especially the wide angle. The kit lens is 18 to 70mm.

The other thing that pushed me over the edge toward the kit was that Nikon offered a $200 rebate on the Kit back in March- so it was kind of like getting the lens for free.

For someone still learning (like me)- I love the immediate feedback that digital provides- not just the pic but the histograms etc. Really allows you to learn and improve quickly.

You've received sound advice on dealer. Keep shopping, when you do purchase, you will have lots of fun with your new toy!!

 

[Muushka]

Sorry to raise this thread from the dead, but I have a question about the D70 and D70S. We have been researching D-SLR's for a few years now and are getting ready to buy one. We narrowed it down to the D70 or D70s.

I went to actually look at one and I could not believe how big the D70 is. And heavy. So, for all you photographers out there, is it something I can get used to? I have an old Pentax SLR that is very heavy, but not bulky. Also, they didn't have the D70S at the stores I went to, can I assume that it too is a really really big camera? Thanks!