Based on the award-winning image quality, high performance and user-friendliness of the Nikon D70, the D70s offers several refinements that will further enhance your digital SLR experience. For starters the D70s features a 6.1 effective megapixel Nikon DX format CCD that yields 3,008 x 2,000-pixel images that are suitable for making large prints, or for creative cropping to bring out detail. With a power-up time of a mere 0.2 seconds, this SLR is basically ready to shoot when you are. Pictures are processed and recorded extremely quickly, and preview images appear on the LCD monitor almost instantly.
 The top display shows critical exposure information. |
 The D70s' connection ports are easily accessible. View larger. |
 "In the cockpit": controls at the ready. View larger. |
 Two-inch TFT LCD monitor. |
Best of all, the D70s employs the Nikon F lens mount for seamless compatibility with the comprehensive lineup of high-quality AF and AF-S Nikkor lenses that have long been favored by professionals around the world. Included with the D70s is the AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f3.5-4.5G ED-IF -- a compact standard zoom lens that covers the focal length range of 18 to 70 millimeters, which is equivalent to 27 to 105 millimeters in 35mm format.
Professional Quality with Point-and-Shoot Simplicity
While the D70s offers many features you'd only expect in a professional-level SLR, the camera also supports many features that make picture-taking a breeze for anyone. The D70s features Digital Vari-Program selections that automatically optimize white balance, sharpening, tone (contrast), color, saturation and hue settings to best match the selected scene. Instead of having to worry about all the camera settings, you can have the option of choosing from one of several "modes" -- such as Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close Up, Sports, Night Landscape, or Night Portrait -- that will deliver the optimum image for you according to the conditions. This means you can concentrate on capturing that special moment while leaving the details to the camera. And once you've taken your shots, Nikon's PictureProject user interface makes image management, editing and sharing easy and fun. Simply connect the camera to a computer to automatically import pictures. You can also quickly e-mail or auto enhance images, run slide shows, burn CD/DVDs, and access other commonly used functions easily and intuitively. With simple drag-and-drop steps, you can organize pictures into separate collections and quickly locate any file by name, keyword, or date.
Among the many other features that make the D70s an ideal digital SLR solution are:
- Nikon-exclusive Silent Wave Motor for high-speed auto-focusing with accuracy and super-quiet operation
- Internal Focusing (IF) for smoother operation and great balance
- Three Nikon ED glass elements, plus aspherical element for low distortion and minimized chromatic aberration
- M/A mode for instant switching from auto-focus to manual Nikon D-Signal technology for enhanced flash and ambient exposure control
Customer Reviews
Good solid choice
I'm a serious amateur who has used the D70s for nearly three years for paid gigs and personal use. Focusing and frame rate are fast enough for nearly every event I've ever been to. Photojournalists will be pleased, but sport shooters may want to look for another option.
don't let the lower MP count scare you away from this little gem; prints enlarge just fine up to 11X14 (I don't usually print larger than that). Battery life on the D70s leaves nothing to be wanted. I've shot almost all day on one charge. if you bring a spare battery, you'll have no worries.
The LCD is on the smaller side, but its adequate for checking exposure, and you can also detect any camera shake. No complaints. The menu system is very straightforward and easy to use.
Controls on the camera body are placed within easy reach and you can change most settings without removing your eye from the viewfinder -- a big plus. Metering is usually very good, but sometimes I've had to use compensation to nail exposure. some people make this out to be a huge problem, but it really isn't. just know enough about your camera to make it do what you want it to do under any lighting conditions.
I gave the D70s a four instead of five because after a couple years of use, the built-in flash seems to be dying an early death. It doesn't fire all the time anymore. Not a huge problem if you use speedlights attached to the body, but it has become a problem in the nikon creative lighting system, which is one of the reasons I wanted the camera.
All in all, a wonderful camera to use. its well-built, allows for full creative control, keeps up at most events and allows for full use of nikon lenses.
Great Camera, but behind Canon
I got this camera as a kit purchased off the Internet from an online merchant (not Amazon) in 2004. It don't come with the same equipment as this one, but it did include the camera body, 2 lenses, cleaning kit, sunshade, 3 filters, a macro lens, a charger and 2 extra batteries, a mini and compact tripod, a soft case and hard travel case.
Even though it came with all these accessories (the compact tripod was junk, as was the charger, the batteries didn't fit in it, and the macro lens was low-quality), the lenses weren't the same Nikkor 'DX' AF-S IF ED lenses this one comes with. My camera came with the lower quality AF-S 'G' line lenses (no ED glass elements or IF focusing).
There's a lot to like about the D70S, which is an upgraded version of the D70. It was recommended to me by a freelance photographer who does work for a popular magazine (National Geographic), so I bought it on their recommendation. If I had a choice, I'd have got the Canon Digital Rebel, but this one hasn't dissapointed me. It's got all the features of a modern SLR, but with the convenience of a digital camera. Everything on this camera is adjustible: F-stop, exposure, focusing, focal lengths, white balance, shutter speeds, flash profiles, you name it. Although not as critical for beginner photographers (it does have an 'auto' mode, no tweaking requiried), there are several manual modes which allow you to adjust things.
It takes great pictures for 6.1 megapixels on its own in the 'Auto' function, but if you can use the manual modes, they only get better.
My only gripes with the D70S are the low MP rating (it's advertised as 6.1, the comparable Canon's are 8-10), smallish LCD display (only 2"), and the size/weight (it wenghs almost 2 lbs for the body only-Canon's Rebels are much more compact and lightweight). Another minor complaint is that it also takes Compact Flash (CF) memory cards. They're more expensive than SD or SDHC cards as far as capacity, and larger. It's not very user-friendly either; it has taken me a while to get all the particulars of this camera down to the point they are useful.
To be fair, the feature-set was advanced and the norm for 2004, but Canon makes a better camera (lighter weight, smaller, more user-friendly, easier to use).
Pluses are the nearly infinite adjustibility (albeit there's a learning curve), high quality, fast start-up times, and the wide variety of lenses you can use with it. If you can afford it, avoid the standard Nikkor lenses and go for the DX line with the ED glass elements and improved IF functions or image-stabilization.
Although I prefer and recommend Canon for cameras, this is a good-enough camera that once you figure out how to use it, you can start shooting pictures just like the big gun photographers!
Great photos, poor durability, no support
I am an amateur photographer who stretched a few years back to buy a Nikon D70 based on Nikon's reputation for quality and durability. The camera has taken great photos, but recently had a shutter failure that Nikon is charging over $200 to fix. Research shows this is a known issue with the Nikon D-series - no matter how good the images, if the camera only lasts a couple of years in light use, you do NOT want to spend a lot of money on it. Forget Nikon - buy a Canon!
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