I am attracted to the new Nikon D70 DigiCam - quite expensive at £999 but looks a superb piece of kit, anyone got one?

Is it as good as the reviews say?

I see that its $999 in the USA - anything to stop me popping over there to buy one and save myself around £450?? Even allowing for a cheap flight it would still make sense ...... isn't there some rule about 'using' it over there and then its a 'used' item and not subject to UK tax?

Whats the cheapest return flight to NY?

Pete

Yes, it appears that it really is as good as it looks. Not as good as my 12MP Fuji but by far the best sub £1000 digital SLR on the market...

But if you're used to other SLRs then there are Nikon quirks that you'll need to get used to - the main one being the zoom ring working the other way to other brands.

SB

Looks good, but I quite like my EOS300D.

Looks good, but I quite like my EOS300D.
Me too.... :D:D:D And the old EOS 3 35mm that I have as well.

The d70 is a gem. Check out my galleries here:

http://edbartlett6649.fotopic.net/

that whole first section from d70 upwards is with the d70, and a combination of lenses, inc. 70-200 f2.8, 50mm fixed f1.8 etc.

Also try here:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1034
http://www.pbase.com/dlcmh/d70_amazing_pics

Ed

I've been looking at one as well.

I'd suggest a visit to www.dealtime.co.uk (http://www.dealtime.co.uk), and www.pricerunner.co.uk (http://www.pricerunner.co.uk), as both have links for LOADS of lower prices than that quoted, and also, perhaps more importantly, LOADs and LOADS of reviews, well worth half an hour or so's reading. Phil Askey seems a very knowledgeable reviewer, (pricerunner).

If you do decide to get it, the lens to go for is the DX one, 17-55mm I think, and offered in a bundle with the camera by many sellers.
I found camera and lens for £799 from several UK sellers!
However, the camera can be in short supply, so check for availablility before parting with cash!

Buying in the USA would mean buying a different AC adaptor/charger as they are on a different voltage, and no European warranty.:(:

So far it SEEMS to beat the Canon 300D, and the Fuji, while being 12MP, is VERY expensive, compared, and, strangely enough, not rated as highly by professional reviewers.

Alcazar

I bought my Olympus E10 from a dealer in Maine, threw the box away and put the camera in my rucksack and walked through "nothing to declare" and I save saved myself a fortune.

It's a great camera for the price, but do check out the Canon ramge as well. The Canon vs. Nikon debate is a bit like the Scooby vs. Evo debate i.e. there is no definitive answer.

My advice is to check out the features properly to see what suits you and then go to a good camera shop and try the cameras on your list out. Do not underestimate the importance of how a camera feels in your hand as it can make all the difference when shooting.

For what it's worth I'm a Nikon man, but not oblivious to the qualities of the Canon range.

Good luck,

tiggers.

Just been into Jessops this afternoon - they had the D70 with 24-85mm Lens - at £1099 ..... he said I could have it on 9 months interest free and he would do a deal on a 512Mb CF Card (I said I could do a deal on the internet at around the £899 mark!) ;)

Anyway, they are trying to give away the Canon EOS300D now, its £799 - but he would knock £100 Off if I took one of them instead of the one Nikon he had in stock! :eek: He admits that the Canon market has disappeared since the D70 has hit the streets!?

I held both and I have to say that the NIKON 'feels' its money - the CANON feels very lightweight in comparison - however, anyone can add some lead to their cameras to give them a 'quality' feel I suppose? But all the reviews give the NIKON the thumbs up.

The NIKON felt great - BUT, I bought a NIKON F50 SLR about 5 years ago and hated the damned thing - not sure why (it just wasn't as good as my 25 year old RICOH KR10!)

I don't want to get involved in some NIKON name ranting - thats why I ask if it really IS as good as they all say!?

Also, the lens I like the look of is the 18-70mm AF-S DX ...... the one offered to me today with the D70 was the 24-85mm AFS lens - does anyone know which is the best out of these two??

Thanks for the replies so far

Pete

I'd have a look at one of these Pete

Canon EOS10D (http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=95234&r=DEAL)

Add a decent lense for £150 and you're on a winner for the same money as your Nikon D70. Its got an alloy body, unlike the plastic 300.

D

Everything I have read points to the D70 being superior to the EOS 300D (and the Fuji mentioned earlier! Megapixels ain't everything!). Better build, better images, better useability.

Having said that, the 300D is likely to be replaced in the not too distant future, and Canon will have looked long and hard at the D70.

If you can stretch to the money, an EOS10D is a very nice piece of kit.

Another thing to consider is if you have had a film SLR previously. If you have had Canon and have an investment in Canon glass, no point changing to Nikon now and having to buy all your lenses again, and vice versa.

If price is the only consideration, get the 300D, as it will give you everything you need. Also, the photgrapher is the main reason for good photos, not the kit, just ask AndyC_772 . His pictures show an eye for photography, his camera is just a tool.

Geezer

Also, the lens I like the look of is the 18-70mm AF-S DX ...... the one offered to me today with the D70 was the 24-85mm AFS lens - does anyone know which is the best out of these two??


It's the 18-70, Pete. They are designed especially for digital cameras, so are physically shorter, and lighter for the same focal length.

Apparently, you need to multiply the quoted focal lengths by 1.5 to give the 35 mm equivalent, which means that that lens will PERFORM like a 28-105mm. It gets rave reviews too.
The other lens gives 36-127mm, slightly longer so better zoom, but nowhere near the wide angle. It's quite a bit larger and heavier. Personally, I tend to use wide more than tele.

Jessops near me were recently advertising the D70 with the DX lens and a 1GB Jessops compact flash card for £1099..........that IS a decent deal.

Just to reinforce the bit about the Canon market having disappeared, ask yourself why the 300D is suddenly being advertised at prime time?

My local camera shop (not a large chain) has a waiting list now with 13 people on it, for the D70, at full price. He reckons to be able to get about 1 a week.

Alcazar

If you really can't stretch to a EOS10D or D70, you could always pick up the 300D and try this...... 300Dfirmware hack (http://www.bahneman.com/liem/photos/tricks/digital-rebel-tricks.html#what)

It effectively changes the 300D into an EOS10D (hardware limitations notwithstanding). Warranty would be suspect, but I believe you can re-apply the original firmware if needed.

Geezer

I'd have a look at one of these Pete

Canon EOS10D (http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=95234&r=DEAL)

Add a decent lense for £150 and you're on a winner for the same money as your Nikon D70. Its got an alloy body, unlike the plastic 300.

D

Cheers for that, worth thinking about certainly - but I have yet to see a decent lens for £150 ..... £300 is the start I would think? Then that places it as a pricier piece of kit than the D70 and the D70 has the queues forming.

That firmware hack is interesting - but its still a 300D with its lightweight body ....... how much will the D70 be when the demand has been satisfied? £799 I reckon?!

Keep em coming!

Pete

His pictures show an eye for photography, his camera is just a tool.
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Also, the photgrapher is the main reason for good photos, not the kit

This is true to an extent, but some shots just aren't possible without certain lenses, and certain camera features.

For instance, a nice long lens and short f-stop where you can throw the background out of focus to emphasise the subject.

Compact cameras just don't have the lens capabilities to offer the full range of possible shots.

I was at a wedding at the weekend, and with my compact digital camera, it wasn't the same as working with my SLR. You have to take candid shots at much closer range, hence the people are more aware of you. With a nice long 200mm or 300mm lens, candid shots work far better.

Yup, that is true, modern compacts are a compromise to enable fool proof snapping. However, an idiot cannot take good photos with an SLR ;)

Geezer

However, an idiot cannot take good photos with an SLR ;)

Geezer

I'd argue against that one too :D
Nearly all modern SLRs can be put in fully auto mode to enable foolproof snapping :D

I'd argue against that one too :D
Nearly all modern SLRs can be put in fully auto mode to enable foolproof snapping :D
The D70 is superb I have one.. The amount of manual tuning you can too is great, another to consider also is the fuji s7000 (i have one also), and they are also very good. Both would be a good choice really.
J

D70 certainly stirred things up in the entry level end of the DSLR market. Canon basically had it sewn up with the 300D and to a lesser extent, the 10D beforehand.

Pete, if you can afford it I would certainly suggest you consider the 10D. It has those features you think you may never use (but I do all the time now) and has the metal body which makes it feel like a "proper" camera.

Don't get me wrong, the 300D is also a proper camera, it just doesn't feel like it if you know what I mean.

I know nothing about Nikons, but the D70 does seem to get good reviews.

Being a new entry to modern DSLRs, you should be checking the lenses available meet your requirements before deciding on a body IMHO. Nikon lenses be all accounts are very good but I've heard are marginally more expensive than the Canon equivelents.

Anyway, I'm rambling. What should really be asked is what do you want the camera to do, I.e. what is your requirement ? Do you want to fart about developing RAW images or will just JPEGs do you etc.

Cheers

Ian

Does anyone have any opinions on the Olympus Camedia C750 UZ??

How would you rate it alond side DSLR / Digi Compact? Is it a good camera that fits in the middle of the range? 10x Optical zoom (plus 4x digital) plus can add zoom / wide angle lenses?

Any opinions?

:cool:

I got a D70 couple of weeks ago, awesome bit of kit highly recommend it.

What would I use the camera for? Well, mainly just 'snaps' if I'm honest - but then the occassional 'proper' shot (landscapes, portraits, etc.)

I used to do weddings in my 20's and 30's - scary! But the photos were absolutely superb (if I say so myself!) :D

I miss a proper SLR and, if I am brutally frank, I have a few £1000's burning a hole in my pocket! What do you spend money on when you have nothing left to buy????? :( Its a sad state of affairs having no loans/mortgage/credit - really, it is! (debts give a meaning to life and work, why get money when you have most of last months left??)

So, the Nikon D70 will let me 'use' £1100 - but, being a true Yorkshireman I want value for money!

Pete

So....................a "Yorky" eh? Explains some of your previous posts:D:

What is it they say about Yorkshiremen? Oh yes, "You can always tell a Yorkshireman................but you can't tell him much":D:

Anyway..........I've done loads of reading about this, and STILL want the D70, even though it looks like I may have to wait until September.
Apparently, Jessops have none either, and don't know when they will have. Dixons do, but only in a "kit" with the inferioir lens.

One of my original choices was the Canon Powershot Pro1, with 8MP, but reading up on it, I found out it can't take action shots. It's electronic viewfinder shuts down as it focuses, so a moving object is beyond it, unless you put it in manual focus. Otherwise tracking the object to fire the shutter at the right moment, is impossible.

Good things these review sites.

Alcazar

Yes the review sites are great, its where the internet REALLY earns its stars - research!

Although you shouldn't believe everything you read, when review after review say that the D70 is the best DSLR this side of £1000 and even puts into the shade many a ProCamera ..... then you simply must sit up and listen!

Jessops offered me the one with the 24-85mm Lens ... but I want the 18-70mm lens :(

When supply starts to overtake demand expect the price to drop to £799 - this will be the death of the Canon EOS300D ..... if it isn't dead in the water already!?

Pete

Pete,

Do indeed insist on the 18-70mm lens (or similar). I'm sure you already know all about how the sensor size affects what the lens actually produces (crop factor, call it what you will). I.e. a 18-70mm is the 35mm equivelent not what you will actually get on the D70. Especially important as you say you would like to try some landscape shots.

I don't think the 300D is dead in the water, I understand they sold more of them in the past two months worldwide than the whole time it has been out. Supply has now caught up with demand though (so my dealer says).

Anyway, it is all good, some competition at this end of the DSLR market is good for everyone. I would fully expect Canon to come out with a 10D replacement soon that will have more features than the current model and will be aimed at the D70s market share. Then Nikon will bring out another one and so it goes on....

Cheers

Ian

Purely in terms of build quality and feature set, the D70 is a better buy over the 300D. Picture quality is a different matter, with some reviews suggesting the 300D is slightly better.

For me it was a no-brainer as I already had Canon lenses and the D70 was still on the drawing board last August! I also think that Canon tend to be slightly ahead of Nikon in terms of technology, so expect to see a 300D or 10D replacement soon, which will probably be targetted directly at the Nikon.

Having said all that, if you want a new camera now, then get the D70, I'm sure you will love it :)

BTW, I would go for a long weekend in New York and save a few quid by buying it at B&H (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=315793&is=REG)!

My mate has one of these (D70) and loves it :D
Says the thing that got him was the fact that the 300D didnt have manual focus, just auto, which means it focuses on the nearest point (not good if your taking pics behind a fence at the GP or the likes) so as he also already has an F3 he went for it.
The other point he also made was getting photo shop, helps loads :D and i think there is also a chat room for D70 owners which sorts out lots of problems if your stuck ;)

Tony:D


Says the thing that got him was the fact that the 300D didnt have manual focus

It has, actually! ;)

Been looking into this myself, and the June issue of Digital Camera shopper, just tested 8 digital SLR's.

Here's the verdict list in order going by "Stars" ratings.

Canon EOS 10D
Nikon D70
Olympus Camedia E1
Canon EOS 1DS
Fiji S2 Pro
Nikon D100
Pentax ist D
Canon EOS 300D

Probably go for the EOS 10D myself, but will shop about for prices.

5 years ago I bought a Pentax Z-1p body in New York. Huge shop near Wall Street - can't remember the name just now. Price was $495.00 (£310.00 then)
UK price was £720.00.

It also had a data back option at £90.00 fitted as standard, and came with an International Warranty.


David