Nikon D70
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Abstract of problems professionals and users had with Nikon's digital SLR camera D70. Please send us your Nikon D70 related negative experience so that other consumers can benefit. It has got decent reviews from sites selling D70 cameras and if one is not that picky it might be the one for you. Price is decent and at least it won't all of a sudden catch fire like Nikon's sister organization Mitsubishi Fuso's trucks. Thanks.
Popular Photography Magazine - Michael J. McNamara
Michael tested Nikon D70 for its April 2004 issues. His gripe was that the camera's viewfinder magnification of 0.76X created "slight tunnel-vision effect." He mentioned Nikon D100 and EOS Digital rebel as having higher magnifications. 1.5X 35mm lens limited ultrawide view.
On minor note he found noise at certain ISO speed to be higher than that for Digital Rebel. He also found Nikon's AF cpeed to be slower than Rebel's, especially in low lights.
Moreover, as many reviewers have pointed out, he mentioned lack of optional vertical grip or microphone and Nikon Capture 4.1 software for remote control being optional.
newsday.com - Stephen Williams
He expressed his opinion that a non-SLR camera with similar price and specs he tried - Sony DSC-F828, is better than D70 in lens quality and matches up to Nikon in power efficiency and lack of shutter lag.
DPreview
A few cons mentioned here.
- Moiré / maze artifact patterns
- PictureProject
- USB connection transfer speeds of 1.1
- No vertical grip (portrait grip / battery pack)
- Vignetting / lens shading on a certain lens
- Mediocre white balance
CNET - Lori Grunin
Review mentioned that RAW-file editing software for Nikon D70 costs extra. Only one set of custom parameters is saved. User comments had somewhat different focus and some of the salient complaints were:
- ISO 200 is the lowest speed possible. Some wished for ISO 100
- Lacks vertical grip
- LCD screen cover is detachable and can be lost easily.
- Lacks Nikon Capture 4 software for professional RAW processing.
- No PC sync terminal without adapter
PC Magazine - Sally Wiener Grotta
Nikon D70 Digital SLR Camera's
- Default mode daylight exposure looks somewhat cool
- Daylight and flash shots are slightly underexposed
- Plastic body is a con
- Lack of PC connection to control studio strobes is a con
DCRP Review - Jeff Keller
- Too much moire in images from such an expensive camera
- PictureProject software is good. NikonCapture would have ben better
- Slow USB connection (slow USB = USB 1.1)
He thinks that if one already has invested in Canon Digital Rebel with lens, there is no need to switch.
bythom.com - Thom Hogan
- Didn't find "scene" exposure modes (portrait, landscape, close up, sports, night landscape, and night portrait) to be useful. They lock in modestly chosen settings and lock out other options. Deplores "amateurs need idiot modes."
- Found the overall grip on the D70 body to be a bit unrefined. The ridge on the CompactFlash door just didn't "fit." Didn't like the location of the autofocus sensor direction pad.
- The color LCD position is still vulnerable. The cheap cover Nikon supplies is easily cracked, and does not fit that securely.
- Access to CCD chamber is still difficult; difficult to clean.
- Buttons have moved around and this "incessant button migration" might be annoying to users who use Nikon's other models besides D70.
- Nikon D70 provides only compressed NEF and ne cannot choose the size and type of JPEG shooting with NEF+JPEG.
- The Optimize Image menu uses nomenclature is not very well described.
- There is no mechanical remote release.
- While D100 has the Autofocus Area Direction pad lock button has the Lock position in the up position, D70 has in the down position.