| Author | Thread |
|
|
04/21/2005 02:07:22 PM · #1 |
Given the choice between an excellent used D100 and a new D70 at a similar price, which camera gets the nod, and why? I'm having a hard time figuring that out, I'm not familiar enough with them.
Robt.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 02:27:26 PM · #2 |
I was faced with the same choice, although I think that the D100 looks a little sweeter I think that the D70 is the better camera.
Ken Rockwell will ram it down your throat if you read his review, Ken can be a bit intense at times but I like the way he sticks to the important matters rather than getting lost in intricacies that make little difference in reality.
I've made purchases on the basis of his recommendations (D70,70-210mm) and I can't disagree with anything he said.
Hope this helps :)
Darren
edit: this review also looks interesting, I've not read it but it does compare the D70 to the D100 and the 300D
Message edited by author 2005-04-21 14:29:53.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 02:39:09 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by bear_music:
Given the choice between an excellent used D100 and a new D70 at a similar price, which camera gets the nod, and why? I'm having a hard time figuring that out, I'm not familiar enough with them.
Robt. |
The D100 is on it's way out and is quite dated. It's a good camera none the less, but personally, I am sick of the blown out highlights. I think the D70s is the next step to take for the time being on the Nikon side of the fence. I will try to wait patiently for the D200, but Nikon has not done any favours for us folks stuck in the middle.
I would go with new over used, especially when the used product is being phased out of the market place.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 02:41:00 PM · #4 |
If you plan on an abusive environment, or do serious pro work that would benefit from a metal body, then the D100 is your camera.
If you are only moderately abusive, and seek the higher quality image, then D70 is your camera. It's about as solid as a non-metal body can be. It also has much improved battery life, a faster flash sync speed, and a host of other improvements that are noted at Rockwell's site as mentioned before.
In Nikon's line up, I'd a buy a D70 over just about anything excepting the D2x, which is kind of like saying that I'd be willing to replace my Jeep Cherokee with a Hummer H2.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 03:29:32 PM · #5 |
Bear,
I use both, and I think it depends on your shooting style. The D100 is a far superior camera for macro with its mirror up and threaded release. It is also a much more durable camera than the D70. And if you care about infrared the D100 will give you shorter exposure times with its less effective infrared filter.
if you do much flash work the D70 is FAR superior with its 1/500 flash sync and iTTL. You will however need the SB-600 or 800 to take advantage of the latter.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 03:32:34 PM · #6 |
Row-bear, you should also take a close look at the differences between the D70 and the D70s that's due out in May.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 03:39:35 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
Row-bear, you should also take a close look at the differences between the D70 and the D70s that's due out in May. |
I'm thinking that the D70s will be great for people looking to spend $$, but the real deal is going to be the D70 which is almost identicle (smaller LCD, no cabled shutter release) but will get priced as "old stuff". I really didn't see anything on the D70s which was a D70 killer; Just nice little refinements.
If I were going to buy a dSLR now, I'd be looking to put my money in the slightly older D70 for its value. Of course, if I was looking to spend money I'd aready own the d2x .
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 03:43:22 PM · #8 |
I still use my old Nikon F1. I'm partial to heavy, solid cameras. I don't feel a need to be totally up to date on non-essential bells and whistles. I like mirror lockups. I am worried about "reports" of blown-out highlights. I don't see anythign compelling for me in D70s over D70. I'm quiet surprised at how little it has advanced. I don't do strobes, so that's not a concern for me.
My thoughts thus far.
Robt.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 04:12:09 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by DJLuba:
Originally posted by bear_music:
Given the choice between an excellent used D100 and a new D70 at a similar price, which camera gets the nod, and why? I'm having a hard time figuring that out, I'm not familiar enough with them.
Robt. |
The D100 is on it's way out and is quite dated. It's a good camera none the less, but personally, I am sick of the blown out highlights. I think the D70s is the next step to take for the time being on the Nikon side of the fence. I will try to wait patiently for the D200, but Nikon has not done any favours for us folks stuck in the middle.
I would go with new over used, especially when the used product is being phased out of the market place. |
I agree that new is generally a better way to buy especially if the used price is more than 1/2 the cost new. With new you get a warranty, undamaged camera, and probably longer life. If I am budget strapped (nearly always the case!) then I look for high quality obsolete technology that still meets my needs at a bargain price, hence my antiquated DCS460, $400 with lenses!
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 04:23:26 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by bear_music:
I still use my old Nikon F1. I'm partial to heavy, solid cameras. I don't feel a need to be totally up to date on non-essential bells and whistles. I like mirror lockups. I am worried about "reports" of blown-out highlights. I don't see anythign compelling for me in D70s over D70. I'm quiet surprised at how little it has advanced. I don't do strobes, so that's not a concern for me.
My thoughts thus far.
Robt. |
Evolution isn't always dramatic, but as long as it furthers the species its a good thing. I give Nikon props for enhancing what they did. I tend to think Nikon is in the stable, tried and true vein with their product line up; The D70 didn't need a dramatic overhaul. It's cleaner than most films, and the difference in output quality between 6 and 8mp is negligible. 12mp isn't an evolution, it's an entirely different format, so not in this discussion. But seriously, what else needed overhaul on the D70? Ok, MLU would have been a great gift.
Blown highlights are bad whether you shoot digital or film. I'm not sure that you can make a decision based on that concern. For what its worth, I don't find that blown highlights are a major problem with my D70. Left to its own, it tends to be quite smart about avoiding them, and thanks to the histogram and LCD I can fire off a few test shots to test my exposure settings before the real action starts.
I love solid cameras too... My Dad's FTN is probably going to work like new 100 years from now. My 1940s Voightlander is still working like new as well. Hope my D70 survives that well. I will say in its defense that despite not being metal, the body doesn't feel like plastic either. It's very solid.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 04:47:38 PM · #11 |
The rumors I've heard are that the D100 is more prone to blown-out highlights than the D70. I don't know if this is a fact.
Robt.
|
|
|
|
04/21/2005 04:50:16 PM · #12 |
| I owned a D70 before. I was quite happy with it as a starter camera - the metering was excellent, things like that. But I switched it for a D100 now, and though it has some issues that you have to get used to like metering flaws etc., and the handling is worse, I think the image detail is finer and I'm happy I did the switch now that I can handle it better. |
|
|
|
04/21/2005 07:50:27 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by cghubbell:
which is kind of like saying that I'd be willing to replace my Jeep Cherokee with a Hummer H2. |
I'd take a Toyota any day over the Cherokee or the H2. |
|
|
|
04/21/2005 09:24:56 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by bear_music:
The rumors I've heard are that the D100 is more prone to blown-out highlights than the D70. I don't know if this is a fact.Robt. |
Yeah, I'm tired of dealing with the highlight issues.
Here's a sample. Take a look for yourself. Good exposure, but look at the highlight on her forehead. Totally blown out, and completely unusable for the "people" challenge I was shooting for.
 |
|
|
|
04/22/2005 09:03:21 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by bear_music:
The rumors I've heard are that the D100 is more prone to blown-out highlights than the D70. I don't know if this is a fact.
Robt. |
The blown highlight issue is not as bad as many reports. Setting -.3 exposure comp will eliminate the issue 95% of the time. Remember Nikon doesn̢۪t calibrate to 18% grey as most manufacturers do. Also given your expertise, I'm sure that once you ran some personal tests with the camera, your metering skills will compensate for any weaknesses the camera may have.
Also you can load custom tone curves that will virtually eliminate the problem, but it requires that purchase of Nikon's Capture 4 software ($100-150).
If you like the feel and durability of the F (I'm a big F3 fan myself), the D70 will feel like a toy in your hands. The D100 is nowhere close to the ruggedness of the F, but is far superior to the D70.
Another option would be to wait. Rumor on the net is that Nikon has another digital due to hit in mid summer that I would image would be a serious Canon D20 competitor and what I feel is finally a true D100 replacement (i.e. metal body, higher resolution, battery pack, threaded release, etc).
Message edited by author 2005-04-22 09:59:57. |
|
|
|
04/22/2005 09:32:02 AM · #16 |
I'm not going to give my opinion about the D70/D100 issue, because you can see what I bought. Even at the same price Ill steel got the D70 again.
But what I really like to comment is the disapointment that the D70s is. No one with a D70 or a D100 will feel the need of exchanging it for the D70, in my believes. I think there's a big gap in price between the D70 and the D2X for example, and there's not so big gap in technology and qualaty/features improvements.
I'm planning in, when I pay my D70 to buy a D2X (probably a used if the price doesn't get down), for the extra resolution and extra speed. But that's all things that I feel I need in a better camera.
Just a thought.
edit: probably some more autofocus points to choose from.
Message edited by author 2005-04-22 09:34:41.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/02/2025 02:50:07 PM EDT.
