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02/05/2009 01:56:24 PM · #1 |
Hi All,
Well the longer I have been here and with entering challenges and side challenges I keep getting a lot of the same comments - OOF, too soft, blurry etc. I think it is time that I upgrade since my camera is basically a point and shoot with auto focus. I have an opportunity to purchase a Nikon D70 with a 28-105mm zoom lens from a gentleman on Craigs list for $350.00. I have been in contact with him and he says that he was given the camera by a friend who is a professional photographer who used it as a backup and he is selling because it is just too much camera for him. We would be meeting to exchange the money for the camera. Is this a good deal and what would I look for to tell the camera is in good condition?
Thanks guys! |
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02/05/2009 02:04:02 PM · #2 |
| Hi Staci. The Nikon D70 is an excellent camera and if that was all you got for the $350, you'd be doing pretty good. Not really familiar with the 28-105 but it gives you a fairly decent range and can be a reasonable place to start. Furthermore regarding the D70, you can get batteries cheap off of ebay if needed and a 1 gig cf card will likely give you plenty of space as the file sizes are still rather small compared to the newer DSLRs. Hope that helps. |
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02/05/2009 02:14:29 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by Ivo:
Hope that helps. |
Yes it does - thank you! |
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02/05/2009 02:52:40 PM · #4 |
| You could take a charged battery & memory with you & take a few shots before you handed over the $. |
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02/05/2009 03:07:24 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by avalanche1030:
Hi All,
Well the longer I have been here and with entering challenges and side challenges I keep getting a lot of the same comments - OOF, too soft, blurry etc. I think it is time that I upgrade since my camera is basically a point and shoot with auto focus. I have an opportunity to purchase a Nikon D70 with a 28-105mm zoom lens from a gentleman on Craigs list for $350.00. I have been in contact with him and he says that he was given the camera by a friend who is a professional photographer who used it as a backup and he is selling because it is just too much camera for him. We would be meeting to exchange the money for the camera. Is this a good deal and what would I look for to tell the camera is in good condition?
Thanks guys! |
Be sure you get all of the accessories that came with the camera and lens (battery, body & lens caps, strap, user manuals, etc).
If possible, bring along whatever you need to test the camera (memory card, card reader, laptop) and take a few quick shots. Test the zoom and focus rings on the lens and the auto-focus too. That way you can be sure it all works.
When I sold my 10D, the young man that bought it stopped by my office and I showed him how everything worked. It only took a few minutes and he really appreciated the demo.
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02/05/2009 03:08:27 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by pixelpig:
You could take a charged battery & memory with you & take a few shots before you handed over the $. |
You beat me to it. :D
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02/05/2009 03:52:27 PM · #7 |
| I don't think the OP has a battery. Having bought a camera with a dead battery once...I would ask the seller to charge the battery up before you go over. Take a memory card with you, and spend 10 minutes trying to drain the battery as fast as possible. Take a bunch of flash pictures. If the battery dies, get the seller to drop the price by the cost of a new battery. Otherwise, it sounds like a good deal. |
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02/05/2009 04:04:39 PM · #8 |
For not much more you could get a brand new D40 with 2 year warrenty :)
D40 has better image quality and lcd and it nearly fits in your pocket.
And will take over 2000 pics on a single charge.
Message edited by author 2009-02-05 16:05:23. |
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02/06/2009 10:48:09 AM · #9 |
Thanks all for the good suggestions. It is supposed to come with a battery and 1gb memory card so I will ask that he insures it is charged before he brings it so I can play with it and check it out before handing over the moolah.
Prepare to be dazzled by the fabulous shots that I will be churning out. Hey - a girl can dream can't she? |
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02/06/2009 01:07:46 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by avalanche1030:
Thanks all for the good suggestions. It is supposed to come with a battery and 1gb memory card so I will ask that he insures it is charged before he brings it so I can play with it and check it out before handing over the moolah.
Prepare to be dazzled by the fabulous shots that I will be churning out. Hey - a girl can dream can't she? |
Make sure you get the charger and the USB cord.
BTW, once you start shooting in RAW, that 1GB card'll get kicked to the curb.
I was starting to sweat my weekend days shooting with the 2GB card I had.
The small screen on the back is the only thing I wish was different on my D70s.......my kid's D40 has a bigger screen.
Before you plunk down the cash for this used, semi-antique, go look at a D40 new......they're down under $400 for one with the kit lens most places, they are MUCH lighter than the D70, and you'll get a warranty.
The only downside, theoretically, is the lack of a focus motor in the body, but since Nikon's lens selection does give you good choices at the lower end, IMNSHO that's not really an issue.
Bear in mind that I love my "Brick" of a D70s, but I'm a REALLY big, older guy who's used to a camera and lens weighing twelve pounds. I hold the thing and work the controls one handed, but you're not likely to be able to......
It's all about the feel, so make sure you go out to the store(s) and get the feel, first.....though unless you go to a camera shop with a used D70/D70s, you'll have to wait to see what that feels like in your hand.
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