D70, Still a good camera

The D70 remains a good buy for its features, especially if you can find a reasonably priced body that has a lower number of shutter actuations. I bought one to have a body that could autofocus a few non AF-S Nikon lenses I had acquired. It has produced very good images and I have been using it more than my D40. The only draw backs for me have been the smallish LCD & that camera settings can't be reviewed on the rear LCD. Budget considerations were primary in my decision to get a D70 versus a D80 but also reviews had mentioned inaccuracies with the light meter readings on D80, whereas the meter for the D70 has reviewed as very accurate. For me the so-called advantage of 10 MB over 6 MB resolution is trivial.

Nikon d70 IR Converted Camera a Fantastic Deal

My main camera is a Nikon d90. I got the d70 converted to shoot IR only photographs. The interface is practically the same as the more advanced d90. The seller did a perfect conversion to IR, perfect focus for the lens specified and a white balance beyond what I could do myself. Even though the camera only has 6.1mp, the image quality is so good, it doesn't matter and using a blow-up photoshop plug-in you can still make the images as big as you want. I love this as a back up IR camera, but if I could have afforded it, I would have gone with a converted d90 as I could shoot IR video on that model.

The one thing I didn't like is no SD card, it takes the older compact flash card which is trickier to find in retail stores and only reasonably priced online. I got a 4gb and it takes over 1000 pics if you shoot jpeg fine only. I'm probably going to shoot a RAW-JPEG combo and that will reduce the number of pics.

It uses the same battery as the d90, same shutter release, same TTL flash and same lens adapters so it's a great deal for someone that already has a Nikon dSLR and all the gear.

Nikon D70, a DSLR workhorse.

The D70 is a great DSLR camera for pros and joes alike. It's one of Nikon's most versatile early digital cameras. I plays well with most of the cutting edge accessory equipment (lenses, flashes, etc.) that's coming out, as well as much of the older Nikon equipment that has been around for years. That means you can either save your pennies by buying older gear that still works great, or you can buy high-end accessories and keep using them when you upgrade your camera body.

I've been using the D70 as a main camera for graduations and special events for 5 years, and even when shooting medium size files at the basic quality setting you still get images that will print 8x10s without pixelation. Unless you're shooting for billboard size prints, the D70's 6.1 megapixels is a great place to start. Plus, it syncs to external flashes up to 1/500 of a second. None of the newer Nikon D line does that.

The one negative about the D70 is that they have a tendency to start giving error messages related to the memory card. So if you are looking to buy one used, be sure you ask if it's been giving either the CHA or FOR error message. It starts out annoying, but eventually the camera will be useless. Be gentle when you insert and remove the compact flash card, and you'll have years of shooting with this digital photography workhorse.

nikon D70

Superb DSLR for the average or above average photographer. Excellent machine! Pixels are not everything! This camera has more than enough horsepower and bells and whistles for the vast majority of one's daily photo needs. If you do not intend to make prints larger than 30x 40 inches, then this camera will meet all your needs. Bigger and faster is not always better. This auto focus is FAST. The potential range of shutter speeds and f-stops is more than adequate for just about anyone. The recycle time is FAST! Start-up time is FAST!
If you want a small point and shoot to have in a purse, then this is not for you. However, with a good small zoom lens, you can take a better variety and better quality photos.
I have been using all kinds and brands of cameras for close to 50 years. This is a quality camera.

Nikon D70 workhorse

Great, durable construction, unique high-speed flash synch, off camera flash, long-life battery. Auto white balance is usually better than custom levels, even including flash. Seems to fit the mold of lots of other cameras, DSLR and others in this regard. Consistent slight underexposure for highlight preservation, quick shooting and storage of RAW. Full manual control and DOP. Stick on any f mount lens you can find. Upgrades available for minimal potential problems including moire. Great Nikon camera.