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Is the D70 worth it

H

[H]GybrushMP

Weaksauce
Joined
Jan 8, 2003
Messages
126
Right now im shooting with an olympus C-5060wz, I love it but it deffinatly has limitations. The D70 is a major investment especially for a college kid. Anyone have experience with one. I wouldent hesitate a second if I had a job, but being in school right now kinda puts a hamper on that.
 
Yes.

But if you don't have the funds, you can get the Rebel for about $400 less than the D70.

Naturally it is also a big step up from the 5060
 
I hear this from a lot of people:

A camera is just a tool. Can you complete what you want with your current camera? If not upgrade.

And I don't want a Rebel vs. D70 thing, they are both great, but make sure you research them both.
 
I just got a D70 to replace my old Ricoh RDC-5000. Very nice indeed. Haven't entirely figured it out yet but took a couple full-auto snapshots and they are quite an improvement. Plus, with the sheer size of the images there is alot of grace in cropping.

Done a little surfing for accessories and are they expensive! $600 flashes, $8,000 lenses - whew. Like I needed another expensive hobby ;)
 
PS-RagE said:
I just got a D70 to replace my old Ricoh RDC-5000. Very nice indeed. Haven't entirely figured it out yet but took a couple full-auto snapshots and they are quite an improvement. Plus, with the sheer size of the images there is alot of grace in cropping.

Done a little surfing for accessories and are they expensive! $600 flashes, $8,000 lenses - whew. Like I needed another expensive hobby ;)
Click to expand...

8,000 lenses...?? WOW!
 
Emberghost said:
8,000 lenses...?? WOW!
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Yeah, canon also makes a 65,000 lens...but they also make a $70 50mm lens that is tack sharp.
 
im sorry if this sounds like an attack on the d-70, but, every image i have seen from that camera, on 3 different review sites (dpreview, image-resource, and dcresource), has been "soft"

the images come across to me as slightly fuzzy or blurry, not as sharply defined as with the 300d. am i missing somthing here? are these sites doing somthing wrong?

now, im not a photographer, but i want to get started in the hobby. i too am looking for an entry dslr, and right now it looks like the 300d is for for me, but everyone is saying that the d70 is a superior camera (should be for the price difference) but i dont see the superiority in the images.
 
Both cameras are great. Most people say if you own canon, buy canon or vice versa.
 
torment said:
Both cameras are great. Most people say if you own canon, buy canon or vice versa.
Click to expand...
Well I have had canon and Olympus, im not partial to any brand really I just want results. Hopefully my FS thread will make some money and I will try out both cameras soon.
 
Hey. As a college student myself, I did a lot of research before investing in a dSLR. But the D70's price is something that turned me off right away, considering the other options I knew I had. The D70 is a great camera, emphasis on the "great." In my experience with the camera and with talking to others about it, this camera is fit for both amateurs and will do just fine even for professionals. If you're a professional, the D70 is a nice backup body when your 1D is MIA for whatever reason. However I'd suggest two dSLR alternatives to the D70 that IMO are just as capable for an amateur photographer just getting into the craft.

The first is Canon EOS 300D, named Canon Digital Rebel in the States. You can go into any camera or electronics store and get a 300D kit (body and EF (-S) 18-55 mm lens which I've heard generally good things about and have seen very nice results from) from a range of $850-$1000. Online stores and REPUTABLE Ebay auctions are selling this kit for about $850, with the body for about $750. So right there you have a camera that I think is comparable to the D70 for an amateur to take photos, but some professionals tend to think the D70 is better because it has slightly more advanced options and a more resistant, solid body. Some people think the 300D "feels like a cheap $4 toy" when you pick it up. I think it feels alright but it's a little light. Light can be good, though.

The second alternative, which I went with, is a used Canon EOS D30. This camera is very very capable, even though it's a first generation dSLR (came out in 2000, while the D70 and 300D came out around 2003 and early 2004), and it's 3.3 MP. (the 300D is 6.1 mp). There are several auctions each week on Ebay for used mint condition D30s for anywhere from $400 - $550. I think you can do the math -- that's half the cost of a 300D and 1/3rd the cost of a D70, and many people hail the D30 as a revolutionary digital SLR. I am not too worried about the low MP unless you are trying to print posters. I haven't printed much, but the D30 can make capable prints at 11 X 14 which I think is big enough for a matte hanging. Remember though that most D30s are sold without a lens whereas many 300Ds are sold as a kit. For a lens for the D30 I'd suggest a Canon EF 18-55 MK1 or MK2. A solid, crisp lens at $70 new and good for most general photography. This lens is pretty similar to the kit lens offered in the 300D. And for $500, you're practically committing theft, considering this camera was $3500 when it came out (!!!). The only complaint about the D30 is its less than stellar autofucos performance in low-light, but if you're comparing it to a P&S, it's world's better.

There have been a lot of discussions that I've seen comparing the D30 to the 300D...some people say if you have the extra $300, get a 300D over a D30 for the newer technology and higher megapixels. To me, though, $300 is a lot so I chose the D30.

But I don't know anything about you, but if you're not seeking to do professional photography, as a college student I think the D70 has a pretty steep price.

Good luck!
 
mdude85 said:
Hey. As a college student myself, I did a lot of research before investing in a dSLR. But the D70's price is something that turned me off right away, considering the other options I knew I had. The D70 is a great camera, emphasis on the "great." In my experience with the camera and with talking to others about it, this camera is fit for both amateurs and will do just fine even for professionals. If you're a professional, the D70 is a nice backup body when your 1D is MIA for whatever reason. However I'd suggest two dSLR alternatives to the D70 that IMO are just as capable for an amateur photographer just getting into the craft.

The first is Canon EOS 300D, named Canon Digital Rebel in the States. You can go into any camera or electronics store and get a 300D kit (body and EF (-S) 18-55 mm lens which I've heard generally good things about and have seen very nice results from) from a range of $850-$1000. Online stores and REPUTABLE Ebay auctions are selling this kit for about $850, with the body for about $750. So right there you have a camera that I think is comparable to the D70 for an amateur to take photos, but some professionals tend to think the D70 is better because it has slightly more advanced options and a more resistant, solid body. Some people think the 300D "feels like a cheap $4 toy" when you pick it up. I think it feels alright but it's a little light. Light can be good, though.

The second alternative, which I went with, is a used Canon EOS D30. This camera is very very capable, even though it's a first generation dSLR (came out in 2000, while the D70 and 300D came out around 2003 and early 2004), and it's 3.3 MP. (the 300D is 6.1 mp). There are several auctions each week on Ebay for used mint condition D30s for anywhere from $400 - $550. I think you can do the math -- that's half the cost of a 300D and 1/3rd the cost of a D70, and many people hail the D30 as a revolutionary digital SLR. I am not too worried about the low MP unless you are trying to print posters. I haven't printed much, but the D30 can make capable prints at 11 X 14 which I think is big enough for a matte hanging. Remember though that most D30s are sold without a lens whereas many 300Ds are sold as a kit. For a lens for the D30 I'd suggest a Canon EF 18-55 MK1 or MK2. A solid, crisp lens at $70 new and good for most general photography. This lens is pretty similar to the kit lens offered in the 300D. And for $500, you're practically committing theft, considering this camera was $3500 when it came out (!!!). The only complaint about the D30 is its less than stellar autofucos performance in low-light, but if you're comparing it to a P&S, it's world's better.

There have been a lot of discussions that I've seen comparing the D30 to the 300D...some people say if you have the extra $300, get a 300D over a D30 for the newer technology and higher megapixels. To me, though, $300 is a lot so I chose the D30.

But I don't know anything about you, but if you're not seeking to do professional photography, as a college student I think the D70 has a pretty steep price.

Good luck!
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interesting point, I was talking to a guy yesteday in frys about his D30. I had never really considered it an option, looks like I will hit up ebay and see what I can find. Thanks.
 
[TQ] said:
Yeah, canon also makes a 65,000 lens...but they also make a $70 50mm lens that is tack sharp.
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What lens is that? The $64,000 one that is.

Cheers,
 
I take it you are talking about the 1200mm L f/5.6 - I have not been able to find a price online other than one for $111,111 but I think its a little embellished. I know for sure that is very custom order, and Canon only makes it when its ordered.

Was that the one you were refering too?
 
Eigtball said:
I take it you are talking about the 1200mm L f/5.6 - I have not been able to find a price online other than one for $111,111 but I think its a little embellished. I know for sure that is very custom order, and Canon only makes it when its ordered.

Was that the one you were refering too?
Click to expand...

Sure was, i read an article where a guy got to try out one of the 4 (i think it's 4) that have been sold. SI owns two of them, they claimed the price was $60,000 somethin...
 
mdude85 said:
Some people think the 300D "feels like a cheap $4 toy" when you pick it up.
Click to expand...

I have heard this before and I must say that those people are complete idiots. It's not like the "Rebel" was invented with the 300D!.

There have been Rebel film camears for YEARS now and people always knew what type of build quality they were getting when they went in and the build quality of the 300D is consitent with the rest of the Rebel line.
 
Don't forget that you can hack the firmware of the 300D to "unlock" a lot of the missing functions that are also on the D70... or is it the 10D... either way, it makes the cheaper camera even more attractive.
 
i heard that theres about 12 of the 1200mm prime around and they go for $88k directly from Canon Japan.
 
agentzero9 said:
I have heard this before and I must say that those people are complete idiots. It's not like the "Rebel" was invented with the 300D!.

There have been Rebel film camears for YEARS now and people always knew what type of build quality they were getting when they went in and the build quality of the 300D is consitent with the rest of the Rebel line.
Click to expand...

Amen, out of the box, yeah it feels a bit flimsy...but in time:

300d2.jpg
 
the 70-200 f2.8L is a sexy lens :)

nice kit...

i <3 my 10D... when i got it the 300D wasnt out yet... but i dont regret it... honestly i would personally pick the canon over the nikon, but of course, im a bit biased ;)

but really the only "bad" thing ive found about the 300d/10d is their terribly slow write times...

whatever camera you get its going to be a HUGE investment, becuase the camera is the cheap part ;)

also you have to look @ the different manufacturer's systems and decide which one you want to adopt, because switching from say canon to nikon or vice versa is extremely expensive
 
Yeah, one of the cool features with this camera is when you turn it on - its on - press shutter release now. Or, hold shutter release down and it snaps pics over and over -3 per second until the buffer fills and then one per second after that.

Still playing when I have time but overall, I am pretty impressed. Only "downside" so far is having to assemble the camera each time I go to use it.

To date, I have purchased a UK dry case for it and have a SB800 Speedflash on order (should be here in another day or two).
 
i didn't like how it was advertised as having the 144 shot jpg buffer without giving the important details....if that was 3fps until the card filled up.....i'd sell my 300d today..
 
torment said:
.i'd sell my 300d today..
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At one time i was very tempted to sell my 300D for the added buffer of the 10D. But after using this lens for sports...if i didnt get it in the 4 shots i have, then it really owuldnt have mattered how large of a bufffer i have.

Just my experience, but i guess it all depends on what your using the burst mode for.

Typically i do bursts of two...but again, it's all style.
 
One downside to the Canon is that it won't recognize the speed of a CF card over 45x....Nikon will. I am leaning toward the D70. Took pics with both cameras, and the D70 is just better (IMHO)

Now just finding the $1300 to get it....

Blake
 
TQ -

i don't use the full 9 on my roommate's 10D ever...i just like being able to snap 2 and then do it again and again....

i do like the write to card speed the d70 has though
 
glad you guys are arguing all these points, its gonna make my research easier. Someone want to argue about lenses now. :D
 
[H]GybrushMP said:
glad you guys are arguing all these points, its gonna make my research easier. Someone want to argue about lenses now. :D
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consider the 50 mm 1.8 mkII. It's a very quality lens for the price (~$70). Plastic build though. I'm picking up one of these soon.
 
foxforcefive said:
the D70 is just better (IMHO)
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Most would agree, but the selling point shouldnt be the body, it should be the lenses. There is a reason you see more canon lenses at sporting events.
 
yes, i've been researching the 300d and d70 for the last three months (thanks dpreview). im purchasing the d70 on friday. it required more creative movement financially but the growth opportunity and features justify the purchase for me.

my key four reasons for going with the d70

it feels faster and higher quality then the 300d (spent two hours with the two at local shop)
it's black (dslrs should be black)
the kit lense is great
my s400 is the biggest piece of crap ever, once bitten, twice shy and all that.

so yeah, if you can spring the cash, go for it.
 
well i did it, yesterday I bought a d70 from ephotocraft.com (body only) and the 1.8f 50mm lens to keep the cost down untill I can buy more glass. Hope I dont have to wait to long for the camera I know most places are having a hard time getting it in.
 
tell me how you like it when you get it! i played with another 300d yesterday... ill be buying my D70 on tuesday, should have it friday
 
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