Right choice at the right time?
Can the D70s fit between the D50 and the D80?
The original D70 was created to do battle with the popular Canon EOS 300D, but the D70 ended up as a very good alternative to even the higher end Canon EOS 10D. The body was more solid than the 300D’s and it had a superior kit lens. But now with the entrance of the D80 and the presence of the D50, does the D70s still make sense?
The D70s – a slight upgrade to the D70 – is a very professional tool, but it stumbles in terms of accessibility. There are too many important controls that have to be accessed via the menu system instead of having them out in the open. The AF system is very sensitive, having come from the F5, but it does seem counter-intuitive.
The same is true with changing flash output, but at least that feature is there. The Canon competition can only be tweaked via exposure compensation while the Nikon is more precise and can be controlled as fractions (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, etc.). There’s also a spot meter accompanying the 1005-pixel RGB sensor.
All this aside, is this a viable camera given the entry of the D80 and the presence of the D50? Actually, it still is. One sticking point some find regarding the D80 is its use of SD cards. If you would much rather stay with CF cards, stick with the D70s.
Also, if you’re a heavy flash user and would rather have a higher sync-speed, go with the D70s. The D80 has a maximum 1/200 sync-speed while the D70s maxes out at 1/500 – very good for fill flash use. You also get a faster top shutter speed with the D70s – 1/8000 of a second, while the D80 lags behind at 1/4000. Take note that you do miss out on the capability of the D80 to control other flash units wirelessly.
Of course, the newer D80 is superior in some points, such as providing an ISO 100 setting and an improved Auto ISO setting. Even then, the D70s will continue to be a viable alternative to its stable-mates while making Canon users keep on looking. Erick Lirios
NIKON D70S | P70,750
www.nikonimaging.com
TECH 6.1-megapixels. ISO 200-1600. 2.0-inch LCD. USB2.0. iTTL flash system. 5-point auto focus. Spot meter. 1/8000 second top shutter speed. 1/500 flash synch speed. Compatible with CF cards. 140 x 111 x 78mm. Approx. 600g without battery.
LOVE Solid body. Killer kit lens.
HATE Small LCD screen by today’s standards. Having to go to the menu for some key functions.
WE SAY With people wanting to rush and buy the D80 and D200, this may be the best time to get a D70s.
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T3 Magazine Philippines - November 2006 Issue
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 NIKON D70S
In details
The original Nikon D70 was slated to be a competitor of the Canon 300D but ended up being compared to both the Canon 10D and 20D. This was because of the sterling performance of the camera and its kit lens.
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