$50 Camera Review: Nikon D70 with 18-70mm Lens
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
- Check deals on eBay: ebay.us/M4vBuZ
Great lens for D70 (zoom): ebay.us/3nVaWd
Great lens for D70 (prime): ebay.us/l08VuZ
Time for another cheap camera challenge: this time with a strict 44 shot limit thanks to the 256 MB (!) CompactFlash card in the Nikon D70. I take a quick look at the camera's features and take it out for an afternoon test around the city.
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I have the D70, D100, D200, D90 and D7000. Just can't seem to let go of the D70 as it was my first. I love it so much I bought one for my nephew and one for my father to play around with. Makes a great inexpensive gift for kids.
Big buttons, simple controls, I agree the D70 is perfect for kids. D40 too I would say, I see them going for very cheap these days
@@lensvana i agreee
and it's capable to sync the built-in speedlite at 1/500s speed. truly amazing.
This camera is a battleship! If you put good lenses on it, it really shines! I bought a few primes for my fleet and tried them on this one. It amazed me. If you flash the bios, it will go up to 32GB. Newer cards will improve the write speed noticeably. I also got an eye-cup type eyepiece from an older Nikon, and now shooting in bright sun is not such a problem. I also have a D200 and again, a battleship. It's like a D60 with the resolution and features I wanted. Heavier cameras don't suffer so much from vibration and mirror slap in low light shots. There's just so much inertia. I just grew stronger and enjoy not having to tripod up in situations where my lighter cameras always need to.
Thanks for sharing, doc! You make a great point about heavier cameras and stability. These days I look for ergonomics above all else. That D200 is a legend in its own right. It's also a buyer's market for Nikon F glass at the moment
The first shot is actually fire
After 30+ years of shooting film as an amateur this was my first DSLR - back in 2009 - I mainly shot slide film - Kodachrome , Fujichrome Velvia 50 and 100 - The only drawback that I can remember was the small viewfinder lol - everything else was fantastic to me - I had a good set of Nikon AF-D lenses which all worked on the D70. Unless I was shooting in dim or dark conditions, which was very rare , the ISO never left 200.
Thanks for sharing! Funny enough now an amateur today will most likely start with a cheap DSLR... then maybe try something "exotic" like slide film one day (Velvia ain't cheap!)
@@lensvana yeah you got it right there - slide film is very definately exotic now - £20 a roll and more - I would love to shoot it more but I'm not paying a total of £30 a roll just to remind me what I was doing for 30 years. If I could find some for £5 a roll then yes...
I have the same strategy when it comes to ISO. These old DLSR's need light (Daylight). I keep it on 200 ISO and run them in the allday. If I do wanna take photos at night I bring another camera. It's not rocket science.
the quality and colours are amazing to me…. should never have sold it!
You can shoot video with this camera?
The little brother D50 lit my candle. I bought that camera for $35 put a $30 AF 50mm 1.8 lens on it took it on vacation as a back up. While taking photos in high humidity with my Nikon D5000. It struggled and I had fog issues. I pulled the D50 out of the bag and it didn't fail. You might say its somewhat weatherproof. They don't advertise that. I was blown away by the images. So I had to know how and why? I eventually discovered the CCD angle. Ever since I've been buying early Nikon camera's with both an AF motor and CCD sensors. Features or speed are not an issue with me, I'm not a burst shot photographer and I'm skilled enough to work around minor details. It's about what comes out of these units. I hate post work. I shoot in J.PEG because I want to pull the card upload them and send them as is. IMHO, these CCD cameras get the look I want right out of camera at a very high rate.
That 50mm F1.8 AF is a great pick for these earlier CCD cameras! Glad to hear you're enjoying the D50. Recently I've picked up the D200 (got it for a bargain price), great handling and a beautiful CCD sensor. These sensors shine if you feed them lots of light - and they especially sing with bright colors (e.g. spring, summer, fall landscapes)
Great coverage of this nostalgic camera body.
Thank you! :)
I am in the same boat as you. Bought a old Canon 5d Mki or classic 2 years ago. Was so impressed that I let my Sony A7ii go. Subsequently, I added a 17-year-old Canon 1ds Mkii and just today I bought a Nikon D200 . They really are great.
Nice! That 1DS II is a tank, no one questions you on the street with that one :) And the D200 of course is a legend in its own right (I have been playing with a D300 lately for wildlife myself, have a video on that). The ergonomics of the Dxxx series are superb.
Thanks for sharing your story and comments....I still have my D70s Nikon & love using it even though I have a D7100 & then upgraded to my D500...I just love Nikon gear & use all my lenses on each of the three cameras... cheers 😀
Thanks for watching, Robert! Funny I just got a D7100 myself for beginner wildlife, great camera. It's great to have so many lens options in the F-mount.
My first Nikon DSLR (I had Nikon film cameras, then switched to Pentax Digital for a while) was a new D70. I loved that camera and took some amazing shots on it, many of which are still hanging on walls at various locations. Great camera to use and if you are mostly posting on the internet or only want to print upto about A3 then you can't go wrong. In fact after watching this video I may pick myself up another one just for kicks.
Thanks for sharing! The ergonomics surprise me every time - it's so fun to use it on a random photo walk.
Yes, a D70S was my first digital camera. And I still have it! While I've moved on to a D5200, as the larger sensor helps with cropping, your video reminded me of the fun the D70S gave and has prompted me to take it out again. It's a great little camera. Thanks for the review!
Thanks for sharing, Frank! Glad your D70S is still alive and kicking :)
D5x00 is exactly the same APS-C/DX Sensor size - 23.6x15.6mm usually. It's only, that the D5200 has 24 MP, the D70(s) 6 MP.
The D5300 24pm is my daily driver, but each of these early DLSR's a unique dynamic.
(UK) Just bought a used D70s from a real used electronics store in town, for next-to-nothing. If you shoot in RAW and use Nikon's lastest software (Capture NX?) it's quite amazing how much highlight and shadow detail you can recover, plus playing with the "S" curve is so easy. Yoyu wouldn't think that the camera is getting on for 20 years old
Nice! I'm so used to Lightroom that I've forgotten about Nikon's tools. They got a lot right with the D70 - the bigger challenge today is hunting down a compact flash card :)
I have a Nikkor 18 70 afs DX lens on my Nikon D40X camera. I also have a D40 with the 18 55 kit lens.
I love these Nikon CCD sensor cameras. Beautiful images.
Thanks for watching! I've since picked up a D200, great output (same sensor as D40(X) I believe)
My dad and I both got one in 2004. I lost mine in a fire in 2011, but a couple years ago my dad gave me his. The look/colors are as I remember them: better than most modern digital cams IMHO. I just have to get used to not being able to see much through the viewfinder and to the massive size. But the pictures, holy cow!
Great colors - and not much editing required! Massive size, but oh so comfortable to hold. Thanks for sharing.
Great shots! Great for beginners on a budget or someone looking to learn to shoot more in manuel mode. Plus the older sensors have a cool look to the photos!
Thanks, Konrad!
Great for everyone. Not just beginners.
Your shots are so nice!
Thank you! :)
I'm literally thinking of buying one. The sensor is superb. I prefer it to the modern ones.
Go for it! Prices are great on the used market
My first DSLR was a D70. I shot a wedding with it, and made enough to pay for my setup. I have a D700 and a D7000 now, but I would not mind having another D70.
Just awesome
I've been shooting with the D70 (and 18-200mm VR lens, plus SB800 flash) as my main camera until 3 weeks ago. I agree, my new D3500 does feel like a toy by comparison.
That's a massive jump in resolution, however -- once you see those detailed RAWs from the D3500, I imagine the D70 will be relegated to backup duty quickly
I bought mine when they first hit the market and loved it for years. The sensor died and I upgraded to a D750, which is fantastic. I wanted access to the old CCD image style and wanted a "beater" camera for times I wouldn't want to risk the D750 so I also picked up a low-shutter-count D200 to add to my bag. I really enjoy both cameras. But, I think if my D70 hadn't died, it might still be my only DSLR! If an old D70 could manage the high ISOs of the modern DSLRs, I probably wouldn't have any strong urge to upgrade.
The D750 is quite an upgrade - I'm always amazed at how that sensor handles noise even at ISO 8000 and above. And the D200 seems like a great CCD sidekick with that build and solid ergonomics. I also often recommend the D40(X) to people who want to play around with CCD on a budget (especially fun paired with a 35mm 1.8 DX)
I had a similar experience as you with the D70, and didn't feel I could trust the Nikons as my workhorses. I went to Canon, but still miss my D70, especially when i look back at the images, there's just something beautiful about them. I also loved that I could actually name my folders as I went along, something i haven't seen since then on any camera I have had.
@@Polum2 I have no issue with trusting the Nikons. My D70 is the only one that has ever failed and I used it heavily for many years before it did. My current Nikon bodies; film and digital: F2S, F3HP, FG, F4s (x2), D200, D750, D500, Z 7II.
I bought the D70s a few months ago as part of a kit with 2 zoom lens, sb-800 flash, various filters and manfrotto monopod. I love it.
Some of its strong points are the 1/8000 fast shutter, 1/500 flash sync, relatively small files when shooting Raw.
If you don't like what Auto white balance is giving you, press and hold the wb button while turning the front aperture dial while looking at the top lcd screen. You can bias the auto wb from -3 to +3. At least you can on the D70s so it will probably work on the D70 as well.
That's a nice kit and very rational - and not enough is said about flashes. I did event photography back in the day, had a lot of fun with various speedlights and bouncing the light off walls and ceilings. Thanks for the tip about Auto WB, I will have to make some adjustments
I am about to use the D70 with an infrared conversion sensor. I am looking forward to seeing what the camera can do. Thanks for the effort and sharing. Thumbs up.
Cool! I've never tried IR converted cameras, definitely will at some point. I hear it's one of the "easier" ones to convert at home
@@lensvana I actually won the D70 as a giveaway. And I also have never done IR but often liked IR images so figured I would give it a go. BTW-I do like your YT efforts and I am an appreciative subscriber. Thumbs up.
@@smalltalk.productions9977 Thanks for your support!
I'm no professional photographer, but I honestly love this camera. Mine was originally my father's, then he gave it to me its seen better days as I need to get that same lens cleaned. I still think it's funny as well the *Coolpix L22 that I have along side the D70 is 12 megapixel , while the D70 is only 6 and takes much better photos.
Megapixels can be misleading! Worth noting that the D70 has a sensor that's 15 times larger by area vs. that L22. In any case, 6 MP is more than enough for social media and even basic photo prints :)
Love the camera, bought the first one at full price, the other 2 for cheap! Love them all. :)
Great camera.
we like mine in 2022 as the ccd sensor gives that indescribable special texture and colour.
also, the smaller monitor makes us work harder to genuinely engage in photography because we are less certain as to how the photo turned out before viewing on larger screen.
we will not use photoshop.
The small monitor also makes it a "surprise" every time I see the photos for the first time on the bigger screen
@@lensvana yes indeed. my original love of photography coming from the film era i very much love this camera (and it is not for any lack of having access to technology).
I received two lenses and two memory cards for $120. Happy I am.
I still using D90 - quality fotos so and so depends on objectiv, for perfect fotos of family you do not need expensive camera, you need good light condition, good actors, and your art possibility. A lot nice historical fotos was taken by very easy cameras. Fotografy is art, and good fotos do people with artists vision, no camera do it.
I agree :)
I have the d70s..kit lens...still super sharp pictures...the lens won't zoom...but still sharp
I used to own this nice camera and now have a D850. But, I also have a D700 which I really love and won't part with.
My 18-70mm lens gets stuck at 35mm mostly...just twist the zoom in out a couple times ...it'll unstuck itself...still use my D70s from time to time...😜😜😜
You can use Nikon NIKKOR Auto Non-Ai with it
Especially if you use ED lenses and because it have a CCD sensor, the result is amazing.
Similar to the 35MM, but luxurious.
Also fujifilm FinePix S5 have same sensor but super CCD.
I bought a d70s w/18-70 for 40 quid recently in mint condition (SC < 13k) n YES I lv'it despite its ~6mp resolution, BTW I dunn need more just for my daily shootings, plus yes it goes w/ a 512k CF card which is quite adequate for me coz I never shoot over 100. cheers
That's a great deal! Thanks for watching
Hi thanks for this video. I was gifted this camera for learning "real" photography as compared to phone photography. However, photos I take on the D70 seem generally underwhelming - dim lighting and washed out colours, even in Auto Mode. Is it just me? What can be adjusted to make images more vibrant? We are talking about daytime pictures here, not sunset or night.
Ok after I posted the comment, I read some of the comments here...most people love this camera so it sounds like it's operator-related ;)
@@morgantam1 Hey Morgan, I'm actually not surprised at your initial thoughts - the truth is that phone post-processing is so advanced that it's easy to see how "straight out of camera" pics from an older DSLR can be underwhelming!
Here's something you can try to see if you like the difference:
MENU > Shooting Menu (camera icon) > Optimize Image > Custom > (set Saturation to + and Color Mode to IIIa) > - - Done > OK.
This is advice from Ken Rockwell: www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d70_settings.htm
I also suggest "jumping into the deep end" by learning to shoot in "A" mode (Aperture priority). Pick a sunny day, Set ISO to 200, and use the physical dial to adjust your aperture - you will see how the camera automatically adjusts your shutter speed to match. Hope that helps!
@@lensvana Thank you for understanding! It's sunny today so I'll take the plunge with the Aperture mode and see what comes out.
I am brand new to photography and know absolutely nothing, yet have stumbled upon my very own D70 that used to belong to an uncle. I'm gonna get it up and running and see if the hobby sticks. I think the battery is just dead.
Nice! Hope you bring it back to life :)
still have mine bought it back in 2004 for 1500 euro (kit)
The only bad thing with the 2004/5 D70(s) is that the OVF is *very* small, even smaller than the cheap D40, which came with the same 6 MP Sensor, only 3 vs 5 AF Points, but bigger Viewfinder. And all D70(s) suffer nowadays from becoming very sticky, the faux leather grip material, the adheasive makes that DSLR very sticky, it's hard to clean it off, but worth it.
Good point about the OVF situation! These days - with prices as low as they are - I recommend people take a good look at the D200 / D300 too. You get a resolution bump and great build quality
@@lensvana I've had the D300s, sold it, when the D7000 came out. Better IQ, better HighISO, 100% Viewfinder. Cons: less sophisticated AF System (39 Point vs 51 Point D300(s) and not a pro DSLR build quality). I've bought all these Nikon DSLRs back into their heyday - D100, D70s, D40, D60, D80, D90, D700 & D7000.
@@marcp.1752 Nice! I'm still using a D7100 regularly - for $350 used I can't think of better value in APS-C (primarily stills, any brand). If I shot more action, I'd grab a D7200 for the deeper buffer and relegate the D7100 to backup
iso 1600 is a bugger. you need good f1.4/2.8 lens to make up on overcast days
True. I prefer 400 ISO and below on the D70 so it's mostly a sunny day camera for me
My D70s (2005) does have a 2GB CF, which correlates to 350 RAW files exactly. I do shoot only 36-40 max per location, to keep it parity with my 35mm Film SLRs. I never chimp on location, it's stupid, LCD is not color calibrated, also too small to judge IQ.
/edit you've been lucky, to have a rare D70 without the adhaesive is vaporizing, and therefore the body becomes sticky. I do shoot Nikon AF SLRs since the 90's. F90x, F55, F65, F75, F80 & F100, also F50 for bad weather. Hint: The D70 had a firmware update to 2.00, which brought it on parity with the 2005 released D70s, and also better AF performance.
Try review nikon d90?
I think a lot of folks are still using that one, legendary. One day I'll get a hold of one...
I have 3 of them. First one $$$$$$$$$$$$, the next two were about $100.00 each. Now, I can't figure out how to shut off the flash in auto mode. Please help!!!! Have 3 old non-digital Nikons, can I use any of those lenses? So expensive when bought new.
To turn off the flash in auto mode, Press the flash button on the side and rotate the main command dial until the lightning icon is crossed out :)
Non-digital Nikon lenses: I'm guessing you are referring to AI or AI-s lenses. Pre-AI won't mount (but you can use AI or AI-s in M mode only), everything manual. Go for a digital lens, they are very affordable now used. 18-70mm is a great budget one.
Love the camera, bought the first one at full price, and the other 2 for cheap! Love them all. :) Better to buy with a warranty. Be careful otherwise and test every part of the camera. I do have a problem with having to clean out the camera sensor repeatedly.
Great camera! :) I don't mind sensor cleaning, I get those cheap swab kits on Amazon and it takes 3 mins once you do enough of 'em
@@lensvana I thought I was never to touch the sensor. Just blow on it to hopefully remove the dust. I now have to do it repeatedly. Will look for the swab kit. Thanks. What I now do is just remove it with Elements.
@@LINDAOZAG Definitely don't touch it with anything other than sensor cleaning equipment! Check out some TH-cam videos on sensor cleaning first, it's easy once you get the hang of it. I use the "VSCO" sensor swabs
@@lensvana Hello, there are so many varieties of sensor swaba. which ones do you recommend for the D70? thank you.
@@LINDAOZAG Just tried to search for the one I use (VSGO) and can't find it anymore on Amazon. Suggestion: before touching the sensor, try just using the standard rocket blower a few times on the sensor while holding camera upside down in sensor cleaning mode. Tip of rocket blower should not go past the lens mount. This should be the first step before wet cleaning. Rocket blower is one of these: www.amazon.com/s?k=rocket+blower
It sounds like Carl Sagan has made a 2nd career of assessing old cameras.😉
Hah! :)
Swiping those two specs of dirt off the lens at the end... OCD HERO.
hahaha, someone noticed!
First DSLR, gave it away. D200 and D700 I am keeping. Can not complain about the pictures, but the white balance was always off. Lots of screw drive lenses from the film days, carried over to the d200-700. I love the easy transition in the menu and control layout all the way up to the D4. I hate menu control like the D5600 and other entry level DSLRs.
The D200 and D700 are definitely two to hold onto. Once you've handled those bodies, the modern entry level ones feel like toys!
The weight???😄
Try a Nikon D850 or D700. With heavy lenses you need some balance.
🤗👏👏👌👌🙏🙏📸👌
Is this camera better then new flagship phones cameras ?
That's a debate that could go on for a long time. New smartphones have really impressive cameras, and you can't beat the portability. But for me, nothing replaces the experience of shooting with a dedicated camera! And you can put all sorts of different lenses on a D70 :)
Check deals on eBay (AFFILIATE LINKS):
Nikon D70: ebay.us/M4vBuZ
Great lens for D70 (zoom): ebay.us/3nVaWd
Great lens for D70 (prime): ebay.us/l08VuZ
it doesn't shoot video?
Nope. Earliest in this line-up was the D90 for 720p video, or the D7000 for 1080p
I don't know where these people go to get these 50 quid cameras because I ain't seen any in England!!
Check your local classifieds! Including Facebook marketplace. I picked up another D70s + 18-70mm MINT for $100 CAD (57 GBP) the other day, it's a buyer's market