Help with the Nikon D70!

<p>I have a D70 which I have owned from new. Recently, after several shot the ikon posted "FORMAT" and I cannot take any more pictures? I try to format the card to no avail. Other times it works perfectly...is it time to up grade or send the camera in for repairs? thanks for you help...</p>

<p>This may not be what's going on with your D70, Sonny, but my D70 started giving me weird CF card problems a few months ago. In my case it appears to be a problem with the card slot inside the camera--it's worn (I bought it when the D70 first came out). When the contacts are broken or impaired for a moment, I'll get "format" errors; I've lost some shots and been unable to use the camera at times.</p>

<p>In my case--again, yours may be different--removing the CF card and then reseating it firmly always seems to restore normal operation. I usually reformat the card after doing that, unless it has photos on it I want to keep. So I'm still able to use my D70 ... but I'm planning to get a D90 soon before the D70 quits working entirely. HTH! --Ken</p>

<p>Try this: remove the card, remove the battery. Wait a minute or two, put the battery back in and re-install the card. Format the card in the camera. If the problem persists, try another card. It may be what Ken says above, the card slot connections may be going bad, in which case you'll probably have to get the camera repaired. I had a D70 and never had this problem, but I also seldom removed the card - I usually download the card with the USB cable for that very reason, so as not to risk screwing up the card connections inside the camera.</p>

<p>Ted, that's interesting--I've always been exactly opposit of your practice; I've never hooked the camera to a PC via the USB cable, I've always popped the card out and grabbed the contents via a card reader. The fact that you didn't develop the notorious "bad card seat" problem and I did seems pretty obviously the result of my frequent card-out-poppage. <sigh></p>

<p>People go both ways on that issue, Ken. For me, dowloading with the cable is the way to go, but just as many people will swear by card readers. I guess the downside is the same - frequent use of the USB slot in the camera could potentially result in damage to that, too. I've been lucky - had four Nikon DSLRs (D70, D80, D100, D200) and always used the cable and never had a problem with the card slot, never any error messages related to the cards.</p>

<p>That raises an interesting issue:<br>

What has the greater number of Duty Cycles?<br>

My guess is the USB connector on a camera is tougher than the CF card pins in the camera (D70 or not).<br>

CF card are designed to be <em>very</em> durable so that might make the camera's CF card receptacle the weak link in the data chain.<br>

Just a thought...</p>

<p>I had the exact same problem with an old 70s. Sent it to Nikon and they replaced the card slot and associated electronics in the camera. Fixed the problem, but wasn't cheap (around 300.00). I was kinda stuck if you ever want to sell the camera you have to have it fixed, but was the camera worth it. I wound up having it fixed, then sold it a couple of years ago to a buddy. Camera still works fine today.<br>

Good Luck!</p>