Modern D70s equivalent

<p>My Nikon D70s has finally bit the dust. It won't power up. Dead as a door nail. To be honest, I have been thinking about getting a new digital SLR anyway, as the the D70s is almost an antique as far as digital cameras go now.</p>

<p>What wound be a rough equivalent be to the D70s in terms of Nikon's current line of digital cameras? As you can tell, I don't go out and buy a new camera every day so this digital camera has got to last me awhile. I can't go crazy here - i need to keep it under $1000 but I want to get the best camera i can. i would consider myself a serious amateur photographer.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!<br>

John</p>

<p>The D7000 is available for well under $1000 and would be an excellent replacement/upgrade if you cannot afford the D7100 at $1200.</p>

<p>If you have only AF-S lenses and don't plan to buy old AF-D and AI lenses, you may be able to get by with a D5200, but I would, if I were you, pick up a D7000 as Elliot suggests.</p>

<p>This is very helpful. I was looking at the D5200 but I wasn't sure if that was the current equivalent of D70s. Sounds like the D7000 would be a good way to go. You know how these things go. Should I buy the D7000 or since I can only buy these cameras every 10 years or so, should I get the D7100. Ugh.... </p>

<p>John,<br>

I bought a D70 when it was announced, and was happy with it. I replaced it with the D7000 when that was announced. It is a marvelous upgrade, and the D70 sits in the closet now, and remains there in case the D7000 fails, which I do not suspect to happen. <br>

I noticed the Nikon Store just announced a drop in the D7000 price. ...less than 800 dollars. Go for it. You will not be sorry. Also keep in mind the D7000 uses SD cards, in 2 slots. So, you will need some of those.</p>

What lenses do you have? If you need to add some good lenses to your arsenal, you might want to consider your budget

for those as well.

<p>Great comment Jack. I saw that Amazon has the D7000 for $795. So that is a price drop from what it was? Devon, I could get by with the lenses I have now if I went with just buying a body with no lens.</p>

The D70 lineage is D70, D70S, D80, D90, D7000, D7100.

 

 

Those cameras have the same class of capabilities.

The D90 added video. D7000 added metering with AI/AI-S lenses and dual memory slots.

 

Every camera is of course better than it's predecessor at least in most areas.

 

D7000 is the best bang for the bucks for a new camera so that would be a great choice.

<p>Very helpful, Pete. I was wondering about that lineage.</p>

<p>I'm with John Fisher. I made that same transition. The D7000 will astound you coming from the D70, and the price is great. At $800, the D7000 is probably more camera per dollar than anything on the market.</p>

<p>1. Your D70S has two thumb-wheels, one to adjust aperture and one to adjust shutter speed. If you are really comfortable with this arrangement (and I expect you are after all these years!), then the D3100/D3200 and D5100/D520 won't do. Each has only one thumb-wheel and requires use of the menus to accomplish what you are used to.</p>

<p>2. Do you have any older screw drive AF lenses or AI manual focus lenses? Your D70S could use both although without metering through the AI types, and the D31/3200 and D51/5200 can't - they'd be manual focus only on these camera bodies. The D7000 will autofocus with any of the different versions of Nikon AF, including the screw-drive types like the 80-400 and third party examples like the Tamron 200-500.</p>

<p>3. If you have any AI lenses, the D7000 will meter through them - it takes a small amount of setup to tell the camera about the lens, but it's very easy.</p>

<p>4. The size, shape and arrangement of major controls on the D7000 will be familiar to you. A few of the small buttons have been relocated, but not the most used ones. And as others have told you, the price of the D7000 is now a real bargain after introduction of the D7100.</p>

<p>Welcome to the revolution! :^)</p>

<p>To answer your other question, the D7000 was previously the $1200 model. The D7100 took that spot and I guess the D7000 is at $800 so the inventory will clear out. Compared to your D70S, the D7000 has all the same important functions, plus big upgrades to the sensor, AF system and LCD, and adds metering with AI/AIS lenses, a more rigid body with better weather resistance, and video. Compared to the D7000, the D7100 adds an improved sensor and AF system and a crop mode that would be useful for some sports and wildlife shooting.</p>

<p>John, Sorry to hear that your trusty D70 has finally died. I believe that the D7000 is the closest thing to the D70 today and can be had for a very reasonable price now that it has been replaced by the D7100. Either one of those 2 would probably get you all the features you are used to and then some. I upgraded from the D70 to the D7000 and there is nothing I miss about the D70 any more.</p>

<p>Agreed with others. I didn't feel the D80/D90 was a strict upgrade to the D70, as they were both just slightly smaller and slightly more plastic feeling, even if the pictures were better, particularly with the D90.</p>

<p>If you can swing the price of the 7100, get that. The megapixels may be overkill, but it's a little less likely to blow out highlights than my 7000. Small difference, but it's there. There are some other upgrades too, but honestly if you were happy with your D70, then none of them really matter, since the D7000 is going to be the same or better as what you already have in every way.</p>

<p>All of your comments are really helpful. Keep them coming if you want! It sounds like the D7000 would be a great way to go. I would definitely want 2 thumbwheels - one for aperture and one for shutter speed. I guess I could get used to something different but it would nice to have. It would be nice if I could afford the D7100 but I am pushing the envelope at $800! It definitely sounds like it would be better to go with the older D7000 rather than the newer D5200 for a similar price. Would you agree with that?</p>

<p>Jack Fischer said: "I noticed the Nikon Store just announced a drop in the D7000 price. ...less than 800 dollars." - The price I am seeing for the D7000 is still at $900 approximately (Amazon for instance). Where are people seeing it for under $800?</p>

<p>John,<br>

Last week, I received an email from the Nikon Store listing the D7000 for $795.00 (I believe that was the exact amount). Apparently that was a limited-time offer, since I just checked the Nikon Store, and they list the D7000 for 899.95, and refurb for 779.95. Amazon lists it as 896.95.<br>

Yeah, disappointing change. Sorry if my previous message was misleading.<br>

I still like the D7000 a lot, and I am more than satisfied. I bought it in November 2010 for list price. The transition from (and back to) the D70 is easy, since the two controls fall in the right place in my hand.</p>

<p>Thanks, Jack. I will just have to watch the prices. It sounds like I would be getting a lot of camera for 799 or 899.</p>