nikonichiban Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 I'm getting a new DSLR for a Christmas / birthday present - lucky me! I am trying to decide between the D70 and 20D. I have a FM3A body, two AI lenses, and the AF 50/1.8, so I am already a Nikon person. However, the 50/1.8 is the only lens that works with the D70, if I want to use the camera meter, so I don't really have much invested in lenses from that perspective. I am an 'advanced-amateur' or whatever it's called. I'll only ever print 10x12 or smaller, and only for myself and friends or family. The kit lens for the D70 is a great deal and a good all-purpose lens, while the 20D kit lens seems merely adequate. The D70 is cheaper. So is there any reason I should opt for the 20D? The difference between the 8mp vs. 6mp bothers me, even though it surely makes no difference for the kind of work I do. There's this little voice that keeps saying, "8 megapixels, 8 megapixels, get the Canon, get the Canon..." Help me get over this stupid megapixel hang-up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aardvarko Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Drown that gadget lust in some good old-fashioned practicality. Start adding up the costs of the 20D, the CompactFlash cards, the new Canon lenses, the additional battery, the protective filters, the card reader, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsbhasin Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Just get the D70. Kit cheaper by about $700-1000 and you already do have an extra lens (50/1.8); so that is another $50. <p>The little voice- tell it to shut up. <p>Chris's advice isn't bad as well; but again, if you must get a DSLR, get the D70. If money is not a constraint get the 20D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhi_da_zhong Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 There are lots of rational reasons to choose one over the other. I'm sure you've read them all. But IMHO, amateurs should just get what makes them happy. It sounds like you'll be happier with a higher pixel count and perhaps other attributes of the 20D. Why fight it? :) Enjoy whatever you pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhi_da_zhong Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 I meant "what makes you happy" within the constraint of your budget (or rather your gift-giver's), of course. I guess that's just something you have to figure out for yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.luis aranda Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 It is a present, right? Ask for the 20D, sell it, and get the D70 and a good prime lens with the difference. That is, unless you prefer the 20D or care about whoever is going to treat you. ;)</p> No, seriously. The 20D seems a terrific camera, don't get me worng. I got a D70 a few months ago and am happy with it. Could it be better? Sure it could. But I did not care to pay for the difference. I already owned a FM3A as you do, and I appreciate being able to share the lenses and switch from digital to film at will; although that excludes AI and DX lenses. Do you plan to keep the FM3A? </p> Regarding resolution, do you really need 8 megapixels? Consider the largest size you pretend to print, that should hint you. 6 is plenty for me, although I appreciate it when in need of a tight crop.</p> As Zhi-Da says, enjoy whatever you choose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikonichiban Posted December 1, 2004 Author Share Posted December 1, 2004 Thank you for your input. I guess I'm still leaning to the D70, because it just seems like a more rational choice. I'm interested to hear more opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikonichiban Posted December 1, 2004 Author Share Posted December 1, 2004 And I am planning on keeping the FM3A (I never want to part with that camera). The D70 kit lens won't work with the FM3A, and the AI lenses won't work on the D70. So lens swapping is limited to the 50/1.8. Though it's possible I'll buy some non-DX AF lens in the future that could work on the FM3A and D70. I keep going around in circles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxphotocat Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 David, Get the D70. I am a Nikon guy and did and I just bought a lense that I can use on both it and my trusty Nikon 8008. This means that my new 15mm is equal to 15mm on the 8008 and it becomes a 22.5mm on the D70. I have made some bery nice 8x10 prints with the D70 so far, but to honest not anything larger yet. Also, I bought the D70 with the lens kit and that lens has been excellent so far. Good Luck. Mark Sablow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikonichiban Posted December 1, 2004 Author Share Posted December 1, 2004 Thanks Mark. One thing I forgot to mention. I'm living in Japan now, and I'm probably returning to the U.S. next year for about a year. Then I may go abroad again or stay in the States. I've seen people mention that Canon has an 'international warranty' that is honored in any country, while Nikon has a country specific warranty. Am I getting this right? Please set me straight if not. This isn't a major factor, but something else floating around in my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul - Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 AKAIK, Canon may honor film camera or lens warranties internationally, but Canon DSLR warranties are country/region specific. There have been several threads from people who bought a DSLR overseas, only to find out the warranty is not valid back home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squareframe Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 "we all love these threads, admit it" not all of us ... trust me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_vigue Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 I have the EOS-10D, and if I do the traditional things right, exposure, steady camera, good light, focus and so forth I can print to the equivalent of 17x25 and it will look good on MOST subjects. Here's the but. On some subjects (a friends fluffy black dog is one example) things start to fall apart somewhere around 8x12. Digital cameras DO work better (IMO) than most 35mm film for most things, but the fact is that film and digital are different and some rare (for me) sorts of things really show dSLR limitations. Yes, it's that old 'extremely high frequency content' comment again. So, while the additional MP isn't a panacea, I wouldn't brush it off as pointless either. As a second point, I'm still training my eye to see things correctly, or to see composition. After the fact I often see a great shot inside a shot I took, and that means cropping. Need I say more? In any case, I think they're both great machines. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_zwig Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Go with the D70 w/ kit lens. With $100 rebate plus the $500 saving comparing with 20D. Put the $600 into a inflation index fund to hedge the falling USD and rising oil. By 2010, you will be happy to get a new full frame 24MP D700 for the money you saved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
._._z Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 You don't seem to have held either of these cameras in your hands. Try. See which has a better laid-out design, which operating system is faster and more intuitive to you. See if the D70's much-dsicussed 'tunnel vision' is a problem for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klix Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 You do know that, depending on which AI lenses you have, they can be "chipped" so you can have metering when used with the D70. http://home.carolina.rr.com/headshots/Nikonhome.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochen_S Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Do you usually shoot high ISO? did you compare noise? I have a Pentax and would like less high ISO noise a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikonichiban Posted December 3, 2004 Author Share Posted December 3, 2004 Well I went to the camera store and spend a good half hour playing with the two cameras. It really is a matter of personal preference, and I appreciate all the people who emphasized the importance of the feel of the camera. I've decided on the 20D. The ergonomics of the D70 were impressive, but I preferred the 20D's control layout and the viewfinder (which is important to me). Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now