D70 or 350D

[ronbudway]

Which one for someone looking to step up to a DSLR, who shoots in many different

categories (landscape, portrait, action, night, snapshot, macro, etc.), who has no

collection of glass from either company (one cheapo cannon zoom on my old rebel),

who has a solid understanding of how an SLR works.

 

I am aware that the Canon is smaller, lighter, and has more megapixels. I am just

looking for personal opinions so please do not reply by pasting the link to dpreview, I

have seen those opinions.

 

I think my real question might be: for someone not yet invested in Nikon or Canon (or

Olympus, for that matter), all things considered, which would be the better choice.

[ryanjoseph]

Canon is a better choice. Nikon is going nowhere digitaly, and it is practicaly as if Canon is toying with them. As much as I loved Nikon, I saw no choice but to abandon the Nikon F mount I had in favor of EOS. I still dont regret it.

[bwcombs]

1 to nothing. Bottom of the first.

[david_bedell]

The best camera for you is the alkjasdofi;uakj lkjad flkajd lfk asdlkjsad f.

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

Sorry Ryan but Nikon is back in the lead with the D2X. It simply takes better pictures. Ron, I doubt you go go wrong with either choice. I've never shot Canon Digital SLR so I can't comment on how the handle, but I love my D-70 and my D2X. And if you aspire to the top someday, the Nikon is 3 LARGE cheaper.

[ryanjoseph]

Yeah... and 1.6x times smaller in the sensor.

[ecarter]

I hardly think of the D2X ($5000 w/out lens) in the same category of the 350D (about $1000 with a lens) Paul. For that price, if the D2X didn't bury the 350D, then Nikon BETTER throw in the towel and I better get ready to move to Canon. :-D

 

The megapixel issue is probably the least important of the three aspects that you mentioned - the difference between 6 and 8 megapixels is not enough to make or break either camera as far as I'm concerned. While the 350D may be ligher and smaller though, I find the interface on the D70 to be much better for my own use than Canon's (gimme those two dials any day of the week!) and it feels better to my hands than the smaller Canon bodies.

 

But that's all from a purely personal standpoint. Again, I gotta repeat what I've said before - get yerself to a shop that has both (if you can) and get both in your hands to see which YOU prefer the feel of.

 

Also, it may be worth waiting a little bit to see if Nikon's gonna have something to answer the 20D and the 350D from Canon. I haven't heard an official peep, but something tells me that Nikon's not gonna sit still for this much longer - though maybe that's wishful thinking.

[peter_phan]

Well, for the same money as a D70, you can get a 350D which offers more resolution, less noise, mirror lock up, ISO 100, plus options like a portrait grip, cable release, more USM lenses, more IS lenses, etc. Now if you're basing your choice on the company strengths as a whole, that would definitely be Canon.

[bwcombs]

4 to 1. Bottom of the 5th.

[dan_belmont]

Alright here comes a nikon batter to the plate...I would tell you hands down for the price range that you are looking in the nikon is the better camera. I have researched this endlessly D70 wins in almost every arena over 350D...(unless you visit a canon forum that is!) Build quality is better color is better camera handles better. I use it for profesional photography check out my site www.dbrockwayphotography.com ( all the photos on it are with a nikon D70) The nikon also looks and feels more like a profesional camera. Now just to show that I am not biased I think the EOS 1Ds Mark II looks like a much better choice than the D2X...

 

again just my opinion

[jimstrutz]

Ohh, foul ball! :)

[sl attanapola]

I think that CANON is actually BATING it's users!

They could have simply made the Eos300d more functionally similar to the old Eos10d by releasing a firmware update,but what do they do? Release an all new slr so that all the pixel peepers will buy a new camera.

If Nikom released a D70 replacement tommorrow do you think everyone will junk their D70s tommorrow?? I do not think so since the camera has all the functions an amateur would really need for the timebeing.

 

A couple of caveats about some of the comments made before;

 

What's with the mirror lockup -DO YOU use actually it!HOW MANY AF 35mm SLRs had this feature IN THE LAST DECADE??

 

BIG Deal if the new Canon has 8MP it is only around 10 PERCENT MORE IN REAL TERMS!

 

Unless you are using a tripod or it is sunny why would you want to use iso100?? If you are travelling one would use iso400 anyhow.Moreover Nikon has more WIDE ANGLE LENSES AND BETTER BUDGET WIDE ANGLE ZOOMS THAN CANON for digital slrs.For travelling and general photography most people do not use more than a 20 to 105mm(in equivalent 35mm terms) range. Why is Image Stabilisation so important unless you are using a crappy and slow budget zoom or a heavy long telephoto lense?? Image stabilisation was developed originally for LONG TELEPHOTO MILITARY optics used in things like attack helicopters and stabilsed sights.For anything below 200mm it is a marketing gimmick and just adds additional cost to a lense that could be made faster and cheaper(which I prefer!)

 

Use a monopod if the light is too low!

 

Some of the people here are DEFINITE MEASUREBATORS! You will never be happy with your equipment but just interested in getting the latest TOY.Are you not worried about the IMPORTAANT attributes of a camera like

1.)USEABILITY

2.)RESPONSIVENESS

3.)THE VIEWFINDER

4.)METERING

5.)FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY

 

The last two points are very important since a CRAPPY exposure will ruin ANY photograph.If specs are THAT important here's something interesting you may have forgot:

 

The nikon meter is probably the best one in any consumer budget dSLR today.It is better than the one in the F5!This ALONE would influence me to buy one.

Nikon,Pentax and Minolta use variants of the SAME sensor in all their budget dSLR cameras.Are some of you saying that all of these ar rubbish?

 

Anyway I am happy with my technologically "inferior" film SLRs. I am more interested in taking pictures than the latest micro improvement which mean virtually nothing in REAL terms.Canon's marketing must be having a field day.

[sl attanapola]

The Nikon also has 1/500 flash sync unlike even the EOs20d and has 1/8000 shutter(less important)

[albertdarmali]

I don't own either of them, then maybe it's not my place to make comments about the cameras.

 

Im also thinking to get DSLR as well, but not really sure whether it's wiser to wait or not.

 

If you ask me personally, if I were to get a DSLR now, I'd get D70 without any hesitation. the kit lens 18-70mm is definetely a performer (in the hands of the right person of course, as in all photography).

 

The current price of D70 + 18-70mm is a bargain IMHO.

 

Oh well, although Im sure that D70 has all the thing I could ask from a camera (considering my limited skills), but I just hate the thought of Nikon releasing D80 (or something like that) in 3 months after I got the D70.

 

Anyone knows any rumours about Nikon and when the next DSLR will come?

 

By the way, just for your extra information, try the link below, it's side by side comparison of D70 and EOS 350D

 

http://www.digitalreview.ca/cams/NikonD70versusRebelXT.shtml

 

Thanks.

[albertdarmali]

Back again.

 

Forgot to give you this other source that might help you to decide.

 

It's a link of this guy's website and all his pictures. (all taken with D70 + 18-70mm kit lens).

 

The story is, this guy was planning a trip to India, packed all his camera gear (Canon 20D + lens and stuff), but he lost all in the airport.

 

So being cameraless, he decided to buy the best camera he could get from there, which is D70 + kits, and all the photos from the trip were taken exclusively by that kit lens.

 

Which I think are quite neat if you ask me.

 

 

http://www.vothphoto.com/recent/india%202004/inda2004_main.htm

 

My favourite pictures from that website is " Making Chai" from "The Pushkar Fair" section and the picture of a young girl in "Tigers and Mausoleums section".

 

Albert.

 

http://www.vothphoto.com/recent/india%202004/inda2004_main.htm

 

Albert.

[larrybc]

IS isn't just for telephoto lenses.

 

If you love available light shooting, image stabilization is a GREAT feature to have. Even if you can shoot noise-free at ISO800, there are many occasions when image stabilization can help you get those ambient light shots.

 

As for the D70, I think it's biggest advantage is that very affordable and good quality kit lens (18-70, I think). All the DSLR makers should have something in that focal range and quality range but they don't.

 

I also agree that the dual control dials of the D70 are a big advantage over the single dial on the 300/350. I love having the programmable dual dials on my Maxxum 7 and A1.

 

 

 

Larry

[klix]

Seventh inning stretch... what's the score?

[umd]

Thread is going very well right from the first answer, though I expected much better from <a href="http://www.geocities.com/phanbusters/">Peter Phan</a>, probably he still hasn't recovered from D2x shock and closed the season.

[jcuknz]

Personally as somebody barely interested in ancient make-overs that go by the title of DSLRs my reaction is that the D300 is a horrible tank and the D70 is an elegant whatever. But I also think that one should consider the other principle makers of DSLRs if you must have one of them.

 

Me, I'm content with my pair of pro-sumers, the camera of tomorrow here today at a fraction of the price of DSLRs, because so many more are made, not because DSLRs are any better for my purposes :-)

 

'My purposes' is the key pair of words .. we do not really know what what you do ... certainly a DSLR is not a step up IMO for the general photography I do ranging from better than what people call macro these days, to 950mm equivalent bird watching. Occasionally landscape in between, tomorrow I'll be at MotorX.

[peter_phan]

Yes, Umit, I think we're all a bit shocked that Nikon managed to finally introduce the D2X. But that only highlights how much people's regard for Nikon has fallen, particularly in the digital age. It's nice to see that Nikon is still relevant, at least in the pro segment where they had been regarded by many as having conceding the digital race to Canon. It should be enough to keep at least some Nikon pros from defecting, for the time being. But Nikon's slower pace of development still does not bode well for the overall competitiveness of the brand. With models like the 6mp CCD D70 (1 year old) and D100 (3 years old!!!) going up against Canon's latest generation 8mp CMOS bodies (XT and 20D), Nikon's still got quite a lot of work ahead of them if they want to put a dent in Canon's overwhelming marketshare. The last thing Nikon needs to do is get cocky because they finally brought out a long-overdue D2X; after all, Canon certainly isn't showing any signs of letting up. In the last 12 months, Canon has managed to introduce 4 completely new sensors (1D MKII's sensor, 1Ds MKII's sensor, 20D's sensor, XT's sensor), all of their own in-house design and manufacture, which is simply a startling show of technological strength and autonomy unmatched by anyone else in the industry. And it certainly highlights one of Canon's tremendous strengths in digital photography: that they have complete control of their own digital destiny because they make all of their own sensors.

[umd]

Wow, Peter this was cool. How is your father's Canon sales btw? Is he pleased with Canon's rushing so many immature products to market and replacing them almost immediately? What will you do with your 10D and EF-S lenses now? Will you cry for a 20D? Or already done that? Will you also ask for new lenses that work with E-TTL-2? Does he think that EOS system is messed up in less than 2 decades like some "photographers" in real world do? And Nikon AF system is in a better position in a lot of ways? Does he wonder is that all with "overwhelming market share" and "tremendeous strengths"?

 

Does he think that you'll get a life someday?

[sl attanapola]

I am going to ask you all one question!

Are you saying a one year old model is old??

Is it even desirable to have a model replace even after two years especially when you are enthusiast and not a pro who make up the majority of all photographer?/

 

 

Firmware updates should be able to suffice in the mean time and allow greater performance to be extracted out of the machine - basically

better programming!

 

All this releasing of dSLRs means the secondhand value drops like a lead blimp and also means it is LESS LIKELY that within say four years you could get parts.

 

Why should anyone HAVE to upgrade a camera every year or so to avoid block obselescene??

 

If people are worrying about Nikon what about Minolta,Pentax and Olympus??

 

I personally do not like Canon's attitude to this.Unlike computers you cannot replace the critical parts of a dSLR.

 

 

CANON IS TAKING A huge FINANCIAL RISK in trying to do all of it's sensors.Nikon and co are actually no FOOLS unlike what some people think.

Since the budget Nikon,Minolta and Pentax dSLRs use the same sensors the price of the chips is actually lower since more will be probaly built! They are using tried and tested designs effectively than trying to foss off new designs that may or maynot have problems.

The fact the Nikon D70 was competitive with the E0s300D and Eos350D show how much better they are extracting the best performance from a older sensor.

 

 

I also bet that the D70 cost less to devlope too!

 

CMOS are also more noiser than CCDs.FACT.

 

It is only due to good noise reduction that canon maybe suceeding.

 

The Canon dSLRs have inferior exposure systems to the Nikons TOO!

They do not invest in the important wide angle lensee that everyone needs

Their budget camaras lack the important shuuters speeds that are actually more important.

 

Take away the sensor from the canon cameras and you have an inferior camera.

 

Canon by releasing the Eos350D have realised that they released the Eos300D unfinished onto the market(unless it was a marketing ploy).

This action shows that D70 is a huge threat to their MOST IMPORTANT part of the market.

 

Nikon spent time in actually trying to make a good product to use and not try sensationalism.

 

I think Canon are the ones who have to not be complacent.

[fitzroy_hepkins]

Ron, I think the best thing for you is to go into a store and hold both Cameras in your hands. The Camera your are comfortable with you buy. Canon and Nikon make great Cameras and Lens, I don't really think you can make a bad decision. Whatever you want to do in photography, both will have what you need.

 

Fitz

[bwcombs]

That's the ballgame. Thanks for coming everybody.

 

Drive safe, and we'll see you here in a new post probably sooner

than you want.

 

Again, the score was Canon 4, Nikon 5. Gooooodnight everyone!

[sl attanapola]

Actually it's early afternoon here in good old Blighty!