D100 or D70s

[carole clements]

My husband and I have recently renewed our interest in photography.

We currently own an N60 and N80 and have an assortment of lenses. I

just purchased a SB-50DX Speedlight with a flash cord. We are in

the market to purchase our first D-SLR. Hubby had narrowed down the

choice to a Nikon D100. We were talking to a salesman at the local

Ritz Camera shop (we probably wouldn't buy there) and he also agreed

with the D100 selection, but advised us to wait as there is a

new "D100" to be released by early 2006.

 

I've have searched around on the 'net but could find no mention of a

pending release. Does anyone if that is the case? I'm really

anxious to get a digital as it seems like a cost effective way to

learn photography. I'm interested in pursuing wedding/event

photography so having a lower-end backup digital would be ideal. I

really shooting film, but processing can be a bit expensive when one

is just trying to learn and not produce lifetime memories.

Eventually I plan to buy another Nikon film camera and use the N80

as the backup.

 

So one of my questions is should we wait if a new D100 is really in

the works in the not so far off future or just go with the D70s for

now?

 

TIA.

[Ed_Ingold]

There will always be an improved camera just over the horizon. Find something that meets your needs and go with it. There's no end to this rainbow.

 

The D100 is agonizingly slow compared to a modern DSLR - hardly better than a point-and-shoot. The D70 has a surprisingly low lag time and recovery time - a good little camera. I'll bet the Ritz dealer has a D100 on the shelf he'd like to part with before even newbies stop asking.

 

Wedding photography tends to be hard on equipment, so you should be looking at a professional DSLR. With the next round of "improvements" we should see D2h's on the used market. D1x's are reasonably priced now, and would be far better than a D100 in both speed and image quality.

 

Once you have a DSLR, your interest in 35mm film will dissipate. If you plan to shoot digital, then plan on a digital backup - the D70 would do just fine.

[frank_skomial]

"I just purchased a SB-50DX Speedlight with a flash cord" -

 

Considering purchase of a DSLR from Nikon stable in the nearest future, why did you do that ?, unless you got it half free, I would purchase SB-600 or SB-800. The new advanced lighting system (iTTL mode) does not work with D100. SB-50DX can be used on D70, but without the latest advanced light balancing and multi flash remote wireless control.

Go for D70 anyhow. However if you plan on dropping your camera to the floor, or off the cliff, then D100 has a metal body, but most likely will not survive the drop.

[ilkka_nissila]

You mean: once you get your DSLR, your interest in medium format film will dissipate, right?

[ilkka_nissila]

Yes, the SB-600/800 are great and you need to replace your 50DX as it doesn't work on the D70 which is a superior body to the D100 in many ways, one of them is the brilliant i-TTL flash system.

[bryan_lardizabal]

Buy the D70S !

[mawz]

The D70s outperforms the D100 in every aspect except AF, and will match the D100 in AF with an AF-S lens. The only reason to get a D100 is if you absolutely need the battery grip.

 

There is reportedly a D100 replacement coming, likely a big step up from either the D70s or D100.

 

Note that your SB50DX will not do TTL flash with a D70s or likely on the D100 replacement, but will do TTL flash on the D100. This is one reason to go with the D100 in your case, but upgrading to an SB600 is well worth it.

 

I'd still recomend the D70s over the D100. Trade in the SB50 on a SB600 and you're set (Your off-camera cord will work fine with the D70s/SB600)

[ellis_vener_photography]

D70s.

 

While it is extremely likely that tthere will be a newDSLR from Nikon in the near future,

when it first comes out it will be in short supply and at or near full MSRP.

 

In the meantime while you are waiting for the new camera, you will be missing photo

making opportunities.

 

Salesmen generally know no more (and frequently less) than anyone else does about

products that haven't been released.

[carole clements]

"I just purchased a SB-50DX Speedlight with a flash cord" -

Considering purchase of a DSLR from Nikon stable in the nearest future, why did you do that ?"

 

My reasoning for purchasing the SB-50DX is because there are two of us shooting and we both want to learn flash photography. However, my husband does not have quite the same interest as me, so my plan was to let him inherit the SB-50DX to use with his N80. I anticipate purchasing an updated flash in the future. I don't know if this made sense, but I thought it was a reasonable idea. BTW, I paid $100 for the SB-50DX with box and manual, the SC-17 flash cord and a package of brand new batteries. I don't think that I overpaid.

 

Carole

[breakaway]

I would suggest you get the SB22s which does Automatic exposure whereas the 50DX doesn't. Sure it's an old flash but it's darn accurate. Just follow the settings and you won't go wrong. It even bounces! I'm still regretting selling the one i had.

[dan_brown14]

"The D100 is agonizingly slow compared to a modern DSLR "

 

This is the most ignorant statement I've read here on the Nikon Forum in over a year.

[robert_ardinger]

Your flash idea makes sense and you did not overpay.

 

I have a D100 and prefer it to the D70 I had (bought as a backup for a trip last year then sold). I like the viewfinder brightness in the D100. There is no noticeable difference in shutter lag in the D100, D70 or N90s for that matter (the "point and shoot" comment from a previous post was silly). I actually held off on any digital camera because of the shutter lag of digital point and shoots. I do not know if the D70s has other tune ups over the D70 (with new firmware)except for the larger LCD screen that make it noticeably different to shoot with than the D70.

 

Flash is a pain on the D100 except for the odd use of the SB-50DX used at the same time as the on board flash. It only works in manual mode (not really that hard as you can check the LCD screen). I would bounce the SB-50 (with a diffuser) and flop down the flashes' white front diffuser over the onboard flash, using it straight. Work well for portraits (with constant distance) and for horizontal images (due to side shadows if main flash is held sideways). Flash is an area where the D70 worked better but you have to have an SB-600 or 800 flash to take advantage of it.

 

The D100 saves files in an uncompressed RAW format and when comparing D70 to D100 RAW files I found a bit more noise in the D70 files in continuos tone areas (sky). There were other subtle differences, the D70 output was fine and without comparing files I doubt I would notice.

 

As I usually do not use flash, and do not have buffer problems (D70 has a bigger buffer but the limit on the D100 never bothered me) and liked the file qualities of the D100 better it was easy for me to decide which to keep.

 

I had always planned to sell one of the cameras after last years trip as hanging on to digital cameras that are not being used is not too cost effective. If you are planning to upgrade in the future you might be better able to sell the D70s as it will probably still be an active camera in the Nikon line into next year and I bet the D100 will not (rumored D200 apparently coming soon).

 

All in all given the demands for multiple shots in quick secession that a wedding can call for and the flash needs for many weddings I would also recommend the D70s but did want to put in a good word for the D100.

[Ed_Ingold]

Dan, a D100 is barely adequate if you use an AF-S lens and grindingly slow with a standard AF lens. Even so, you must pre-focus in order to get a decent response. I've used a D100, and own a D1x and D2h - I know whereof I speak. It sounds like I've diss'd a camera you own - sorry if I said something you don't want to hear.

[dennismk]

Buy a used D1X on ebay the price is right, about $1,300. Thats what I would do.

[berg_na]

I agree with Dan. The D100 is absolutely no slouch and comparing it to point-and-shoots is plain ridiculous. On the original question, I think you should hold off on your purchase until the replacement of the D100 is announced. However, it will probably be higher priced than the current models, so it won't fit your needs if you're just looking for a low end backup camera.

[eric friedemann]

I own two D100s. The D100 does a few things the D70s does not (e.g. mirror lock-up).

 

 

However, on balance, if given a choice between the D70s for $900 and the D100 for $1000, I'd buy the D70s for its 1/500th second flash sync speed- which the D100 does not have- and a few other advancements. And just so you're clear, the SB-50DX flash will not be fully compatible with the D70s.

[armando j. heredia]

A D100 is grindingly slow with an AF lens and AF-S??? I and a lot of other D100 owners will attest to a different experience. I own both a D1 and a D100 and the D100's CAM900 AF module will only be slightly less superior to the D1's when you're talking about off-set focus and *very low* ambient light levels. When the light is *that* low, the use of flash or very high-quality fast aperture lenses matters more than the camera body selection. For general and even candid photography, the D100 (and the D70 since they share the same AF system) can keep it up - I've got shots of the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds aerobatic jet teams "decisive" moments like the Knife Edge pass and the Calypso mirror image run. To disparage the camera's AF system is a pitiful excuse methinks, for other shortfalls.

 

Carole, you've heard a lot of good and questionable advice. Here's one more, and feel free to contact the folks you believe have something to contribute to your knowledge off-line Yes, the D200 is coming. Yes, it's most likely going to be *very* difficult to get because like any popular commodity, the manufacturing pipeline will most likely not be able to keep up with demand until mid-summer 2006 assuming it's announced and released this fall. Given the fact that you're beginning with digital, it's more important for you to establish a workflow. And you can do that without having to buy into the latest camera system. Two things that make the D70 (or 70S) a little better than the D100 - the iTTL flash system (which is more akin to Nikon's legendary TTL capability in the film world) and the fact that if you choose NOT to shoot RAW (i.e., digital negatives which require good post-processing), the out-of-the-camera results of the D70 (and the D50) are optimized for owners who don't wish to do a lot of post-processing. Learn on the D70, because it's got enough features for what you're looking for (frame rate, flash synch speed to 1/500) to meet your requirements for shooting weddings. Focus on getting an iTTL flash (either SB-600 or SB-800) and a good wide to mid zoom like the 17-35 or even the 28-70 AFS. The glass will matter more than the camera when you're talking about image quality.

 

Regards,

 

Armando

 

ajheredia@nikonians.org

[knobstone]

Edward, you "know whereof you speak" in terms of your opinion, of which you are certainly entitled to do. But that is all it is, your opinion. Some of us that own D100s have a different opinion, of which WE are entitled. I am glad that photo.net allows such varied discussion, as much can be learned here if one has an open mind. My opinion, "whereof I speak". Joe

[mawz]

While the I'd not call the D100's AF blindingly slow, any Multi-CAM900 based model will be inferior to a Multi-CAM1300, Multi-CAM2000 or N90s/F90x (CAM246, although the N90/F90 uses the same sensor but is slower than most Multi-CAM900 units) for AF Speed. This is less noticable when using only the centre sensor and/or and AF-S lens (The Multi-CAM900 based cameras also tend to be weak in the AF motor department, which an AF-S lens renders irrelevent, the D100 probably has the strongest AF motor of the Multi-CAM900 cameras), but these cameras are not particularily sensitive apart from the centre sensor.

 

A D1 should easily outperform a D100 AF-wise, unless you're shooting in bright light with an AF-S lens.

 

But a D100 is certainly less responsive than a D70s, most notably in the startup time.

[ShunCheung]

Both the D100 and D70/D70s use the same Multi-CAM 900 AF module. There may be a bit of software difference or improvement on the D70, but as far as AF performance goes, the D100 and D70 are very similar, if not identical. Therefore, AF performance should be a draw between the two and for the purpose of this thread.

 

I too have had a D100 or 3 years. IMO its AF is acceptable for still subjects, but only the center AF point performs well. For moving subjects such as sports, you'll likely have AF problems.

 

Based on all sorts of "leaks," it looks like Nikon will announce some new products in September 1, which is merely 4 days away. It is best to wait 4 days to find out what is really going on.

[dan_brown14]

"But a D100 is certainly less responsive than a D70s, most notably in the startup time."

 

How ling have I been asleep? I've shot this camera for over 3 years. Never, NEVER, once

have I waited for the camera to start-up. Nor for the shutter to fire, unless AF was hunting

(see CAM900 discussions above), which rarely happens to me (YMMV).

 

I covered the Cindy Sheehan rally in Crawford yesterday using a D100 with an 80-200/

4.5-5.6D-AF "Plastic Fantastic" Nikkor. Even in the 100+ degree heat, dust and sweat, I

didn't experience any of these agonizing problems all day.<div></div>

[david_h._hartman]

Send the SB-50DX back if you can and buy an SB-600. You be

better off with two SB-600 or even better with an SB-600 and SB-800.

You mentioned wedding photography. You will need the greater

power of the SB-800.<br>

<br>

The SB-50DX uses the expensive CR-123A lithium batteries while

the SB-600 uses economical AA-type batteries. Get a 1 hour

charger with 4 AA NiMH batteries and an 8 pack of the same brand

AA NiMH batteries and you got power for a few pennies a charge.

You can find good prices on Duracell and Energizer AA NiMH

batteries at Wal-Mart. I bought Energizers because they were 2500

mAh batteries v. Duracells 2300 mAh at the time I purchased.<br>

<br>

Im guessing you would not like the weight of the D2H but its

a much better camera in all performance aspects compared to the D70

and D70s. Its a 4.1 MP camera but there is little

difference between it and the 6.1 MP. It is debated as to which

gives the best images. They are both very good and if you want

the camera mostly for learning you dont need to worry

anyway.<br>

<br>

The viewfinder is the primary interface of an SLR or DSLR and the

D2H wins with ease over the D70 and D70s. I recommend that you

look at a D70/D70s and D2H/D2Hs at the same time. Im not

recommending a new D2Hs as the price at $3,200.00 is way to high.

A clean D2H can be quite economical used.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[ShunCheung]

The start up time for the D100 is totally negligible. I switch it on and I can start shooting immediately. There is no noticable difference between the start up time for the D100, D2X, F5, F100, N8008 .... If your D100 is somehow slower, I would say it is defective.

 

However, AFAIK, some of Nikon's Coolpix cameras have a long start up time, up to a couple of seconds. You can easily miss shots as a result.

[paul_griffiths]

Used to have 2 D100's, changed over to 3 D70's. I shoot in RAW and the D100 is far too slow. The flash system for the D70 is great and the 1/500th sync helps a lot on bright sunny days.

[mawz]

The startup time on a D100 is slightly over a second. The D70 is less than 0.2 seconds.

 

I can see why many would consider the former negligible, but the difference is definitely there.