For College: D2X or D70s? Please Help

[jorgen_udvang]

As long as we are talking advertising photography, I would look at Olympus E-1, Fuji S3 and Nikon D2X. I have the S3, and use it for just that, but the E-1 would have done the job as well. There are advantages and disadvantages with both cameras. D2X is top notch, but the price is too, and the learning curve.

 

D70s and D50 are fine cameras in many ways, but for studio work, the ergonomy is lacking, as well as connectivity (firewire, pc-sync...)

[douglas_green1]

Get the D70. If you need the D2x a year from now, you will have saved more in the price drop of the D2x over the next year than the D70 costs you now.

[david_h._hartman]

Buy the D2X. It will not be obsolete in 2 years. There may be

a latest and greatest model that exceeds it but the D2X will not

drop dead when the D3X comes out. The performance will be as

stunning as it is today. Get an extended warranty from Mack.<br>

<br>

Dont let anyone tell you that a camera is just a box to

hold sensor or film. Once you lock the bayonet its one unit.

If you buy the cheap kit lens that would come with the D70 and

put it on the front of the D2X you will be able to take better

photographs because you can see what the hell youre doing.

Youll have the multi-CAM2000 AF module with nine cross

sensors so youll have more photographs in tight focus under

more demanding conditions. <br>

<br>

You can use AIS, AI and AI(ed) Nikkor lenses with color matrix

metering. Id get the AF-S 17~55/2.8G ED-IF DX. For a macro

lens you can go back to 1965~1968 and get a 55/3.5 Micro-Nikkor

Auto and you can use it on the D2X with a E2 or M ring. You can

probably pickup one of these for about $100.00. You might

consider an AF 50/1.8D or AF 50/1.4D as a fast portrait lens. You

might also consider a AF 70~180/4.5~5.6D ED Micro-Nikkor. This is

one righteous lens for table top work and a good general purpose

zoom. Its a true Micro-Nikkor. You can zoom without

repositioning the camera. Its bitingly sharp wide open.<br>

<br>

Yaron is right, theyre all green-eyed with envy. Get the D2X.<br>

<br>

Best, not the other stuff,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[aardvarko]

You'd be surprised how many dead-set students shift their paths a year or two in.

[david_kelly1]

Paul is not going to just any college, he's going to RIT, the center of the known universe so far as education in photography is concerned. To change his major he'd just about have to change schools. Since seeing is the most important part of photography, he needs first and foremost an excellent viewfinder, so if the D2x is too pricey I'd suggest a used D1x or D2h, certainly not a D70.

[hendrik]

The only thing I would want more than my D2X, is a second body!

 

If finance is not a problem get the D2X.

 

If you just need something to use for a while, get a Canon 350D with a 17-85IS kit lens.

[gaius1]

I don't really see why anyone would need anything more than a used D1 for college. You won't get higher marks for more resolution any more than an English major would get higher marks for printing an essay on a fancy kind of paper.

[tony_taylor1]

Get the D2X if you can afford it. The D2X will not be "obsolete" when you finish school. 12mp will still look good five, six or more years down the road. I bought a D100 with a vertical grip when they first came out, and I am still making money with it. I own the D2X and D70 as well. Of the three the D70 feels more like a "toy". It's a good camera, but it looks and feels so "small". I normally rent my D70 out for $50 a day or $150 for the week. A pro dslr can open a lot of doors for you. When people are paying me good money to photogragh them, the last thing I want to hear is; "I have a camera just like that one at home".

[ellis_vener_photography]

I'm neither a Nikon or Canon (or any other brand) guy so here's my advice.

 

I've used the Canon 20D and the D2X and now also the Fuji S3 -- if you can afford it, get

the D2X. The 20D & the s3 aren't quite in the same league. They are very, very good

cameras, but they doesn't produce the same quality of images.

[jeff_chadwick]

Now from somebody who actually graduated from RIT my question is- Why not get a D70 and check out any other camera system you might need from the cage? (Basically a large closet full of the latest and greatest photo equipment that you can "borrow" for 24 hrs) You are paying a huge sum of money to go to a college that gives you access to the best equipment in the world- take advantage of it! <br>Back in the day I checked out a 6x17 fuji camera and took it to bike week to shoot infrared. What I wouldn't give for that opportunity again!

[seanpark]

Get D2X if you can afford it. It will be usable longer than 6MP D70.

[chris m., central florida]

The D70 or D70S is a very good camera. I use mine for everything from studio shooting to weddings to magazine cover shoots and ad work. I've not had one complaint from my clients on image quality. I shoot a great majority of my work in RAW. The cameras are in use nearly every day and have been proven reliable. Be sure to give yourself some time to learn to take advantage of the camera's strengths and overcome it's challenging points.

 

Your first choice is if you will choose to remain with the Nikon system. If so, you can go for a D70S or two now, and then upgrade later. For less than $1K, it's very hard to beat the D70S.

 

The D2HS is a great camera for speed shooting, you can still produce excellent large images, and it's proven design.

 

The D2X is not a camera that I own. But I don't need one for 90+% of the work I am doing right now. As I become more involved in commercial photography, it's definitely on my list of cameras to consider, as are medium format integrated digital bodies. Next year will see the purchase of two 12MP cameras.

 

In my opinion Olympus doesn't offer enough of a complete sytem to allow you to engage in a great variety of commercial photography applications. Do they offer multiple wireless flash capability? A serious selection of macro lenses? True portrait lenses? I don't know the complete answers to these questions, but you need to ask if Olympus will fit your long term needs. For now, Canon and Nikon are the most widely used DSLR systems out there, and for good reason.

[david_h._hartman]

Like Shun I do not ask anyone before buying a camera what

model I should buy. I collect information about various cameras

by reading and this form is one way but I certainly would not take a

tally of the opinions of a group of anonymous or mostly anonymous

responders and go with it. Ive also never bought a camera

that was recommended by a camera store sales person. I buy the

camera that fits specific needs.<br>

<br>

You have the option of buying what may be the best DSLR of its

type now available and instead select the DSLR with the worst

viewfinder of any Nikon DSLR available with one possible

exception. The viewfinder is the primary interface between the

photographer and camera. Before buying Id compare the D2X

and D70s carefully. If you compare them side by side the

difference will be painfully obvious. The only reason Id

own a D70 or D70s is to shoot IR and UV. <br>

<br>

Look at your two threads. No one even mentioned the Anti-Aliasing

Filter in each camera. Do you know why you might not find the AA

filter in the D70s as suited to studio photography as the one in

the D2X?<br>

<br>

Its your money. You can do what you want but Id find

a better way to make the decision than the one youve chosen

here.<br>

<br>

Best,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[ashton_lee2]

I say you need to think about what sort of advertising photographer you want to become. There are really two types... product photographers (table top, automobile, food, etc) and people photographers (image, lifestyle). If you are patient and exactiing and love still life, then you may want to be the former. If you are the life of the party and very people oriented maybe the latter. At the top level people are known for their specific style and expertise-- they specialize quite narrowly. (And they rent almost everything they use.)

 

Product photographers work with large format, and a digital Nikon won't be of much use to them. So if you lean that way, the D-70 is all you'ld need.

 

People photographers need speed, wide angles, selective focus, and great lighting on the fly. And they are more likely to crop because they can't set up as exactly. For this the D2X could be an advantage.

 

It is unlikely that you will have to turn in any assignments in print sizes so large that the difference between the two cameras would be important. More it is a question of how you see with each.

 

I agree with all who say that the glass you buy will last for years, the cameras go quickly. If in doubt, go for the D-70. It is better than what the richest pro's in the world had 18 months ago.

 

As a final thought... the key to success in photography is to have your shots look different. I'd wager that with a Rolleiflex 3.5F and an Epson scanner you'ld win far more prizes than by using the same equipment and workflow as everybody else. You see differently with ever camera, and few cameras "see" as well as a Rollei.

[ilkka_nissila]

You really meant that the D70 is worse than the poorest amateurs had 18 months ago, right? Otherwise your statement makes no sense.

[ramon.garcia]

I'm also a Nikon guy but, what about the new Canon EOS 5D? It's a $ 3300 full frame 12.8

MP camera. Canon introduced this new model yesterday (2005.08.22). This is possibly

better than the Nikon D2X and cheaper. Canon suggets the EF f/4L-series zoom lens to

complement the equipment.

 

You can get more info here:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0508/05082209canoneos5d.asp

 

and samples here:

http://web.canon.jp/Imaging/eos5d/eos5d_sample-e.html

 

Good luck,

 

Ramon.

[gaius1]

<blockquote>This is possibly better than the Nikon D2X and cheaper</blockquote>Depends what you want your D2x for - if it's high FPS, then the 5D doesn't come close. It's about the right tool for the right job. Be interesting to see how Nikon responds...