scott_carlsson

This kind of post is hilarious. A little over 3.5 years ago, a friend shot our wedding with 2

Kodak/F5

bodies- a DCS 760 and a DCS 720X. With a few Nikkor lenses and a couple of Microdrives,

he had spent over <i>$15000.00</i> on the equipment. Now, less than 4 years later

we've got excellent, probably better overall image quality from bodies that are well under

$1000.00. (D70) And the on-camera Speedlite flash/fill capability blows away

what my friend had to deal with.

And yet the whiners and complainers are ever present, it would be so even if these current

bodies were now down to $300.00. Some things never change.

I just sent in a D70 for warranty work because it refuses to work with any of my Nikkor D

lenses, including the 80-200, 18-35, 35-70, 85, and 105 Micro. Except for ONE-the AF-S

24-85. It works fine with this lens. But with all the others it displays F-- in ALL camera

modes after two-button reset, bottom button reset, firmware update, clean all mounts,

etc., etc., etc. It just doesn't <i>like</i> any of my other lenses, or so it seems.

You will far exceed the 1/250 sync with ISO 400 outdoors. You'll have to stop down to f11

or smaller. Even in the shade, you won't get away with f2.8. Unless it's extremely overcast,

or nearly dark. Try ISO 100 instead, and put it on a tripod.

This is the lens I'd like to find at a flea market. Heh heh.

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/telephotos/

300mmedif20/index.htm

I have no lens fumbling, nor wobbly lenses, nor bent mechanicals or flanges, nor low

batteries. Can't be the CF either, as I have 6 1Gb cards that I tried thinking somehow it

might be related. Oh, and firmware is current!

My D70 ALWAYS works fine with my AFS 24-85. I also have a Nikkor 18-35, and an AFD

two-ring 80-200 f2.8. The 18-35 works fine for maybe 5-6 frames, then D70 shows F--,

no matter what mode camera is in. Will not fire. Turn off and on again, reset camera-will

not fire with that lens. Same exact scenario with the 80-200. Starts off fine, then F-- after

several frames. I have also a Nikkor AF 105 Micro, no problems whatsoever with D70 and

that lens.

This is with JPEG and RAW. I always keep all mounts, camera and lenses very clean.

Nikon Tech support doesn't have a clue, over the phone anyway.

What gives?

<i>But for now, 8mp of resolution from a DSLR like the 20D or XT is good enough for

portraiture and stock.</i>

More than a few of the big stock houses will NOT except 6-8Mp SLR images, or even 12Mp

images from the D2X. They want full-frame SLR images, being the Canon 1DS or 1DSMKII,

SLR/n, or higher Mp digital back captures.

In other words, if you're thinking about breaking into stock with your 20D, forgetta bout

it.

I agree with Thom Hogan. <i>For the money, we expect more camera</i>. The extended

dynamic range and 12Mp isn't enough to make it worth anywhere near $2500.00. It's still

a morphed Nikon plastic body too. I own the S2 Pro, and it wasn't worth what it

cost new either. I paid $1000.00 used, and it's a fine camera for that amount of money,

and still more than holds its own in terms of pure image quality.

Fuji, for whatever reason, just doesn't get it. The 20D is the clear choice.

I have to 2nd the LaCie electron 19 blue IV. If you can find one used, all the better, but for

$379.00 new, it's still one of the best units out there. Not all that long ago, they were

$600-700.

With the same combo indoors, I always set D70 to Manual, ISO 320-400, shutter at a

15th-30th, f4-5.6; SB800 TTL only. Program mode will almost always go to 60th indoors,

you've got to have the shutter open longer. Bounce with pull-out card out whenever

possible.

It seems as though Sony made the CCDs for NIkon at some point. Curious just for trivia

sake as to what the current situation is with Nikon and Canon and CCD/CMOS

manufacture.

You don't need to open the binary files. Just transfer the files, ONE at a time to your CF

card. Upgrade camera firmware with AD700200.bin first, format the card, remove, transfer

BD700200.bin to card, upgrade camera firmware, format when complete, done.

Camera firmware should now read version 2.0.

I would say the problem is the Kodak paper. I've used half a dozen different Frontiers over

the last few years, two different pro labs, and Long's, Walmart, Costco, etc. They've ALL

used Fuji paper, whether Fuji Professional paper, or the standard Crystal Archive.

Kodak paper in the Frontier? Ugghh.

Yes, it's F-- on any aperture . Cleaned mounts again, which weren't really dirty to begin

with, still no worky. Funny, mostly because, I also have a Fuji S2, F100, and F5. No

problems with those bodies. The D70 just doesn't like the lens. I have rentals to bring

back to my dealer today, I'll bring the D70 and the lens along and see what they might

have to say.

Thanks all.

The D70 top LCD displays blinking dashes on the f-stop, cleaned the mounts, everything

is correct, f-stop on

lens is locked to f22. But it won't work. The only lens that does this with my D70.

Any experience with this?

The only Canon I would consider would be the 20D. The Rebel is junk. If you want to stick

with Nikon, get the D70 regardless of the kit lens. If not, just jump ship and go with

Canon.

If film, I would suggest an F100, I've seen a lot of them lately going for less than $600.00

used, and in nice condition. It's 99.9% of the F5, and you'll save a few hundred $$. If

digital and

right now, it's a no-brainer- D70.

I never understood the desire for this camera in any of its forms. Maybe 15-20 years ago,

just because it was the top "F" camera. FAR better off now with an F100, FM3A, FE2, FM2,

in that order. The low flash sync never made a damn bit of sense then, it certainly doesn't

now.

Seek the newer two-ring version. There's a reason I always see a few of the old one-ring

versions at the swaps, and that is because nobody wants it.

I use both the Fuji S2 and a D70. As good as the S2 is, I don't think the successor S3 can

justify $2500.00. After using the D70 for quite awhile now, I would say that it is a better

camera in every way than the S2, except maybe for the S2's ability to supply a slightly

finer, larger print off the Epson.

And seeing the early remarks about the S3's performance can't convince me to justify

nearly 3 times the price of the D70. I think I would sooner switch to a 20D, or wait for the

D100 replacement, or put the $$$ toward the D2X, etc.