Next step from a D70?

Helium_Junkie

Helium_Junkie

Helium_Junkie

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I have a great D70 camera, love it to bits, but I'm thinking of trading it in before its completely devalued.
So, what would be considered the next step from the D70. Keeping in mind that I want to be able to use all my lenses (the D70 kit one included, I just want to upgrade the body - or is that a bad move?), and preferably the memory card too.

Thanks for any advice :)
 
Well I managed to destroy my D70 by slipping a little at a waterfall and the mount got completely ripped off (plastic + metal mount = not sturdy).

Then the upgrades as I saw them were D80 or D200, pretty much couldn't go wrong with either. I chose the D200 for a few different reasons: the superior construction, the bigger and better feel, and it uses CF cards unlike the D80.

Your options will be the same, I ended up paying around £850 for my D200 with 3yrs cover from a popular retailer and the D80 is around £500. I loved the D70s too but the D200 is 10x better; all the options you need are on the body, the viewfinder is much brighter and the LCD display is bigger and better, it's faster at 5fps, and it's better built.
 
Yeah the next step would probably be the D200. The D40 and D80 all use SD cards so if you want to go for them you'll have to replace all your memory cards. You lenses will all work fine with the D80 if you're ok with replacing your cards, might have problems with the D40 but if your used to the control of the D70 then I doubt you'd be wanting it.
 
The D40 seems too.... Canon.
"lightest ever camera!" ... pffft, I like the weight! :D
So the D80 uses a different memory format?
The D80 and the D200 will both be fine with D70 lenses though?
 
Helium_Junkie said:
The D40 seems too.... Canon.
"lightest ever camera!" ... pffft, I like the weight! :D
So the D80 uses a different memory format?
The D80 and the D200 will both be fine with D70 lenses though?
Click to expand...

Why would you even consider the D40 ? its 2 models down. And it should work with all Nikon Lenses, no reason why not. Lenses are made for a system, not just the D70.
 
The D80 is great camera but going from D70 > D80 you might find it little small because the D80 size is similar to D50.
Also D80 is not very big jump from D70, so go for D200. The build quality, af, fps, control arrangement etc.
If you have the funds might as well go for D2X/D2Hs. :D
 
The D80 is way too small a jump considering the price, and the D2Xs is probably too big a jump (especially in price!), so the D200 is your only option really.
 
I've spoken with a heap of folk who say they prefer the D200 to the D2X because the D200 has quite a lot of features from it and it's a lot smaller. The D80 has inherited a lot of the features from the D200 but the latter just feels nicer.

The D80 isn't much smaller than the D70 but the D70 does feel a lot nicer in (my) hand.

D80 has a nicer brighter viewfinder, more controls on the body, bigger LCD, better sensor, more megapixels (although 6 is fine on the D70). The D200 also has all of these things but it has the faster 5fps, magnesium body and generally is just more aimed at the amateur.

I figured for the extra £300 I would have spent about £100 in replacing CF cards and if I bought the D80 in the shop then I would have probably left wanting the D200. The metal on metal part of the mount is what killed the deal for me because the plastic behind metal mount would no doubt destroy the D80 as it did my D70 with any small drop + heavy lens combo.
 
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Sorry to bring this back up but the likelihood of an upgrade has improved and I need to make my decision. Can anybody please outline the main differences between the D200 and the D80? I'm looking at the specs and I'm really lost as to whats so much greater in the 200 for the extra £hundreds.
Much appreciate any help :)
 
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d80/vs-d200.htm

Make of that what you will.

The D200 is better built, more responsive, better laid out, faster FPS, weather sealed blahblahblah, but the D80 is quite a large % of the D200 at a more attractive price.

TBH, I'd hate to have to make the same decision. Uber Nikon D200, or D80 + goodies/spare beer tokens. :confused: ;)
 
I went from the D70 to D200 before the D80 was out so was a no brainer for me. Even if the D80 was out, I would have chosen the D200.

If you like your weight, get the MB-D200 grip as well with 2 batteries. It becomes a nice lump then :D

The other advantage I have found is it is much more comfortable hand holding with the 80-400vr (althought to be honest, it does become heavy after a while!) The grip with the weight of the body just balances it much better.
 
danza said:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d80/vs-d200.htm

Make of that what you will.

The D200 is better built, more responsive, better laid out, faster FPS, weather sealed blahblahblah, but the D80 is quite a large % of the D200 at a more attractive price.

TBH, I'd hate to have to make the same decision. Uber Nikon D200, or D80 + goodies/spare beer tokens. :confused: ;)
Click to expand...

Thats the same guide I read last night, prompted the question here. Honestly no point has yet been made that I am willing to fork out the vast difference in proce for... better build quality is all well and good, but when money is an object in the decision the D80 looks pretty damned good!

Thank you all for the tips, next step is to visit a shop and try em both I guess.
 
I've had a D80 since xmas, love it and it does everything I want, but wish I had spent the extra £150 or so getting a D200 for the build quality.

I guess it comes down to, do you think you will have the body long enough, or use it in such a way that build quality becomes an issue. Otherwise save the money and put it towards more lenses ;)

With 4GBSD cards around the £17 mark memory isn't so much of an issue.
 
Just keep the Nikon D70 until it dies or keep it as 2nd body. In the mean time invest in some good lens.

If you bought D80/D200, by next year the price would have dropped considerably and I'm not too sure if the camera would have made any difference to your photography on the otherhand lens makes all the difference.
 
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