Nikon D70chat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

A hybrid mechanical/electronic shutter lets the D70 sync non-dedicated flashes at speeds up to 1/8000s, far beyond typical DSLR flash sync limits. Multiple users highlight this as a standout creative feature not found even on many modern cameras.

@nno52lag

I used half of my hard earned vacation allowance back in 2004 to buy a new D70 kit w/ the 18-70 lens. \nThe problem at that time was the cost of memory cards.\nSo I put it in 4Mp mode to get more images on my low cap. highly expensive CF cards. \nNo NEF shooting until the prices dropped.\nAnd 4Mp didn't look that much worse tbh. \nSame sensor size so I was impressed with the results I got.\nTimings are also very fast on the D70.\nOff to review is instant. \nI never miss(ed) a shot. \nBrilliant shutter that syncs flash at 1/500s \nThe only gripe as you point out here, is the tiny viewfinder magnification.\n-Thx for a cool well edited fun video!\n(My wife was furious though when she found out about the cost :-/)\n(And I have replaced the card reader on mine once - myself, not hard)launch

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August 16, 2026

@CarlWilliams-q1d

Still got one... You didn't mention its \"fairly unique\" flash sync speed of 1/500 sec, which, if you avoid Nikon dedicated flashguns and go manual, turns out to be an \"any shutter speed\" flash sync - not via modern \"high speed sync\" techniques involving a slow-burn flash, but because Nikon cheated with the shutter; whatever its actual flash sync is - probably 1/250 like most Nikon SLRs since the FM2n - the higher speeds are done using electronic CCD quenching - the mechanical shutter just fires at whatever speed is still fully open, and the CCD readout is modified for the higher speeds, as I understand it. \n\nThis makes the D70 fairly special among DSLRs, more like many mirrorless cameras (some have a shutter that's just a sensor protector). This was a cost-cutting measure, I suppose, and I also suppose they limited the flash sync speed to 1/500 for the built in flash and any Nikon dedicated unit to 1/500 - which, at the time it was introduced, could be plausibly attributed to the smaller DX frame - to avoid embarrassing the more expensive cameras with proper shutters. But use an off-camera dumb flashgun and you can sync at any speed, if I remember rightly. Between its part-electronic shutter and its broad-spectrum capture, it's quite an interesting DSLR. See also D200, for CCD goodness and way more \"pro\" features/handling (and 10M pixels). And while we're at it, although it went CMOS, the D700 and D3 are spectacularly good cameras \"worth nothing\" because 12M pixels. They make magnificent photos, though aren't as quirky as the D70 (though have way better legacy lens compatibility).launch

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April 30, 2026

@photozen8398

@ 3:40 when you talked about flash sync 1/500 you may not know that it has what only Sony a9iii nowadays have ( to my knowledge , I could be wrong) and the is global shutter ( kinda) , it is actually a hybrid shutter engages the electronic shutter past the speed of mechanical 1/500 to be able to sync flashes at staggering 1/8000 with old crappy 20 flash that does not have HSS , so it gets the max power of flash at those speeds, yyou can do the same to old studio strobes with optical sensors without HSS …..!!\nhttps://youtu.be/A1HOtIGw0p4?si=HnQLVxTXC7iy2mFalaunch

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April 26, 2026

@photozen8398

Do you know that this 2004 GEM has something the Z9 does not have?\nIt has the Hybrid global shutter that engages electronic shutter past the native flash sync speed 1/500 to 1/8000 without the need for HSS flash or strobe, so you can shoot in bright backlit wide open using a small 21 dollar old flash to full power without clipping, I made 2 videos I will attach them to my post for others to learn if ok with you:\nTriggering with hot shoe terminal block for flash sync cord:\nhttps://youtu.be/Hm40J1KEL1U?si=SuyrCGCSZguDh9_0\nTriggering optically:\nhttps://youtu.be/A1HOtIGw0p4?si=rr425fkWFDhZQajVlaunch

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April 26, 2026

Numerous long-term owners describe the D70's CCD sensor as producing film-like color, grain, and tonal depth that they still prefer over modern CMOS sensors. Many say they need little to no color correction and find the output uniquely pleasing even years later.

@Boeing747Cultist

Don't listen to the media, CMOS sensors still are unable to deliver the quality of colors, dynamic range and INTERPOLATION of CCD sensors. Having gone from an A200, A77II and A7IV I'm puzzled by how stale CMOS images are still coming out. CCD can take better Raws and the jpegs on my A200 look better than any Fuji cmos aps-c camera has ever did. \nPlus, CCD electronic shutter is global by default. If the manufacturers are eager to charge you over 6K for global shutter on a CMOS sensor, then they can make a CCD alternative for considerably cheaper. Also CCD always had less noise than cmos.launch

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October 21, 2024

@heliosolarsolar

It's a nice camera, the colors are nice, you have to protect the highlights and best to shoot RAW+JPG, if you miss you exposure ,, the screen does not tell you alot, so check your histogram, or develop a feel for the cam ... This color calibration resembles canon alot, but with different blues, and is much better than what Nikon does today, especially the greens are alot better, it's not as good as a Canon 5D, it's different from the Olympus E300/E500 series, different in image and different in shooting,, it's not as good as the Olympus E1 but you have alot more lenses to play with than the Four/Thirds system ... it's not a Leica M anything :-) -- with a nice lens, good skills and good workflow, it's a great tool. Like all CCD's it loves good light, it's very unforgiving with highlights. They will clip. Metering (I'm not sure actually) ,, it seems less accurate than I would like .. I find myself using compensation , more than I should .. Is it worth it, yes the output file is special. Not just vibrant or saturated,, its has a different look and feel, that is part of this camera. (Why I like the other cameras mentioned too).launch

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July 18, 2024

@fixedfocusmediaofficial

The screen allows you to zoom in a lot with one press of a button and if you hold it down while turning the control wheel you can zoom in even more and look around the image to check focus. Every old camera has that feature but most people don't realize this. Checking focus is quick and easy and using focus and recompose is perfect for getting eyes in focus every time. I have even done wildlife photography with this camera and paid jobs in 2024 with it instead of my newer ones (they loved their pictures and had no idea that this camera was only 6mp and 20 years old). As for CCD color, I have many different cameras including a D70s and sometimes results are identical to CMOS. There are far too many variables and most of my pictures from my D70s don't look like film (unless I wanted them too) but as someone who also owns many film cameras I can say film cameras all get very different results and there isn't a universal film look. Digital can look like film and film can look like digital. I started with a D70s and love it to this day. Most of the time it doesn't hold me back at all. Getting good with an older camera requires more skill but once you figure it out you will be blown away by the results. I have even made large prints with it and the large sensor combined with my high quality lenses capture more detail and have better picture quality than everyone's flagship smartphones. Many movies and TV shows from 2005 still look and sound better than anything your iPhone will get due to the better equipment and skilled crew. It might come as a surprise to some that many pictures from 2005 still look excellent at poster sizes today. 2005 wasn't the 1800s and yes it was even in full color. Six megapixels from a larger and higher quality sensor with a bigger and higher quality lens will crush your smartphone every time if you know how to use it.launch

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June 19, 2024

@knky_in_aperture_priority

I use this Camera at home and I love the colors I get from it. Il love the grain.\nNot so much dynamic range, but expose properly and waow ... magic occures.\nI have mine for free, because the owner underestimate the D70.\n\nGlad I have it and still have a lot of joy to use it\n\nAfter that I bought the D40 and someone give me the D40. Phenomenal camera to document family lifelaunch

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April 3, 2024

Owners report picking up D70/D70s bodies for as little as $4-70, often bundled with lenses or accessories, making it an accessible entry point into DSLR photography. Several treat it as a low-risk travel or backup camera because of how cheap replacements are.

@BeaverPDX72

I owned a D70 from when it was new until 2016. Before it failed, it provided me with about 36,000 photos. It was from early on, however, dogged with card & exposure problems, till finally, shutter failure. I look back on those images, and indeed, so many are really special. So much so that a week ago I got offered a D70, D100, Rebel 300d, Rebel 400d & a 28-85mm zoom in a box deal for $50.00 for the whole lot, now it's on it's way. Now I'll have a D70 back in my hands, once again. Thanks for your video!launch

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June 15, 2026

@GrandCamino6

I recently picked up a D70 as well. I mainly bought it for the 18-70mm kit lens. I’ve kind of wanted to just have that lens for a while now. It was just missing the hood but the camera ended up being in near mint condition with a pretty low shutter count and a strong battery. It was $15 at auction. With shipping it was just under $30 but you still can’t beat it. I previously owned a D70s & a D50. I miss that flash synch speed. Glad to have it back to get creative with it.launch

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June 11, 2026

@amermeleitor

I didn't get well with Nikon. I bought the D70 for $70 with extras (body, bag, filters, Nikon strap, kit lens 18-70mm 3.5-4.5).\nI HATED the ergonomics, I found the AF being very slow and the exposure with flash was always darker than I wanted no matter what. \nThat was my last try with Nikon. I didn't like it. Nikon isn't for me, sadly. The image quality was great, way better than I expected for a 6mp very old camera. I loved the images it produced, and even I loved how the raw files reacted to the edit.launch

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May 3, 2026

@GrandCamino6

I previously had a D70s as a back up to a D90. I didn’t use it much but I also had a D50 prior and used that a ton. I missed the faster flash synch and the capability of shooting 1/8,000th. I just bought a D70 yesterday but primarily for the 18-70mm kit lens. I’ve low key wanted that lens for a long time. With you bringing up the quicker flash synch, I will probably keep it around.launch

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April 16, 2026

The 18-70mm kit lens that shipped with the D70 is repeatedly praised as excellent value and quality, with several buyers specifically seeking out the camera just to get this lens. It's described as a big step up compared to competitor kit lenses.

@nno52lag

I used half of my hard earned vacation allowance back in 2004 to buy a new D70 kit w/ the 18-70 lens. \nThe problem at that time was the cost of memory cards.\nSo I put it in 4Mp mode to get more images on my low cap. highly expensive CF cards. \nNo NEF shooting until the prices dropped.\nAnd 4Mp didn't look that much worse tbh. \nSame sensor size so I was impressed with the results I got.\nTimings are also very fast on the D70.\nOff to review is instant. \nI never miss(ed) a shot. \nBrilliant shutter that syncs flash at 1/500s \nThe only gripe as you point out here, is the tiny viewfinder magnification.\n-Thx for a cool well edited fun video!\n(My wife was furious though when she found out about the cost :-/)\n(And I have replaced the card reader on mine once - myself, not hard)launch

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August 16, 2026

@GrandCamino6

I recently picked up a D70 as well. I mainly bought it for the 18-70mm kit lens. I’ve kind of wanted to just have that lens for a while now. It was just missing the hood but the camera ended up being in near mint condition with a pretty low shutter count and a strong battery. It was $15 at auction. With shipping it was just under $30 but you still can’t beat it. I previously owned a D70s & a D50. I miss that flash synch speed. Glad to have it back to get creative with it.launch

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June 11, 2026

@Rulon.J

The d70s is the most comfortable camera I've ever held. I wish they'd kept that grip for the d7xxx series. I can't recommend the 18-70 and 18-55 vr kit lenses enough, they're so good for the price, and perfectly paired with a 35mm 1.8g. Yes the screen is small, you have to rely on your sense of light and composition more 😅. I've noticed that I don't need to edit color as much on this ccd sensor, I tend to leave it on a neutral w.b and just use exposure comp and edit highlights, shadows etc.launch

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April 24, 2026

@jorgebarrantes1386

I Used a D70 for a few years from 2000 to 2005, I replaced it with the D200, I now own a D70s, D200 and D50. Overall de D50 has better sharpness, color rendition, IQ and better noise performance compared to the D70s or D70. The D200 is still king though. The 18-70mm kit lens is hit or miss, if you get a good copy, you need to baby it, it does not like to be bounced around inside camera bags, the elements misalign and the lens becoes soft.launch

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May 26, 2025

Owners report that 6.1MP files still produce sharp, satisfying prints up to A3 or larger, and that resolution matters less than expected for final display purposes. Several say the images hold up well against modern standards.

@urbanimage

I bought a D70 with the 18-70mm kit lens when it first came out. It was, and is, a great camera. To get good results, you do have to understand the camera's limitations. Basically, avoid going above ISO 800, ideally don't go above ISO 400. Don't under or overexpose - check your histogram until you get a feel for the way the metering works. As was mentioned the viewfinder is a bit tunnely, but It's not awful, and it does have a focus confirm indicator that works with both AF and MF lenses. It may only have 6.1 MP, but I have made A3 prints (11.7 inches x 16.5 inches ) from carefully up-scalled files that are nice as you could wish from this camera. I think I might just buy another D70.launch

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January 26, 2026

@DavidLiuOES

Just to prove the point that final display resolution matters more than the camera's, in 2022 I took a few shots of flowers with a Tamron 90mm macro (F017) on a D70s. When shown on an iPad to a few people, some pros, they couldn't tell (or cared) they came from a 6MP camera even at 2x zoom.launch

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October 19, 2024

@halfhand64

My first Nikon DSLR (I had Nikon film cameras, then switched to Pentax Digital for a while) was a new D70. I loved that camera and took some amazing shots on it, many of which are still hanging on walls at various locations. Great camera to use and if you are mostly posting on the internet or only want to print upto about A3 then you can't go wrong. In fact after watching this video I may pick myself up another one just for kicks.launch

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May 31, 2024

@aiofilms

Looking back at the photos of my kids I took with this camera and the kit lens from way back when, they still look amazing by today’s standard. I have made 8x10 pictures out of those files and am very sure one can make 16x20 prints out of them without significant image deterioration if one knows how to use photo editing apps well. The Nikon D70 has a 6 megapixel sensor. It always makes me think why we need anything more than 12 megapixels. I am proud to still hold on to this humble camera for the very sweet memories of my life.launch

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December 26, 2023

Some owners describe the camera as a 'battleship,' noting its heft helps reduce vibration and shake compared to lighter modern bodies. It's also praised for surviving cold, dust, and rough travel conditions over many years.

@larx4074

Good to see you back again Steve, a great video of what was a very significant camera for me.\n\nWay back in 2005, when I was, erm, middle-aged, I had a serious choice to make, buy a great big bag of transparency film for my Olympus OM-2, or body-swerve the inconvenience (plus cost!!) and invest in a new-fangled DSLR, specifically the Nikon D70. I was off to Inner Mongolia for a month to photograph the last of the main-line steam locomotives operating on the railways in China, in reality, there was no other choice. As it turned out, the D70 was a outstanding success, the photographs that I captured look spectacular to this day, the camera was faultless despite the minus 20deg C temperature (even colder at night), coal dust all over it whilst riding on the locos and being dropped several times..... yes, the D70 earned it's Nikon stripes on that trip. \n\nAs you pointed out in your video, the D70 is pretty much a \"point and shoot\" camera as it's metering and focussing are relatively simple by \"modern\" standards and just, well, work.............. Gonna be looking for one now..............\n\nKeep the videos coming Steve, even if you have to revisit those that require a fresh appraisal.launch

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May 3, 2026

@docchocobo

This camera is a battleship! If you put good lenses on it, it really shines! I bought a few primes for my fleet and tried them on this one. It amazed me. If you flash the bios, it will go up to 32GB. Newer cards will improve the write speed noticeably. I also got an eye-cup type eyepiece from an older Nikon, and now shooting in bright sun is not such a problem. I also have a D200 and again, a battleship. It's like a D60 with the resolution and features I wanted. Heavier cameras don't suffer so much from vibration and mirror slap in low light shots. There's just so much inertia. I just grew stronger and enjoy not having to tripod up in situations where my lighter cameras always need to.launch

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October 5, 2021

@moshin70

I still use my D70s, it might be an older model but capable of taking some fantastic shots, of course depends on the lens and settings used. I took mine travelling to Asia last year and is quite comfortable in hot climates, it's a pretty strong and robust camera too. I don't think I'd ever sell it, but probably keep it and hand it down to my kids one day, it was my very first DSLR with interchangeable lens capability, and has lots of memories associated with it.launch

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August 26, 2016

A couple of users note the D70's auto-ISO feature is convenient for shooting around kids indoors, and that even ISO 1600 produces pleasing grain rather than objectionable noise, especially when converted to black and white.

@ASTActionCam

I got a D70, including a 50mm 1.8 for 60 bucks earlier this year. And it really is an amazing camera. The latest firmware makes it seem a lot more modern than it is. Things like auto-ISO are remarkable on a camera this old. I even find high ISO performance to be rather good, and I will shoot it at 1600 without too much worry. Auto-focus is good too. I think this is a great buy for anyone looking for a more retro image look.launch

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October 31, 2024

@ASTActionCam

I recently picked up this camera for 60 bucks with the nifty 50 1.8. This camera has made me really question all my gear, and 'dream' gear. It takes fantastic images, even at 6MP they are very useable. It also has auto-ISO which is very handy for shooting indoor stuff with kids around. And the noise, even at high levels is very pleasing to my eye. If you crank the ISO to 1600, just convert the file to B&W and enjoy the grain it brings. Super camera.launch

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April 18, 2024

One owner notes that the CCD sensor doesn't drain the battery as quickly as power-hungry modern CMOS sensors, comparing it favorably to how a simple watch outlasts a power-hungry smartwatch.

@francisco5434

The CCD sensors don’t drain the battery as fast as the powerful, but power hungry CMOS sensors of modern cameras. It like my Timex watch runs for years, but my smartwatch drains by end of day.\n\nI cut my digital teeth on the D70 and my photography skills took a big leap forward because of the added instant feedback. When picking up older digital cameras, you may run into some issues. Some OEM batteries of less sought after models are near impossible to find and with poor aftermarket versions. Another concern is memory. Tech improved pretty fast and your camera might have limitations in GB size (tied to file format: up to 2GB at FAT16, up to 32GB at FAT32, up to and exceeding 64GB at exFAT. Each comes in a variety of speeds that add to cost that your camera can’t use. If you see requests to format and doing so in camera doesn’t work try on your computer. (Never the Windows NTFS file type) If that fails, you might have a bad cable to the card, dirty contacts, a broken contact pin, or old firmware that needs updating. Even with an update your camera may simply not support the format type and you need a slower and older format type. The worst case scenario can be a camera with a buffer error that is not cost effective to repair, but that rarely happens.launch

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May 6, 2026