Nikon D70S 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

This review isn't as much about the camera as it is about the company I dealt with. I ordered this refurbished unit last October from an Amazon seller: GRL Recoveries; it arrived a few days later and was working fine. After using it only three times OVER THE SPAN OF SEVEN MONTHS the shutter stopped working. Since the problem didn't arise until seven months after I bought it, it was way past the warranty period (after all, it was a used product). Even though I already knew the answer, I tried to do a return through Amazon. The automated response I got was, of course, "Sorry, but the item is out of warranty, we can't help you." I was upset with that—not because of the answer, but because Amazon's return form didn't allow enough space for me to tell my story. So I figured I'd try to email the company directly. No harm in asking. I explained to them I'd only used the camera three times before it malfunctioned. An hour later I got a personal response from GRL Recoveries by a real human. He or she said they'd see what they could do and get back to me. I figured I was done ... no company is going to take my word for it and just give me another one after seven months. Especially with a used product. Only a couple hours later I got an email from the same person at GRL (I wish I'd have gotten his or her name). I copied a line from that email and am pasting it here: "I have a replacement on the way to you. Can yhou please just return the one you have after you receive this one." HOLY CR*P! I've been dealing with computers and digital cameras well over 20 years and have NEVER gotten a response like this from anyone. I was 100% sure they were going to say "Sorry, can't help you." But, not only did they give me another one, they didn't even wait to get the original one back before they sent it! The new camera arrived three days later and works perfectly. Also included were all the accessories: new battery, charger, cables and user manual. That was Saturday (this is the following Monday). During that time I've taken 2,322 shots just to test it. I didn't want to make the same mistake of waiting months to use it. I can't praise GRL Recoveries enough. And the person I dealt with was kind, courteous and prompt. Here they were taking the word of a person they've never dealt with that the item was only used three times before it went bad. And exchanged it six months out of warranty. If you're ever unsure who to buy from, go with GRL Recoveries. I doubt you'll ever find another company that will do for you what they did for me, especially on a refurbished product! Oh, about the camera ... the Nikon D70 and D70s are excellent machines that produce very high-quality image files. But they can't take great pictures. No camera can; only you can do that.

I have owned this camera for about two months now and have taken about 100 photographs (keepers) to date. Because I have been involved in photography for almost 35 years, I have developed certain prejudices. In particular, I have never been comfortable with auto exposure and even less comfortable with auto focus. In fact, the last auto focus camera I owned was a Nikon N8008s that I ultimately sold at auction because I could not adapt to using the various auto settings. However, I like this camera. Why? The D70s is a very easy camera to use and I have only had to refer to the manual to check on a couple of settings and look up some features. Honestly, set up takes only a few minutes and handling is not terribly different from a film camera. I should point out that this camera is really designed for auto focus lenses and if you choose to use your manual focus lot, you will disable many of the camera's features. Because I am both stubborn and cheap (but mostly only when it comes to spending money on myself) I am using my manual focus lenses on this camera. It is true that I do not get any internal exposure meter readings and must rely on a handheld Gossen or the sunny 16 rule (quite effective, really) for exposure determination. The LCD preview screen thus is critical for determining or adjusting exposure. I should also point out that the depth of field preview feature is also lost when using manual focus lenses. I was stunned when I could not stop my lens down and burrowed through the manual to find out what I was doing wrong--which was nothing except that I was using the wrong type of lens. While I really miss this feature, I am not sure how big a loss it really is because of the viewfinder. Others have made mention of the low magnification and tunnel like views through the finder and I can attest to this fact. I compared finder views to my trusty old FM and was just stunned by how poorly the D70 compared. Ultimately the best camera is the camera you use and the D70 has become my camera of choice. Even though I am using this camera like a vintage M series Leica--i.e., handheld meter and presetting exposure in anticipation of a photograph--I find that I can live with this level of usability. At some point I will probably buy an auto focus lens (maybe the 35 f2) and make full use of the feature set. But for now I content on using the camera the old fashioned way.

Still one of my main rigs. This camera was so good I bought two for "just in case". crank up the definition and it takes fantastic shots that can be blown up to bigger than life. It is so easy to use and makes you and your work look professional every time. It doesn't have all the latest bells and whistles that you will never use, but it does take fantastic pictures. Best of all it still incorporates the screw focus of the older lenses and the electronic focus of the newer ones. So you can get the older glass for half the new DX formats and run in full auto. It's not a 3000 body, but it works just as good. I've been running mine (second hand) for three years and wouldn't dream of trading them in.

Takes me back to using film days. There is 6mp and then there's "6MP". This has a APS C sensor so it's probably the the best 6MP. Works with all my lens, old film af lens and manual lens. Read up to see if yours will work. With older non AF lens you have to go manual but the focus indicator still works (set ap with lens ring and shutter speed with right front wheel). I have a photo app on my iPhone that acts as a light meter and recommends settings. This has been working for me. AF lens can go auto , etc ,of course. I love the feel and weight of it. I'm very satisfied.

I would give 5 stars but it's not as easy to figure out like my D5000. So much for that...The pictures from this camera are amazing...I am a professional photographer and my 2nd 1st set of pictures landed one of my clients two commercial roles.

Had to return this item. Although it was listed as being in good condition, it wasn't. I checked a couple of functions and they didn't work. I tried the flash and it didn't work.

This camera, as other D series cameras, has a serious limitation. It cannot be used on a bellows, a microscope or a T mount lens for automatic exposure. You have to set exposure manually by trial and error. If you only want to take conventional images with the lens systems that only Nikon will supply you there isn't a problem, but IF you expect exposure metering in the camera body, DO NOT BUY this camera.

Nice. I love the D70S. There are newer, higher MP cameras, but this is an easy to use DSLR with a lot of features, and it take almost all Nikon lenses. Seller did right by me as well. They are getting old, and everyone wants the "new stuff", but I love the D70S camera. Cureently up to 63,000 shutter count and still trekking on.