Nikon D70s Kit review

Verdict:

Review Date: 27 Apr 2006

Price when reviewed: inc VAT

Our Rating 3 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

In some respects the D70s is in a different league to the other digital SLRs on test.

It's the only one with two command dials, giving direct access to shutter speed and aperture in manual exposure mode. Its lens has a greater zoom range and a clear readout of focus distance in feet and metres. Its continuous mode is impressively fast at 3fps, although we found the Canon EOS 350D to be even faster. All the DSLRs in this Labs test have plastic rather than metal bodies, and all seem sturdy, but the D70s feels significantly more robust than the rest.

In other ways, though, the D70s blends in with the more affordable alternatives. A few extra physical controls and a backlight for the passive LCD screen make it easier to use than the D50, but in practice the difference is negligible; both cameras are extremely quick and easy to use. Image quality was average compared to the other DSLRs. It beat the D50 for sharpness and detail, but its 6-megapixel CCD couldn't quite keep up with the Canon 350D and its 8-megapixel sensor. We also found it had a tendency to underexpose shots. At least this habit was reasonably predictable and easy to compensate for. There was little evidence of image noise, but more than with the D50. We'd avoid using ISO 1,600 except as a last resort.

The D70s is arguably the most capable camera on test, with the best bundled lens, superb detail and fast, straightforward controls. But it doesn't go far enough to justify its high price compared to the Canon EOS 350D.

Prev Next

Get more reviews, tutorials and in-depth advice, every month with Computer Shopper.
Click here to try 3 issues for £1

< Previous Reviews : Digital cameras Next >

Sponsored Links

Be the first to comment on this article

You need to Login or Register to comment.