Nikon D70 DSLR Camera Body {6.1MP}

Nikon's DSLR that brought film shooters to digital

The D70 pairs a 6.0MP APS-C CCD sensor with a Nikon F mount, giving you access to the full range of Nikon glass through the system's 1.5x crop factor. This is a camera built around a mechanical shutter that runs from 30 seconds to 1/8000 sec, fast enough to shoot wide apertures in bright daylight without an ND filter. Continuous shooting tops out at 3.0 fps, modest by modern standards but plenty for deliberate shooters working landscapes, portraits, or street scenes.

Exposure control is where this body earns its keep. Full aperture and shutter priority modes, exposure compensation to ±5 EV in 1/3 or 1/2 stop steps, and six white balance presets with custom white balance give you the manual control a film shooter would expect, paired with an ISO range of 200-1600. The pop-up flash reaches 11 meters and syncs with front curtain, rear curtain, red-eye, and slow sync modes, and the hot-shoe supports wireless external flash for anyone building out a lighting setup.

The optical pentamirror viewfinder covers 95% of the frame at 0.75x magnification, and the body writes to CompactFlash cards in RAW or three JPEG quality tiers. At 679 g, it's light enough for long days of documentary or travel shooting without wearing on your shoulder. This is a body that still does the fundamentals of exposure and glass compatibility right.

Who It's For

Photographers moving from Nikon film SLRs will find the F-mount compatibility and manual-first control layout familiar right away, with aperture priority, shutter priority, and ±5 EV exposure compensation covering the same ground a manual meter used to. Landscape and travel shooters get a body that weighs 679 g and shoots RAW for post-processing latitude, useful when working in changing light where you need to recover shadow or highlight detail. Portrait and studio photographers benefit from the hot-shoe's wireless external flash support and an 11-meter built-in flash range for fill work. Anyone building a Nikon DSLR kit around a specific budget will appreciate that the 1.5x crop factor and full F-mount lens compatibility make this body a working entry point into the system.

Key Features

• 6.0MP APS-C CCD sensor with Nikon F mount and 1.5x crop factor
• Mechanical shutter from 30 sec to 1/8000 sec
• 3.0 fps continuous shooting
• Full aperture and shutter priority modes with ±5 EV exposure compensation
• 95% coverage pentamirror viewfinder at 0.75x magnification
• Pop-up flash with hot-shoe wireless sync support
• ISO 200–1600 with six white balance presets plus custom
• CompactFlash storage in RAW and three JPEG quality levels

FAQ

What's the autofocus system on the D70?

The specs for the D70 don't specify AF point count or type, but the camera supports both autofocus and manual focus operation through the Nikon F mount.

Can I shoot RAW on the D70?

Yes. The D70 writes RAW files along with three JPEG quality tiers (Fine, Normal, Basic) to CompactFlash cards.

What's the actual shutter speed range?

30 seconds to 1/8000 sec, with a mechanical shutter that lets you shoot fast film speeds in bright sun without an ND filter.

Does the D70 have image stabilization?

No. The body itself has no stabilization, but Nikon's VR lenses (when paired with the camera) will provide it.

How many white balance presets does it have?

Six presets, plus custom white balance for matching specific light sources.

What's the ISO range and how does it perform at high ISO?

ISO 200 to 1600. At 1600 you'll see grain, but it's acceptable for most work-the 6.0MP sensor size means noise is visible earlier than in higher-res bodies.

Will my old Nikon lenses work on this camera?

Yes, any Nikon F-mount lens fits. The 1.5x crop factor applies, so a 50mm becomes a 75mm equivalent focal length.

Can I use external flash with the D70?

Yes. The hot-shoe supports Nikon's wireless external flash systems, and the pop-up flash syncs in Auto, Front Curtain, Rear Curtain, Red-Eye, and Slow Sync modes.