D70 VS Fuji s2 pro

[roncgizmo]

Any thoughts on this?

I was looking at a few Canons but had an issue with the lens
I was going to use. Now I'm on the Nikon side and I'm looking
at the Fuji s2 or the D70. I'm trying to do this on the cheap ($300 for the Body) So I can spend some real money on the lenses and upgrade the body at a later date. I almost bought
a D1 for the same price range but I was thinking it was just
a bit on the old side.. shame,it really reminded me of the F4s

[Jeff Perry]

I can vouch for the D70, I still have both of my original ones (so difficult to part with such a nice body). I am planning to convert the grey-market one to IR someday, maybe as a Christmas gift to myself (unless any of my family is freading this, hint, hint). The D70 has and always will be my "first love" in the DSLR venture. A really nice feeling camera. If you are looking for a first good lens, the 18-70 "kit" lens is no slouch, one of the best "kit" lenses Nikon ever put out for an "entry-level" body.

For a bit more coin, you can go for the 18-200 VR, a terrific all-around-town lens that will always have a place in my bag (it is usually always on one of the bodies).

I think your idea of goindg with a good "pre-loved" body like the D70 and spending the money you save on the glass is a terrific idea, and I applaud you for giving an orphaned D70 (if that is your final choice) a new and loving home.

I can not compare the Fuji offering, but if you get the one that comes with a Nikon mount (they come in both Nikon and that "other brand" don't they?), the same advice goes for the first lens.

A word of advice, make sure you get ALL the accessories.

Jeff

[roncgizmo]

Thanks for the info.. I'm thinking about acting on this today. do you thing 300 is a fair price in EX condition? BTW, the Fuji is almost the same as the D100 with a different CCD in it it's more into the pro line, the other one I was thinking about was the D1. The D70 for 300 is not an S just so you know...

[cyclohexane]

do you thing 300 is a fair price in EX condition?

I got $400 with a lens when selling my D70.

Don't get a D1. The batteries are terrible and it shoots in NTSC color space.

[Jeff Perry]

Are you buying from a private seller or from a business source like Adorama or B&H? Used D70 bodies in Excellent condition from commercial sources are running above $350 with all accessories so $300 sounds very reasonable.

Because you mentioned the PRO features of the Fuji, one "shortcoming" in the D70 desing is that lack of a "perfect" vertical grip for it. Because Nikon did give the D70 a physical electronic connection on the bottom of the camera for a vertical grip shutter release, 3rd party manufacturers have come up with an external fiber optic wire "clug" work around to give their grips a working vertical shutter release. Nikon never released a add-on veritcal grip for the D70. Very sad because it really makes shooting a pleasure and adds additional battery capacity. I have them for all other modesls (D80, D200, & D300). You can still add a 3rd party grip and get the extra battery life even without deploying the goofy fiberoptic wire thingy that some have.

Jeff

[roncgizmo]

Originally Posted by Jeff Perry

Are you buying from a private seller or from a business source like Adorama or B&H? Used D70 bodies in Excellent condition from commercial sources are running above $350 with all accessories so $300 sounds very reasonable.

Because you mentioned the PRO features of the Fuji, one "shortcoming" in the D70 desing is that lack of a "perfect" vertical grip for it. Because Nikon did give the D70 a physical electronic connection on the bottom of the camera for a vertical grip shutter release, 3rd party manufacturers have come up with an external fiber optic wire "clug" work around to give their grips a working vertical shutter release. Nikon never released a add-on veritcal grip for the D70. Very sad because it really makes shooting a pleasure and adds additional battery capacity. I have them for all other modesls (D80, D200, & D300). You can still add a 3rd party grip and get the extra battery life even without deploying the goofy fiberoptic wire thingy that some have.

Jeff

Thanks for the concern Jeff, I just bought a D70 from a private
person/dealer. I looked at a TON of cameras all week started at the Canon 300/350D then the 10D and a few days ago I did something really foolish and took a look at some of me old gear (I even had semi fresh film in the fridge) I started to play around with my Canon Elan 7 and went to Zoom in on something and SMASH! the lens fell off... remembering a conversation I had with my brother he had one of my old lenses from a 8008 and offered it to me..NOW we start on
Nikon, the D100 then the Fuji and D1 etc. The D70 seemed to
remind me of the old Nikon (workhorse came to mind) so I bought it. one of the things I did want (multi-Ex) I don't think this has.. I did find it on the D100 I think it was but it's not going to kill me to do without.

BTW, It was said to be in excellent condition and seems like
everything but the box... This one had a BIN at $325+12 shipping but I got 10% from ebay so it only came out to $305 shipped. I figure it this way, If I get into is half as what I did
(years ago) in time I'll have more then one body

Ron

[Jeff Perry]

Excellent work and very good choice. Now comes the hard part...the glass. Do you have any lens ready mount? So many choices, so little time? I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever hits the mark for you.

Jeff

[roncgizmo]

Thanks The only thing I have for the next few weeks is a Nikon 35~70
at least it with let me get to know the camera until I figure out what I really want.. I feel like a little kid waiting on Santa

Here's a few pics from the ad. BTW, He sent me two shot from that camera to my email and the shot number was under 1600 does that count carry from card to card or can you reset it? I'm trying to get an idea of how used it is. Thanks








It comes with the cap, manual and all that fun stuff, it's just not in the pics

[roncgizmo]

I almost forgot, I have two Flashes right now, ones a Canon 540EZ that I know won't work but the other is a Vivitar 283 with only one contact on the shoe..any way to make that 283 sync until I buy a flash that communicates with the Camera?

[cyclohexane]

He sent me two shot from that camera to my email and the shot number was under 1600 does that count carry from card to card or can you reset it? I'm trying to get an idea of how used it is.

It can be reset, or carry over, depending on what preferences you choose in the menu. Also, it automatically rolls over after every 1000 frames. Don't use the shot number to judge number of actuations.

With a dedicated EXIF Viewer such as Photome, EXIF Viewer, Simple EXIF Viewer for Mac OS X, or Opanda iEXIF, you can view the total number of shutter actuations as a field of meta data.

any way to make that 283 sync until I buy a flash that communicates with the Camera?

Just stick it in the hotshoe and fire away. The D70 hotshoe can take up to 250 V, so unless your trigger voltage is greater than 250 V, your camera's safe.

[Jeff Perry]

Ron, regarding frame count (image sequence) it can be set in the camera's custom settings to continue from the last frame, or to be reset, so as for the 1600# there is no way of telling as far as I know. Perhaps someone else can tell you if there is some way of identifying the number of times the shutter has been fired, but I am not aware of any way.

With regard to the flash, I typically do not mix and match unless I am absolutely sure there will be no conflict. I know nothing about either of those strobes, but I do know that mismatched equipment can damage the camera or the strobe, or both.

There is a synch adapter from B&H (probably others too) by Wein called Safe-Sync Hot Shoe to Hot Shoe High Voltage Sync Regulator (SSHSHS)

Check it out. You may also want to post a question in the Accessories Forum.

Jeff

[cyclohexane]

Perhaps someone else can tell you if there is some way of identifying the number of times the shutter has been fired, but I am not aware of any way.

All Nikon DSLRs starting with the D2H write the number of shutter actuations into the EXIF data; most EXIF viewers can read this field out of unedited JPEG files.

Basically, the only Nikon DSLRs you're out of luck with are the D1, D1H, D1X, and D100.

[roncgizmo]

Thanks Michael, My curiosity got me,,<1600 looked low for a 4 year old camera

[cyclohexane]

If I was being indiscriminate, I can shoot (and have shot) 2000 over the course of 3-4 hours at a soccer doubleheader. Most of the images would suck (and did the time I did it), but it's really not that much shooting.

[badpickev]

Originally Posted by roncgizmo

Any thoughts on this?

I was looking at a few Canons but had an issue with the lens
I was going to use. Now I'm on the Nikon side and I'm looking
at the Fuji s2 or the D70. I'm trying to do this on the cheap ($300 for the Body) So I can spend some real money on the lenses and upgrade the body at a later date. I almost bought
a D1 for the same price range but I was thinking it was just
a bit on the old side.. shame,it really reminded me of the F4s

a view from the other side.

the Fuji S2 is perhaps the best 6mp camera around. The colors and latitude you get working with the files is amazing. the IQ of the pics is a lot better than the d70.

having said that the S2 has its own issues or quirks.

1. two types of batteries, 4 AA and 2 CR123's. battery life usually is 8 AA's for each set of 123's.

2. the sensor issue. they have been known to die, they are repaired free from fuji, but still its a bummer.

3. no grip, we actually you can get a grip, sort of. on ebay they have a grip to replace the 123's with AA's. this grip is $35 or so. it does nothing other than replace the 123's.

some folks dont care about the batteries or the grip, my S2 has not died yet and i have had it since 2002/3. but i do get those lovely fuji colors every time i shot it.

[roncgizmo]

Originally Posted by badpickev

a view from the other side.

the Fuji S2 is perhaps the best 6mp camera around. The colors and latitude you get working with the files is amazing. the IQ of the pics is a lot better than the d70.

having said that the S2 has its own issues or quirks.

1. two types of batteries, 4 AA and 2 CR123's. battery life usually is 8 AA's for each set of 123's.

2. the sensor issue. they have been known to die, they are repaired free from fuji, but still its a bummer.

3. no grip, we actually you can get a grip, sort of. on ebay they have a grip to replace the 123's with AA's. this grip is $35 or so. it does nothing other than replace the 123's.

some folks dont care about the batteries or the grip, my S2 has not died yet and i have had it since 2002/3. but i do get those lovely fuji colors every time i shot it.

I couldn't agree with you more. The S2 looked great..But..
The D70 looked more versatile for what I might need starting
over in the hobby. not to mention the size, for me the 70 was a happy medium. one of the only things that killed the S2 was the AA batteries I can't see them lasting long and it's more to carry around. Bottom line is: it's not ruled out I have a very addictive personality and already thinking the S3 might be #2 plus the 70 had a few advantages for someone with only one body.

[badpickev]

my S2 is grat on AA's. i got about 300-400 shots on a set of new 2500 nihm's. i carried 5 sets of aa's and 2 sets of 123's

the S3 body wise is great compared to the S2. the built in grips is very comfortable. battery life is a bit less than the s2 but ad the wide Dr makes up for it. the downside is the S2 is kind of slow, the S3 is even slower in wide Dr. its as fast as the S2 in std Dr.

i would take a s3 over an s2, i might even take it over a d80, but a d200 it gets tough at that level.