kfandst,
my guess is that there are probably two of you to welcome here. Whether I'm right or wrong in that supposition isn't really imporatant; that fact that you are welcome is.
Essential stuff?
D70 body, obviously. Kit lens, probably. While Stubbsy is somewhat correct in that a relatively unused kit lens could probably be bought for around $300, I would query his assertion that buying it separately from the body+kit combo would work out cheaper. Usually you'll see the lens add around $200 to the body cost.
If you don't buy the kit lens with the body, expect to pay $600 for one, new; that's where the savings in buying the kit les will materialise - if you make the possible mistake of not buying the lens with the camera.
Be wary of dealers offering D70 "kits"; the [b]only[/] real kit includes the 18-70DX. Laugh loudlky at those trying to sell you a 28-80 as a part of the kit. Scream hysterically if they offer a non-Nikon lens as the kit lens. Foaming at the mouth would be a good reaction too.
As essential as the battery is a CF card. Someone has mentioned a Sandisk; others hav argued the merits of getting a high performance card and still others have said there's no difference between them.
Confused?
If I say they're all correct, would it confuse you even more? I figured as much.
But to some degree, they are. The vital point they're missing is the way the card interfaces with the camera, and while a slow card will always be slow, a super-duper-double-turbo card won't talk to the camera any more quickly than the maximum speeds that camera is engineered to speak at
And that magic number that you're looking for is around 40x. Sandisk 40, Sandisk 2000000x ... no difference.
Astone 40x ... exactly the same performance, and significantly less than the price of the equivalently sized Sandisk 40x. We're running several Astones here, with no issues at all, performce, reliability, or anything else.
UV + CPL filter would be useful, and others have also mentioned some form of 70-300 lens. I can't argue against them, but as Stubbsy suggested, consider your photographic needs and desires and use those as youre guide.
You also mentioned that you're not (yet) eligible to buy through our bargains section. This is true, but it's really quite easy to fix that "problem".
As others have suggested, post messages. Not trash though; that won't cut it; Leigh or I will just delete 'em. Obviously you'll have more questions regarding your potential purchase; feel free to continue those questions within this thread.
Look at other threads, particularly the newbies sections. Do the tutorials make sense to you? If not, ask away; we're all waiting to answer your questions.
Tell us about yourself: look at the thread about members who play the guitar, and add your thoughts, and perhaps a bit about your own background, to that thread.
If you're in Sydney, make an effort (if you can) to get to the picnic this Saturday. Apart from getting to meet with quite a few of us, you will be able to play with cameras and lenses beyond your wildest dreams.
And any residual questions you have regarding what to buy will be answered.
Finally, be sure to add your locality to your profile; I simply will not be adding any new memebrs to the members' section unless they have that information in there.
Agagin, welcome, and enjoy.
Just as well I'm not long winded, eh?
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2005 1:56 pm
but for a beginner, a good unit. And theres lots around secondhand...
Showoff ! 
