Why not something else...

[Soulboy]

I'd imagine that most, if not all, of you here love your camera and I have to admit that I've started to love mine too.

Now, many of you have spent a not inconsiderable amount of cash on lenses and other gear over time, money that could well have been spent on a new camera so what I want to know is...

What has made you stick with your D70? Why not throw down the extra for a D2H or D2X even - What is it about this camera that you love above all others?
Or do some of you own multiple bodies - if so, why do you still use a D70 rather than one of the "more superior" bodies available?

[sheepie]

What do I love about the D70? It allows me to take photo's - the quality of which probably wouldn't increase greatly with a new body. After all, my D70 is less than a year old!
The amount of depreciation in value between when I bought it and now is well worth a few lenses - but this money is lost if I was to 'upgrade'.
It will be several years before I even contemplate a move to a new body. In the meantime, any spare cash will be put to good use on 'future proof' glass.

[birddog114]

Soulboy,
I have D70/D100/D2h/ D2x.
I want and use the D70 cos it's giving me lot of nice pics, helps me travelling light when I just want to walk around with only one small camera and one lens and I don't have to swap lens if I shoot in some events with three difference lenses on three cameras.

[gstark]

I have to see a need to upgrade my camera body.

That need would need to be translated to a significiant improvment in image and/or build quality, but at a similar pricepoint to that presented by the D70.

Please show me the list of candidates .....

[christiand]

Hi soulboy,

what are your own answers to that question ?

I for myself cannot afford the latest and the greatest all the time and also do not like the idea of replacing a great camera as soon as something newer comes out.
I'd continue to invest into lenses and other accessories.
Also after all it is the person behind the camera who takes to photos,
a good camera helps but still doesn't take the photos.
I can do very ordinarily with a 20.000 camera.
I potentially could do great photos with a Brownie.
I'm still learning and propably will only stop when I'm dead.
I've said similar in another thread:
I do not replace my TV every two years or my HiFi system or car for that matter.
Same with my cooking gear.

Enough waffle.

Cheers
CD

[sirhc55]

The only thing I replace are female companions

[birddog114]

Hi CD,
Let me add on to your above comments:
- Yes, I do replace the PCB of the onboard flash of my D70 so I can can take pictures with flash

[stubbsy]

Soulboy

I have stuck with the D70 because it can produce pictures of sufficient quality for my needs, has more features than I know how to use yet and is a damn fine camera for its price.

Your question has a big flaw too. You equate the money paid for lenses and other gear as money that could othrwise have been spent on a new body. The reality is that the lenses and much of the other gear has a significantly longer life than the D70 and probably several bodies that follow that, so money spent on that gear isn't money sunk into the D70 - its money sunk into photography and its cost is spread over a considerable time period. In a sense I'm buying lenses NOW for use not just on the D70 but on the cameras I will buy over, at least, the next decade

[christiand]

Hi Birddog,

I agree.
However isn't fixing a fault through replacing a PCB different to replacing a working camera ?


If it is kaputt, we go and get it fixed unless it is no longer economical.

Hi Sirch,
how successful are you with that practise ?

Cheers
CD

[birddog114]

Hi Birddog,

I agree.
However isn't fixing a fault through replacing a PCB different to replacing a working camera ?


If it is kaputt, we go and get it fixed unless it is no longer economical.

Hi Sirch,
how successful are you with that practise ?

Cheers
CD

Who knows? Maxwell may replace you the new cam? have you got it back yet?

[christiand]

Hi Birddog,

the D70 is not back yet.
I will give them a call after this week (15 working days were estimated by Maxwell).

Cheers
CD

[cyanide]

The way I see it, the dSLR development curve is still on too much of an upward incline for me to want to invest *huge* amounts of money (ie, more than the D70!) in the body itself, given that I am only a very amateur amateur... but I still wanted an "in" to the dSLR experience (oh - and I wanted Nikon )

I decided that I would prefer to get a (quite decent) foot in the door, spend a bit on lenses and other (transferable) accessories such as a good tripod etc, and develop my still shamefully pathetic photography "skills" (using the word in its loosest sense... ).

I fully expect to upgrade my D70 to another body in the future... just not quite yet. In the meantime, I have no excuse but to admit that the faults in my shots are due to MY shortcomings, and not the camera's.



Chris - hope that's working for you...

[Soulboy]

Thanks for the reply guys, alot of interesting answers and viewpoints.

Myself, I suppose I've become more and more interested in getting a camera since I'd been working on the web - I've taken much enjoyment out of various photoblogs and image galleries in that time and wanted to get in on the action. Why the D70? when I was at school (20 years ago now) I studied photography and I've always remembered the words of my tutor: "always go Nikon".

To my regret, I left the camera alone when I left school - music played a much more important role in my life but when the time came to buy a camera and get back involved with this lark - it was always going to be a Nikon.


@ stubbsy: I know it wasn't a great question in that respect, lenses will always be more important than the body.

[Onyx]

Why not something else?! Good point, why not? I'm selling my D70 tomorrow and switching to the Dribble XT.

[Greg B]

The only thing I replace are female companions

[phillipb]

I'll replce he D70 when I find something limiting to my needs, haven't found any yet.