So I re purchased my first DSLR a few weeks ago, for the low low price of $29.99! I first bought the Nikon D70 new in late 2004 for about $1000. That was such a watershed moment, having come from digicams and editing film scans for many years before taking the plunge on what was still a large amount of money back in the day. So many great memories shot with this camera and getting such a good condition one really brought back the same feeling of promise and excitement. Finally getting a camera that essentially shot unlimited film 20 years ago was like unlocking a cheat code in a video game.
I can’t remember in what year, but I sold that D70 to someone locally, probably to play in the upgrade cycle madness that all technology companies had us in. It’s still really the same in ’25 with phones, gpus, and mirrorless cameras.
Shooting with this camera really reminded me that this is really all one needs. For portraits, travel, and family photos, the APS-C 6 megapixel was plenty. Still with enough resolution and color fidelity that renders images that look like proper photographs, and not HDR toned phone images that look a bit too unrealistic. Treat it like an instrument and all DSLRs can produce good work. Doesn’t really matter if they can’t shoot video, you always have your phone for that.
This D70 is practically new and by using exifchecker, had only been used for 3000+ clicks. I hope the person that owned it before me got some treasured frames. It’s routine for me to rack that up that many junk images in just one session on one camera these days. Who’s doing it right I wonder.
Here’s the mint D70 with 4×6″ prints that I shot with this same kit back in the day. Pics of friends, models and the obligatory mirror selfie with camera.
This little D70 combined with a 70-200mm 2.8 shot the photos of Miss Georgia above during an interview session. 20 years ago. The work still holds up. Most of that image quality comes from the sensor size and lens. I can’t believe just how many folks online and hot shot photographers I meet in this open world game equate megapixel count to image quality.
Just for comparison, on this day I also shot 35mm black and white film on my Minolta. The APS-C sensor on the D70 is 16x24mm and the Full Frame film is 24x36mm”. Both look good to me.
The D70 files are even good enough for 8×12″ dye sublimation prints! I had to dig these out of the closet but I forgot that back then I also spent a good amount on at home printing solutions. (The bottom image of the 4 dancers were shot with a Nikon D50, which was a similar camera to the D50, but a bit more tuned for consumer photography. It too is an amazing camera with a unique image rendering.)
Nikon D70 photos from the last remaining days of Fall. Outfitted with nice primes like the 105mm f/1.4 and 200mm f/2. Only the best for my first DSLR! 🙂
If you’re thinking about buying a camera this old, there are some things to look out for though. The D70 uses CF cards, which you can still find, but note that beat up copies of this camera can come with ERR problems associated with the pins inside the camera not reading correctly. Sometimes the ERR goes away with re inserting the card, but just know that it might pop up in situations where you don’t want it to. These were still the early days of digital after all. But at the time the only other options for consumer DSLR tech was well into the $2000 and up range with the Nikon D100, and Canon D30 10D series. If you look at camera prices now it might be in many ways a much more expensive hobby than in the early 2000s.
I know I’m looking back through the rose colored tint of nostalgia, but I’m really glad to have this camera back in the lineup. Before the D70 I used to create my art with digicams that were far less capable than it, and I managed. But the world of DSLRs opened up a new skill tree path for me for sure. Even if it sits on the shelf most of the time, it served its purpose, and it’s a good reminder of how far we’ve come in terms of digital imaging. And also what we’ve given up or regressed in. I know it’s hard to believe but there was a time when taking photos and looking at them was more contemplative as opposed to the firehose of content that we all get. This morning a friend sent me a group photo of us back in college, shot on film (possibly an SLR), and I can’t believe I’ve never seen it. Truly a time machine.
