Nikon D70s Review

Main Features

6MP - APS-C CCD Sensor

ISO 200 - 1600

2″ Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

3 fps continuous shooting

No Video Mode

679g. 140 x 111 x 78 mm

Replaced Nikon D70

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Nikon D70s Overview

First introduced in April 2005 , Nikon D70s is a 6.0MP Semi-Pro DSLR camera with a APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm ) sized CCD sensor. Nikon replaced the older D70 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these model:
Compare Nikon D70s vs Nikon D70

Nikon D70s has an Overall Score of 45/100 and ranked #170 out of 201 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #646 out of 1173 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Nikon D70s Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras

Nikon D70s Compared to other DSLR Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Nikon D70s review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

1/8000s High Shutter Speed

Top LCD Display

Flash Sync Port

Buy Nikon D70s from or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No Full HD Video

No Touch Screen

No Face Detection Focusing

Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP

Max Sensitivity only ISO 1.600

Small LCD Screen ( 2″)

Low Screen Resolution ( 130kdots )

Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps

Heavy Body: 679g

No Environmental Sealing

Poor Low Light Performance

No AF Micro Adjustment

Nikon D70s Lens Mount and Lenses

Nikon D70s has a Nikon F lens mount and currently there are 302 native lenses available for this mount. Besides providing one of the largest selection of lenses, Nikon F mount also has backward compatibility which means that you can use F mount lenses even dating from 1960s. It is also well supported by the lenses form third-party manufacturers.

Nikon D70s doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 88 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 73 lenses with weather sealing for D70s but bear in mind that D70s body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular Nikon D70s Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Nikon D70s Lenses

	Focal Length on D70s	Max Aperture	Weight	Focusing	Price
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm F3.5-6.3G ED VR	27-450mm	F3.5 - F6.3	550gr	AF	$626.95
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G	105-450mm	F4.0 - F5.6	425gr	AF	$166.95
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G	75mm	F1.4	290gr	AF	$406.95
Nikon AF Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR	120-600mm	F4.5 - F5.6	1340gr	AF	$428.00
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD	225-900mm	F5.0 - F6.3	1951gr	AF	$344.64

Check our Nikon D70s Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Nikon D70s Sensor and Photography Features

Nikon D70s has a 6.0MP APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm ) sized CCD sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 3008 x 2000 pixels with aspect ratios of and 3:2. D70s has a native ISO range of 200 - 1600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Nikon D70s is not the highest resolution APS-C camera. Sigma Quattro with its 29.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Nikon D70s vs Sigma Quattro or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Nikon D70s sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 50 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Nikon D70s here.

Let's look at how the size of the Nikon D70s's APS-C sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Nikon D70s Physical Specs

Nikon D70s weighs 679 g (1.50 lb / 23.95 oz) and has external dimensions of 140 x 111 x 78 mm (5.51 x 4.37 x 3.07″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 769g, its weight is about average in its class. With a thickness of 78mm, it also has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Nikon D70s

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Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Nikon D70s

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Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Nikon D70s with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Nikon D70s, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Nikon D70s with its main competitors:

Nikon D70s Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs D70s	Thickness	vs D70s
Nikon D70	6.0MP - APS-C	679g	equal weight	78mm	equal thickness
Nikon D3300	24.0MP - APS-C	430g	249g lighter	76mm	2mm thinner
Nikon D100	6.0MP - APS-C	780g	101g heavier	81mm	3mm thicker
Nikon D5300	24.0MP - APS-C	480g	199g lighter	76mm	2mm thinner
Nikon D7100	24.0MP - APS-C	765g	86g heavier	76mm	2mm thinner
Nikon D80	10.0MP - APS-C	668g	11g lighter	77mm	1mm thinner
Nikon D200	10.0MP - APS-C	920g	241g heavier	74mm	4mm thinner
Nikon D7200	24.0MP - APS-C	765g	86g heavier	76mm	2mm thinner

Nikon D70s doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Nikon D70s Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Nikon D70s has a Fixed Type 2″ LCD screen with a resolution of 130k dots. At only 2″, the screen is on the smaller side and 130kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

D70s has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a coverage of 95% and a magnification ratio of 0.5x. 95% coverage means that what you see in your viewfinder while shooting will slightly be different from the actual image.

Max Shutter speed
Nikon D70s can shoot continuously at max speed of 3 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/8000 sec.

Flash
D70s has a built-in flash, and it also has a flash shoe to mount your external flashes too.

Focusing
Nikon D70s features a Phase Detection autofocusing system.

Video Features
Unfortunately Nikon D70s doesn't have Video recording ability.

Connectivity and Storage

Nikon D70s has a USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

Nikon D70s Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Nikon D70 >>Compare to D70s	None	shots	No	No	No
Nikon D3300 >>Compare to D70s	1920 x 1080	700shots	No	No	No
Nikon D100 >>Compare to D70s	None	shots	No	No	No
Nikon D5300 >>Compare to D70s	1920 x 1080	600shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon D7100 >>Compare to D70s	1920 x 1080	950shots	No	No	No
Nikon D80 >>Compare to D70s	None	shots	No	No	No
Nikon D200 >>Compare to D70s	None	shots	No	No	No
Nikon D7200 >>Compare to D70s	1920 x 1080	1110shots	Yes	No	Yes

User Manual
You can download Nikon D70s's User Manual here

What type of Photography is Nikon D70s Good for?

In this section, we review and score Nikon D70s in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the D70s compares with the average DSLR camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Nikon D70s for Portrait Photography

Nikon D70s has a score of 51 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling

Very Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D70s for Portrait Photography

Nikon D70s for Street Photography

Nikon D70s has a score of 44 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Street Photography list.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
No Live-view

No Image Stabilization
Large Body

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D70s for Street Photography

Nikon D70s for Sports Photography

Nikon D70s has a score of 76 for Sports Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Sports Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps

Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D70s for Sports Photography

Nikon D70s for Daily Photography

Nikon D70s has a score of 54 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Large Body

679g
Body Thickness 78mm

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D70s for Daily Photography

Nikon D70s for Landscape Photography

Nikon D70s has a score of 42 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
No Live-view

Very Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D70s for Landscape Photography

Nikon D70s Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Nikon D70s compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of D70s and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Nikon D70s alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Nikon D70s

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Nikon D70s amongst Camera Decision readers.

Nikon D70

Compare

Nikon D3300

Compare

Nikon D100

Compare

Nikon D5300

Compare

Nikon D7100

Compare

Nikon D80

Compare

Nikon D200

Compare

Nikon D7200

Compare

Nikon D70s Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Nikon D70s with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Nikon D70s's price range.

Sony A7 II

Compare

Panasonic G85

Compare

Sony A7

Compare

Sony A6400

Compare

Panasonic GX8

Compare

Olympus E-M5 II

Compare

Olympus E-M10 II

Compare

Olympus E-M1

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Nikon D70s

Does the Nikon D70s have Image Stabilization?
Does the Nikon D70s have RAW support?
Does the Nikon D70s have Weather Sealing?
Does the Nikon D70s have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Nikon D70s?
What is the Sensor Size of Nikon D70s?
is the Nikon D70s a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Nikon D70s have Touch Screen?
Does the Nikon D70s have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Nikon D70s?

Nikon D70s Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Nikon
Model	Nikon D70s
Announced	2005-04-20
Body Type	Mid-size SLR
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Nikon F
Number of Lenses	302
Focal Length Multiplier	1.5×
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	2″
Screen Resolution	130k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.5
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Shutter Speed	1/8000s
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	11.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/500s
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	50
DxO Color Depth	20.4
DxO Dynamic Range	10.3
DxO Low Light ISO	529
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CCD
Sensor Size	APS-C
Sensor Dimensions	23.7 x 15.5 mm
Sensor Area	367.35mm²
Sensor Resolution	6 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	3008 x 2000
Max Native ISO	1,600
Min Native ISO	200
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	None
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	679g
Physical Dimensions	140 x 111 x 78mm
Battery Model	EN-EL3a
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 to 20 sec)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	Compact Flash (Type I or II)
Storage Slots	1

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