D70s vs 400D?


Status
Not open for further replies.

sureshot

New Member
Oct 29, 2006
27
0
0
hi all,

i'm a newbie looking to purchase an entry dslr. at first, i read reviews and thought that i'd get nikon over canon seeing as many rave about nikon's advantages, although canon doesn't fall too far back. haven't had time to troop down to funan to recce and check prices, but got an quote from tkfoto for d70s kit ($1650 + 2gb card + bag). then i got confused when i saw 400d kit selling at canon retailer for $1599 (+ 2 cards + bag + extra battery).

the cameras differ by 4mp, but i don't really understand why the newer 400d is retailing at a lower price and with more freebies than the d70s. value for money is a concern, of course. anyone know if there are better deals for the d70s around? please share if you do.. :)

also, pardon the question. have been researching on lenses- i've read that the d70s's kit lens is excellent for beginners, but haven't read the same for that of the 400d. anyone care to offer to two cents on how these kit lenses fare against each other?

in the long term, if i'm looking to expand my glass collection, i understand that canon lenses are cheaper. i think. is this true?

thanks in advance for the replies. please take time off to enlighten a confused nooby. hahah thanks guys :bsmilie:
 

at that kind of price...go for the 400d
alternatively u should also consider the D80
 

it will be good for you to start off with the 400D, the 9 point AF and better ISO control will benefit greatly.
 

You can check out the len pricing in both sub-forums... there should be threads on the estimated pricing in the shops.

But in the long run, you should be looking at spending for better and better lenses when you wish to improve on the picture quality, so skimping on such money is not worthwhile.

The topic of C vs N has been discussed so many times that it all should depend on the user himself or herself to go down and have a feel of the different cameras.

As for D70's kit lens, yes... it's been evaluated by Practical Photography's team and they have agreed that the 18-70 is one of the best kit lenses being offered. ;)

Do go have a feel of the cameras you're interested in and ask to handle them before you make your purchase, the better shops should be able to handle such requests if they are not swamped with customers...
 

i understand that canon lacks spot metering. is this vital? also, there's only one dial, whereas nikon has two. does this affect ease of adjusting aperture and shutter speed for canon? thanks guys :)
 

i understand that canon lacks spot metering. is this vital? also, there's only one dial, whereas nikon has two. does this affect ease of adjusting aperture and shutter speed for canon? thanks guys :)

Not sure about the cannon's features...

But I love having 2 dials to change aperture and shutter speed. Much easier for me to handle on the fly.. ;)
 

i understand that canon lacks spot metering. is this vital? also, there's only one dial, whereas nikon has two. does this affect ease of adjusting aperture and shutter speed for canon? thanks guys :)

if you don't know what it is, then you probably won't use it :)

Actually, some people say spot metering is useful but I never used it b4.....

At that price, you REALLY should get the canon 400D. BTW, my friend bought the 400D for $1.5k....

The 400D has a lot of upgrades over the 350D which was competing with the D70s. Like the AF module (VERY IMPT) and anti dust.
 

Hows the battery life for the 400D?Understand it consumes more battery then the 350D.
 

if you don't know what it is, then you probably won't use it :)

Actually, some people say spot metering is useful but I never used it b4.....

At that price, you REALLY should get the canon 400D. BTW, my friend bought the 400D for $1.5k....

The 400D has a lot of upgrades over the 350D which was competing with the D70s. Like the AF module (VERY IMPT) and anti dust.


i still think on first hand experience... go to the shop.. ask for the 2 cam... play around with it.... I used to fix my mind on 400D until I went to play with it and found that my thumb will keep touching those back button accidentally... however D80 seems better for the size of my hand.... unless you try it... you never know..
 

how does the 400d's kit lens fare? anyone?

thanks for the replies so far, i'd be really happy if they keep coming :) i hope to decide soon, yay! yeah i think going down to shops and getting a feel of the camera would be good. er, what should i look out for though? :dunno:
 

if you don't know what it is, then you probably won't use it :)

Actually, some people say spot metering is useful but I never used it b4.....

At that price, you REALLY should get the canon 400D. BTW, my friend bought the 400D for $1.5k....

The 400D has a lot of upgrades over the 350D which was competing with the D70s. Like the AF module (VERY IMPT) and anti dust.

yeah i heard spot metering gives you more precise... something. to do with light; silhouetting? something? hmm

oh where did you friend get the 400d? :think:
 

i will say get the 400D and with the extra money get some decent lens and acessories.

the 50mm prime is a good one to start off with.
 

im a newbie btw. i was in the same situation as you ;) was really considering the d70/d70s and 400d. was almost set on getting a secondhand d70 for bout' 1100 with a secondhand lens(tokina but forgot range) was having issues with the size of 400d as well but saw a handgrip(dont konw hwat its called) and got the 400d straightaway due to value/performance. another reasons cos' heard from people the colour of d70 is kinda flat compared to canon so i'll be doing alot of photoshop if i got the nikon. hope this helps :)
 

how does the 400d's kit lens fare? anyone?


dont have to worry bout it yet.. you would be complaining yet.. however imo the image quality is 'reasonable'...
 

yeah i heard spot metering gives you more precise... something. to do with light; silhouetting? something? hmm

oh where did you friend get the 400d? :think:

yes more precise metering... particularly on that 3 percent spot.. it's something you'll understand on photography basic..
 

If you have no legacy lens from your SLR days, either brand will do.

If you ask a Canon fan, they will say Canon best. If you ask a Nikon fan, they will say Nikon best. I think both brands have their pros n cons.

You should consider asking your friends who have either C or N to let you hand hold the cameras and try them out. At the end of the day, only you can decide which camera is better suited to your liking, i.e. the way the camera feels in your hand, the way the buttons and dials are laid out, the navigation of the camera menus.

Whatever choice you make, factor in the other lens, flash and accessories you will be getting down the road. Look at it as a system instead of just the camera and lens you are initially getting. Look through the entire lens/accessories line up of both brands, you may find something that you want and that should normally be the brand of choice. You would most likely upgrade your camera body and keep your lens, so the lens are more important in the long run when deciding which brand to go with.

I got the Olympus E-system because it was only the dSLR brand that had an ultra wide angle lens of 14mm (35mm format equivalent). That was one of the main considerations when I was shopping for my dSLR. Yours would be different.

Good luck with your purchase. Don't let the herd mentality guide you.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.