: cameras :
nikon d70

The New Lens Blues
I'm currently in the throws of buying a new lens for my D70. The standard kit lense, 18 - 70 mm is all well and good, but has it's limitations in both zoom and quality. I'd really like a good macro lens as I love taking shots of flowers, but at the same time I'd love a good 200 or 300 zoom to afford me close ups of wild life. Then there is the prime lenses that just exude quality, so these are tempting me as well. ebay here I come!

My Nikon D70 (friend)

This camera is phenominal, it rocks, the images it captures just blow me away sometimes and I've yet to take a bad shot with it. The look and feel are great, it gives the impression of a top quality camera, and matches that statement with the pictures it captures.

There are some problems I've experienced with it: dust on the CCD - apparently a problem with Nikon Digital SLR's, and a slower rappid fire shutter than my brothers identical D70. But these issues are minor.

The main competition when I brought it was from the Canon 300D. The race was close as the Canon had lower ISO (ummm) and was cheaper, but the Nikon recieved better reviews. I decided upon the Nikon due to the feel of it and form some good testimonies saying that it's worth paying that little extra for a 'better' camera. I still long for ISO rating below 200, but must make do. Now Canon has released its 350D, which appears as even stiffer competition, and has now taken the lead (due in part to a substantial increase in build quality by Canon). However I love the handeling of this camera, the weight feels just so right, and that lovely clunk as it takes a picture is satisfying!

I have brought this as some investment for the future, getting a camera that takes stunning images that I will still find impressive for some years to come. Unfotunately the digital market is just so crazy and fast-paced that getting and Digital SLR is risky, but with a range of quality lenses I should be set for a while.