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George
Mann's-
Nikon D70 Review
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 NIKS
Thailand
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Apple Service Center, Bangkok, Thailand
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Nikon Distributor, Bangkok, Thailand
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Nikon D70 Digital SLR camera review - D70 Review Index
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 Top of the D70 Camera
The left hand top of the D70 camera has the Exposure Mode dial which
allows you to select from seven different Digital-Variprograms settings
and four automatic and manual Exposure modes.
The right hand top of the camera has the LCD control panel, which
allows you to monitor all the camera functions. The Exposure Metering
button which in combination with the Main command dial allows you to
chose between three modes of exposure metering and the Exposure
compensation button which allows you to dial in over and under exposure
values.
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Top left hand camera
controls:
1. Mode dial -
The Mode dial selects the exposure modes and Digital-Variprograms of
the camera.
Exposure modes
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P Auto Multi
Program - lets the camera optimize exposure to suit the subject.
Allows you to set shutter speed and aperture or adjust exposure with
exposure compensation controls.
S Shutter
Priority Auto - allows you to choose shutter speeds to suit the
subject you are shooting, fast shutter speeds for sports and action and
slow shutter speeds to blur moving objects or photograph in low light
situations.
A Aperture
Priority Auto - allows you to set the aperture for control of
depth of field, either to bring more things into focus or to throw a
background out of focus.
M Manual
- allows you to set both shutter speeds and aperture manually for full
control of exposures.
Digital
Vari-Programs -
Auto (green)
- The best setting for "point-and-shoot" photography. Recommended for
beginning digital SLR camera users and for situations where there is no
time to check the camera's settings.
Portrait
- for shooting portraits with soft backgrounds (largest aperture and
highest shutter speed possible).
Landscape
- for capturing details in landscape shots (small apertures and slower
shutter speeds)
Close Up
- useful for taking close-ups of flowers and other small objects.
(small aperture for greater depth of field)
Sports
- for freezing action shots (highest shutter speeds possible - higher
ISO value).
Night Landscape
- for taking landscape shots at night (higher ISO rating and smallest
aperture possible)
Night Portrait
- for shooting portraits agains dimly lit backgrounds (longer exposure,
larger aperture and flash combination)
Top
middle of camera:
1.
Accessory shoe -
The D70 Accessory showe allows SB series Speedlights to be attached to
the camera without a sync cable. There is also a locking pin for
Speedlights equiped with a safety lock.
2. Built-in
speedlight
The D70 is equipped with a Guide Number 15/49 Speedlight (ISO 200,
m/ft; Guide Number at ISO 100 is 11/36).
When a CPU lens is attached, the built-in Speedlight emits monitor
preflashes that are analyzed using through-the-lens (TTL) technology
(i-TTL flash control). The built-in Speedlight
can be used not only when natural light is
inadequate, but also to fill in shadows and backlit subjects or to add
a catch light to the subject's eyes.
i-TTL Flash Control
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i-TTL
Balanced Fill-Flash for Digital SLR - is selected automatically
in all modes except mode M or when spot metering is selected in modes
P, S, and A. The Speedlight emits a series of nearly invisible
preflashes (monitor preflashes) immediately before the main flash.
Preflashes reflected from objects in all areas of the frame are picked
up by the 1,005-pixel RGB sensor and are analyzed in combination with
information from the matrix metering system to adjust the flash output
for a natural balance between the main subject and ambient background
lighting. If a type G or D lens is used, distance information is
included when calculating flash output.
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Standard
i-TTL Flash for Digital SLR
- is activated automatically in mode M and when spot metering is
selected in modes P, S, and A. Flash output is adjusted to ensure that
the main subject is correctly exposed; the brightness of the background
is not taken into account. Recommended for shots in which the main
subject is emphasized at the expense of the background details,
or when exposure compensation is used.
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CSM 19 -
Flash Mode can be selected from TTL, Manual, and Commander mode. In
Manual mode, the built-in Speedlight has a Guide Number (m/ft) of 17/56
(ISO 200) or 12/39 (ISO 100). Commander mode can be used for wireless
off-camera flash photography with SB-800 or SB-600 Speedlights.
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Right
hand top
of camera controls:
1. Power
switch -
Holding the camera grip with your right hand, you can easily turn the
power switch on and off with you right hand index finger. When you turn
the switch to on, the control panel will turn on and the display in the
viewfinder will light up.
2.
Shutter-release button -
The D70 has a two stage shutter-release button. Pressing the button
half way sets focus and exposure, keeping the button depressed half way
will keep the focus and exposure locked untill you either release the
button for a new focus and exposure reading or depress it fully to take
an exposure.
3. Metering
mode button - (left button)
Press this button and rotate the main command dial (top back right of camera - under your right thumb) to
access the three metering modes. 3D color matrix/Color matrix metering,
Center weighted metering and Spot metering. The metering mode options
are available in P, S, A, and M camera operation modes.
Exposure Metering Modes
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3D
color matrix/Color
matrix metering - Metering is performed by a 1,005-pixel RGB
sensor, which sets exposure based on a variety of information from all
areas of the frame. This method is particularly effective when the
frame is dominated by bright (white or yellow) or dark (black or dark
green) colors, when its results approach what is seen by human eyes.
3D color matrix metering, which uses range information from the lens in
adjusting exposure, is available only with type G or D lenses. Color
matrix metering, which does not include range information, is available
with other CPU lenses.
Matrix metering will not produce desired results with autoexposure lock
or exposure compensation, but is recommended in most other cases.
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Center
weighted metering
- Camera meters the entire frame but assigns greatest weight to area in
center of frame 8mm (0.31") in diameter, shown by the corresponding
8-mm reference circle in the viewfinder. Classic meter selection for
portraits; recommended when using filters with an exposure (filter)
factor over 1x.
CSM
11 - this option controls the size of the area assigned the
greatest weight in center-weighted metering.
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Spot
metering -
Camera meters a circle 2.3mm (0.09") in diameter (approximately 1% of
the frame). The circle is centered on the current focus area, making it
possible to meter off-center subjects (if Closest subject for AF-area
mode is selected, the camera will meter the center of the focus area).
Ensures that the subject will be ciorrectly exposed, even when the
background is much brighter or darker.
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4. Exposure
compensation button - (right
button)
Press this button and rotate the main command dial to change exposure
compensation in increments of 1/2 or 1/3 EV between -5EV
(underexposure) and +5EV (overexposure).
CSM 9 -
allows you to change the exposure compensation increments
between 1/2 and 1/3 EV.
Exposure compensation is available for camera modes P,S and A. In mode
M the electronic analog exposure display will indicate the selected exposure compensation but
not set the compensation.
5. LCD
illuminator and Format button -
Pressing the illuminator button turns the control panel back light on
allowing you to see the control panel in the dark.
The format function of this button is activated by holding it and the
Mode/Format button (located at the top left back corner of the camera)
both down simultaneously for two seconds. A blinking For will appear
in place of the shutter speed display and the frame counter will blink
on the LCD control panel. Press both buttons simultaneously once more
and the card will be formated. If you press any other button instead,
the formating process will be aborted.
The letters For
will appear untill the formating is completed, at which time the frame
counter will display the number of exposures available on the card.
Be sure to have a fully fully charged battery or use an AC adapter,
before formating any memory card.
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All above images are the
copyright property of George Mann - if you are interested in using any
of these images please contact george@dpmac.com
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