Nikon D70 Nikon D90

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 21, 2019

Does anyone know if the Nikon D90 works like the D70? Will my D70 lenses fit and function? I looked at a Nikon D3200 and I was not impressed.

I'm hoping a D70 won't require me to upgrade my Photoshop before it will read the RAW files.
I've tried to find info on the net but it's not really clear.

SuncrestReef · Oct 21, 2019

Both cameras share the same lens mount and use a crop sensor, so all your current lenses will be compatible.

I can't answer your Photoshop question. But both models support RAW files.

This site has a handy side-by-side comparison of both models:

Nikon D70 vs Nikon D90 Detailed Comparison

Read our detailed comparison of the Nikon D70 vs Nikon D90 to find out their strengths and weaknesses, and decide which one to choose.

cameradecision.com

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 21, 2019

I was able to check about the RAW files. The version they produce is compatible. I was kind of shocked how the Nikon D series cameras went after the D90.

Onewolf · Oct 21, 2019

MixedFruitBasket said:
I was able to check about the RAW files. The version they produce is compatible. I was kind of shocked how the Nikon D series cameras went after the D90.

Shocked how? DSLRs are basically computer technology which has evolved at a rapid rate over the last 20 years.

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 21, 2019

Onewolf said:
Shocked how? DSLRs are basically computer technology which has evolved at a rapid rate over the last 20 years.

Shocked as in disappointed in the picture quality it produced and the overall quality of the camera construction.

Onewolf · Oct 21, 2019

The D3200 is an 7 year old distinctly lower end body. If you are looking for the current replacement Nikon body for the D70/D90 then you should be looking at (comparing to) the D7500.

What is it about the picture quality of the D3200 that you found problematical?

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 21, 2019

Onewolf said:
The D3200 is an 7 year old distinctly lower end body. If you are looking for the current replacement Nikon body for the D70/D90 then you should be looking at (comparing to) the D7500.

What is it about the picture quality of the D3200 that you found problematical?

It wasn't nearly as sharp as I thought it would be for 24 mp. I even made sure to have it in the largest format and it still didn't come out very clear.

Onewolf · Oct 22, 2019

MixedFruitBasket said:
It wasn't nearly as sharp as I thought it would be for 24 mp. I even made sure to have it in the largest format and it still didn't come out very clear.

I suspect there may be operator error. The camera is capable of taking tack sharp high resolution images, however there are many different paths to prevent that from happening.

There can be motion issues of either the camera or the subject. There can be DOF issues depending on the aperture (wide open). Perhaps minimal focal distance problem.

Can you post any sample images with EXIF data that show the lack of sharpness?

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 22, 2019

Onewolf said:
I suspect there may be operator error. The camera is capable of taking tack sharp high resolution images, however there are many different paths to prevent that from happening.

There can be motion issues of either the camera or the subject. There can be DOF issues depending on the aperture (wide open). Perhaps minimal focal distance problem.

Can you post any sample images with EXIF data that show the lack of sharpness?

I can't now. I sent the camera back with my friend. Viewed as a regular photo the shot looked fine, it's when it was enlarged it fell apart worse than the one from my D70.
I honestly think the optics just were not up to par, that and just the body of the camera felt cheap to me. I guess I'm used to a DSLR that feels like a real SLR.

If I can't get the photos I need in the next week I am going to try to get the specimen to a natural history museum a few hours away and let them take pictures.

maroun.c · Oct 22, 2019

D70 is a pretty old model, had one years back and upgraded to a D200-D300 and then to a D750 and with each upgrade I saw a tremendous improvement in many aspects (well not as much between D200 and D300)
Also cameras need to be sent for servicing after few years and especially that you're seeing issues

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 22, 2019

maroun.c said:
D70 is a pretty old model, had one years back and upgraded to a D200-D300 and then to a D750 and with each upgrade I saw a tremendous improvement in many aspects (well not as much between D200 and D300)
Also cameras need to be sent for servicing after few years and especially that you're seeing issues

Understood. I don't think this is a mechanical issue, rather either the limits of the camera, the lens, or both. Or some setting I am missing. I've enclosed a picture of a section of the photo enlarged to 400%+. As you can see, the picture loses sharpness, which I under stand it will, but this seems like it's happening quicker than I would think it should.

Onewolf · Oct 22, 2019

MixedFruitBasket said:
Understood. I don't think this is a mechanical issue, rather either the limits of the camera, the lens, or both. Or some setting I am missing. I've enclosed a picture of a section of the photo enlarged to 400%+. As you can see, the picture loses sharpness, which I under stand it will, but this seems like it's happening quicker than I would think it should.

The EXIF data is stripped so what shutter speed/f-stop was that photo taken at? Were the pumps turned off for 5+ minutes before the photo was taken? Did you use tripod/support and did you delay the shutter to avoid movement?

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 22, 2019

Onewolf said:
The EXIF data is stripped so what shutter speed/f-stop was that photo taken at? Were the pumps turned off for 5+ minutes before the photo was taken? Did you use tripod/support and did you delay the shutter to avoid movement?

Yes the pumps were turned off. yes I used a tripod. Yes I delayed the shutter.
For this particular shot I had it on auto for macro objects. Others I did everything manual and still got the same results. I have tried everything from 100 ISO upwards of 500. I have dropped the F-stop as low as it could go for several shots as well.
Nothing really changes at all except the degree of exposure based on the the ISO and f-stop.

Onewolf · Oct 22, 2019

MixedFruitBasket said:
Yes the pumps were turned off. yes I used a tripod. Yes I delayed the shutter.
For this particular shot I had it on auto for macro objects. Others I did everything manual and still got the same results. I have tried everything from 100 ISO upwards of 500. I have dropped the F-stop as low as it could go for several shots as well.
Nothing really changes at all except the degree of exposure based on the the ISO and f-stop.

What is the shutter speed for that photo you posted? What is the f-stop? Are you using autofocus? Is the lens capable of focusing that close? What lens are you using? Can you post the entire photo so we can tell if anything is in sharp focus and we are just seeing shallow DOF? Your example photo is a terrible and the camera body is capable of far better so something is going wrong in the process.

justingraham · Oct 22, 2019

Yea something’s off my D3000 looks way better then that

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 23, 2019

Onewolf said:
What is the shutter speed for that photo you posted? What is the f-stop? Are you using autofocus? Is the lens capable of focusing that close? What lens are you using? Can you post the entire photo so we can tell if anything is in sharp focus and we are just seeing shallow DOF? Your example photo is a terrible and the camera body is capable of far better so something is going wrong in the process.

My example photo is a section taking from the original photo and blown up 400%. I'm pretty sure I answered all these questions in previous posts.

This is the one that section was taken from. It's not one of my top pick photos but one I grabbed for an example.

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 23, 2019

And yes, I purposely did a narrow DOF because I wanted the best clarity on the section needed to be enlarged to examine.

Onewolf · Oct 23, 2019

MixedFruitBasket said:
And yes, I purposely did a narrow DOF because I wanted the best clarity on the section needed to be enlarged to examine.

If it was me, I would shoot manual mode, aperture somewhere f22 - F32, and shutter speed set to the slowest possible needed to get a decent exposure. Ie, very slow.

Shooting wide open at such a close focal distance means your DOF will be so narrow (maybe 1mm) that most of the image (including the subject) will be very fuzzy (out of focus) because the subject has a relatively deep planar depth.

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 23, 2019

Onewolf said:
If it was me, I would shoot manual mode, aperture somewhere f22 - F32, and shutter speed set to the slowest possible needed to get a decent exposure. Ie, very slow.

Shooting wide open at such a close focal distance means your DOF will be so narrow (maybe 1mm) that most of the image (including the subject) will be very fuzzy (out of focus) because the subject has a relatively deep planar depth.

I will try that.

MixedFruitBasket · Oct 24, 2019

Onewolf said:
If it was me, I would shoot manual mode, aperture somewhere f22 - F32, and shutter speed set to the slowest possible needed to get a decent exposure. Ie, very slow.

Shooting wide open at such a close focal distance means your DOF will be so narrow (maybe 1mm) that most of the image (including the subject) will be very fuzzy (out of focus) because the subject has a relatively deep planar depth.

Okay, anything above F8 comes out black (and F8 is pretty dark) no matter what I set the ISO to. When I put this on automatic the ISO goes to a double digit number and the F-stop drops to 5.8 or something like that. On the darker pictures any attempt to lighten them just reveals noise which pretty much destroys and sharp edges.