Nikon D70 Review - Best dSLR for Advanced Amature

First of all I am not a professional photographer. So take my opinion with a grain of salt as you should for all online reviews :-)

It's been a couple of days since I bought this camera and so far my impression has been overwhlemingly positive. There are a few things that I would like to see rectified in terms of design issue in future model or via firmware upgrades. I will try to focus on my compilements and complaints mostly on what other reviewers may not have already said.

Pros

1) Very fast every where ! The camera is instantly on and ready to take pictures the moment you set the switch to on. Lag time between pressing shutter and actually taking the picture is almost non existent. So you can be assured that the picture will be taken at the moment you press the shutter and not a second later. This is very important when you are running around children (or something else) trying to capture the best moment. I also own a Minolta Maxxum 5 SLR which boasts one of the fastest autofocus. This camera is as good if not better in focusing objects. Even in low light.

2) Well layout and ergonomics. I have heard several times from other D70 users that people owning a Nikon SLR feel right at home from the beginning. Unfortunately I did not own a Nikon before. And still it did not take me more than a couple of hours to get fully adjusted to its control. Very well thought out layout and position of knobs, wheel makes it one of the better ergonomically designed camera out there.

3) Body size is a bit large comparing to Canon digital rebel or other models. However, the added weight makes it more balanced and fits well in my hands. I feel really comfortable holding and handling it. The body finish is *matte* type (not sure what Nikon calls it). Basically what I mean is that the boyd is not plain and smooth like most cameras. I love the finish, it gives a better feel in my hand while holding it.

4) LCD is large and bright. I have it turned off and find it easier to take pictures with the viewfinder though.

5) Picture quality is great. I have taken several pictures in auto mode to see how the camera reacts to different situations. All of the pictures came out really sharp and clear. There are several professional reviews out there that you can also read to see for your self how it does.

6) Bundled kit lense is excellent quality comparing to Digital rebel's bundled lense and provides great value. (...)

Cons

1) With flash at night sometimes portrait pictures came out a bit whiter than usual (in Auto). This maybe because I have not manually adjusted the camera for white balance. But in general I should not have to.

2) ISO setting is not displayed when in Auto ISO mode. I think this is one of the most common complaint and hopefully can be resolved via firmware upgrade.

3) Size and weight can be a problem if you want to run around a lot with it. Definitly can not fit in your jeans pocket !

Overall, I have so little to complaint but so much more to say. I suggest you go to a local retailer and handle the camera yourself first before buying it. If you have had an SLR before you will be able to pick it up and get started almost immediately.