Nikon D70(s) vs. Canon 20D

Hi all,
My name is Mike Patterson. I know you (the experts) have probably gone through this many times, but I need some help.

I have been looking at getting a nice DSLR for sometime now. I have narrowed it down to the Nikon D70 and the Canon 20D. I will be using the camera for all types of shots: macro, scenery, fast action, and just the regular indoors shooting at parties and what not. The guys who I have talked to who take pictures of the action shots I will be taking, all love the D70, and suggest it over any other camera. I have talked to other people that are just regular photographers and they say the Canon is the overall better camera, but the kit lens is pretty bad. I would rather not spend the extra money to get the Canon, especially since I will need a different lens so soon. Although, if the Canon is that much better, then I will. I won't be blowing up my pictures much, the most maybe around 11x8.5, so the extra megapixels probably won't be needed.

I would like to get your opinions and hear you experiences. I know many of the posts will be very biased, but I would still like to hear them.

Thanks!!,
Mike Patterson

Welcome to the Corner. ;) Based on your needs, I'd say the D70 (maybe get the new D70s), would be perfect for you... The 20d is probably the better camera overall, but the D70 is a great camera...

Hey,
Thanks a lot. That is the camera I am leaning towards, mainly because so many people in the R/C car racing industry love this camera, and those are the action shots I will be doing. Plus, I would rather spend 1000 on the camera and lens, and spend 500 on some other goodies, then 1500 just on the camera and cheapo lens.
-Mike

For the record, the kit lens that comes with the 20D is not a bad lens. It's not Canon's top of the line, but it is a good consumer grade lens.

Both Nikon and Canon make great cameras and lenses. You wouldn't go wrong with either system.

For the record, the kit lens that comes with the 20D is not a bad lens. It's not Canon's top of the line, but it is a good consumer grade lens.

Alright, thanks for clearing that up. Just bad info from someone somewhere...

-Mike

I just went through the same dilema and ended up buying the D70s althou my first camera was a Canon and it was a very good point and shoot i choose the Nikon. The man factor for me was price. I was able to buy the camera with the stock 18-70mm lens a bag two memory cards a tripod and a 70-300mm lense for the same price as the 20d with the stock lens. I do believe the Canon is a great camera and would liked to have bought it but in the end i am very happy with the Nikon. I am still very new at DSLR photography and have so much to learn. So to finish i don't think you can go wrong either way it will come down to your preference and budget.

D70 or D70s is cheaper, that's what persuaded me initially.

I just went through the same dilema and ended up buying the D70s althou my first camera was a Canon and it was a very good point and shoot i choose the Nikon. The man factor for me was price. I was able to buy the camera with the stock 18-70mm lens a bag two memory cards a tripod and a 70-300mm lense for the same price as the 20d with the stock lens. I do believe the Canon is a great camera and would liked to have bought it but in the end i am very happy with the Nikon. I am still very new at DSLR photography and have so much to learn. So to finish i don't think you can go wrong either way it will come down to your preference and budget.

Where were you able to purchase a D70s so soon. I don't think they have even shipped yet?!?1 :?

I am in Edmonton lots here

I think they were released a week or two ago most everywhere.

Alright, well for any of you that gave some input on this decision, just to let you know, I am going to go with the Nikon D70s. I went to a store here in town and bought a memory card from them and tried out each camera. I took about 20 shots with the D70s and 20 with the 20D. I took the pics back home and put them on my computer. I was amazed at how much sharper the D70s is than the 20D. The color was a bit strong on some pictures with the D70s, but the sharpness and clarity of the D70s' pictures gave it the clear win (in my mind). For the pictures I am going I am going to be taking, I need the sharpest, clearest camera out there (out there...of the ones I can afford).
Thanks for all the help,
Mike
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v352/misfitznuke/DSC_0004_small.jpg

congrats

Sharpness is more a function of the lens you are using and not the camera. If you used the kit lenses with both camera then the results you have is not surprising. To do a true test you need to use similar lens on both cameras

Sharpness is more a function of the lens you are using and not the camera. If you used the kit lenses with both camera then the results you have is not surprising. To do a true test you need to use similar lens on both cameras

That is what I figured, and actually the guy at the store suggested that that would be a problem. So, we took care of it. Now...I could never tell you what the specs were on the lenses we used, but they were both the vibration reduction from each company, and I think both something mm-80mm lenses.

Are you say that you have retested the camera with different lenses ? The pictures that I have seen from both cameras using good quality lenses. Are almost equal

Nono, at the store the first time I tried them, we used the different lenses, and the stock lenses. I looked at them very closely and made my decision.

Nikon wins again!

Nikon and Canon are trusted brands already so you wouldn’t go wrong… and the choice of lens depends upon what you really like to focus on, well, you can have a cheapo but make sure of the quality output then :)

the d70 and the d70a are pretty much the same. only 3 or 4 differences. the lens on the nikon is much better in the kit than the inexpensive canon.