# Hal Gets A New Toy **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 15, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224 "2005-02-15T18:10:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/1 "2005-02-15T18:10:33Z")
Woohoooo! I got my new camera! A [Nikon D70](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1077624262762&skuId=6369002&type=product) – Dear Lord, this thing is sweet. **kittenlm** had talked me into waiting a few weeks before buying it, telling me the bills were getting tight. It turns out she was just putting me off so she could make it a Valentine’s Day surprise…devious one, ain’t she? 🙂 I decided to leave for work a few hours early today so I could take some shots of some of the places of interest I pass on my commute. The results are [here](http://www.sirblah.com/photo/index.php?album=On%20The%20Road). For fun, try setting the size dropdown to “Original”. [This link](http://www.sirblah.com/photo/index.php?album=Testing) won’t give you anything right now, but later tonight or tomorrow I’ll be taking comparison shots between the D70 and my old craptacular Canon Powershot A40. It’ll be nice to see side-by-side pics showing this baby off. Anyone else been upgrading their digicam recently? ---
**Author:** ![Limbo\_Donni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Limbo\_Donni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limbo_Donni)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/2 "2005-02-15T20:39:16Z")
My digicam? I’m lucky to afford a throwaway drugstore camera. But good for you. Glad somebody buy that stuff. It’s good for the economy. ---
**Author:** ![Eliphalet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eliphalet/32/9563_2.png) [@Eliphalet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eliphalet)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/3 "2005-02-15T20:51:16Z")
I got me a [Canon EOS Rebel (Digital)](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1061769822853&skuId=5992848&type=product) for my anniversary. It’s a 6.3 megapixel, but other than that, seems to be in the same league as your new toy. I was gonna take some side-by-side shots with my Olympus Camedia, but the flash broke 2 weeks prior to getting my new beastie. So, no comparison shots. But, they are some sweet cameras. I test drove the Nikon before buying, and REALLY liked it. Unfortunately, it wound up being $600.00 more than my Canon. Eli ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/4 "2005-02-15T21:03:31Z")
Very nice, **Eliphalet**! I was waffling between the Rebel and the D70 for weeks. What finally tipped the scales were [this breakdown](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond70/page20.asp) between them (there were enough plusses for the D70 to make it worth the extra $100 [factoring in the rebates Nikon is now giving]), and the fact that my brother-in-law has the D70 as well, so I can borrow from his very sweet lens collection until I get a few more of my own. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![VenusProbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e495f1/32.png) [@VenusProbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VenusProbe)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/5 "2005-02-15T21:15:46Z")
You’re a lucky, lucky man **Hal**. That camera has been on my wish list for months. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/6 "2005-02-16T10:11:23Z")
What lenses di d you get with it? For some reason I’m going backwards in photo technology - I bought a film SLR (we call it a EOS500, I think it’s the Rebel II across the pond) in October, and I’m now close to aquiring a darkroom kit! ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/7 "2005-02-16T13:34:50Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Anyone else been upgrading their digicam recently? I willl be getting my Canon 20D tomorrow or the next day. I am soooo excited (I’ve been building up to this for 5 months). It took me a while to decide between the D70 and the 20D. It was the lower noise at high ISOs that finally swayed me. The 20D is purported to have negligible noise at 1600 ISO, and even acceptable levels (ie comparable to most other digitals at 400) at 3200 ISO, and the test photos I’ve seen seem to support this. Funny how something like this can be so exciting. Makes me feel like a bit of a geek. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/8 "2005-02-16T15:51:22Z")
Well, I’m envious. I just opted for a new laptop (so that I can process my digital photos in finite time), so I don’t think an SLR is in my immediate future. I have to admit that I like the convenience of the “prosumer” cameras like the Sony F-717 with one good fast zoom lens, but you really can’t argue with the large sensors of the SLRs. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/9 "2005-02-16T16:40:02Z")
> [@Tuco](#): > > What lenses di d you get with it? It came with an 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens. It’s a beautiful lens, but I enjoy taking a lot of nature shots, so next up will be a telephoto – something in the area of a [Nikkor 300mm](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=207356&is=GREY). Of course, since that costs nearly what the camera itself did, I’m thinking I’ll have to wait a bit, lest my dear wife throttle me. Of course, I could always go with the “It’s not _that_ expensive…I could have went for [this beauty](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=234440&is=USA), you know” arguement. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/10 "2005-02-16T16:57:52Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > It came with an 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens. It’s a beautiful lens, but I enjoy taking a lot of nature shots, so next up will be a telephoto – something in the area of a [Nikkor 300mm](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=207356&is=GREY). > > Of course, since that costs nearly what the camera itself did, I’m thinking I’ll have to wait a bit, lest my dear wife throttle me. > > Of course, I could always go with the “It’s not _that_ expensive…I could have went for [this beauty](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=234440&is=USA), you know” arguement. 🙂 According to the B&H specs, those lenses won’t autofocus with the D70. That can’t be right can it? And wow, $9000, and still no image stabilization. ---
**Author:** ![Cowgirl\_Jules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Cowgirl\_Jules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowgirl_Jules)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/11 "2005-02-16T17:23:06Z")
I’m jealous, **Hal**. I’ve been jonesing for one of those for at least a year. My film camera is an N70, so it would work with all of my lenses. I’ve promised myself that when my business finally shows an acceptible profit, that will be my reward. I’ll not be holding my breath - it will be a few years. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/12 "2005-02-16T19:37:40Z")
> [@MrFantsyPants](#): > > According to the B&H specs, those lenses won’t autofocus with the D70. That can’t be right can it? I’d doubt that’s correct. Yes, the site says the one digitals it’ll autofocus are the D100, D1 and D1x, but several owners of the 600mm over at the [dpreview.com](http://dpreview.com) boards note that it autofocuses just fine with the D70. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/13 "2005-02-16T20:01:36Z")
Nice camera, but what software are you using for your album? It has a nice look to it. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hal-gets-a-new-toy/290224/14 "2005-02-16T21:15:01Z")
At its core, it’s [PHPix 2](http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpix2). But it’s been modified, hacked, tweaked, broken down and built back up so many times that it bears little resemblence to standard PHPix 2. > [@Hal Briston](#): > > Yes, the site says the **one** digitals it’ll autofocus are… :smack: “Only”! “…the **only** digitals it’ll autofocus…” Yes, that makes a whole lot more sense.