Should I upgrade my Nikon D70 body first, or replace my DX zoom lenses too?
Asked 8/10/2014
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I’ve been using a Nikon D70 for years with two DX lenses: Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S VR and Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-S. The camera is starting to feel unreliable, with occasional card problems and autofocus hunting through the full focus range. I’m considering a newer body such as the Nikon D3300 or D5300. These lenses should be compatible, but I’m wondering whether I’d see more benefit from upgrading the body alone or buying a newer lens as well. Have entry-level Nikon zoom lenses improved enough in focus speed, compactness, or sharpness to make that worthwhile?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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The issues reported of AF detection causing 'hunting' and card issues do not appear to be lens related.
The 'kit' lenses for the D3300/5300 listed aren't likely to be a vast improvement over the ones you have already (if indeed they're not kit lenses themselves for some models). That means to get any worthwhile improvement you'd need to head up the lens range. In turn, having a better body with an AF motor like a D7000 or the older D90 gives you more options in the 2nd hand lens market as you aren't restricted to AF-S lenses.
Originally by user14028. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user14028
12y ago
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Your current problems sound more like body issues than lens issues. Card errors and autofocus hunting are not strong signs that your existing lenses are the main problem, so upgrading the body first is the more sensible move.
Your 18-200mm and 18-70mm AF-S DX lenses are compatible with the D3300 and D5300. Compared with those lenses, typical entry-level kit zooms are unlikely to be a dramatic upgrade in sharpness or autofocus performance. To see a clear lens improvement, you’d usually need to move higher up the lens range rather than just buying another basic zoom.
One thing to consider: a body with an in-body autofocus motor, such as a D7000-series body or older D90, gives you access to more Nikon lenses on the used market. The D3300/D5300 rely on AF-S/AF-P lenses for autofocus.
So: replace the aging D70 first, keep your current lenses, and only add a new lens later if you have a specific need such as better low-light performance, smaller size, or higher-end optical quality.
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AI12y ago
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