The Nikon bastard child N70

John Wiegerink · Jan 9, 2023

Is it just me, or is the N70 a Nikon bastard child? I'm pretty smart as to figuring out how cameras work, and can pretty well operate one after just a few minutes of looking and playing with it. Except for the Nikon N70. If you don't have a manual, you're pretty well screwed. I'm not saying it's a bad camera, but almost all Nikons are easier to figure out than the N70. I like mine, but don't use it enough to remember each setting off the top of my head. It does have some nice features and can use most Nikon lenses, but that's where it stops for me. I'll just say that it's not the first 35mm I would grab on the way out the door. It's certainly one of those Nikon cameras to keep, since you can hardly give them away. Curious as to what other folks think about the N70?

Sirius Glass · Jan 9, 2023

Here is the manual. It is not a bastard. Please donate to the Butkis website to keep this voluntary website say afloat if you find the download useful.

Nikon F70 / F70D instruction manual, user manual, NIKON F70 MODE D'EMPLOI, Nikon F70 / F70D Manual de Instrucciones, PDF camera manual

Nikon F70 camera instruction manuals, NIKON F70 MODE D'EMPLOI, Nikon F70 / F70D Manual de Instrucciones

www.butkus.org

John Wiegerink · Jan 9, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
Here is the manual. It is not a bastard. Please donate to the Butkis website to keep this voluntary website say afloat if you find the download useful.

Nikon F70 / F70D instruction manual, user manual, NIKON F70 MODE D'EMPLOI, Nikon F70 / F70D Manual de Instrucciones, PDF camera manual

Nikon F70 camera instruction manuals, NIKON F70 MODE D'EMPLOI, Nikon F70 / F70D Manual de Instrucciones

www.butkus.org

I’m sorry Sirius, I should have been a little more clear in my post, I have a manual, but was just commenting on having a hard time figuring the N70 out without one. One thing the N70 has going for it is the pretty rainbow style LCD display on top,

gone · Jan 9, 2023

I had one that I bought for $4 plus shipping on eBay. Great camera, very small and light, it had every feature I wanted but the viewfinder was quite a bit darker than my n8008s. The N70 screen is fixed too, while the n8008s has several types of screens that the user can swap out in about 15 seconds. If the op is using AF lenses its not an issue.

Ah yes, the weird interface. It's really not so difficult, just takes some getting used to, and if you look around on the web you can find some info for making it a lot easier. I didn't need all those features and actually liked it once I understood how it worked.

John Wiegerink · Jan 9, 2023

momus said:
I had one that I bought for $4 plus shipping on eBay. Great camera, very small and light, it had every feature I wanted but the viewfinder was quite a bit darker than my n8008s. The N70 screen is fixed too, while the n8008s has several types of screens that the user can swap out in about 15 seconds. If the op is using AF lenses its not an issue.

Ah yes, the weird interface. It's really not so difficult, just takes some getting used to, and if you look around on the web you can find some info for making it a lot easier. I didn't need all those features and actually liked it once I understood how it worked.

I don’t use 35mm much anymore, but when I did I mainly used Nikon gear. I started with the Nikon F then went to the Nikon F2as along with the FE2. Those were my working 35mm cameras. I later bought an F4, which I really liked. I later sold my Nikon gear, but kept two Nikkormats. After a few years I picked up a camera I always wanted to try, a Nikon 8008s with the special back. I think it’s Nikons best bang for the buck right now. Little heavy but a great camera. All those are gone except a Nikkormat FT2 and the N70. As I get older I find light weight means more than it used to, so the N70 will soon overtake the Nikkormat for me. I’m just going to have to get used to it.

rcphoto · Jan 9, 2023

The N70 and the N8008 are both garbage.

KerrKid · Jan 9, 2023

John Wiegerink said:
Is it just me, or is the N70 a Nikon bastard child? I'm pretty smart as to figuring out how cameras work, and can pretty well operate one after just a few minutes of looking and playing with it. Except for the Nikon N70. If you don't have a manual, you're pretty well screwed. I'm not saying it's a bad camera, but almost all Nikons are easier to figure out than the N70. I like mine, but don't use it enough to remember each setting off the top of my head. It does have some nice features and can use most Nikon lenses, but that's where it stops for me. I'll just say that it's not the first 35mm I would grab on the way out the door. It's certainly one of those Nikon cameras to keep, since you can hardly give them away. Curious as to what other folks think about the N70?

The N70 hasn't been on my radar, but if it's like the N75 it's a good camera. I think all these "N"'s are underappreciated and overlooked which is a good thing in that it keeps prices down for those of us who know better.

I don't find my N75 to be too tough to figure out but then I'm not asking it to do anything fancy. I just put it on aperture priority and click away.

rcphoto · Jan 9, 2023

KerrKid said:
The N70 hasn't been on my radar, but if it's like the N75 it's a good camera. I think all these "N"'s are underappreciated and overlooked which is a good thing in that it keeps prices down for those of us who know better.

I don't find my N75 to be too tough to figure out but then I'm not asking it to do anything fancy. I just put it on aperture priority and click away.

The N75 is a good camera for what it was. The N70 is nothing like the N75

Roger Thoms · Jan 9, 2023

Yeah, had to spent a little time with the manual to figure out the camera. Mine was a dirty filthy sticky Craigslist list freebie. Took some time and cleaned it up, removing the stickiness with IPA. Paired it with a Nikkor AF 35-70mm f3.3-4.5 zoom and now it lives in the Subaru. Lol, did even have a case for a while, just stuffed it under the seat, finally came up with an old camera bag for it. I find the N70 works just fine, and is perfect for a car camera.

Roger

AnselMortensen · Jan 10, 2023

rcphoto said:
The N70 and the N8008 are both garbage.

My experience with N8008s' makes me believe otherwise.
But this thread is really about the N70.
Carry on.

M-88 · Jan 10, 2023

I bought one because it was used as a lens cap at the back end of AF-D 28-105 lens (which I wanted so long). It looks as if someone wanted to make an innovative menu for amateurs (?), but somehow ended up making something more unintuitive than all Nikons that predated this one. After a test run, I gave it to a friend and it's been sitting on his shelf ever since. Along with N4004 and N5005.

I'm just glad this kind of menu was never seen again on another camera.

Besk · Jan 10, 2023

I had two N70's. And yes, had to study the manual. I liked the camera overall but always had to keep the manual with me. Maybe it has to do something with my age - 79.

One N70 stopped working so I threw it out and now the remaining one is in a box along with two N75's that are spares for the N75 I use now - when a small 35mm P&S is needed.

Don't need a manual to use the N75 but would need to study it to use the N70 again.

ic-racer · Jan 10, 2023

I keep the PDF for the N55, N75, F100 and F6 all on my phone in iBooks. I'm constantly referring to them in terms of flash compatibility, metering modes, AF modes, special functions, etc, etc. I can't imagine anyone memorizing all that.

For example I put the 28/1.8G on the N55 and the AF did not work. I had to look it up, this is normal. Only AF confirmation dot works with that lens on that camera.

Then I put the 28/1.8G on the N75 and neither the AF or the confirmation dot worked. Is the N75 bad? Had to look it up. Because the "Roll end" light was flashing in the viewfinder, the AF won't work. I realized there was a spent roll of film in the camera. After removing that all was well. That lens does indeed work with all functions on the N75.

John Wiegerink · Jan 10, 2023

Bob Eskridge said:
I had two N70's. And yes, had to study the manual. I liked the camera overall but always had to keep the manual with me. Maybe it has to do something with my age - 79.

One N70 stopped working so I threw it out and now the remaining one is in a box along with two N75's that are spares for the N75 I use now - when a small 35mm P&S is needed.

Don't need a manual to use the N75 but would need to study it to use the N70 again.

Bob,
I think that's my problem also. I'm about five years behind you, and things that used to click pretty fast in the young brain don't click so fast in an old one. If they click at all. I do think if it were my only camera I would become used to its operation, but if I get it figured out, and then it sets for a while I'm screwed.

John Wiegerink · Jan 10, 2023

AnselMortensen said:
My experience with N8008s' makes me believe otherwise.
But this thread is really about the N70.
Carry on.

That's my experience with the 8008s also. The Nikon F4 was like the Hummer and the Nikon 8008s was like the Toyota Tundra 4X4. They would both get you to the top of the hill just fine. 8008s had a very well-built (nearly professional) body also. It certainly was more professional than the N70, but in the end they both can take the same exact photos, so I guess it doesn't matter.

Cholentpot · Jan 10, 2023

I have two N70s. They're competent cameras but I don't like them. The menu system is non-intuitive and the body is pretty bulky. If I set it in auto more or A mode it's just fine. It's not a fun camera to use though.

Sirius Glass · Jan 10, 2023

Roger Thoms said:
Yeah, had to spent a little time with the manual to figure out the camera. Mine was a dirty filthy sticky Craigslist list freebie. Took some time and cleaned it up, removing the stickiness with IPA. Paired it with a Nikkor AF 35-70mm f3.3-4.5 zoom and now it lives in the Subaru. Lol, did even have a case for a while, just stuffed it under the seat, finally came up with an old camera bag for it. I find the N70 works just fine, and is perfect for a car camera.

Roger

IPA from a craft brewery?

Helge · Jan 10, 2023

The N70 ugly as it is, is still more charming than N75.
The N70 also has two major advantages over the N75: You can set the ISO and the finder is better.
It may have worse lens compatibility though.

John Wiegerink · Jan 10, 2023

Helge said:
The N70 ugly as it is, is still more charming than N75.
The N70 also has two major advantages over the N75: You can set the ISO and the finder is better.
It may have worse lens compatibility though.

I read the list of compatible lenses for the N70, and it seemed pretty good to me. For me, it's more or less an A-aperture preferred camera, but I do like being able to set my own ASA/ISO settings.

Roger Thoms · Jan 10, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
IPA from a craft brewery?

Lol, had to look that one up, not much of a beer drinker..

Roger

Huss · Jan 10, 2023

Helge said:
The N70 ugly as it is, is still more charming than N75.
The N70 also has two major advantages over the N75: You can set the ISO and the finder is better.
It may have worse lens compatibility though.

The ISO setting is a huge plus for the N70.
But that interface is so awful that I would never consider it, and much prefer the N75.

John Wiegerink · Jan 10, 2023

Huss said:
The ISO setting is a huge plus for the N70.
But that interface is so awful that I would never consider it, and much prefer the N75.

I agree! If I were out to buy a new camera in that time period, the N70 would not even make the list. Actually, I'm more of just a match-needle or match-diode kind of guy, Bells and all whistles belong on trains and not cameras. I've had a Sony A7RII for several years now and have not even explored all the possibilities of that camera. I usually just fine the fewest setting on any camera that lets me get what I want in the end. I remember a time before AF and exposure automation people would say, "I could have had that shot if I had AF or AE". When AF arrived, it was great. I jumped on the Minolta 7000 and used it as a pleasure camera. A lot of people bought into automation and loved it. They would put the camera in program mode and AF, lay it on the seat of their car and were ready for anything. It really is all I need today.

ic-racer · Jan 10, 2023

This is a nice diagram from Wiki that shows the development line of these cameras. For example the numbers don't mean much this many years later as the N55, N60 and N65 are all newer designs than the N70. But the N70 is newer than the N90.

Sirius Glass · Jan 10, 2023

ic-racer said:
This is a nice diagram from Wiki that shows the development line of these cameras. For example the numbers don't mean much this many years later as the N55, N60 and N65 are all newer designs than the N70. But the N70 is newer than the N90. View attachment 326342

Thank you. While I have seen similar time lines for Hasselblad, I had never seen one for Nikons and had a desire to see one.

ic-racer · Jan 10, 2023

I'd like to have two collections. F through F6 on the top row , then going down from 2008; all the cameras available new in 2008, I have most of them from 2008, N55, N75, F100 and F6. Still need the F65 and F80.
I don't have any of the other Pro "F" cameras yet, that is an expensive row and hard to find 'unused' examples.

The Nikon bastard child N70

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