Nikon D70s

The D70s is a Nikon DSLR from 2005, built around a 6.1 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor and the Nikon F mount. You compose through an optical pentaprism viewfinder, the classic DSLR way, and the body weighs a portable 679 g.

This combination suits anyone who wants straightforward stills photography: framing through the viewfinder and shooting everyday subjects at a relaxed pace. It records no video and offers no live view, so the rear screen is for reviewing pictures rather than composing them.

A 6.1 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor sits at the heart of the D70s. Resolution is the main constraint: there is little spare room for heavy cropping or very large prints, so it pays to fill the frame when you shoot.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 200 to 1600. That ceiling is modest, so dim scenes call for flash or steady support rather than a high ISO setting. The ISO 200 base pairs with the 1/8000 maximum shutter speed, which helps when you want wide apertures in daylight.

Autofocus offers five points, and the burst rate reaches 3 fps. The frame rate is a maximum whose mode and duration conditions are not listed, and the point count on its own says nothing about tracking performance.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so handheld sharpness in low light depends on technique, stabilised lenses or supports. Modest resolution, the ISO ceiling, five autofocus points and absent stabilisation are among the scored factors behind our limited Optics score of 35, and the D70s sits in the bottom 2% of cameras in our database for Optics.

The D70s does not record video. If motion footage matters to you, this camera cannot provide it and a separate device would be needed.

There is also no built-in timelapse function, so the camera covers stills only.

Composition happens through the optical viewfinder, because the D70s offers no live view. The fixed 2 inch LCD carries 130,000 dots, a resolution that gives limited on-screen detail for checking shots and navigating menus.

Lighting options are practical. A built-in flash covers quick indoor fills, and the camera also takes external flash units when you need more light.

There is no weather sealing, so keep the body dry in rain or dust. Wi-Fi is present, but GPS tagging is not. Missing weather sealing, touch input, live view and Bluetooth, along with the small, low-resolution screen, explain our limited Features score of 10.

Images record to a single CompactFlash slot, taking Type I or II cards. Because there is no second slot, plan your card capacity before a shoot rather than counting on a backup.

The EN-EL3a battery carries a rating of 950 shots. As with any rating, real endurance depends on how much you review images on the rear screen, and no test conditions are stated for this figure.

The battery cannot be charged over USB, so you will need the dedicated charger and, ideally, a charged spare for travel. The single slot and absent USB charging, alongside the battery rating, are the scored factors behind our modest Storage & Battery score of 43.