Nikon D70

Color (6.04)
We tested the color reproduction of the Nikon D70 using a GretagMacbeth color chart and Imatest Imaging Software. The software produces the following chart which helps us determine the error between the colors produced by the Nikon D70 and the ideal colors of the chart. On the picture below, the outer square is what the camera produced, the inner square is a corrected version of the camera's color product, and the smallest vertical rectangle is the ideal color production.

The below graph is a representation of the color production of the D70. The circles represent the colors produced by the D70 and the squares represent the ideal colors. The greater the distance between the two shapes, the greater the color error.

The mean saturation score of the Nikon D70 was an impressive 100.9%. This is significantly lower than the Canon EOS Digital Rebel which has a mean saturation of 111%. The mean saturation measures the intensity of the digital camera's images. Most cameras produce saturation scores well above 100% due to the popularity of more saturated images, especially in the point-and-shoot market. This is not a problem for the majority of users, but for those who are seeking accurate images it could pose a problem.

With a color score of 6.04, the Nikon D70 did not produce results that live up to its reputation. Although it did better in saturation than the Canon EOS Digital Rebel, its overall score is much lower than the Rebel's 7.91. The colors from the Gretag Color Chart are numbered 1-24 moving left to right row by row. As expected the Nikon D70 was pretty far off the mark with the pinks and reds (specifically #15). This occurs with nearly every camera we test, due to the industry practice of intensifying these shades to produce more vibrant skin tones. The Nikon D70 has a tendency to dull some of its green tones (as signified by the circles being pulled towards the center of the graph), but is spot on with #4 (foliage green). Similarly, the graph shows that the Nikon D70 produces nearly accurate results with many of its blues and orange-yellow tones.

Still Life Scene

Click on the image above to view a full resolution version (CAUTION: The linked image is very large!)

Resolution / Sharpness (4.34)
We analyze the resolution and sharpness of our digital cameras using Imatest Imaging Software and a standard ISO resolution chart. The software measures the real resolution of the camera, factoring in the lens, the sharpening, and the processing which the camera applies to the image, and the resolution which it ultimately produces. There are many small factors which can drastically affect the reported resolution, including aperture, shutter speed, lighting, camera alignment, camera-to-chart distance, and camera shake. We run multiple trials on every digital camera and report the best resolution that the camera can produce.

On the D70, we were able to obtain a real resolution of 4.34 megapixels. Nikon reports that the camera produces 6.02 megapixels. This means that, under our tests, the D70 had a real resolution at 72.1% of what the manufacturer reported. But don't be alarmed; this level of accuracy is actually quite good. We rarely see any cameras produce a real resolution over 90% of what the manufacturer reports, and the D70 still did a good job. These numbers are smaller than those of the Canon Rebel, which received a real resolution score of 5.65 megapixels and an accuracy score of 89.8%. That's excellent resolution performance.

Noise - Auto ISO (8.54)
The Nikon D70 has both auto and manual ISO options available to its user. This is a nice option to have although most high-end users will probably choose to adjust ISO manually. In the Nikon D70's case this might not be a bad practice as its auto ISO does not perform as well as the manual option.

When we refer to "noise" in digital imaging, we are referring to monochromatic "speckles" that appear on some images. This effect can be compared to grain on film images. Both noise and grain appear more frequently at higher ISO sensitivities, and are virtually non-existent at lower ISO values.

Noise - Manual ISO (10.48)
The Nikon D70 has an impressive 10 options for manual ISO, producing great noise scores on the whole. We used Imatest software to obtain our noise results and the graph below represents both the ISO values and the noise reading; the X-axis represents the ISO values and the Y-axis represents the noise levels.

Speed / Timing
Start-up to First Shot (9.58)
The Nikon D70 did exceptionally well in terms of speed while in recording mode. Unlike the long start-up time on the Canon EOS Digital Rebel (2.7 seconds), the Nikon D70 took 0.2 seconds to start up and take its first shot. This is very impressive and rivals any camera out there.

Shot to Shot Time (9.65)
Shutter lag is often a problem in compact point-and-shoot digital cameras, but not with higher-end models. Consistent with its fast start-up time, and similar to other digital SLR cameras on the market, the Nikon D70 had a negligible time lag between shots.

Shutter to Shot Time (8.90)
Little to no lag time in between the shutter and shot is characteristic of SLR cameras, and the Nikon D70 is no exception with pretty much indiscernible shutter to shot lag time.