The Nikon D70 was the DSLR that finally convinced many long-time film photographers that it was time to switch to digital. The quality, performance, and pricing of the D70 made it possible to switch and still create great pictures without breaking the bank.

While many D70 owners have already made the upgrade plunge, many of you D70 owners are wondering – is it finally time to upgrade?

While some upgrade decisions are difficult to make, this one isn’t. The Nikon D80, Nikon D90, Nikon D200, and Nikon D300 are all third generation DSLR’s which have really made it much easier to capture that perfect shot. I don’t like paying for new cameras with gimmicky features – but my tune changes when you can show me a camera which actually helps me take better pictures.

There are two features in the D80 and D90 which make it a very easy decision to upgrade:

1. LCD screen size increase from a miniscule 1.8 inch display to a 2.5 inch (D80/D200) or 3 inch(D90/D300).
2. Auto-focus increase in focus areas from 5 focus points to 11 focus points (D80) or 51 focus points in the case of the D90.

The value of a 2.5 inch and bigger LCD screen is measurable and very real. With a 2.5 inch screen and the great zooming/panning functionality of the D80 and D90 you can quickly and accurately determine whether your shot is crisp. With the D70 blurry pictures would often appear crisp and clear in the screen leaving you with an unusable picture when viewed at home on the monitor.

The value of 11 and 51 point auto-focus is also very significant. Focusing with the D70’s 5 point system seems archaic and is very frustrating once you’ve experienced the smooth and sure-footed focusing of the D80 or D90. Nothing is more frustrating than missing that perfect shot because your lens was hunting for the correct focus point, or missed the subject entirely.

Manual focus area selection is one great feature of Nikon’s D70, D80, and D90 cameras – I use it all the time for composing the perfect shot with just the right element in focus. It is almost flawless when I use the 11 or 51 point system; the 5 point system just doesn’t give me the flexibility I need.

So, in recap – if you are looking to make the leap from the D70 – go for it. Your pictures will look better and you’ll be glad you made the move.