Nikon's new D70s boasts faster, more accurate AF, faster image processing and buffering and a bigger LCD than the old D70. It's joined by the new, budget D50 model, designed to compete with bargain-basement models from Canon (the EOS 350D) and Pentax (the *ist Ds).

Let's take a closer look at the improvements that have gone into the D70s. The increased processing speed means that the camera's capable (technically) of shooting up to 144 shots consecutively. This is under very specific conditions, however - namely JPEGs shot at Normal quality, with specific high-speed memory cards.

The quoted capacity when shooting RAW files or Fine quality JPEGs is far lower, at four frames and nine frames, respectively. You may find, then, that the D70's as quick in all but very specific circumstances.

The same applies to the new, speedier, improved AF system. Some users may find the improvement obvious; we don't.

That just leaves the 2-inch LCD display, up in size from the 1.8-inch screen on the old camera. Hardly a big difference, but the larger menu text may prove more legible for some users.

In use

The D70s is so similar to the D70 that, apart from the badge on the front, it feels identical. That's no bad thing: plastic it may be, but the D70's a million miles from the EOS 300D it once competed against, and it's still better than the EOS 350D which replaced it. No other camera in this price range has this feeling of solidity and quality.

The D70s is a comfortable size. The *ist Ds and EOS 350D are a little too short in the shoulder to offer a really secure grip, leaving your little finger waving about ineffectively under the base plate. The grip on the D70s, though, is tall enough for all your fingers to curl around firmly.

This camera uses two control wheels instead of one. The rear control wheel handles most shotto- shot adjustments as well as shutter speed in Shutter Priority and Manual modes. The front control wheel handles a smaller number of secondary functions, and controls lens aperture in Aperture Priority and Manual modes. It's easy to remember: rear wheel - shutter speed, front wheel - aperture.