Compared to...

Nikon D70 vs. Canon EOS 300D (Digital Rebel)

Studio scene comparison (ISO 200, JPEG)

This is our standard studio scene comparison shot taken from exactly the same tripod position within minutes of each other. Lighting: 2 x 800W studio lights with dichroic daylight filters bounced off a white ceiling reflector. Crops magnified 200%. Ambient temperature was approximately 21°C (~70°F). Shots were taken so that each camera produced the identical frame coverage. Bear in mind that the EOS 300D has a vertical advantage of 48 pixels (2.4% more).

Again, as with previous comparisons the EOS 300D exposure was set a third of a stop faster than the D70.

Camera settings:

• Nikon D70: Nikkor 50 mm F1.4 D, Manual Exposure, ISO 200, JPEG Large/Fine,
  Manual WB, Default Parameters ('Normal'), Self-timer
   
• Canon EOS 300D: Canon EF 50 mm F1.4, Manual Exposure, ISO 200, JPEG Large/Fine,
  Manual WB, Default Parameters ('Parameter 1'), Self-timer

Nikon D70	Canon EOS 300D
ISO 200, 1/2 sec, F9	ISO 200, 1/2.5 sec, F9
2,745 KB JPEG (3008 x 2000)	2,836 KB (3072 x 2048)

As you look down each of the crops it's very much a tit for tat situation, in some crops the D70 appears to produce more detail and sharpness and the next the EOS 300D does a better job. It is very close, overall and considering the 300D's vertical resolution advantage (48 more vertical pixels) I would say that the D70 is slightly sharper. It also has a better sharpening algorithm (as mentioned on the previous page) which leads to a cleaner image with fewer halo type artifacts. To counter that however the EOS 300D image looks cleaner with less visible noise on the ruler and watch face crops. The EOS 300D's darker blacks do give the impression of a 'punchier' image but this is simply a difference in tone curve and could easily be achieved with a different parameter setting on the D70.

Studio scene comparison (ISO 200 vs. ISO 100, JPEG)

Camera settings:

• Nikon D70: Nikkor 50 mm F1.4 D, Manual Exposure, ISO 200, JPEG Large/Fine,
  Manual WB, Default Parameters ('Normal'), Self-timer
   
• Canon EOS 300D: Canon EF 50 mm F1.4, Manual Exposure, ISO 100, JPEG Large/Fine,
  Manual WB, Default Parameters ('Parameter 1'), Self-timer

Nikon D70	Canon EOS 300D
ISO 200, 1/2 sec, F9	ISO 100, 0.8 sec, F9
2,745 KB JPEG (3008 x 2000)	2,673 KB (3072 x 2048)

Dropping the sensitivity of the EOS 300D down to ISO 100 produces (as we would expect) a very clean image with no visible noise (even at the 200% magnification used above). Clearly this is a noteworthy advantage the 300D has over the D70 which can't match the Canon's low shadow noise. It's worth noting a few more of the 'strange dot' artifacts seen in previous Canon D-SLR (CMOS) reviews.

Also available for download

• Nikon D70 ISO 200 (Vivid) - 2,762 KB
• Canon EOS 300D ISO 200 (Parameter 2) - 2,648 KB *

* Same tone / sharpness / color balance as EOS 10D