Nikon introduced their D70 DSLR after the Canon D60 and before the Canon 10D.
Nikon later came out with the D50, D40, D60, D80, and D90 before switching to 4 digit camera numbers for the consumer/enthusiast line of camera bodies. Image the confusion if Canon had not changed their camera naming scheme
I am not into Nikon, but I am sure that the d70 wasn't in at the time of the 10d. At that time, d60 it was the Nikon D100 that was compared to. This continued up to the 10d. If my memory serves me right, the canon d30 came around 1999. The Canon D60 about 2001. The Nikon D100 or about 2002. And by that time, I think 2003, the canon 10d, then 7 months later the bombshell, sub U$1,000, 300d. I will not dwell on the earlier Nikon D1 and D1H lines as they are not aps-c sized to my recollection. And they are also in direct competition with Canon's 1Ds and 1D family.
The D70, to my recall, didn't came out till later (ca 2004?) as I remember suddenly Nikon got themselves trapped with the d100 naming convention, and had nowhere to go to match the Canon 300d. Before the 300d, it was like a one-to-one match to the xxD family. But to address they xxxD Canon, they have to start a different line. That's where the D40, D50 came in. They jumped back to address the 300d threat. The d100 was supposed to be the direct competitor to the Canon xxD bodies. Eventually, they did release a d200, and a d300. There was no d400, though people were expecting that. It took them a long time to get the d300 out too. People were getting antsy and some angry for the long delay.
I think the D70 came out after the 10d. This could be late 2003 or early 2004, most likely 2004. There was a change in strategy then, but I won't discuss that here. I know this camera because a lot of my friends in the Nikon camp got this. I think this was also the first one made in Thailand. I remember this model for 2 things. It had a greenish tint in jpg that was hard to correct, horrible in low light, and the first batches had lots of returns or repairs due to breakdowns. It was in those times I was glad I got the 300d, even if it was not of the same feature set as the d70. I eventually also got a canon d60 by around that time to augment my 300d as I was already doing pro work. It was still cheaper than a 10d.
The Nikon d80 was a big improvement IMO. Not sure what year it came out. Could be 2006. It corrected the many mistakes and problem of the d70. That is why I see very few or none d70 existing today.
The d80 was fine, but it was the d90 that was the pinnacle of improvement. I think it came out 2008 or 2009. Now that was a first in many. It had video, it had clean high ISO vs Canon cameras, it was well built, etc. And I think the 18-105 VR also came out about the same time. Also a very good lens with VR and a longer range. To this date, I still see many d90's working and are easily sold 2nd hand. I don't see d70 because probably they were so bad that many didn't survive the frequent breakdowns.
Eventually, they had to switch to 4-digit numbering/naming because they started with the d100 (there were other prototypes then if you don't do a d45, d55 in your line, you are going to run out of numbers soon! And since they don't like to use the "mark II, III, etc" designation, they had to go 4 numbers!
By 2010, I was not interested any more as we basically stopped doing pro work due to clan/family problems we have to take care of. The last camera I bought new was the 400d around 2008 (or was it 2007?). And that was that. I never bothered with the 450d, 500d, up to the 700d. As for the xxD line, I never bothered about them too, but I did see how the canon 40d and 50d were seriously outclassed by the d90 then. The d90 leapfrogged the xxD and xxxd canon lines that took maybe 5-7 years for Canon to catch up to Nikon as far sensor improvment goes.
I only recently took a look at the 80d which I think is a fine camera. it competes well with whatever Nikon's new numbering has to offer (D7500?). All I knew that Canon sort of stagnated a bit in the sensor development about 2008-2009. Newer models were basically the same with maybe the addition of video, a flip screen, etc. I think it was only by around the 700d that there was a mild improvement. Then the 750/760d was a big leap So with the 800d/77d, though still modest if based on the previous model. As for the xxD line, I think the 70d was a significant improvement vs the 60d.
As for the 7d family, it was also a big thing as far as AF goes. But in terms of IQ, it was not as big at that time simply because the Nikon d300 and the like were very good also. But the 7d narrowed down the gap a bit. Canon decided to make this 7d line as a cheaper action/sports aps-c body. They may have plans to scrap their sports 1d line (aps-H - 1.3 crop factor) and consolidate the it as one for the pro level.
I don't know how the aps-c family will play out. The real issue now really, as I see it, is no longer sensor size. It is how serious Canon is about mirrorless. I am afraid that it's wait-and-see attitude may damage it. Going mirrorless is not just about sensor or AF or metering race between brands. It's a totally new way of doing things. And if people think it's easy and fast to create a new lens lineup, just review the recent past 10 years as to how Sony, Fuji and others (even MFT brands) slowly has to build their lineups. EVen with lots of money, it will still take Canon about 5 years to build a decent line-up, and this is on aps-c alone! We are not talking of 35FF! And if you think adapting old EF and EF-s lenses will work, think again. There is a reason why Sony didn't just re-use the A-lens mount. There is a reason why Fuji had to develop the x-mount. There is a reason why 4/3 is abandoned you have to create M4/3 separately. And this is something Canon will have a hard time to do as it will require a lot of catchup that will take years (5 at least per sensor size). And this is being really fast to market too! If they do become serious, we'll see the same complaints lodged again Sony repeated again!
As for Nikon?
Well, as long as the CEO and top management is not replaced by an outsider(s), they will not be able to innovate and chart their future correctly. That's all I can say about that.
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- Caterpillar
'Always in the process of changing, growing, and transforming.'
