Dilemma: D70 + S&S Housing vs G10

So one of my bosses is saying he's going to sell his barely used D70 kit plus his DX-D70 housing for about $1500 to $2000. MAYBE a bit cheaper. What I'm wondering is weather it'd be more worth it to get a G10 with it's OEM housing + a S&S strobe instead. My main land camera is my D70s so I'm already as comfortable as can be using Nikon DSLRs and to make matters worse, the guy let me test the thing out today. Feels like a whole 'nother world compared to the Canon P&S I usually use (an A630 I think); and this was with the kit lens! Whats putting me off is the price and the fact that even my own D70s seems a bit old and in need of upgrading to something in the range of a D90.

So what do you think the better choice would be? Is there a real answer? Either way I'm determined to get my own underwater system. I'm currently just using whatever is available at the moment at the research centre where I work (which is basically just a Canon or Sony P&S, place only has two cameras ). Saving up to get a D90 and it's housing would just take too long and I'd probably just end up being terribly depressed thinking about all the images I'm missing.

Oh and other than standard underwater use, I'd also be using it in the surf.

If you'd like to judge my work (if that enters into the equation), the link to my flickr is in my sig.

Thanks guys

So one of my bosses is saying he's going to sell his barely used D70 kit plus his DX-D70 housing for about $1500 to $2000. MAYBE a bit cheaper.

I don't know what he is throwing in for that money but unless it include a few ports and lenses that would seem like a lot to me.

The going rate for a DX70 housing is around $500 (in the UK as least) and another $1500 would certainly buy a couple of new ports and lenses.

I have not used the G10 but compared to the compacts that I have, an SLR is far more intuitative and easier to capture that shot that you want. Added to which, once you come to upgrade the G10 you are starting afresh. At least with a second hand DX D70 you can retain the ports.

Daniel

1500-2000? Waaaaay too much. Can buy a new D200 for $500 or so.

Offer him $750 Thats the problem with digital age, a 5 year old camera is not worth much these days

If not, then yes, you are better off with the G10 and a strobe.

Cool, thanks guys.

I'll try to negotiate with him to bring the price down a bit, if not, I guess I'll go the G10 route. I'm tempted to try and find a used housing for my D70 anyways now though. I just finished playing with the RAW files and holy crap! WB adjustment just works so bloody well. If anything I'd say RAW was made for UW work haha.

IQ wise, how does the G10 compare to the D70? I know how bad P&S are at handling noise and detail compared to DSLRs, but how does the G10 compare to the D70 up to ISO400? D70 still wins?

edit: And are the RAW files from the G10 just as good and manipulable as the ones from DSLRs?

Difficult...

... the D70 produces great images, but is restricted (sunbursts, low-light, enlargement) compared to the current DSLRs. The G10 may be better in some ways, but in others it's a dead end. I use the ports and lenses that I used with my D70 with my D200, and will take them on to the next upgrade (sticking with the DX format).

The D70 is old, though; very old in the world of digital photography. If you search ebay you can see how little old cameras fetch, and a seller who doesn't appreciate that is asking to stay in possession of their old system...

... and the housing, fitting only that camera, depreciates just as fast.

Tim