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Nikon announces that the D70 DSLR camera has been selected to receive the Camera Grand Prix 2004 award as the single most outstanding still camera. The Camera Grand Prix is the most prestigious award presented to a camera in the Japanese photo industry. It is sponsored by the Camera Press Club, an organization founded in September 1963 and comprised of writers from thirteen of Japan's leading photography and camera publications. This year's selection committee of 51 photographers, scholars, and magazine editors selected the D70 to receive the 21st annual Camera Grand Prix award as the single most outstanding still camera from 172 nominees released between April 2003 and March 2004. This is the 4th time Nikon has received the award, with previous wins in 1984 (the 1st Grand Prix) for the Nikon FA, in 1989 (the 6th Grand Prix) for the Nikon F4, and in 1997 (the 14th Grand Prix) for the Nikon F5. The committee members issued the following statement of reasons for bestowing the honor of camera of the year on the D70: "The Nikon D70 delivers a superior balance of performance, price, and size. Despite being positioned as a new popular-priced digital SLR model, the camera is loaded with features that challenge even higher priced products. It overcomes the traditional weaknesses of digital cameras by realizing fast power-up and fast continuous shooting, and earns special notice for realizing response that is on par with 35mm film SLR cameras while improving practicality and comfort of use. Clearly labeled menu options make operation easier for novices and combine with the camera's other features to make it accessible to a wider range of users, thereby achieving a level where the D70 establishes an entirely new trend in digital SLR cameras.
In addition, the following features help welcome a new era of digital SLR cameras that are ready to perform and accessible to a wide audience:
Quick response that allows shooting the instant the camera is turned on.
3 frame per second continuous shooting for bursts of up to 144 shots.
Fast 1/8000 second shutter speed and 1/500 flash sync shutter speed.
A fast and precise autofocus system.
Menu options that are easy to view and easy to understand.
Quality feel and design that is consistent with the Nikon lineup."
