Updated: December 4, 2003

Now that Nikon has announced the D70 development and released a picture, we know a few things about the camera:

• It has an internal flash released by the usual button on the front side of the prism extension.
• It has a hot shoe.
• It has an infrared remote port.
• It has the N75/N80 type red-eye reduction and autofocus assist lamp (white lamp on the shutter release side).
• It doesn't have a threaded shutter release.
• It has front and back command dials.
• It has the N75 style autofocus mode switch on the front.
• It has the N75 DOF button on the front, close to the lens mount at the bottom.
• It has a simplified Mode dial, ala the N75 (it doesn't seem to have the Film Advance lever, though it may have been in a back position).
• The body design is taller than the N75 and uses the D2h styling.
• It's an all-black body design.
• The external connections appear to be under a rubber side cover ala the D100.
• A new consumer-oriented DX lens will accompany the actual product launch.
• US$999 street price without lens.
• 1.5x angle of view change, ala other Nikon DSLRs.

Here's the speculation that has surfaced via somewhat reliable sources:

• EN-EL3 battery (D100 battery).
• Supports 32-bit FAT and WA.
• NEF, TIFF, and JPEG support.

Here's speculation I've heard from sources that are less reliable:

• 6 megapixel sensor (which would make it likely the same Sony sensor as the D100 and Pentax *ist).
• 2 fps.
• 1/125 flash sync speed.
• USB 1.1 connection.

And here's some off-the-wall guesses:

• 4 frame buffer.
• No NEF+JPEG mode.
• Automatic rotation of images via Nikon View.
• 90% viewfinder.
• Same autofocus system as N75.
• Same metering system as N75.