Is The Nikon D7000 Still A Good Camerahttps://www.fidelity.com/customer-service/customer-logout

Review based on a production Nikon D7000 with firmware V1.00, 1.00, one.002

When it was announced in September the D7000 took a lot of people by surprise. Although a D90 successor had been on the horizon for some fourth dimension, what wasn't expected was how close in specification terms the new camera would turn out to be to the D300S. In some respects, in fact, the D7000 actually outguns its (supposedly) semi-pro cousin, and offers a compelling upgrade option to both D90 and D300S owners, whilst nominally sitting between the 2 in Nikon's electric current lineup.

Although ergonomically, the D7000 is a very close match for the D90, its overall 'feel' is considerably more than serious, thank you to a magnesium blend body shell and slightly thicker prophylactic coating on the hand grip and rear of the camera. At xvi.2Mp the D7000 offers the second highest resolution of whatsoever Nikon DSLR, backside only the 24Mp D3X. All of these pixels are packed onto a newly developed CMOS sensor, which is almost certainly the aforementioned or very similar to that in the Sony Blastoff SLT-A55. As well as extra resolution, the new sensor besides offers a higher 'standard' ISO bridge of 100-6400, expandable up to the equivalent of ISO 25,600.

The D7000'due south AF and metering systems are also new, and represent a significant upgrade to those used in the D90. The new camera boasts a 39-point AF array with 9 cantankerous-type AF points and works in collaboration with a new 2016-pixel RGB metering sensor to let 3D AF tracking (substantially tracking by subject colour, explained here). Other changes include the same combined alive view/movie switch command as the 3100, and a significantly upgraded movie specification, up to 'full HD' - 1920x1080 resolution at 24fps. Unlike the D90, the D7000 can also maintain AF during live view and movie shooting, thank you to its AF-F ('full time') AF manner.

D90 owners accept been waiting for a replacement camera for a while, and although the D90 isn't set for retirement quite yet, the D7000 certainly represents a compelling upgrade. It took longer than we'd hoped for a production D7000 to exist supplied to the states, only now that nosotros've had one for a a few weeks nosotros've been able to produce an in-depth review. Read on to find out what we recollect of Nikon's newest DSLR...

Nikon D7000 Key Features

16.2MP CMOS sensor
1080p Hard disk video recording with mic jack for external microphone
ISO 100-6400 (plus H1 and H2 equivalent to ISO 12,800/25,600)
39-point AF system with 3D tracking
New 2016 pixel metering sensor
Scene Recognition System (see 2016 pixel sensor, above) aids WB/metering + focus accuracy
Twin SD bill of fare slots
three.0 inch 921k dot LCD screen
New Alive View/flick shooting switch
Full-fourth dimension AF in Live View/pic modes
Upward to 6fps continuous shooting
Lockable bulldoze fashion dial
Built-in intervalometer
Electronic virtual horizon
Shutter tested to 150K actuations

Positioned aslope the D90 and D300S, the D7000 is clearly a lot closer to the old than the latter in terms of its size and control layout. The similarities betwixt the D90 and D7000 don't run much deeper than the surface level though - where specifications are concerned, on paper, the D7000 at to the lowest degree matches and frequently surpasses the abilities of the D300S in several key areas.

Nikon D7000 and Nikon D90: Key differences

The D7000 sits above the D90 in Nikon's current lineup, and equally befits its new position in the range, the D7000 combines elements of the D90 with elements of the D300S - Nikon'due south current APS-C flagship. The almost obvious concrete inkling to its new position is a magnesium alloy trunk shell, which up to at present has been reserved for Nikon's summit-end APS-C and full frame cameras.

'Under the hood' though the differences are legion - a new 16.2MP CMOS sensor, dual card slots, a new 39-point AF array, 'true' Hd movie mode with full-fourth dimension AF and more customization options, some of which are inherited from Nikon'due south professional DSLRs. Similar the D90, the D7000 supports AF with Nikon's older AF and AF-D lenses (lower-terminate models are limited to compatibility with AF-S and AF-I optics only) but additionally, because the D7000 has an Ai indexing tab on its lens mount, up to nine 'non-CPU' lenses can also be registered with the photographic camera.

This allows the use of virtually whatever Ai specification or later lens to be used in discontinuity priority or manual fashion with the D7000, with nigh no loss of functionality (apart from AF). Novice DSLR users might never await across the horizons offered by their kit lenses, merely for the enthusiast, legacy support similar this could well be a deal-clincher.

The overall dimensions of the D7000 are very similar to the older D90, just the heavier, magnesium alloy body crush and thicker rubber on the hand grip lend it a noticeably more 'serious' feel.

Higher resolution sensor (xvi.2MP vs. 12.3MP)
Pick of 12-bit or 14-chip NEF (RAW)
1080p HD movie mode
Express pic editing functionality
AF possible during video shooting
Live View switch (basically the same equally D3100)
Faster AF in live view fashion.
Twin SD card slots
Non-CPU lens data function (allows registration of upwards to 9 non-Yard lenses with manual apertures)
Magnesium alloy trunk shell
Wider ISO bridge (100-25,600 including 'H1' and 'H2')
Newly developed 39-signal AF system
'Quiet' single frame advance mode
'Proper' mirror lock-up (as distinct from 'exposure delay fashion')
Lockable drive style punch
College maximum frame rate (6fps) with a Continuous Lo shooting option (1-5fps)
100% viewfinder
Choice of 12-bit or 14-bit NEF (RAW) recording in compressed or lossless compressed formats
Up to 9 'non-CPU' lenses can be registered (same as D300s/D3s/D3X)
New EN-EL15 lithium-ion battery

New MB-D11 battery pack (magnesium blend construction)

Ergonomically, the D7000 and D90 are quite similar, and every bit y'all can see from this view of the dorsum of the two cameras, in terms of its control layout, the D7000 is very shut to the D90. Some controls accept inverse slightly (the D90's 'Lv' push becomes a bound-loaded switch for case) simply the number of control points is the same and everything is basically in the aforementioned place.

Compared to the D90 and D300S: cadre characteristic and specification differences

	Nikon D7000	Nikon D90	Nikon D300S
Structure	Magnesium alloy body	Polycarbonate	Magnesium alloy trunk
Sensor	• 23.6 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor • RGB color filter array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 16.two million effective pixels • RGB Color Filter Assortment • xiv-fleck A/D converter	• 23.half dozen x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor • RGB color filter assortment • Congenital-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 12.iii million constructive pixels • RGB Color Filter Array • 12-bit A/D converter	• 23.half-dozen x xv.8 mm CMOS sensor • RGB colour filter array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 12.3 million effective pixels • RGB Colour Filter Array • 14-chip A/D converter
ISO range	• Auto ISO (100-Hi2) • ISO 100-6400 in 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments • H1 and H2 (ISO 12800 and 25600) expansion • Adjustable Auto ISO limit	• Auto ISO (400-H1) • ISO 200 -3200 in 0.three or 1.0 EV increments • L1 (ISO 100) and H1 (ISO 6400) expansion • Adjustable Auto ISO limit	• Automobile ISO (400-H1) • ISO 200 -3200 in 0.3 or ane.0 EV increments • L1 (ISO 100) and H1 (ISO 6400) expansion • Adaptable Auto ISO limit
Movie resolution*	• 1920 x 1080p (24fps) • 1280 x 720p (30, 25, 24fps) • 640 x 424p (30, 25fps)	• 1280 x 720p (24 fps) • 640 x 424p (24 fps) • 320 x 216p (24 fps)	• 1280 10 720p (24 fps) • 640 x 424p (24 fps) • 320 10 216p (24 fps)
AF sensor	• 39 AF points • 9 cross-type sensors	• 11 AF points • 1 cantankerous-blazon sensor	• 51 focus points • 15 cross-blazon sensors
Metering sensor	• TTL exposure metering using 2016-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV	• TTL exposure metering using 403-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV	• TTL exposure metering using 1005-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV
Viewfinder	• Eye-level pentaprism • 100% frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: nineteen.five mm • Type B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark 2 with AF expanse brackets • Built-in diopter aligning (-iii to +ane.0m^-1)	• Eye-level pentaprism • 96% (horizontal and vertical) frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: 19.5 mm • B-blazon BrightView Clear Matte Screen Two with AF area brackets • Built-in diopter adjustment (-ii to +1m^-1)	• Centre-level pentaprism • 100% frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: xix.5 mm • B-type BrightView Clear Matte Screen II with AF expanse brackets • Built-in diopter adjustment (-2 to +1m^-ane)
Continuous shooting rate	• Approx six fps max	• Approx 4.five fps max	• Upwardly to approx 8fps with AC adapter or MB-D10 pack and batteries other than EN-EL3e
Retention format	• SD/SDHC/SDXC (dual slots)	• SD/SDHC	• Meaty Flash (blazon I and UDMA) (dual SD/CF slots)
Dimensions	Approx 132 10 105 x 77mm (5.2 10 iv.1 ten 3.0in)	Approx 132 x 103 x 77 mm (five.2 x four.1 ten iii.0 in.)	Approx 147 x 114 x 74 mm (five.viii ten four.5 10 two.nine in)
Weight (inc bombardment)	780 yard (i.seven lb.)	704 yard (i.v lb.)	918 g (two.ii lb.)

*In movie mode, 30fps is actually 29.97fps, 24 is really 23.976fps.

More about gear in this commodity

People become interested in photography in many different means, and at different stages of life. Some are hooked early on, while others discover the joy of making photos much later on. For Kira Morris, it was the isolation and natural beauty of life in Antarctica that inspired her to accept up photography. Read more

Like many of our site readers, Rajesh Bhattacharjee is a cocky-taught photographer who connected with other photographers online and in person to help amend his craft. He's a groovy traveler, spending his free time in National Parks pursuing great landscapes. Based on his portfolio, we'd say he's plant more than a few. Take a expect at his images and read more in our Q&A. See gallery

Nikon has posted a firmware update for its D7000 digital SLR. Firmware v1.02 brings a host of bug fixes and improvements relating to noise reduction, movie playback and editing, and RAW processing with Capture NX ii or ViewNX 2. The firmware is bachelor for immediate download from the company'southward website.

Nikon has released the promised firmware update for it's Nikon D7000 digital SLR in response to concerns raised about video. Firmware v1.01 aims to reduce the occasional occurrence of vivid spots while recording videos or in the live view mode. The firmware is available for firsthand download from the company'southward website.

Just Posted: Our review of Nikon's D7000 mid-range DSLR. Nikon surprised many people past pushing its enthusiast DSLR distinctly upwards-market just as Canon was doing the opposite with its 60D. The outcome is such a highly specified camera that it'southward generated almost as much involvement from existing and would-be D300S customers as from the traditional D90 audience. So, after our usual in-depth testing and real-world use, what do its xvi megapixels, 39 AF points, 6 frames per 2nd and 14-chip RAW add up to? Read our full review of the Nikon D7000 to find out.

Latest sample galleries

Latest in-depth reviews

After waiting over a yr, Chris and Jordan finally had a gamble to test the new Canon RF 100mm F2.8 L IS Macro. Is this the macro lens to crush?

Sony has just announced its updated 24-70mm F2.8 GM Ii and there are a host of impressive upgrades. We took this new lens around a very soggy downtown Calgary to encounter how information technology performs.

The Nikon Z9 is 1 of the all-time cameras nosotros've ever tested. But is it the best of the all-time? Chris and Hashemite kingdom of jordan have been testing the Z9 with the new 2.0 firmware for a while, and they have the answers.

1 of our favourite things most Micro 4 Thirds is the variety of tiny, sharp lenses. How does OM System's meaty 40-150mm F4 Pro lens hold upward under scrutiny?

The Nikon Z9 uses a stacked CMOS sensor to power its beginning pro-level mirrorless camera. With firmware ii.0 at present bachelor, we've reviewed the fast-shooting stills and video camera designed to win-over Nikon's professional DSLR users.

Latest ownership guides

What'south the best camera for shooting landscapes? High resolution, weather-sealed bodies and wide dynamic range are all important. In this buying guide nosotros've rounded-up several corking cameras for shooting landscapes, and recommended the best.

If you lot're looking for the perfect drone for yourself, or to souvenir someone special, nosotros've gone through all of the options and selected our favorites.

What'due south the best photographic camera for effectually $2000? These capable cameras should be solid and well-built, have both speed and focus for capturing fast activity and offer professional-level image quality. In this buying guide we've rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing around $2000 and recommended the best.

Most modernistic cameras will shoot video to i degree or another, but these are the ones we'd look at if you lot plan to shoot some video alongside your photos. We've chosen cameras that can have keen photos and make it easy to get not bad looking video, rather than beingness the ones you'd choose as a committed videographer.

Although a lot of people simply upload images to Instagram from their smartphones, the app is much more than just a mobile photography platform. In this guide we've chosen a selection of cameras that get in easy to shoot compelling lifestyle images, ideal for sharing on social media.