NIKON D7000: My Review

Is NIKON D7000 the best DX format DSLR camera ever? I have this question since 15 September 2010, the day this model was launched. Just yesterday, I came back from a brief trip to Hanoi and with a fatigue body, I dragged myself  to KL Photofest 2010 in Mid Valley to find out the answer.

The Specification

New 16.2 MP CMOS Sensor (NIKON DX Format)

ISO 100 to 6400 (Expandable to 25600)

New 39 Focus Points

NIKON latest image-processing engine, EXPEED 2

NIKON latest 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor (now only available in D7000)

Full HD Movies (1920 x 1080p, 24 fps)

High-speed continuous shooting at 6 fps

Twin SD Card Slots

And more… I just named a few interesting, important features and details. You can find out more from NIKON website.

The Feel
Once I grab the NIKON D7000, I have this familiar feeling... oh yes, it feels like my old NIKON D90. For me, the grip is good and it fits nicely in my small palm and short fingers. It feels tougher than NIKON D90 thanks to the magnesium alloy body and thicker rubber coating. The adoption of new Multi-CAM 4800DX Autofocus Sensor Module makes the 39 focus points work very well. The automatic focusing is fast and smooth with the NIKKOR 18-105mm kit lens. The 3 inch 921k dot LCD screen is crystal clear and crispy sharp but don’t be too happy with this because you will be disappointed when you view the photo in your computer LCD monitor.

The operation and controls is pretty much similar with NIKON D90, almost identical except NIKON D7000 has a unique Live View Switch and movie record button. Perhaps the biggest changes NIKON D7000 has is the Mode Dial. It has a second drive mode dial which is only available on higher end model like NIKON D300s, D700 and D3 series. The second drive mode dial controls the shooting frame mode, timer, ‘Quiet’ mode and mirror lock-up function.

Other interesting features in NIKON D7000 includes the new U1 and U2 setting which allows you to assign frequently used settings including ISO sensitivity and exposure compensation. Just rotate the mode dial for instant recall such preset settings. NIKON D7000 has 2 Auto White Balance setting namely AUTO1 ‘normal’ and AUTO2 ‘keep warm lighting colors’. I have tested this two AWB setting and I reckon it might solve some color cast problem especially in warmer lighting condition.

My Recommendation
Before the announcement of NIKON D7000, there were rumours that NIKON will launch a replacement of the very popular NIKON D90. In fact at this point, the new NIKON D7000 position is in between NIKON D90 and NIKON D300s. It serves a very good upgrade option for those who possess an entry level (NIKON D60, D3000, D5000) and mid range (NIKON D80, D90) DSLR camera.

So, if you are a new comer with a slightly ‘bigger’ budget and you like NIKON DSLR cameras, then NIKON D7000 is a very good choice for you. It comes with a handful of latest technology and advance features. Trust me, you won’t regret what you buy this time…

I have to admit that on the very day when NIKON D7000 was launched, I have the sudden impulse to sell my NIKON D300s in order to buy a new NIKON D7000. Based on the specification of the camera, the features available in the NIKON D7000 is so impressive and easily beat D300s in almost every aspect. But hold it NIKON D300s users out there , after I have tried several times again on the NIKON D7000, believe me your NIKON D300s is still a better camera in terms of handling and control, customization with comprehensive and detail shooting menu. Now, I will rather wait for the NIKON D300s replacement in 1st quarter of 2011. Happy shooting!