Nikon D7000: An APS-C Masterpiece

Introduction

The Nikon D90 was one of Nikon's most popular DSLR cameras, both among enthusiasts and professionals. And for good reasons too. It was the world's first DSLR to have a movie mode, shooting 720p high-definition video at 24 frames per second in the Motion JPEG format. So popular was the D90 that two years after its launch, it continued to sell well for the company. Still, it was getting a tad long in the tooth; and with newer and better features introduced in DSLRs from competing brands, it was also begging for a refresh. Nikon finally answered the wishes of many and introduced the D7000.

According to Nikon though, the D7000 isn't exactly an upgrade to the D90. Instead, it sits between the D90 and Nikon's APS-C flagship, the D300s. In some ways, the D7000 does share more with the D300s than the D90, and even outclasses the one-year old D300s in some aspects.

For example, both the D7000 and the D300s share a solid magnesium alloy body, while the D90's was made out of polycarbonate. The sensor is new too, with the D7000 increasing the megapixel count to 16.2MP over the D90 and the D300s' 12.3MP. Recommended ISO sensitivity range is also upped from 3,200 to 6,400, and can be further expanded to 25,600. The D7000 doesn't match the D300s' 51 focus points, or its high 8 fps continuous shooting rate (though we don't consider D7000's 6 fps to be slow either) - but it's better than D90's 11 AF points as it adopts a 39-point AF system, of which nine of the points use cross-type sensors. Last but not the least, the D7000 is capable of full HD 1080p video recording at 24 fps.

Design & Handling

Controls on the D7000 have been slightly tweaked from the D90. It feels busier, with more going on at a glance. A second control ring for shooting modes has been added beneath the Mode dial, which is kept safe from accidental switching by a small release. Instead of a Live View button, live view is now turned on by flipping an LV switch that gives a satisfying spring action. A convenient Record button now sits right inside the switch and makes recording video easier.

The D7000 adds two new preset modes on the Mode dial, which lets you configure settings beforehand and save them. This is very handy, especially if you've favorite settings for different kinds of shots at a single location. Another welcome addition is the dual SD card slots, with support for SDXC. And for all these new features, the D7000 is only just 2mm bigger than the D90 and a slight 70g heavier.

Handling is smooth and easy; everything on the D7000 feels like it's where it should be. The auto-focus is dead-accurate and fast most of the time. In fact, we'd say handling is almost perfect…almost. For some curious reason, the AF mode switcher has been moved to an unmarked button found on the bottom left of the camera, beneath the lens release and sharing a space with the auto/manual focus switch. You can imagine this makes it a little hard to find. If you want to switch focus modes while shooting, you have to feel for the little spot with one hand while switching modes with the other hand. The camera helps by displaying which mode you're using in the gorgeous viewfinder (with approximately 100% coverage), but this is one odd strike against an otherwise great overall handling.

Image Performance

The D7000's resolution showed a significant improvement over the D90 on our test chart, clocking in 1800 x 2200 LPH while the D90 had a result of 1400 x 1800 LPH (higher is better as that means the camera is able to capture finer detail). Compared to the D90, ISO performance is also much improved, even at ISO 1600 images stay noise-free. Only from ISO 3,200 (which by the way is the highest setting on the D90) did we notice the presence of "noise" in the images. In a nutshell, the D7000's high ISO performance is the best we've seen in a long while for an APS-C DSLR.

The D7000 manages to strike a balance between image noise and clarity up to ISO 5000, with images that are usable after some noise reduction in post-production. From ISO 5000 onwards, we found image noise starting to interfere with image detail. Unless it's absolutely critical for you to get that shot, we don't recommend shooting at ISO 6400 and above. Still, that's a lot of latitude for someone to work with.

The D7000 introduces full HD video recording, but at limited frame-rates. Continuous auto-focus is built-in, as is a face detection AF mode, both of which should please holiday shooters. Professionals looking for more control and to avoid the whirring sound of a lens auto-focusing will find the stereo microphone jack useful, but we think the limited frame-rates may deter serious shooters.

Sample Photographs

These are sample photographs shot with the Nikon D7000. The photos have not been post-processed and are copyright to SPH Magazines. We kindly ask that you do not reproduce them elsewhere. Click to see the full-resolution originals.

Conclusion

As a photographer's tool however, the Nikon D7000 is a dream. Except for small niggles like the odd placement of the AF mode button, the D7000 handles beautifully. Its strong and weatherproof body lets you take it almost anywhere with peace of mind, its capable resolution and high sensitivity lets you shoot against most situations, and dual SD slots mean you can double your storage or even create backups right as you're shooting. Oh, and let's not forget full HD 1080p video recording. This is one camera that's been well worth the wait.

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