D7000 Review (AKA: my thoughts after a week or so of use).

Someone PM'd me asking about the D7000. I wrote a lengthly response that I decided might be better as a thread.

Here it is:
I got a D7000 for 3 reasons:
1. I want a camera that can do pretty nice video with a shallow DOF.
2. I want a light crop cam for telephoto work (something I can just put in my bag without too much worry about weight).
3. A second camera to my D3s (for event work)... this reason isn't turning out so great, as I'll explain later.

The D7000 is quite nice for a crop (DX) cam. The AF tracks fairly well and the video is good (which is why I got it mainly). Though the full time AF on video mode sucks big time. So prepare to manual focus if you want to do video.

It's a lot smaller than my D3s (which is a good and bad thing) so I got a grip for it straight away. YMMV on the form factor. Personally I find the body too small (hight) for my hand when used without the grip. This is a personal thing though. Their are more than enough buttons for everyday settings and the info button on the back lets you fairly access (via rear LCD) other common settings like video settings etc.

The high ISO took a little getting use to (not use to having noise at 800iso) It's very good for a crop cam though. I'd put it 2 stops below the D3s and 1 stop below the D700 (from what I've seen). Which is actually quite good. You can use it up to 3200 without too much worry IMHO. Though I'd stick at 1600 and below as much as possible. In comparison I can go to 12800iso with the D3s as a max much but I prefer to keep it 6400iso or below. With a D700 (from what I've seen) I'd go 6400 as a max and prefer to keep it 3200 and below. Of course there's exceptions to these (like when I want to get a picture in pitch darkness and the IQ isn't a problem).

As for lenses. I've only really used my 24-70 2.8 and 28-300 on it. Both work fine. I want to get a 30 or 35mm to put on it for video work as well. This would give me a fast lens that can blur the background for videos of interviews (which I need to do a lot). I also have a 50 1.4 for when I can get the camera a bit further back or if I want the 85mm look.

Overall I'm very impressed with the D7000. I'd recommend it to any Nikon user that's looking for a crop camera. In fact it's the ONLY Nikon DX camera I'd recommend (since it's better than the D300s IMHO). The video is really pretty, but the full time AF sucks. The AF for stills is very good (not quite D3s levels, but close enough in most situations). The noise is great for a crop cam (only 1 stop below the D700) and the noise has a fairly nice even look to it.

Now (as promised) onto why reason 3 isn't working out so great. Basically it's not the fault of the camera, it's just that I'm using it mainly as a video camera. When I shoot events now I use the D7000 with a LCD light panel on the top (for extra light). This makes it very awkward to use it for photography (the panel hits my forehead and I guess makes me look weird(er) than usual. I'm half thinking of picking up a D700 as well as a second still camera to go with the D3s. Then I could use the D7000 purely as a video camera to go with my Canon XF300 video cam. The D700 would also give me the same FOV that the D3s gives, and it would be only 1 stop worse (I'd use my 24-70 on it and my 70-200 on my D3s). Since I work events a lot and this combo actually makes sense.

Awesome, thanks Ninja !

NP mate, let us know what you get.

I bought a D7000 as well. I don't use it for video as the manuals on the camera that I have purchased say that the battery can get really hot with videos up to 10 minutes. I use it strictly for still and mostly for family events, macro ad landscapes. I have a 60mm micro and have just ordered the 105mm. I love the camera and sometimes it feels a bit too big in my hands. I guess that's the difference in the sexes. All in all, I love the camera and would recommend it to anyone wanting a good non-pro camera. There's quite a bit of a learning curve with all the menus and buttons, but it is definitely worth the time to really learn to work with this camera.

The D7000 is simply an excellent and well-thought-out camera. I was impressed with it after handling it for five minutes, and I grow more impressed by the day. I'm actually using it along side my D3X for landscape work to increase the effective focal length of my 85mm PC-E lens. It's also an absolutely gorgeous camera for travel and street photography. Frankly, I think that Nikon has created a camera that beautifully fills the niche of the Leica M9 (from a practical user perspective, rather than the collector / cameras-as-art perspective). The thing is very fast to work with, incredibly quiet, compact, offers an astounding array of features including a lovely 100% viewfinder, and seems to take knocks well. My only wish is that the selector dials on the top left of the body could be illuminated for use in dark conditions.

It will be very interesting to see what the D300s successor is like given that the D7000 represents such amazing performance and value.

Great comments from a different perspective!

I'm gonna reply in bold here:

srfotog wrote: I bought a D7000 as well. I don't use it for video as the manuals on the camera that I have purchased say that the battery can get really hot with videos up to 10 minutes.

I wouldn't worry about that. I used it for more than 10 min and the battery felt fine, they're lawyers are just being cautious.

I use it strictly for still and mostly for family events, macro ad landscapes. I have a 60mm micro and have just ordered the 105mm. I love the camera and sometimes it feels a bit too big in my hands. I guess that's the difference in the sexes.

Yeh I'm a semi-large fella. I'm 190cm (6.2 feet) and 103kg (227lb) and have man's hands I'm also use to the D3s which is much bigger.

All in all, I love the camera and would recommend it to anyone wanting a good non-pro camera.

Actually I think a "pro" can use a D7000 to get great work. I know what you mean though.

There's quite a bit of a learning curve with all the menus and buttons, but it is definitely worth the time to really learn to work with this camera.

Well that's actually relative. If you've used a D3s or D700 or D300 etc. before it shouldn't be a problem.

Justin Black wrote: The D7000 is simply an excellent and well-thought-out camera. I was impressed with it after handling it for five minutes, and I grow more impressed by the day. I'm actually using it along side my D3X for landscape work to increase the effective focal length of my 85mm PC-E lens. It's also an absolutely gorgeous camera for travel and street photography. Frankly, I think that Nikon has created a camera that beautifully fills the niche of the Leica M9 (from a practical user perspective, rather than the collector / cameras-as-art perspective). The thing is very fast to work with, incredibly quiet, compact, offers an astounding array of features including a lovely 100% viewfinder, and seems to take knocks well. My only wish is that the selector dials on the top left of the body could be illuminated for use in dark conditions.

It will be very interesting to see what the D300s successor is like given that the D7000 represents such amazing performance and value.

Thanks Justin. Excellent post. I agree with it being quiet. It's amazingly quiet. I was quite shocked. Put it in Q mode and no one would know you took a shot. I also totally agree about Leica.

Well, I haven't ever been priveleged to own a D3s, D700 or D300, so for me, and I am sure for many who purchase the D7000, there is a huge learning curve to locate and remember where to find the various options. I've worked with Canon SLRs for close to 30 yrs. as an amateur, so I am not new to photography, but a new camera should be a challenge or why buy it! I'm just wondering why you would buy the D7000 mainly for video when there are so many video cams out there that would fit the bill or are they all too small for those big manly hands?

srfotog wrote: Well, I haven't ever been priveleged to own a D3s, D700 or D300, so for me, and I am sure for many who purchase the D7000, there is a huge learning curve to locate and remember where to find the various options. I've worked with Canon SLRs for close to 30 yrs. as an amateur, so I am not new to photography, but a new camera should be a challenge or why buy it! I'm just wondering why you would buy the D7000 mainly for video when there are so many video cams out there that would fit the bill or are they all too small for those big manly hands?

Well everything new has a learning curve I suppose.

As for the video question. Yes I have a quite expensive and good video camera (Canon XF300) I got the D7000 for the shallow DOF basically. I can also use it for telephoto work (stills). It basically fills a few holes in my workflow.

Good review. You've pretty much talked me into one to add reach to my Super Tele when I get it. Plus hands on with my friends has me sold.

Scotty wrote: Good review. You've pretty much talked me into one to add reach to my Super Tele when I get it. Plus hands on with my friends has me sold.

Yeh it's a nice little cam.

I'm thinking to get glass now. D800 is a while away and I've decided I don't NEED a D700 right now.