By Andrew Liszewski
For the past 6 years my Nikon D70 has been a phenomenal workhorse of a camera, and while it’s not the greatest low-light performer, I haven’t found a significant reason to upgrade it. Until now. Today Nikon officially unveiled the replacement to their D90 with the D7000 which is targeted at “Photo Enthusiasts” according to their press release. But there’s a lot for even professional photogs to like:
Continuing the tradition of innovative technology that began with the revolutionary D90, the first D-SLR to capture HD movie, the D7000 features a new 16.2-megapixel CMOS sensor with low-light ability never before seen in a DX-format (APS-C) camera. The new EXPEED 2 TM image-processing engine fuels the enhanced performance of the D7000 along with a new 39-point AF system and groundbreaking new 2,016 pixel RGB 3D Matrix Metering System to deliver amazing image quality in a variety of shooting conditions. Additionally, the D7000 D-SLR provides full 1080p HD movie capability with full-time auto focus (AF), enabling users to capture their world with both striking still and moving images.
Like I said my only complaint with my D70 these days is its low-light performance and noise even when boosting the ISO to just 400. But the D7000 boasts a native ISO range of 100-6400 which can be expanded to a “Hi-2” setting of 25,600. The D90 was quite a champion when it came to low-light photography, and I expect even better results from the D7000. And even though I’m still pretty apathetic towards it at this point, the D7000 also improves on the D90’s video recording capabilities with the ability to capture 20-minute 1080P/24fps clips with full-time autofocus (including face priority and other AF functions) and manual exposure control. If for some reason you prefer the video-like look of 30fps you’ll have to drop down to 720P. Clips are captured as H.264 files which can actually be edited or trimmed in camera, and since video gobbles up a lot of storage, those looking to pick one of these up for their next low-budget feature will appreciate its dual SD card slots.
The D7000 will be available sometime in October with a body-only MSRP of $1199.95, or you can pick one in a kit that includes an AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens for $1499.95.
[ Nikon D7000 ]
I want this soooooo soooo bad!