D7000 or D700, my thoughts...

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Stany Buyle
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D7000 or D700, my thoughts...

Post by Stany Buyle »

I was reading quite a couple of threads on different fora from people who want to upgrade from a basic DSLR, or totally newbies who doubt between the new D7000 DX and the D700 FX.
After having used approx all DX format Nikon cameras intensively (D100, D200, D1X and D2x, next to Fuji S5pro and Canon 10D) in a period from 2003 until now and using D3 and D700 both since the day they were available ánd having used D7000 for more than one hour at PhotoKina with over 100 pictures both in raw and jpeg I might have an opinion about the D700 vs D7000 subject... Next to that and important as well is that I was reading the D7000 previews in Chasseur d'Images. TMHO CI publishes among the very best camera and lens reviews worldwide.

For myself the two most important differences between D7000 and D700 are:
1. Photography in low light which I need quiet often for professional reasons, here D700 is at least a stop better than D7000
2. Perhaps a less obvious reason: The difference about noise in flat backgrounds, skies and shadow areas at low iso:
If you look to your images as a pixel peeper (as I am), D300 -compared to D700-, produces quite a bit noise at low iso in flat backgrounds, skies and shadow areas. With D7000 -even though with improvement over the D300(statement based on the Chasseur d'Images review' special notes)-, this won't be different. D7000 images will show backgrounds, skies and shadow areas at low iso which are exhibiting a little more noise than D700 and/or background/skies who will look less silky-clean than D700. Of course you can work around this while shooting RAW and neutral in-camera setting, and use local sharpening, local contrast and things like that in PP. Skilled photoshoppers or skilled NX2 users have no problems with this, but it requires PP time. If you like your final pictures straight out of the camera though, with enhanced in-camera settings-, this will make a difference .
This noise at low iso with my D300 (after "downgrading" from D3 to D300 for reasons of camera size, camera weight and the miss of a PUFlash) was the reason I returned to D3. A couple of months later the D700 came, which is absolutely perfect for me about everything but more expensive for the body and -not necessary though-, more expensive glass.
Also in the D300 Dpreview review this is mentioned:
>http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond300s/page30.asp >■Occasional 'grain' in blue skies, even at base ISO

There are of course many other reasons for choosing one of both great cams:
  • If weight, camera size and lens size is an issue, go for D7000
  • If budget is an issue, even though most people would tend to answer "go D7000" on that question, I want to mention D700 works excellent with less expensive glass like the 28-105 which is still my favorite walk around lens. Bigger pixels are more forgiving for lens imperfections than smaller pixels.
  • If the 1.5 magnification of DX cams and the 16Mp seems important to you, go D7000. At low iso, pictures taken on tripod and with top-quality glass the D7000 should produce more detailed images than D700 in the same condition. While photographing handhold, or with less perfect glass there will be no visible difference at low iso and the D700 will win from iso 800 upwards.
  • If you want movie mode, only one choise...
  • If low light photography is your main thing, go D700...
  • If your concern is dynamic range at base iso for landscape, go D7000...
  • If you want to work with older screw driven lenses like I do with my tamron 28-75 F2.8 on my D7000, go for D700. Bigger pixels are more forgiving for lens inprefections than sensors with a very high pixel density...
  • If your only concern is to have one camera that does it all for still photography, I would prefer D700
If you really don't know what to buy, D7000 or D700, both are great cams and both have their advantages, you can't go wrong with one of both...
kindest regards,

Stany
I like better one good shot in a day than 10 bad ones in a second...
http://www.fotografie.cafe
pam.meier
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Re: D7000 or D700, my thoughts...

Post by pam.meier »

I have not had a chance to use a D7000 yet. But some time ago I and a friend shot side by side in my studio.
My friend and I used the same settings for exposure and when comparing the RAW files I noticed a distinct difference in dynamic range between them.
That is one less obvious advantage of the FX sensor with lower pixel density.
Steve Bingham
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Re: D7000 or D700, my thoughts...

Post by Steve Bingham »

I am currently testing my D700 vs my wife's D300 and my new D7000. No more guessing! :D
pam.meier
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Re: D7000 or D700, my thoughts...

Post by pam.meier »

Ok, Steve, let us know, what you find out ;)
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