- 24.1 megapixed DX-format image sensor
- Shoot up to 6 frames per second for up to 100 continuous shots
- Wireless sharing and control with WU-1a adapter (not included)
- ISO range from 100 to 6400
- 1080p videos with full-time autofocus and built-in stereo mic
My simple summary is that this camera is a bargain and that those already inclined to own the best the DX camera Nikon sells should get one.
Having worked for years with the D300 and the D7000 bodies, my perspective on this one is influenced by what I think is good about those two popular cameras. I hoped that the D7100 would really improve in the areas of autofocus, shadow noise, and overall resolution/acuity. This camera has not disappointed me, and has even a few minor improvements I wasn't expecting.
Of first importance, shooters of the D7000 will appreciate the big improvements in AF (you probably know how sketchy that camera is to focus, especially compared to the 51-point standard set by most older/current pro bodies). It's fast, accurate, and doesn't get fooled into moving if you recompose. On single focus mode, it simply acquires and holds where you want. And the tracking AF is on par with Nikon's pro standard. This is huge for me, since I love the quality of images the D7000 gives but hate the unreliability of its AF. Acquiring focus in low light seems a bit snappier and more accurate than even the D300.
The resolving power of this sensor is unlike any DX camera before it. Because the D7100 doesn't have an anti-aliasing/low-pass filter on its 24 megapixel sensor, I knew it would be able to show a perceptible increase in resolving detail over the older D7000, and again I am glad to report it does IF you use good glass, stopped down a bit, and process from the RAW files. My test shots captured with the Tokina 11-16 and Nikon 70-200 have blown me away. The acuity when zoomed in is night/day compared to the D7000. However, if you use mediocre glass then the only differences you'll notice are larger files and slightly better dynamic range.
In DX images, shadow noise has generally appeared too stippled even at lower ISO values, rendering a texture that the FX sensors don't have at the same ISO's. The D7100 has definitely improved this. The texture gradient is more uniform and it reminds me of the D600 in this way. Although I haven't done tests above ISO 1600, the shadow textures are more uniform and pleasant (natural?) on skin than the previous DX cameras.
Shooters familiar with Nikon's pro camera ergonomics will appreciate that the D7100 has added the quick magnification/zoom feature to the `OK' button on the rear thumbpad. It's great for snappy, quick inspections at defined zoom ratios to check for focus accuracy. This feature is nonexistent on the D7000 and the D600. I find it very handy and preferable to the +/buttons.
Speaking of the +/buttons to the left of the LCD, I have no idea why Nikon reversed their positions on this camera. It's a small thing but still annoying.
I'm still getting used to the new viewfinder display, so the jury is out.
The two-shot HDR feature isn't what it should be since it doesn't align the images. I'd use the bracketing feature on a tripod and be done with it.
I like that there's finally a lock button in the center of the program mode dial to avoid accidental switching, which happens too often on the D7000.
The rear LDC screen is slightly larger and also a bit crisper to my eyes.
The overall fit/finish is solid and secure. I have big hands so I only wish it was the same form factor as the D800 (hey Nikon, give us a D400 already), but at this price I'm not complaining.
I wish Nikon could squeeze out better battery performance from their cameras, frankly, and the D7100 hasn't improved upon what has become normal for the past couple years.
Sorry, but I don't mess with video so I cannot speak to this.
As a still image camera (in the DX format) the D7100 has really set a new standard. Even though I'd buy a D400 if it came out tomorrow, there's nothing stopping me from enjoying the D7100 today as the best you can get. I feel that the price is low for what it is and can create. Highly recommended...
Buy Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Now
***UPDATED 3/18/13 TO INCLUDE SOME MEMORY CARD BUFFER BENCHMARKS IN MEMORY CARD SECTION***This review is aimed at people who are relatively new to photography (~couple years), as I am in the same boat. There will be much more thorough reviews on Amazon for people who are already serious photographers, written by people who are actually serious photographers.
General Impression:
A wonderful upgrade from my D5100 after 2 years of heavy use. This camera is obviously aimed at a different person than the D3x00 or D5x00 series as it offers quick access to advanced features without having to go through tons of menus.
Construction/Feel:
This camera feels like a series camera. Coming from the all plastic D5100, this thing is built like a tank. It is noticeably larger than my old camera, which is due to the fact that it has more knobs and wheels.
Controls:
One of the main reasons I wanted to upgrade from an entry level dSLR was so I can quickly change settings without having to hunt through menus to do so. This camera fits the bill very well and has a few major upgrades from my point of view. Fistly, the U1 and U2 settings are invaluable. Being able to have a group of settings stored such that I can revert back to them by turning one knob is major. Several times in the past I have been trying to compose one shot only to have a completely different shot appear that required different settings altogether. This takes a while to do on the more entry level camera and has been very annoying. Something that may not seem that important but I love already is the depth of field preview button. I enjoy being able to see what the aperture setting will actually look like without having to take a shot and review on the LCD. The final feature that I love are a collection of buttons/knobs/wheels that allow me to change things like shooting mode (continuous, timer, etc), AF mode, ISO setting, etc without having to get into a menu. I haven't quite committed their location to memory but once I do I won't even have to take the camera away from my face to make the changes. Again, this section here is really the reason I wanted to upgrade and I am not disappointed.
Auto Focus:
The 51-point AF on this camera has been a dream to use. I almost always keep the camera set to single point servo autofocus so I can select the point I want it to focus to. As long as you have some contrast, it is very quick and accurate to focus. A big positive in this camera over the lower level ones is that it DOES have a built in AF motor which means it will autofocus on lenses that do not have a built in motor. I do have the Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 which lacks a motor, so I was stuck manually focusing it on my previous camera. I notice this camera has a much faster focusing speed compared to the D5100 and also is able to focus in low light better, I believe its supposed to be a 1 stop improvement.
LCD Screen:
I do/will miss the rotating/articulating screen the D5100 had. I can understand why on a semi-pro/prosumer camera they would remove it (it could fairly easily break off and does seem like somewhat of a gimmick), but I mainly enjoyed it because i could turn it around to protect the screen while transporting. This screen is definitely a better quality though and shows much more information.
Noise:
Wonderful sensor, great signal to noise ratio. With my D5100 I would start to see things go down hill around ISO1600-3200. With this camera, I will be bumping that setting up to 6400 which gives me 1-2 stops of slack to play with. A little noise reduction in editing software makes the images completely usable. Very happy with the noise. I'm guessing the full frame bodies do a better job in this category, but this camera does all I need it to. Also, still waiting for Lightroom to update their camera compatibility.
Image Quality:
I'm not a pixel-peeper nor do I have the extensive experience to really discuss the image quality. It takes good pictures if I compose good pictures.
Battery Life:
No complaints. I have gotten a couple hundred shots off and still have half battery life. I do expect to buy another battery at some point for times when I might be taking a couple thousand shots over a weekend.
Memory Card:
I enjoy being able to put two SD cards in here and plan to always use them in the backup mode (in case one should sheet the bed). VERY IMPORTANT, BIG DEAL HERE: The memory you put in is very important. From my D5100 I had a few Transcend 16 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E. When I got the D7100, i felt the camera was not shooting as fast as it should. I then bought one SanDisk Extreme Pro 32 GB SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 Flash Memory Card 95MB/s SDSDXPA-032G-AFFP and would like to explain the results of my tests. So i set up on a tripod the same shot with each card at 14bit RAW uncompressed, as many as the camera take in 30 seconds. The only difference was the cards. The results are astounding and are not a typo. I got 68 shots with the sandisk and 23 with the transcend. That's right, almost 3x as many. Additionally, but unrelated to the camera, when copying 30 pictures (at 23mb a piece) to my MacBook Pro, the Sandisk took 13 seconds and the Transcend 41 seconds. If you aren't getting high performance out of your memory card, definitely look into upgrading.
Flash:
The built in flash is pretty puny, which seems to be par for the course. It does provide some nice fill lighting if you're outside taking pictures where there are some shadows on your subject, but for shooting inside it's marginal at best. I bought the very reasonably priced Nikon SB-400 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras and have been very pleased with the combo. The external flash adds the ability to bounce light off the ceiling and not waste the camera battery while doing so. This camera does have the Nikon flash commander ability which I will no doubt take advantage of at some point.
Conclusion:
If you're starting to outgrow your lower tier DX camera, get this one you won't be disappointed. I already have quite a few DX lenses and don't feel like replacing them with FX lenses and I actually prefer the crop factor (1.5x teleconverter in effect) on my big nasty 70-200 2.8.
Highly recommended.
Read Best Reviews of Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Here
I picked up the body three days ago, as an upgrade to my D90 I was particularly interested in the weather sealing, how it performed without an AA filter, and some of the goodies that filtered in from the prior model, like the dual SD slots.Coming from the D90, this is simply an astounding upgrade in terms of image rendition, range, light sensitivity, and performance... but it takes spending some quality time becoming familiar with it to truly appreciate it.
If you are the sort of person like me who simply starts tweaking things in advance without really testing them, then you can easily make things difficult for yourself. Case in point: 51 AF points. Coming from the D90, where I had 11, this seemed to be a really good thing, and it CAN be, in the right scenario. However, if you blindly set it to use 3D tracking without considering your subject, the sheer density of the focus points combined with certain subjects can lead to a lot of focus-shifting back and forth. The solution to this is to either use pure auto focus (and I know you purists are shaking your head already at that one, I know I was at first), change the AF mode to AF-S, or use less focus points. I suspect if I had just left the focus as it shipped, I wouldn't have seen any issue at all.
Much of what is new to me, like the custom modes, won't be new to somebody coming from the D7000, so I won't go into detail on those. It does feel that this has become the definitive DX camera to track action sports and wildlife in particular, given the new crop mode (which is of no use to me) and the aggressive focus tracking. But there's plenty in there for other shooters as well, and the extra resolution and light sensitivity is never a bad thing. What this really means is that this camera really has two types that will be particularly interested in it... If you are looking to shoot action affordably, this is your new camera. If you are an experienced user looking for the most advanced DX format Nikon has to offer at this time, this is also your camera. However, if you are a novice, or if you are not willing to spend some time tuning it to how you work, this may be too much camera for you.
It also seems like many of the enhancements were for movie modes and I'm a stills guy, so I can't speak to those. Technically, I'm sure it's amazing.
From an image resolution standpoint there are two things that may give a false impression that this camera doesn't perform as you would expect. The first: Sharpening is set extremely low by default, so the first time you zoom in to 100%, you are probably going to have a question or two. Dialing up the sharpness fixes that quite nicely if you are a sharpness junkie. The second: Your own technique. And by this, I mean knowing what aperture to shoot in, really knowing how to be steady, knowing how to release the shutter without adding rotational motion There are a ton of factors that could affect this. So if you are still aren't happy with the sharpness after dialing it up, set your camera in aperture priority, dial it up to 8 (or whatever is optimal for your lens, but 8 is a safe bet), set it on something heavy, check your focus in live mode, and use a timer release mode. You will quickly see where the problem is, and unless you have a really awful lens, I'll take the odds that it's NOT the camera that is the problemThis thing is SHARP. It is only limited by the lens and the operator.
Now, for those of you worried about moire, I have some good news for you: I've been shooting repeating patterns pinstripes, grid textures, you name it trying to create moire. I have yet to succeed... I'm sure it's possible, but I haven't been able to coax it out yet. Point is it will take some effort to make that happen, and I don't think that should factor in your decision.
My gripes are incredibly minor. The new "i" menu screen is laid out very intelligently and greatly eases camera operation, but it also just about makes the "info" button redundant I'd rather have had the ability to hit "i" or "info" twice once to show info, the other to open the menu and have the ability to remap the additional button to something else.
Quiet mode, well, isn't very. Probably not distinct to this model over any other Nikon SLR with quiet mode, but I was expecting more.
And why did Nikon take away my ability to toggle on the info screen along with the LCD backlight?
These are minor gripes, and I'm hard pressed to come up with anything. I've seen people complain about the buffer size, but I just shot 32 full-size JPGs at full speed before it started slowing down as I was writing this. There may be some focus issues for some people, but for me it was technique along with camera settings. I've been looking for things to criticize, and it's just not that easy. What I have is a truly significant upgrade that has astounded me with its performance, and is an improvement in every way from the already strong D90 I was coming from. There's a lot of ways to shoot yourself in the foot with settings, so you need to be mindful of what you are tweaking, but there's a lot of power to be unlocked as well.
Very highly recommended.
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I've extensively used the Nikon D80, D200, D7000 and now the D7100. I've sold images from all of these cameras. While this last step did not "skip a generation" it is a significant step up that ladder.The build quality is solid, the AF is very, very fast and accurate with Nikon, Sigma and Tamron lenses. The metering is accurate with a large dynamic range in the exposure, and the resolution is wonderful. I've adjusted the sharpening up 2 spots, from factory '3' to '5', and have found already sharp resolution increased, without artifacts!
This camera is the real deal, and Nikon has truly hit a home-run with this one.
Simply put, it's a bargain priced gem.
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Comparing this camera to the D600, I have found that color rendition and sharpness are nearly identical. The D7100 is a little lighter (noticeably), and has some slight differences in the button arrangement on the back. For example, the D600 has a button dedicated to picture control (standard, vivid, etc.), while the D7100 has the "I" button (which takes an extra step to get to picture control). The D7100 has the very handy zoom feature on playback, which allows you to set the OK button to zoom into the focal point upon playback. I missed this feature on the D600 (which the D800 has too).So the sensor size does not seem to be a factor in color/sharpness, but it is definitely a factor in high ISO noise. A comparison at high ISOs shows a clear difference in the two cameras, with D600 looking much better. I see a very slight difference already at ISO 500.
I didn't see any difference between the LCD screen quality indoors.
The D7100 has some other nice advantages, like better focal coverage and higher flash sync speed, so it is difficult to decide which is the better camera. Sometimes the DX crop factor is useful (like for zooms), but other times the FX is useful (for wides, or if you don't want lenses like the great 85mm 1.8G to be to close).
In short, two great cameras. The D600 is lacking some features, and the D7100 is lacking (compared to the D600) at high ISO. D7100 is a probably a better buy overall, but neither is the better camera for every user.
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