Nikon Body Purchase

[newfoundlander61]

The main lense for birding is the 80-400vr, so its important that the new body does work well with this lense and isn't  difficult to focus on say flight shots or moving objects. Is the the D7000, to big of a leap from a used D50. Maybe a different model like the D90 would be better for a learning curve and working with my main lense?

[Michael Tam]

In the Nikon line of APS-C or DX format DSLR bodies, the D7000 with a 16.2 MP CMOS sensor, 39 points AF system, a 1080p HD video capability, ISO 100-6400, a new 2016 pixel meter sensor and a twin SD card slot is considered the best crop-sensor format DSLR in Nikon, and perhaps the best in the market.  It outperforms its bigger brother, the D300s except for the higher points AF system, higher buffer rate and higher cfs rate.  With the introduction of the full-frame or FX format D600 with the "D7000 body", one can envisioned a possibility that a "D400" may or may not ever arrive.

The sterling review of the D7000 from all authoritative or reliable sites is seen below:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond7000/

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D7000/D7000A.HTM

http://www.bythom.com/nikond7000review.htm

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d7000.htm

To learn further from the D7000 Brochure:

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/brochure/

If there is any fear of the learning curve from D50 to 7000, it would have been unfounded.  The Nikon menu and body design follows a developmental sequence, so one can build from the experience of using the D50 body with relative ease.  The following User Guide is invaluable to help one mastering all the basics of this piece of photographic marvel:

http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d7000/user ... /index.htm

The real reason why one must not hesitate on this decision is that the Nikon D7000 is currently still on sale at Henry's Camera while it was recently on sale for the same at Downtown Camera for the lowest price available:

http://www.downtowncamera.com/index.php ... t&Itemid=2

http://www.henrys.com/62103-NIKON-D7000 ... -BODY.aspx

Good birding and photography.

[newfoundlander61]

Whats interesting about the 7000 is the ability to Fine Tune the Auto Focus for each of your lenses and the camera remembers each setting for each lense. I have seen on various boards that some refer to this as a "Focus Issue", instead the reality is this is the way its setup so not really an issue at all. Good to know though as some have returned thinking its not working properly.

[Michael Tam]

With respect to the focus issue on the early batch of Nikon D7000, there are different opinions in approaching a fix for the problem that can be read or seen in the following two links:

http://photographylife.com/nikon-dslr-a ... s-problems

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs57G4XTZVE

As for a personal experience, my own Nikon D7000 sample showed an inability to lock focus periodically.  The remedy was a simple suggestion from Downtown Camera to reset the factory default parameters.   The camera has since performed properly with accurate focus with my lens collection.

Good birding and photography.

[Michael Tam]

By chance found on the newest Naturephotograhers.net front page with the image of a Great Grey Owlet shot with a Nikon D7000 and a Nikkor 300mm f4 on a monopod near sunset.  This fabulously exposed image is typical of the D7000 after having upgraded from D90.  Please view this image below:

http://www.naturephotographers.net/imag ... 01826&ns=1

Good birding and photography.

[newfoundlander61]

What a nice photo, looks excellent on large.

[JW Mills]

You may want to wait a bit on the D7000.
Rumor is its replacement may be out soon using a 24mb sensor;
 http://nikonrumors.com/2013/02/15/confi ... ment.aspx/

[Michael Tam]

It is indeed very true that a new replacement may be rumored for those with the "must have the latest" appetite.  However, if economic factor is taken into consideration, the new model may be priced near $1,099 range.  Whereas consider this as an "end of product cycle" deal, the current sale at Henry's Camera for $829 is a very good price for a very good Nikon DX format DSLR.

As from the experience of the D700, a great many purchased it at the end production cycle price of $2,300 before the D800 with a 36 MP sensor was released.  A great photographer friend of mine recently made the move for the D7000 after he was informed of a similar sale at Downtown Camera, having relied on an old D200 for a number of years.  As for myself, I am eternally grateful to have the D700 without the burden of the mega-pixel files and a necessary preference for the Nikon's "holy trinity".  As for the need for the latest, it became known after the fact that the new D600 has an issue of the sensor contamination as well as an inadequency of AF area coverage with the AF sensor module from a DX onto a FX format body.

The moral of the story is that whether the latest at the highest cost is desired or an excellent product at a great value be more preferable.

Good birding and photography.

[cloaca]

FYI, it's $799 at both Merkle and Camera Canada right now.

It was $729 a month ago.   So $829 isn't a too much of a reason to rush into it if you're still undecided.

[newfoundlander61]

I think that 12 - 16MP is plenty for most people shooting unless you do it full time for a living.

[Michael Tam]

The issue of the sensor pixel rating will have a direct relation in the increase in pixel density.  It has been suggested that for a full-frame sensor, a 24 MP rating will offer the optimal performance for a majority of applications.  Therefore, it would infer that for the new "D7100" with a possible 24 MP rating on a DX sensor will have a bearing on the pixel density, noise and other parameters.  To understand further on this issue, the following article may be helpful for one to understand if the pursuit of the higher pixel rating is a desirable consideration in one's investment:

http://www.sphoto.com/techinfo/dslrsens ... ensors.htm

Good birding and photography.

[Michael Tam]

With the introduction of the all-new D7100, there is every reason now to contemplate a decision whether to purchase the new model at $1,229 or the D7000 with excellent value at $799 as soon as possible.  From the experience of purchasing the full-frame D700 just before the introduction of D800, the availability of the former model was rather short-lived indeed.

Please see the sale description still in effect below for the D7000 at Merkle Camera:

http://merklecamera.com/products.html?c ... %5Bmax%5D=

Good birding and photography.