Nikon D7000 DSLR Camera Review

Nikon D7000 DSLR camera review. This camera is the generation we have been waiting. It took two years old to develop, and this is the form of the D7000.      According to Nikon though, the D7000 isn't exactly an upgrade to the D90, instead it sits between the D90 and Nikon's APS-C flagship; the D300S. In some ways, the D7000 does share more in common with the D300S then the D90, and even outclasses the one-year old D300S in some respect.      Both the D7000 and the D300S share a solid magnesium alloy body, while the D90's made out of polycarbonate. The sensor is new, the D7000 increases the megapixel count to 16.2MP over the D90 and the D300S' 12.3MP, and ISO sensitivity to a high of 25,600 over the 6400 ceiling of the D90 and D300S The D7000 doesn't match the D300S' 51 focus points or its high 8fps shooting rate, but it increases the D90's 11AF points to 39, and introduces full 1080P video recording.      Controls on the D7000 have been slightly tweaked from the D90. It feels busier, with more going on at a glance. A second control ring for shooting modes has been added beneath the Mode dial which is kept safe from accidental switching by a small release. Instead of a Live View button. Live View is now turned on by flipping an LV switch with a satisfying spring action. A convenient Record button sits right inside the switch and makes recording video easier now.      The D7000 adds two new preset modes on the Mode dial, which lets you configure settings beforehand aid save them. This is very handy, especially if you have favorite settings for different kinds of shots at a single location. Another welcome addition is the dual SD card slots, with support for SDXC. And for all these new features, the D7000 is only just 2mm bigger than the D90 and a slight 70g heavier.      Handling is smooth and easy; everything on the D7000 feels like it's where it should be. The auto-focus is dead-accurate and fast most of the time. In fact we'd say handling is almost perfect... almost. For some curious reason, the AF mode switcher has been moved to an unmarked button found on the bottom left of the camera, beneath the lens release and sharing a space with the auto/ manual focus switch. You can imagine this makes it a little hard to find. If you want to switch focus modes while shooting, you have to feel for the little spot with one hand while switching modes with the other hand. The camera helps by displaying which mode you're using in the viewfinder, but this is one odd strike against otherwise great overall handling.      The D7000's resolution showed a significant improvement over the D90 on our test chart, clocking in 1,800x2,200LPH while the D90 had a result of 1,400x1,800LPH (higher is better,  it means the camera can capture finer detail). Compared to the D90, ISO performance is also much improved, even at ISO 1600, images stay noise-free. ISO3200 - the highest setting on the D90 is when noise starts to show on the D7000, but it still delivers cleaner images than the D90.      The D7000 manages to strike a balance between image noise and clarity up to ISO5000, with images that are usable after some noise reduction in post. From ISO5000 onwards we found image noise starting to interfere with image detail, and tried not to shoot at ISO6400 and beyond, still that's a lot of latitude for someone to work with on an APS-C camera And we imagine quite a few photographers will enjoy the bigger image sides to work with afforded by the D7000's 16MP images over the D90's 12MP.      The D7000 introduces full HD video recording, but at limited frame-rates. Continuous auto-focus is built-in as is a face detection AF mode, both of which should please holiday shooters. Professionals looking for more control and to avoid the whirring sound of a lens auto-focusing will find the stereo microphone jack useful, but we think the limited frame-rates may deter serious film-makers.      As a photographer's tool however, the Nikon D7000 is a dream Except for small niggles like the odd placement of the AF mode button, the D7000 handles beautifully. Its strong and weatherproof body lets you take it almost anywhere with peace of mind, its capable resolution and high sensitivity lets you shoot against most situations, the dual SD slots mean you can double your storage or even create backups right as you're shooting. This is one camera that’s been well worth the wait.