Nikon D7000 preview

The Nikon D7000 is the company's latest mid-range DSLR. Announced in September 2010, the Nikon D7000 technically replaces the enormously popular Nikon D90, although that model will remain on sale while stocks last. The new numbering clearly positions the Nikon D7000 above the D5000, with the D3100 below both.

Like the Nikon D90 before it, Nikon has deployed the latest technologies on the Nikon D7000 without losing sight of the desires of traditional photographers. The resolution has been increased from 12.3 to 16.2 Megapixels, while the movie mode now captures Full HD 1080p at 24fps with support for autofocus while filming. Continuous shooting has accelerated from 4.5 to 6fps and the viewfinder coverage increased to 100% over the previous 96%.

The Nikon D90's 11 point AF system has been boosted to a new 39-point system, while the metering now employs a 2016 pixel RGB sensor instead of the previous 420 pixel system. Nikon's also toughened-up the Nikon D7000 by using magnesium alloy on the upper and rear plates, whereas the Nikon D90 was all plastic, and there are now dual SD memory card slots.

It's an impressive specification which provides a big step-up from upper entry-level models like the D5000 and Canon EOS 550D / Rebel T2i, but the big change from the Nikon D90's era is Canon now has a new rival directly positioned against the Nikon D7000 in the form of the EOS 60D. Let's take a closer look behind the Nikon D7000's specifications and how it compares against its arch rival.

The Nikon D7000 features a new 16.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor which measures 23.6x16.6mm; as before, this size applies a field-reduction of 1.5 times, so the optional Nikkor DX 18-105mm VR kit lens (same as that supplied with the Nikon D90) delivers an equivalent coverage of 27-158mm.
 
The new sensor delivers images with a maximum resolution of 4928x3264 pixels, which gives it 640 more pixels horizontally and 416 more vertically than the Nikon D90. This allows the Nikon D7000 to produce prints measuring around 16.5x11in at 300dpi. In a nice update over the Nikon D90, the Nikon D7000 takes a leaf from the higher-end D300s and allows RAW files to be recorded with 12 or 14 bit tonal depth and with lossless or lossy compression. The 200-3200 ISO range of the Nikon D90 (expandable to 100-6400 ISO) has been further increased to 100-6400 ISO, boostable to 25,600 ISO. Image processing is handled by the EXPEED 2 processor.

The 16.2 Megapixel resolution of the Nikon D7000 may give it four more Megapixels than its predecessor, but it still falls short by two from the Canon EOS 60D. But in real terms, that only gives the Canon 256 pixels more horizontally and 192 vertically, which equates to prints about one inch larger at 300dpi. We certainly don't expect to notice a great difference in resolving power, so the interesting comparison will be their respective high ISO performance, especially as the 60D stops at 12,800, leaving the Nikon D7000 to offer 25,600 ISO. As always, we'll have to wait and see how final production samples measure-up.

Two years prior to the Nikon D7000, the Nikon D90 kick-started the trend for movie modes on DSLRs. The Nikon D90 could record video at 320x216, 640x424 or 1280x720 pixels, all at 24fps and with mono sound recorded using a built-in microphone. The new Nikon D7000 keeps the 640x424 and 1280x720 modes at 24fps, but adds 25 and 30fps options at 720p and a new Full HD 1920x1080 mode at 24fps. Note unlike Canon's latest DSLRs, the Nikon D7000 does not offer 25 and 30fps options at 1080p.

Unlike the Motion JPEG encoding of the Nikon D90, the Nikon D7000 employs the more efficient (albeit harder to edit) H.264 format, just like Canon's models. This allows recording times of up to 20 minutes per clip, depending on available memory; Nikon quotes around 700MB for five minutes of Full HD, or around half that for five minutes at 720p / 24fps.

The Nikon D7000 not only boasts higher resolution movies than the Nikon D90 with more efficient encoding, but also supports manual control over exposures along with an input for an external microphone. Equally important is the ability to continuously autofocus while filming, although as always we'll have to wait for final production samples to see how well this works in practice. So while the Nikon D7000 lacks the Full HD options at 25 and 30fps of the Canon EOS 60D, not to mention its audio level adjustment, the ability to continuously autofocus while filming could more than make up for it if it works effectively.

Moving onto the core photographic specifications, Nikon's boosted the continuous shooting speed of the Nikon D7000 to 6fps over the 4.5fps of the Nikon D90. This makes it suitable for serious action photography, and in a canny gamble which paid off, also beats the 5.3fps quoted by Canon for the EOS 60D. Of course these are just numbers and the important figures are those derived in real-life, but in terms of marketing, the Nikon D7000 has the edge.

The earlier Nikon D90 already had a decent viewfinder with 96% coverage, but Nikon's raised the game on the Nikon D7000 by equipping it with an impressive 100% coverage. This is an unusual but welcome move in the mid-range market as 100% coverage is normally reserved for semi-pro models costing much more. Indeed you'll need to buy the EOS 7D to enjoy 100% coverage from Canon, as the EOS 60D offers the usual 96%. It's another classy move by Nikon which will be appreciated by traditional photographers.

Unlike Canon though, Nikon reckoned there was nothing wrong with the Nikon D90's screen, so once again we have a fixed 3in panel with VGA (640x480) resolution. Don't get us wrong, it's a nice screen, but this is one area where the EOS 60D takes the lead. The EOS 60D has a slightly wider panel which allows 3:2 images to fill the screen as oppose to being displayed with black bars on the Nikon. The Canon screen also boasts slightly higher resolution of 720x480 pixels, which coupled with the images occupying the entire screen, gives them a visible edge in size and detail during Live View composition or playback.

What's makes the EOS 60D's screen really special though is full articulation, allowing it to flip and twist to any angle. This gives the EOS 60D a big advantage over the Nikon D7000 when it comes to composing in Live View or shooting movies. Nikon clearly believes articulated screens are preferred on lower-end models like the D5000, but we'd have still loved to find one on the Nikon D7000 – it'll be one major specification which has buyers considering Canon instead.

Moving on though, Nikon's made a number of other improvements to the Nikon D7000. It's developed a brand new 39-point AF system with nine cross-type sensors. As before, the active AF points are indicated on a transmissive LCD in the viewfinder, so never clutter the view. Once again the effectiveness of this new system will have to be proven in the field, but it's a significant numerical boost over the nine-point AF system on Canon's EOS 60D – although to be fair all nine of those are cross-type sensors, so in that respect, both cameras are equal.

The earlier Nikon D90 already had a capable 420 pixel RGB sensor for metering and scene detection, but Nikon's further improved it on the D700 with a new 2016 pixel RGB sensor. The face detection system has also been enhanced.

One of the biggest talking points for the new Nikon D7000 though will be the upgrade to its toughness, especially at a time when Canon downgraded the body material of the 60D compared to its predecessor. While the earlier Nikon D90 was all plastic, Nikon has employed magnesium alloy for the upper and rear plates of the Nikon D7000 for greater strength and durability. The rest is plastic though to keep the weight down. It's a clever compromise though, and while the Nikon D7000 is a little heavier than the Nikon D90 as a result, it remains well below models like the D300s. To be fair to Canon, the 60D's predecessor was a higher-end semi-pro model, but that won't stop people making comparisons where Nikon's upgraded body materials while Canon's downgraded.

In a final classy move, Nikon's also equipped the Nikon D7000 with not one but two SD memory card slots. We were unable to confirm at the time of writing, but expect this to offer the same functionality as the higher-end D300s, allowing the Nikon D7000 to backup images as you shoot, or record JPEGs to one card and RAW files to another.

Now let's take another look at how the Nikon D7000 improves upon its predecessor, along with how it measures-up against its new arch rival.

Compared to Nikon D90
    
Nikon's Nikon D7000 resembles the earlier Nikon D90 from the outside and also shares the same 3in VGA screen, but under the hood lie significant differences. In terms of headline specifications, the sensor resolution has increased from 12.3 to 16.2 Megapixels, with a quadrupling in maximum sensitivity to 25,600 ISO. The Nikon D7000 will also record RAW files with 14 bits of tonal data and with lossy or lossless compression.

The 720p / 24fps movie mode of the Nikon D90 is joined by 25 and 30fps options, along with a Full HD 1080p setting, albeit at 24fps only. The Nikon D7000 also makes the switch to H.264 encoding for video, includes an input for an external microphone and even offers continuous autofocusing while filming.

Continuous shooting has accelerated from 4.5 to 6fps and the viewfinder coverage increased to 100% over the previous 96%. The Nikon D90's 11 point AF system has been boosted to a new 39-point system, while the metering now employs a 2016 pixel RGB sensor instead of the previous 420 pixel system. Nikon's also toughened-up the Nikon D7000 by using magnesium alloy on the upper and rear plates, whereas the Nikon D90 was all plastic, and there are now dual SD memory card slots.

These all add up to a significant upgrade over the earlier Nikon D90, both in terms of gadgetry and core photographic capabilities. Those in the market for a new mid-range DSLR should look very carefully at the Nikon D7000, including existing Nikon D90 owners looking for a boost in performance. In the meantime though, the Nikon D90 remains a great DSLR which could fall in price and become a bargain for those on tighter budgets. Keep a close eye on prices, and check our Nikon D90 review for full details.

Compared to Canon EOS 60D
    
Two years ago, Canon and Nikon regularly positioned their mid-range and semi-pro models roughly in-between each other. Back then the Nikon D90 slotted between Canon's EOS 450D / XSi and the EOS 50D, while Nikon's D300 was a step above the 50D. Last year though, Canon pitched its EOS 7D directly against the Nikon D300s, and now the EOS 60D is positioned head-on with Nikon's mid-range category. This makes the Canon EOS 60D the arch rival for the new Nikon D7000, and there's considerable differences to weigh-up

In its favour, the EOS 60D features two extra Megapixels, although they're unlikely to make much difference in practice. It also allows you to shoot Full HD 1080p movies at 24, 25 or 30fps, whereas the Nikon D7000 is limited to 24fps at this resolution; the 720p movies on the Canon are also offered at 50 and 60fps as oppose to 24, 25 and 30fps on the Nikon. The Canon EOS 60D also features a slightly larger screen which matches the shape of its images, while also twisting and flipping to allow easy composition at unusual angles. The articulated screen is the major benefit of the 60D over the Nikon D7000 and will be greatly appreciated by anyone using the cameras to film video. The 60D also lets you adjust audio levels in its movie mode.

In its favour, the Nikon D7000 offers double the maximum sensitivity (25,600 ISO versus 12,800), slightly faster continuous shooting (6fps vs 5.3), a viewfinder with 100% coverage (versus 96%), broader AF with 39 points (versus 9 on the 60D), continuous autofocus while filming video, and more sophisticated metering. The Nikon D7000 is also tougher with magnesium alloy top and rear plates, and additionally features dual memory card slots.

The Nikon D7000 certainly offers more to traditional photographers and the only area where it really falls short compared to the EOS 60D is a fixed screen. But if you're into video, the 60D's articulated screen along with its adjustable audio levels and choice of frame rates for 1080p are key benefits, and as always, we can't comment on their relative image quality until final production samples are tested. In the meantime, Canon may have repositioned the 60D to directly target Nikon's successful mid-range category, but Nikon's not stood still. Look out for our upcoming review of the EOS 60D.

Nikon D7000 final thoughts
  
The Nikon D7000 once again illustrates Nikon's canny ability to satisfy the desires of both gadget fanatics and traditional photographers. Unlike many rivals which often concentrate on the latest must-have technologies, Nikon never loses sight of what its traditional photographers want. So along with 1080p video, a microphone input and autofocusing while filming, the Nikon D7000 also features faster continuous shooting, greater viewfinder coverage, superior metering, dual card slots and tougher construction.

Ultimately it's another very classy DSLR which is likely to sell by the bucketload, and it's interesting while Canon has directly aimed its new EOS 60D against this category, the only area where it really takes the lead is for video with the articulated screen and adjustable 1080p frame rates.