Nikon D700 or D7000

[PrettyInInk87]

So my bf finally agreed to buy me my camera. I'm between these 2 and am very excited to get my hands on one and start learning (I can do all of the reading in the world but I'm a hands on learner). What do YOU think abOut these 2. Preferably those of you who have had experience with both. Pictures welcome! The cheaper price on the D7000 only means I get it quicker.

 

[Trever1t]

Two very different platforms. If you have the $ for the D700 go for it but in all likleyhood if you have to ask it's probably way more camera than you need. The D7000 is a great camera, the flagship of consumer camera.

 

[KmH]

The D700 does not have many of the auto features the D7000 has (see below). The D700 is an advanced, prosumer, FX image sensor DSLR camera. The D700 is designed to primarily use Nikon's more expensive, mostly professional grade, FX lenses, because the generally less expensive DX lenses do not project a large enough image circle to fully illuminate the D700's full size FX image sensor.

The D7000 is Nikon's top of the category entry-level consumer DX (APS-C size) image sensor DSLR. The D7000 can use Nikon's DX (consumer and prosumer grade) and FX lenses because the FX lenses project an image circle much larger than the DX image sensor.

If you already have a good understanding of the technical and artistic aspects of doing photography, the D700 may be the one for you.

While the D7000 is a recently released camera, the D700 is over due to be replaced by the D800(?) soon because of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last year. How soon, only Nikon knows.

The D700 has none of these D7000 consumer grade scene modes:

Autumn Colors
Beach / Snow
Blossom
Candlelight
Child
Close-up
Dusk / Dawn
Food
High Key
Landscape
Low Key
Night Landscape
Night Portrait
Party / Indoor
Pet Portrait
Portrait
Silhouette
Sports
Sunset

 

[PrettyInInk87]

Thanks! Sorry. I haven't logged in for quite some time. Still haven't gotten my camera. :/

 

[TheFantasticG]

D7000 does vidoe, D700 doesn't.

Side by Side Comparison: Digital Photography Review

In a lot of respects, the D7000 is a better camera and the same could be said for the D700. It is just a matter of which feature set is important to you. So go through the list above and decide which meets your needs better. Done.

 

[jamesbjenkins]

I have both.

In my experiences, the D700 images are vastly superior when shot under the same conditions. Cleaner images, better FoV, much better viewfinder, I could go on.

The D7000 is a consumer camera. The D700 is an entry-level pro camera. That should be the basis for your decision.

 

[hukim0531]

There you go. Just buy D700 from James!

 

[jamesbjenkins]

There you go. Just buy D700 from James!

I should have put the disclaimer that I realize my post may sound biased as I'm currently trying to find a new home for mine. Anyways, all the positive things I listed about the D700 are also true about the D3...

 

[greybeard]

I have a D7000 and I feel it is the best thought out piece of photo gear I have ever owned. Nice ergonomics and image quality that is all I need.

 

[cgipson1]

I would say a person starting out should go for the less expensive body.. and buy better lenses! A PRO body with consumer (kit) lenses is not going to be better, and might even emphasize the poor IQ of the lenses. A top end consumer / enthusiasts body like the D7000 with good glass will produce better IQ.

Unless of course, the OP is also going to invest in a more expensive body and more expensive glass?

 

[jamesbjenkins]

^^^

If you have to choose between body and glass, generally speaking the glass is always a better long term investment.

That said, if you have the resources, the D700 is an excellent choice.

 

[orb9220]

Yep starting out leave a big chunk of your budget for good glass,flash and good tripod. If you are going to eat up the majority of your budget for a D700 body. Then Don't! As it won't mean superior camera putting cheap lenses on it.
.

 

[Patrice]

Hi Gabbie,

Your bf is offering you a very nice gift, he deserves a hug.

I'm an old fart and so I'm going to offer an old fart suggestion.

Go to a store and ask the counter guy to get one of each out for you to see how they feel. The D700 is a bit larger than the D7000 so check to see if it feels right to you. Will it be too heavy? Can you reach the important buttons comfortably?... Play with both of them a bit.

The D700 is a really good camera that will still be a really good camera in 7 or 10 years. The D700 has a full sized 35mm format sensor while the D7000 does not. A lot a photographers, me among them, learned small format photography using 35mm (135 format) slr cameras. The advent of the D700 gave us an affordable digital camera with an image format we learned on. I did use crop sensor cameras (D100, D70, D200) and got used to the limits of the format but I much prefer the images I manage to create with my 'full frame' D700.

Here is my old fart advice: Get the D700 and one lens, a 50mm prime is a good choice. Learn to take photographs. Leave the other lenses on the store shelf until you know what you want in a lens and that will be suitable for the images you then want to create. A bag full of zooms starting out is not the best way to go, in my opinion anyway. Get a good body, one decent lens, a decent polarizing filter, a decent flash and a decent tripod. Learn the craft, don't worry, it's not very complicated. Soon you'll know what lenses you'll need to up your game. You'll be able to judge price vs quality vs functionality. It's good advice to buy good lenses that will last a good long while, but not right off the bat. Don't get sucked in by a bunch of gear gurus into getting a bunch of zooms and primes of any quality, before you can decide yourself what it is you want.

Anyway, have fun deciding and give your bf a smootch.

 

[Redwing24]

i had the same problem torn between 700 and 7k, i already have a sigma 24-70 2.8 so i could have gone ff, but i wanted video and a d800 is out of my price range. Having a d90 either of these 2 are an upgrade. I decided on the 7k for video and for the fact the rumors of d600 will be coming out hopefully with video and ff and be around 1500. Seems like my next purchase.

 

[skinnyboy_74]

Both are fantastic. I had a d7000 for about a week and loved it. Prior to getting it I had a d90 and the upgrade was huge (something I was always contemplating when I shot primarily with the d90. The d7000 has a lot of great features and paired with good glass, is a great, great photographic tool. However I was always on the hunt for the d700 and within a week I was able to find a used one and had to grab it. Alas the d7000 went back to the store, but the d700 is one fantastic camera. I mainly do weddings and portraiture so it fits my needs perfectly. All depends what you'll be using it for!