Nikon D700 Digital Camera Review
Much talked about and long awaited, the Nikon D700 is the company’s first “compact professional” digital SLR. If, after all the talk and the wait you were expecting something bold and new from Nikon, you’re going to be disappointed. The Nikon D700 is, to be honest, a mix of the D3 and D300 models, blended together to produce something supposedly new. But despite the lack of originality, the Nikon D700 is a good camera that fills a large gap in Nikon’s product line up. The Nikon D700 is really a D3 reduced in size so that it fits into a D300 type body and is meant to take on the Canon EOS 5D and the Sony DSLR-A900.
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Okay so that’s what the Nikon D700 is but the question remains – does it work? The answer is a resounding yes. It shares the same sensor as the D3 – 12.1 megapixels full frame and also has the same processing engine so the picture quality is as good. The main difference between the Nikon D700 and the other two are physical more than anything else. The shutter for example, is rated for 150,000 exposures as compared to the D3’s 300,000. The burst rate is considerably slower and the view finder prism is limited to 95% coverage. The biggest loss is that of the rear LCD information panel.
There is also only one CF card slot as compared to the two in the D3. With the need to fit everything into a smaller package to meet the competition head on, these changes are inevitable. However, the losses are, to some extent, compensated by a self cleaning sensor and a built in flash. The flash has become quite controversial- while no one doubts its utility, the idea of a “professional” camera having a small pop up flash has not gone down well with a lot of people.
Key features of the Nikon D700:
• 12.1 megapixel sensor
• Self cleaning sensor
• Ultra fast start up and minimum shutter lag
• 5 frames per second in continuous auto tracking mode
• 3 inch monitor
• Scene recognition
• Shutter rated for 150,000 exposures
• Strong magnesium alloy body
• Live view with option of phase detect or contrast detect auto focus
• HDMI HD video output
..and lots more than you would normally expect from a camera of this type.
As said above, the Nikon D700 is here to take on the competition from Canon and Sony. Priced at $2999 (the D3 is $5000 and the D300 is $ 1800) it plugs the gap nicely in terms of cost. And it competes well in terms of price and features with the competition. The problem lies not in the camera itself but in the idea of a “compact professional dSLR” and its price. Until the price of large sensors comes down, this is an artificially created market niche.
The Nikon D700 and its competitors are all nothing more than poor relations to the real professional camera. All that has been done is to do whatever is possible to reduce cost and a plug a gap in the product range. Having said that, if you do want a camera that is better than an “amateur” DSLR and can’t afford a true “professional” camera; the D700 should meet your needs.