Nikon’s D7000 Sports 1080p Video And 39-Point AF
Nikon's latest release, the D7000
If you aren’t afraid of spending a lot on gadgetry, love digital photography and are currently on the look-out for a new and improved camera, then you’ve got to take a look at Nikon’s new D7000. Nikon hasn’t announced much lately, despite the massive number of releases from other companies. So it’s nice to see that one of the key players of digital photo cameras has finally introduced a new product to the market. There’s a lot that the D7000 brings new to the table. So much that I’m still considering where to begin. The new DSLR from Nikon was basically designed to suit the needs of passionate photographers who are looking for exceptional performance, a reliable camera and a ton of control in a relatively compact form factor. So, for short, a killer mix of features, design and functionality.
Continuing on the same path it decided to take with the D90, which was the first DSLR capable of capturing HD movies, the D7000 comes with a 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor with low-light ability that was so far un-encountered in a DX format. The feature list continues with a new 39-point AF system and 2,016 pixel RGB 3D Matrix Metering System that’s meant to offer amazing image quality in multiple shooting conditions.
Once activated, 3D tracking will follow moving subjects within the 39 AF points and highlight the activated autofocus point in the viewfinder. Photographers will also be able to activate dynamic or single point AF, configurable in combinations of 9,21 or 39 and a 21 point ring, for matching a high number of shooting styles and situations.
By using Nikon’s exclusive Scene Recognitions system, the camera will analyze subject information with the help of a database that contains more than 30,000 images and it will optimize focus, exposure and white balance. How does this work exactly/ Well, the system reads the data from the 3D Color Matrix Meter RGB sensor (examining the scene’s brightness and color) and then optimizes the camera’s performance right before the actual exposure.
The best part about the D7000 is probably its capability to shoot full HD 1080p movies with full time auto focus. Users will get to enjoy capturing both still images and videos of what they find interesting. They’ll also get to choose between a considerable number of AF functions which include face priority (tracking up to 35 human faces) subject-tracking and normal or wide-area autofocus.
Several other features will allow exposure adjustments while on the move and recording. The camera has variable frame rates and resolutions to offer. It can either shoot in 1080p at 24 fps for high quality videos, or adjust to a web-friendly 720p at 24 or 30 fps. Coming with a HDMI output, the D7000 will allow its future owners to playback video on a home HDTV.
“The D7000 D‐SLR creates a new class of Nikon camera by delivering exceptional quality, control and an innovative feature set; this is a camera that enables D‐SLR users to achieve a true expression of their creative vision, while concentrating primarily on image quality above all else,” said Lisa Osorio, general manager of marketing at Nikon Inc. She also mentioned that the combination between the new features of the “agile” D7000 with the line of NIKKOR lenses and accessories, well known for their quality, offers limitless potential for photographers and filmmakers.
One of the things Nikon is focusing on, is to provide high quality imagery even if it’s being shot in poor light conditions. The D7000 thus has a native ISO range of 100-6400 which allows its user the versatility to take snapshots in virtually any light conditions (indoors, in the evening etc.). The ISO range can be further expanded to a Hi-2 setting of 25,600, formerly found only in Nikon FX-format territory.
Finally, cam makers have to realize that you have to be able to hold their products properly if you actually want to go home with photos rather than hand aches. The Nikon D7000 has a compact design and it’s lightweight enough for a full day’s use, according to the company. The durable camera body includes a magnesium-alloy top and rear end and a 150,000 cycle-rated shutter system. To make sure that the camera withstands some relatively harsher environments, Nikon has made it dust and moisture sealed. A dust reduction system is meant to remove image-degrading particles from the image sensor as well.
On the back of the device you’ll notice a large, bright glass pentaprism optical viewfinder, which is said to have approximately hundred percent frame coverage and 0.94x magnification. The back-mounted LCD is a three inch 921,000‐dot one with a 170-degree viewing angle. It offers bright and clear image playback. As always storage capacity can be expanded with the help of two SD card slots that support SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards.
Of course, after reading all this I assume you don’t expect Nikon’s new D7000 to come cheap. The camera will start shipping towards stores in the middle of October this year and the D7000 body only will sport an estimated price tag of $1199.95. The body + lens outfit including a X Zoom NIKKOR 18‐105mm f/3.5‐5.6G ED VR lens can be had for a total of $1499.95.
