I have bounced back and forth between Nikon and Canon over the years chasing technology as it has grown each year to create much more precise images. My latest sidekick – for quite some time now – has been my Nikon D300. It’s a GREAT camera and has served me well, heck, I’ve even let our students use it during our studio workshops to tether and shoot our models.
I recently had the chance, however, to try out the Nikon D7100 camera body with a few Zeiss lenses as well as Nikon lenses and now I’m on the fence on whether to take the leap and invest in a backup camera. Will it be the Nikon D7100? I test drove this camera for a couple of weeks and found many benefits along with a few detriments to owning this camera. Read on for a few of my finds.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
The Nikon D7100, which was released in February of 2013, has a 24.1 megapixel DX-format image sensor which is terrific for producing large images but watch low-storage memory cards if you shoot in RAW as each image will take up more room than an image sensor producing half as many megapixels. You can find the Nikon D7100 at Adorama for $796.95.
Key Features:
- 24.1 MP
- DX-format
- Dual SD-Memory Card Slots
- Nikon F Bayonet Mount
- Up to 6,000 x 4,000 pixel area
- 100% Viewfinder Range Coverage
- Focusing Screen
- 3.2 in. diagonal LCD Screen
- Depth of Field Control
- Shutter Speed of 1/8000 to 30 sec. in Steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV
- Continuous Shooting up to 6 fps
- TTL Exposure Metering
- Exposure Compensation of ±5 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV
- Picture Controls of Landscape, Monochrome, Neutral, Portrait, Standard, Vivid and User-customizable Settings
- ISO Sensitivity from 100 -6400, Hi-1 (ISO 12,800) and Hi-2 (ISO 25,600)
- Up to 51 Autofocus Points
- Photography and Video Live View Modes
- Live View Autofocus
- Maximum Video Recording Times of up to 20/30 Minutes (High/Normal Quality)
- Move Mode of up to Full HD 1,920×1,080 / 60i
- Built-In Microphone
- Extensive In-Camera Image Editing
I could go on and on with its features, but these features are key features that photographers typically consider when choosing a camera.
Body Design, Ergonomics & Handling
The Nikon D7100 felt very solid in my hands and while I would never test it, I felt if I dropped it, the sheer ruggedness and durability of the camera allow it to withstand the force of a fall. Please kids, don’t try this at home though! The body is very similar in design to my D300 but a bit lighter coming in at 1.5 pounds (body only) whereas my D300 is 1.82 pounds.
Nikon D7100 (left) and Nikon D300 (right). Loupe eyepiece on D300 sold separately.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Speaking of holding the camera, this camera has a very comfortable grip, and considering its weight plus the comfort-grip, it’s not as uncomfortable to shoot portrait-oriented images. Nikon did a good job in spacing the control buttons on the shoulders, front and back of the camera, giving more control and using less time scrolling through the menus.
One thing to note is that the diopter wheel is a little bit of a hassle to modify the settings due to its placement so close to the viewfinder eyepiece. If it is difficult to turn the wheel, consider taking the rubber piece off, setting the diopter and then putting it back on, or, just leaving the rubber piece off altogether.
Display
On the back, the Nikon D7100 has a much larger LCD monitor in width than my D300. At 3.2 inches, you can review your high-resolution images very accurately as well as see very clearly as you record using the Live View mode. It came in handy for a lot of images I took where I didn’t feel like looking through the viewfinder any longer. It was also great when I wanted to shoot video. What I saw on the LCD monitor was exactly the output I got on my calibrated monitor.
The “i” Button
This model has a feature that I hadn’t seen before – the “i” button on the back of the camera on the lower left-hand side. It works like a quick menu while in certain functions on the camera such as when in the Playback menu, the “i” button brings up the Retouch menu.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Liveview
Shooting in Live View mode was a breeze to use. With the press of a button on the back of the camera and the twist of the knob around it, it is easy to set the camera to use Live View for stills or video. Pressing the “i” button during this function allows you to adjust such things like image size and LCD brightness among other adjustments.
Spot White Balance
A new feature that was introduced in this model is the Spot White Balance option which allows you to select an area of the scene that is white to set the white balance while in Live View Mode.
Autofocus Area & Performance
The Nikon D7100 has a 51-point, 15 cross-type sensor autofocus system that seems to evaluate all possible focus points. This is huge change in number over its predecessor and big plus for getting a quicker and more precise focus. It’s hard to miss a single moment as this is a very fast camera. The fact that I shot most of my images with a manual focus lens slowed things up a bit – due to long focus throw, however, once my focus was dialed in, there was no lag in getting the shot.
ISO 640. Shot at f/4.5 at 1/160 of a sec.
Image taken with using a Zeiss 85mm lens.
Continuous Shooting & Buffering
The continuous capture rate stands at 6 FPS for continuous shooting and 7 FPS in 1.3X crop mode before buffering, so it’s difficult to miss a shot.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Connectivity
On the side of the camera is a bunch of options for plugging into the D7100 such as headphones, an external microphone, an HDMI cable, GPS and USB/AV.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Lens Compatibilities
A great feature for those working up to a full-frame camera, the Nikon D7100 is compatible with both crop-sensor (DX) and full frame (FX) lenses allowing many more choices of lenses to use with it and allowing you to build up your arsenal of FX lenses for that future full-frame camera in your sights.
Menus
I was very impressed with the vivid LCD screen color and brightness as I perused through the menus. Everything is very easy to find, and very easy to change quickly once you’ve learned the menu layouts. I highly recommend – after buying any camera – running through all menus and setting your personal preferences, even setting up some personal quick functions to help shooting go a lot smoother. While I included several menu options throughout this review, these are just a few more common menus.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Image Quality
The quality of images that were produced with the Nikon D7100 were pretty impressive and very accurate. Exposure was spot on, colors were vivid and contrast was excellent as shown in my images throughout this review.
Iso 640. Shot at f/4.5 at 1/250 of a sec.
Resolution
This camera model has a quality that was just introduced into this line: no optical low-pass filter. Having no optical low pass filter aids in producing sharp high-resolution images, which I found throughout my Chicago images as well as the image below – allrecently captured using this camera.
Sharpness & Detail
I was very impressed with the sharpness and the detail that this camera model helped to produce especially under quick-capture conditions. In the image below, the skin tone is matched perfectly and the details of his face are very sharp and accurate. He didn’t know I was about to snap this image, so time was of the essence.
ISO 640. Shot at f/5.6 at 1/160 of a sec.
Image taken using a Zeiss 85mm lens.
ISO
The Nikon D7100’s ISO runs from 100 to 6400 with a range expandable up to 25600 equivalent. As I took the image below at ISO 1600, zoomed in, it appears that a little noise was introduced into this night image which is more clearly noticeable in the subsequent image.
ISO 1600. Shot at f/4.0 at 1/25 of a sec.
Image taken a Nikon 18-250 lens.
Closeup of the previous image to demonstrate ISO sensitivity at 1600.
Video
I was majorly impressed with the video that I could capture with this camera. It’s capable of recording HD 1080p at 60i/50i/30/25/24 fps. Most impressive beyond the visual results was the sound quality. The camera has a built-in stereo microphone on the top near the flash unit as well as an external microphone jack and HDMI jacks on the side. The only downside is that you cannot change the aperture while in Live View mode. You have to step out of it, change the aperture and step back in.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
The quality of video on the Nikon D7100 is excellent. I actually shot a musician/artist in the park recently and when playing back, it definitely had a high-quality cinematic appearance. While I used a Nikon 50mm D AF lens on the camera, I loved that as I was filming the musician and moved around him, it would occasionally go out of focus when I moved and then quickly focus back in on my subject. I was in love with the effect that produced. This camera would definitely get my seal of approval for a good documentary film camera.
In-Camera Editing Options
The Nikon D7100 offers extensive in-camera image editing options to help get those images just perfect – right out of the camera. This comes in handy when that editor is demanding your images directly after the shoot when there may be a couple of images that need a few tweaks. A quick fix in the camera and you’re good to go! Some of the editing functions in this model are noted in the next 3 images.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
Image taken with the iPhone 6.
What’s in the Box
Nikon D7100 DSLR Camera Body
EN-EL15 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
MH-25A Quick Charger (Wall Type & No Cord)
DK-5 Eyepiece Cap
DK-23 Rubber Eyecup
UC-E6 USB Cable
AN-DC1 BK Camera Strap
BF-1B Body Cap
BS-1 Accessory Shoe Cover
ViewNX 2 CD-ROM
Nikon 1 Year Warranty
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Magnificent quality build and easy handling
- DX and FX lens compatibility
- Extensive customization options for the camera
- Clear and accurate 3.2” LCD display
- 100% viewfinder range coverage
- Dual SD memory card slots
- In-camera RAW post processing
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Quick and easy “i” button
- High-quality in-camera stereo microphone
- HD 1080p video
Cons
- Inability to change aperture in Live View Mode
- No aperture control in Video mode
- Inability to shoot more than 6 FPS in continuous shooting mode
Conclusion
The Nikon D7100 is terrific camera for its class. If you’re not a professional sports photographer, the lack of ability to shoot more than 6 FPS in continuous shooting mode shouldn’t be a hindrance in purchasing this camera. It’s a comfortable camera to handle with a fast and accurate autofocus, great HD video and many other great features that make this a good camera to have in your gear bag. It’s a very strong contender for a backup camera in my bag.
