4.3Is it rational to call a $3000 camera a bargain? It is when it delivers nearly all the features of the company’s revered $5000 pro model, which is precisely the case with the Nikon D700. Basically the D700 takes the best parts of two established cameras and blends them seamlessly. The $5000 Nikon D3 contributes a full-frame 12.1-megapixel image sensor with low-noise performance that makes previously impossible photos as simple as pressing the shutter. From the Nikon D300 comes a nearly unchanged body that’s hefty but nicely balanced, tightly sealed against the elements and nearly 20% lighter than the D3. For the full rundown on one of the year’s most important cameras, read on.
Conclusion The Nikon D700 and its big brother, the D3, allow you to take available light pictures in near darkness, with remarkably little image noise. This is not a subtle enhancement: it opens the door to new photographic possibilities. While the most spectacular examples come when you crank up the ISO setting to 6400 or more and go lurking in the dark, the option to shoot at 800 or even 1600 and achieve a hand-holdable shutter speed wielding a telephoto lens, while paying a minimal price in added image noise, is not to be taken lightly.
Beyond this marquee capability, the high-resolution 920,00-pixel LCD made us smile every time we reviewed a photo we'd just taken, and even made Live View mode (not an SLR favorite feature around here) a lot more attractive. The Nikon auto focus system continues to deliver both the speed and sharpness we've learned to expect. And of course you could go broke happily buying additional goodies for your new photographic companion, from the plethora of tack-sharp Nikkor lenses to additional eyepieces, a network adapter and even a GPS for geotagging your photos. Our lab work didn't produce the stellar numbers we expected in all instances, most often because the color-enhancing idiosyncracies of the camera's default settings didn't jibe well with our standardized testing procedures. Shooting in the field, though, we became strong fans of this mini-D3.
Likes
- Noise-free images
- Excellent LCD display -Topnotch overall image quality
- Fast, accurate auto focus
- Nicely balanced for handling ease
Dislikes
- Larger and heavier than most SLRs - Slow Live View auto focus - Expensive
The Nikon D700 and its big brother, the D3, allow you to take available light pictures in near darkness, with remarkably little image noise. This is not a subtle enhancement: it opens the door to new photographic possibilities. While the most spectacular examples come when you crank up the ISO setting to 6400 or more and go lurking in the dark, the option to shoot at 800 or even 1600 and achieve a hand-holdable shutter speed wielding a telephoto lens, while paying a minimal price in added image noise, is not to be taken lightly.