Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital -SLR with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 Auto Focus-S DX VR ED Nikkor Lens

I had to make a major decision before buying the D7100: FX or DX. I have been dithering for quite a while and have a hodge podge of Nikon lenses. FX lenses include the 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/4.0, and a TC-14E II teleconverter. DX lenses include the 10-24mm and the 85mm VR micro. My belief is that DX was the right way to go for me because 1) good DX cameras produce superb photos, 2) I can buy less expensive lenses because the pretend focal lengths are larger, 3) only the sweetest part of FX lenses (their centers) will be used, 4) DX camera bodies will remain less expensive, and 5) my default print size is only 13"x19". This introductory paragraph is not to convince you that DX is the right way to go but to explain why I bought this camera instead of a D600 or D800. Let me start by saying that I love this camera! Nikon managed to do a few stupid things that I'll mention below but let's talk about the positives first. The shutter release - including focusing, VR, and metering - is so fast that it's hard to press just half way to lock readings. I'm sure there is some shutter lag but I couldn't measure it. Focus is spot on with all my lenses and I have not used the capability to do individual lens adjustments. Other positives as reported by most other reviewers: camera feel (solid); good controls; sensible blend between menus, buttons, and dials; viewfinder setup and image size; etc. I have read some other reviewers that say this camera isn't very sharp. Not so! If you have moved up from a 10-12 megapixel to this one, you can be fooled as I was. I typically pixel peep in photoshop with the image at 100%, i.e., one picture pixel per one monitor pixel. You are looking at a much smaller piece of real estate in this mode when you have twice as many pixels per unit area and that means that you are looking at smaller, less contrasty details. Remember, manufacturer's MTF curves pretty much measure contrast as an approximation to sharpness. Of course the pictures look "oh my god" sharper when you print them since they have twice as many pixels per unit area on paper. I shoot 14-bit raw images with loseless compress and rarely use the 1.3 crop mode though I've mapped crop mode to one of the external buttons. Warning, the full-sized raw files are 25-30 megabytes and that means you can only store about 35 files per gigabyte of hard disk. So make your plans carefully before buying your next large pixel-count camera. Further, photoshop 16-bit psd files from D7100 images take 137MB on disk. I think that I would have bought a less capable camera if I were not shooting raw and running a 16-bit post process. Raw and 16-bit processing are not snobbery, rather they allow me to make up for virtually every type of error at picture-taking time except bad focus, bad subject selection, and excessive camera shake. That for me is the big advantage of digital photography but the D7100 or any other large pixel-count sensor makes you pay in disk storage. Now lets talk briefly about a few snafus. SubjectDistance is a standard Exif parameter and used to be generated in all Nikon DSLR images. ApproximateSubjectDistance is not a standard EXIF parameter but D7100 firmware generates it instead of SubjectDistance! Why is that bad? Three reasons: 1) photoshop will not display the field, 2) ViewNX 2 - Nikon's own software - dosen't display this nonstandard field either, and 3) Nikon support staff will not comment on whether or not either, neither, or both software and firmware will be repaired. The simplest way to recover the information is to load the sidecar file created by photoshop into a text editor and search on "distance" and read a fractional number. I can also convert that distance from metric if I like using a pencil or a calculator. Only a diseased mind could cause such nonsense. Another snafu reported by many in these reviews is the smallish memory buffer that limits rapid shooting. Memory is really cheap - I'd guess that for a two dollar bill, four times as much memory could have been included. I almost never use multiple shot modes or bracketing; rather my problem arises when my shutter finger gets itchy. This is a rarely occurring issue but the symptom of an outrageously dumb parting decision. I have rated this camera 5 stars in spite of these silly design flaws. However, I'd pay money to enter a raffle to paddle Nikon suits who impose these decisions. (The other manufacturers are just as lame.) It's a great camera, impressive in so many ways. Picture quality is great and the camera is capable enough to allow top-notch image capture despite a huge number of tough environmental conditions.

I have only had this camera or a week now, but I have to put in a review because it is just that good! Nikon did an excellent job with this camera. I have shot about 500 pictures and different events over the last week and the image clarity and detail is superior to the D3100 and D5100 that I have had in the past. Outside photography is really easy with any camera, so I wanted to do a real comparison to indoor image quality with limited lighting so, I snapped on my 1.8G lens and went inside to shoot an event and I got outstanding results. The depth of color is amazing and the detail in the images were just amazing. Removing the low pass filter helps this camera excel in the low light environment excellent move on Nikon's part. The grain is smaller at identical ISO's compared to the D5100. The camera body is laid out well. They squared things off in comparison to the D5200 thats out now, and changed the LiveView switch over to a button which I like. Everything seems to be just in the right place for my hands. I don't have really large hands so it just works. I did get this camera with the kit lens, since it was immediately available versus the body alone. I must say that I'm impressed with the kit lens. it only goes down to 3.5G at 18mm which isn't bad but if you want to reach out and grab a shot at 105mm your aperture moves up to 5.5 which requires a shutter speed adjustment or ISO boost to get the shot. Fortunately adjustments in manual mode are quick and easy since you have 2 quick adjustment dials, and ISO adjustment is right there at your left finger. I didn't like that the default setting is to see the shot count on the viewfinder versus ISO, but its a quick change in the menu system to make the ISO your default display option. Another awesome feature that was added is the white balance adjustment. Now you can frame up your reference shot, shoot a gray card in that scene, select the gray card in live view and make the WB adjustment right there and save that as one of the presets for the shoot. No more batch editing in Lightroom. Totally awesome!! The only gripe I have on the camera right now, and its not on the camera itself is that Adobe Lightroom hasn't been updated yet to read the RAW files from this camera. I can read them in photoshop but thats a 1 by 1 process and I need to get them into Lightroom so I can do some batch processing. Knowing that shortcoming, I shot RAW+JPEG all week so I could still get them into LR and get the photos out to clients. If you are looking for an excellent camera for DSLR photography and don't want to make the plunge in FX format. This hands down is the best DX format camera on the market PERIOD. Don't look anywhere else. UPDATE: Used the camera to shoot some 1080P video. In manual mode you have full control over the ISO, fStop, and Shutter Speed. Having full control over your exposure for video is awesome. Haven't used a DSLR for video work before, but now I can see why its so popular. You have easier access and control over everything. Its even better than my pro HD camcorder that I own. Can't wait to get outside this spring and see the quality of video with lower ISO's. Had to shoot between 2000-4000 ISO to get good exposure at 4.5g inside with contrasting light and dark areas in the room I was shooting in.

The camera is amazing for the price. The 51 point AF system is a dream. Its accurate and can be navigated quickly. Being able to hit the "OK" button to return back to center AF point is also a plus. When taking photos you can use the "OK" button to very quickly check focus and then the command wheels to scrub through faces. Its speeds up the process so much. As for the files I have not even bothered with jpeg, shooting in RAW the whole time. Thus far the images are crisp and clear. I have no problems with the lack of AA filter. On the contrary the images coming from my lens are sharp as a tack! I shoot with Sigma and Nikon and have had no problems with lens compatibility, back focus or front focus. I have shot a few weddings with it since buying the camera. The battery life is a little shorter but I had back up batteries ready (as you always should) and was able to swap out only one time in the shoot. To resolve the problem I am going to pick up the grip soon. But keep in mind that I was shooting a wedding and was firing off lots of images. If you are a weekend warrior the battery life is more than enough. The back LCD screen is clear and big. It lacks the typical cover that Nikon usually places on them, and there is no real indication of why. Or even if the new screen is gorilla glass or what. So far I have no scratches but its still very new. This is not a deal breaker but an odd break from the traditional. Button layout is typical Nikon. I do like that they have modified from the D7000 and now mirror the D600. Its very easy to have a D600 as a primary shooter and use the D7100 as a wonderful second camera body. 1.3 crop is the best thing you never knew you didn't have. i find myself reaching for it all the time. Take my 70-200 lens. While its a bit of a pain to figure out the focal length just bear with me. The normal crop factor for the camera is 1.5 (DX) then you can crop down again to the 1.3. The takes the (200mm) x (1.5) x (1.3) = 390mm. The easy way to remember this is almost double your focal length with in crop mode. So a nifty 50mm becomes a 97.5mm and so on. The cost for this is that you go from 24MP down to 16MP. While you will have to weigh out this cost on your own terms, I can tell you that i could care less. For what I shoot and my clients 16MP is just fine. A D7000 is my second body anyway. :) But the ability to instantly grab a little more zoom pays off in dividends of shots not missed and gear not having to be carried. Speed is enough for me. The larger image size (24MP) means that your burst can suffer. I was shooting a large wedding and as they walked back up toward me I started to fill the buffer. It was not a huge deal and didn't stop me from getting all the shots but coming from my D7000 and D600 I was spoiled being able to rattle off shots. Again after I established my limit I was able to stay in it and didn't have the problem any more. But if you shoot fast then you will want to take that into consideration. The video is good. if you crop down you can shoot in 60 FPS. mehh. I will be honest. this is not something I use a lot. I bought my Nikon to take photos and some times I will shoot short video clips but these are rare and often not good enough to make it into a final presentation for a client. You can't change the f/stop when in live view mode which is kind of weird and people are saying it should be corrected in a future firmware update. So far its been a mehh thing for me. There is a lot more I could go on about with the camera. But this is turning into a book. Overall there are some shortcoming with the file speed and ability to quickly modify your settings in live view but for the cost, you will not find a better deal. If you can take the plunge and get it then you will not be sorry. you will have you a camera that will be relevant and powerful for many many years to come.

This is a great camera to grow into if you are new to photography or just making the switch from a point and shoot or even upgrading to your first DSLR from a manual camera. I am making the switch from a manual camera (Nikon F2) to a DSLR after many years away from Photography. While the options this camera provides are a little overwhelming at first, i find great comfort in the ability to take the camera to a fully manual mode for everyday shooting while I adjust. It's funny, because while this is my first DSLR, I feel like I have had this camera much longer than I actually have thanks to the simple and consistent way Nikon lays out their controls, if you have owned a Nikon in the past, you will find the D7100 immediately familiar in many ways. There are plenty of places to review and compare the specs of this camera, so I wont go into them here, but I will tell you what I think is great about this camera. While it may be more camera than some people need, I am a fan of buying the best I can afford and simply grow into it, this saves money over the long term. I don't imagine I will ever need more than the 24 megapixels the D7100 provides. The camera is light but solid with a very well balanced feel, I never feel as though it will slip from my hand and the grip is comfortable, although it may be a bit of a stretch for someone with smaller hands (I am six feet tall with larger hands). The camera is quiet and responsive, the buttons provide solid tactile feedback, you can easily operate the D7100 in the dark. The LCD screen on the back is crisp and bright, it reminds me of the clarity of the retina display on Apple products. Coming from a 35mm film camera (full frame) to a DX (crop sensor) takes a bit of getting used to because the angle of view is much tighter. Even though I educated myself about the differences between full frame and crop, seeing it with your own eyes really drives home how different they really are. For example, I also purchased the AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1.4 G with the body instead of opting for the kit lense and what you see with the 50 mm with a crop sensor on Nikon is equal to a 75 mm lense since nikon uses a crop factor of 1.5 (50 x 1.5= 75). This makes for a tighter frame, definitely not a deal breaker by any means, but it is something you should be keenly aware of since it will affect which lenses you purchase and how you take your photographs. There are so many in camera options for the D7100, I highly recommend you RTFM and keep it with you as it will save you much frustration as you learn the equipment. Here are some of my favorite options: * single frame multiple exposure * exposure bracketing * intervalometer * dual card slot The only complaint I have is regarding battery life, it's a little too short for me. For example, I went on a photo walk recently and ended up taking about 200 shots, by the time I was done the battery was 3/4 depleted. Admittedly I have no basis for comparison, but it felt as though I was being limited by the battery life instead of my own will. Do yourself a favor and purchase a second battery to carry with you. They are relatively cheap but are infinitely valuable. I have only owned the D7100 for a month now so I have not been able to fully explore all it has to offer like the video capabilities. As I stated before, this will be a great camera to grow into.

As a photographer, I find that every couple of years I need to upgrade cameras to keep up with the rapid advancement of technology. Last year I purchased a Nikon D7100, and immediately fell in love with it. The D7100 is a brilliant 24.1Mp powerhouse that can cover both the basics, to the more advanced camera functions. The shutter speeds span an impressive range, from Bulb to 1/8000. The camera's lowest and highest standard ISO's are 100, and 6,000, but Nikon also has built in high range ISO sensitivities, which can max out at 25,600. The meter features a 2,016 pixel RBG sensor, which does an excellent job for exposure metering. The camera has plenty of uses for both experienced and novice photographers. In my experience with the camera, it has always been best to run the camera on full manual control, unless dealing with active motion shots, such as you would find in sports. As with most dSLR's, there is a level of fall-off for novice photographers, and while this camera shoots well on auto-features, using the camera's adjustable functions will always provide a better picture. One of the other reasons to shoot in full-manual, is that the auto-focus speed is rather slow. If you will be shooting faster shots, using the auto-focus to set the initial focus is alright, but then its best to turn that off so you can maintain a fast shooting speed. This camera's ISO allows it to deal with dark rooms quite well; attaching it with a very low aperture lens, you can essentially take a picture in absolute darkness. The camera is also capable of shooting in 1080HD. The video function allows you to film while also taking stills, a useful feature if you need to check focus, or capture stills to reduce post production work. The downside to filming with the camera, is that the built in microphone is not the strongest receiver. The sound that it records is usually too quiet, and not of the best quality. If you do want to film sound, I suggest attaching a separate, more powerful mic to the camera's easy to reach port. As a nature photographer, I spend a lot of time in the bush without a tripod. The camera is pretty robust, but that also means that it's heavy (about 3lbs with a lens). It can be uncomfortable to hold at odd angles for long periods of time. I like the size and weight, but for someone just stepping into the world of dSLR's, this is something to stay mindful of. The lens (the 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR ED Nikkor Lens), is alright for what it's worth. A good starter lens, but the thing surely isn't perfect. The aperture doesn't go as low as I would like, and the auto-focus is, as I mentioned earlier, a little slow. A good lens will usually cost more than the camera itself, which is why for a start into the world of SLR's, the accompanying Nikkor lens will do until you get your feet wet. The +/- function on the camera are a little confusing, as they are reversed in comparison to previous models. I have been using this camera for over a year now, and I still haven't gotten used to it. A disappointing aspect of the camera that I have noticed, is that the monitor does not do a great job expressing the actual lighting and contrast of a photograph. Often the pictures will appear lighter than they actually are, which can result in some frustrating post-production work. I can't speak for much post-production (which effectively cuts me out of RAW), as I tend to dislike the need for heavy editing. I have little to no experience with Photoshop, and most of my touch-up is done in GIMP. This dislike of post-production work has led me to make great use of the camera's dual memory card storage, which is nice to stuff with a couple of 32g cards and never worry about running out of space. Overall, the camera is an impressive piece of equipment, and I have enjoyed the upgrade from my old p90. Having so many controllable functions means that the camera's shooting capabilities will last much longer, as one progressively learns more about photography. While I wouldn't recommend this camera to someone who has no experience with manual photography, it is an excellent step into the world of digital SLRs.

Since I had a Canon w. the speed-lite 430 II external flash, why switch brands, when moving to a DSLR? User Interface. G12 minimized the need to dig through menus will all of its dials & buttons. Canon goofed when they didn't do that with their APS-C sensor cameras. Want buttons & dials? D7100 or some of the Pentax DSLRs, but the later is weak on lens selection. (Want the Tamron 150-600 long telephoto lens. Too bad if you have a Pentax camera.) Any DSLR, just by having a larger sensor, will have better image quality than an advanced P&S (also have the Olympus XZ-1), so why else should you select the D7100 over another DSLR? Full-size optical view finder: See all of your composition, aperture, shutter time, exposure, focus point(s), and if in-focus indicator if you are focusing manually. Plus much less power consumption vs. the Live View on the LCD. Amazing how few DSLRs have a full-size OVF. And you can use it to compose w. the camera turned off. Other pros: Weather-resistant & great Live View on a large LCD display. D7100 has a fantastic auto focus system, and works better in Live View, compared to the OVF for static objects such as macro work & landscapes. OVF rocks for that snowy owl taking off, because its fast response time. Pictures are @ ISO 6400; even ISO 25,400 is not bad. Dynamic range is also excellent, because where I used to used to bracket with the Canon G12, don't have the need to take multiple exposure shots w. the D7100. Lenses & use: Nikon 70-200 f4, which was my first before I wised up & bought a walk-around lens; Nikon 17-55 f2.8. Both were intended for outdoors, but the later does well indoors without the flash. Landscapes are my favorite topic, but have used to the 70-200 to photograph birds. 96%+ shots are with either the monopod or tripod. Always shoot in PASM to create raw files (never .JPGs) processed by DXO Optics Pro; 'A' & 'M' over 98% of the time. (Never tested the scene modes or auto, so don't know if they work.) Cons: Internal flash should be off to the side, not directly over the lens. OVF has an optimum MF indicator; would be nice if Live View had the same. BIG ONE is the tiny buffer, which fills fast ... shooting smaller formats such as .JPGs helps, as does 1.3 crop mode, as well as a fast memory card (e.g. Sandisk Extreme Pro). Not for everyone: Shines would you take the time & getting the settings right, but a lower resolution P&S can do better in a pinch. Recommended accessories: Sandisk Extreme Pro memory cards, extra battery, Lenspen, microfiber cloths, rocket blower, good how-to book ( Mastering the Nikon D7100 , and great lens. Regarding lenses, rent 1st to see it's right for you & be prepared to return bad copies when purchasing. Bottom Line: No longer satisfied w. taking snapshots & want to do photography? Great camera to grow into.

Very happy. Thrilled with camera. It feels new to me. Works great , at a good price.

To give some background, I started out with a D40 (entry level DSLR) back in 2008. Had that for a couple of years and felt it was time to upgrade. I went a step up in class to a D5100 in 2011. Really enjoyed this camera, it's abilities, and it's additional (manual) controls. Towards the end of this year, I decided it was time to upgrade to the next class and step into the D7xxx class. I decided on the D7100 because the D7000 was similar (in many ways) to my D5100, which shared the same sensor. As a side note, I don't feel that getting the newer version of a camera in the same class is an upgrade. Maybe if you waiting a 2-3 versions, but not the next one. There isn't typically that many features that would persuade me to go from a D7000 to a D7100 based off of my friends (2 of them own the D7000) and what I've read about the D7100. But, for me, the D7100 was the next logical choice. I'm not sure what I can say that hasn't already been written in previous reviews, so let me try from a different angle. I'll discuss some of the items that are not typically listed on a spec sheet or a comparison list: Larger camera (body) size isn't always a negative. We live in a world were small (and faster, of course) is typically better when technology is involved. But with cameras, especially for me and my larger hands, bigger is better. The mid-size D7100 just feels more comfortable in my hands compared to the Compact size of the D40, D3xxx/Dxxx classes of Nikons. The D7100 also has the ability to add on a (Nikon) battery grip for increased battery life and better ergonomics when it comes to taking portraits. The D7100 also has weather sealing, so if you like to continue some level of photography after the rain or snow begins to fall, this is a better option than the entry level classes. Another nice option is that the D7100 has the ability to mount a teleconverter to extend the range of the telephoto lenses. My recommendation is if you are new to photography or new to DSLR photography, the D7100 is probably not the best economical choice. It's relatively complex and many manual controls. Opting for a D3xxx or D5xxx series camera is probably a better buy. They are replaced with a new version just about on a yearly basis, so you can find last year's model pretty cheap. If you already have a D3xxx or D5xxx and feel like you are starting to hit it's potential and/or would like more manual control of the settings (instead of diving into the menus to changes settings), the D7xxx series is probably your best choice. Unless you are coming from a D5100 or D5200, the D7000 is a great economical purchase. It has great abilities. If you are coming from a D5100 (like me) or D5200/D5300, the D7100 is the better choice in this price range. The D600/D610 and D800 are somewhat of a different animal, are more expensive (although the D600 oil issue is driving the price down), and may cause you to spend more money to get rid of your DX lenses and opt for the FX lenses. I hope you found this review useful.