Photography - Nikon d700 versus Nikon d7000 Review Part 1

Okay, so I have, in my possession, the $1200 Nikon d7000 and the $2400 Nikon d700.  I purchased the d7000 last Friday from Best Buy, and moving up from the Nikon d90, it is a massive leap.  But I will get into that later.

It is funny, really.  I had just bought a Nikon rebate bundle with a Nikon d700 and the 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 before I went to Best Buy.  That was going to be my camera.  I waited for an entire year for Nikon to announce the d800 or d700x or d700s or d700xs or the D70,457.  I got impatient.  I gave up.  I filled my cart just as I had done 50 times before at B&H, except this time, I made the purchase.  So, when I brought home the d7000, it was supposed to be an eBay sale. I had no room for two new purchases in my stable.  First I put it up on eBay.  I started the auction at 1500 and placed the reserve at 2000.  I waited about 15 minutes before I started getting fidgety.  I got real curious about the d7000 as it sat there on my desk.  Just a peak I told myself...

The auction did not last an hour.  I first moved the buy it now to 2500, and than pulled it completely.  You see, when I peaked at the pristine Magnesium alloy d7000 body, my heart filled with lust.  I took it for a spin with my 35mm 1.8.  Wow.  Before I knew it, my d90 was up on eBay, the 18-105 kits lens (bundled with the d7000) was on eBay, and I was making absurd justifications.  Having just dropped quite a bit of money on the d700 bundle, I had no place having eyes for another camera body, but I did.  I would sell the kit lens, sell the d90, and keep the d7000 as a back up camera.  It was done.

The d7000 is a magnificent camera.  Much much better than a Nikon d90 and much better than a Nikon d300s, the d7000 is a low light monster, a 1080p shooting maniac, and a stunner that feels just so right in your hand.  I took it with me everywhere last weekend like a trophy wife.  Weddings, friend's houses, Quizno's.  Always buckling it in to the passenger side seat, and opening the door for it at destinations, I was in love.  But something kept nagging at me.  Something I had done the week before.  Like proposing to an old 7 before falling deeply in love with a young 10, I had made a commitment to the Nikon d700, albeit a rocky one.  Would I keep both?  Does that even make sense?

Well, the Nikon d700 finally arrived.  It was in full entourage mode, flanked by a 70-200vrII 2.8 and a 24-70 2.8.  It looked crazy, sitting there on my living room floor.  Me, 3 boxes, and a Nikon d7000.  It was an odd love triangle, me with these 2 phenomenal machines.  I slowly unboxed the d700 while holy choral music played triumphantly in my mind.

(To be continued)

In the mean time, here are two ISO 6400 pictures, one with each camera.

Nikon d700 ISO 6400 24-70 2.8

Nikon d7000 ISO 6400 24-70 2.8