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I
have been watching the progress of Nikon over the last few years and
I have taken a great interest in their cameras.
Nikon have developed very well and have their lens range includes
manual focus and autofocus lenses, AF lenses, automatically focus the
lens when you slightly press the shutter button of the camera. With
virtually all Nikon autofocus lenses you can also switch them to manual
focus.
The D7000 Compatibility with Nikon AI Manual Lenses
Now as we move into 2011, I wonder what new DSLR cameras Nikon will release?
In 2009, I had bought 'second hand' Nikon AI-s manual focus lenses for my Nikon FM3a 'Film' SLR
camera. These lenses, especially the 'prime' versions are very small,
lightweight and there must be thousands of
photographers out there with AI-s lenses that would appreciate a small
and lightweight Nikon DSLR for the lenses to fit?
A great number of Nikon photographers still enjoy manual focus lenses
and their original design and release was to offer an alternative to
Leica M series rangefinder lenses and of course to compete with Canon.
Since then, all lenses, especially autofocus lenses, have grown in size and so have the DSLR cameras.
Suddenly, f or the first time and perhaps to please consumers
and 'old timers' like me, Nikon
pulls a rabbit out of the hat and last year, released a Nikon D7000 DSLR camera.
Now this camera is well matched for all the latest Nikon
autofocus lenses but can also accept the much older Nikon AI and AI-s lenses with full
electronic interface whilst retaining their 'on the lens' manual focus
function.
Up until now, Nikon have
only produced semi-pro and professional DSLRs with an electronic
interface for AI-s lenses.
The Nikon D7000
to Lens Calibration
The Nikon D7000 also has a
mechanism for the user to calibrate the AF in the camera and align it
with different Nikon lenses. Once the camera and a lens have been
calibrated, the camera knows to automatically adjust for that lens
whenever it is fitted. This can ensure optimum focus with the autofocus
system.
Purchasing a Nikon D7000
If I were purchasing any photographic equipment from a store on the street
or on the internet, I would make sure it was from a reputable company with a long
history of 'no quibble' guarantees and an excellent replacement service.
When I have any doubts at all about new technology in a camera, I
purchase it from a street store and I can usually get them to match the
internet price. I am more than willing to wait for my order, knowing
that I can return it 'face to face' if I find it faulty.
I would like to invest in a Nikon DSLR and I am very tempted by this
D7000. I usually wait about 6 months
after a camera is released before I purchase it. This way, I trust that
any 'niggles' have been ironed out by the manufacturers and any changes to
the firmware are either upgraded at point of manufacture or can be
upgraded by myself, using a computer and a memory card.
I put a D7000 in my hand the other day at my local camera store and I
was pleasantly surprised at it's relative compactness and light weight.
I even put a Nikon 70-300mm VR zoom lens on it to analyse the
balance............very nice! Bringing it up to my eye, I loved the
viewfinder and the cluster of AF points in the centre but that is as far
as the experience went, because I forgot my glasses and I could not even
make out the writing around the dials on the camera far less work the
thing...........the shutter sounded nice.
A reprint from Nikon's website - "Inspiring
DX-format SLR with a surprisingly portable body, powerful 16.2 megapixel
CMOS image sensor, EXPEED 2, extendable 100-6400 ISO range, twin SD card
slots, 39-point AF system and D-Movie. All you need to further your
photographic skills".
What Lens for the D7000?
With it's APS-C DX sensor, the Nikon D7000 has a crop factor of 1.5x,
whereby a 35mm become a lens with a 52mm field of view. The kit
lens that is released with the camera is a Nikon 18-105 VR Autofocus
which on the camera has a 27mm-157mm field of view and to all accounts,
it is very capable. For those photographers who want a 'fast prime'
which offers the 'classic' focal range then the Nikon DX 35mm f1.8G AF-S
Autofocus Lens with a 52mm field of view would prove most excellent for
low light as well as an 'everyday' and street photography lens.
Personally if I was starting out in photography and was seeking to build
my photographic experience as an advanced amateur, I would go for the
35mm DX lens and then later, I would decide on the range of lenses that
I required!
The Nikon D7000 will be a 'major' purchase for a great number of people
and a camera that may well last them a very long time? If I were a first
time buyer moving into a DSLR, with the budget for a APS-C crop sensor
camera and I simply wanted a better camera for family and casual
shooting, I would select the Nikon 18-105mm VR zoom lens to go with the
D7000.
I have read a few reviews about the Nikon D7000 and they all seem very
fair and what you would expect from the brand. This camera with it's
1.5x crop APS-C DX sensor comes across as having excellent low light
capabilities (with the correct lens) and excellent image quality. Certainly as a camera
to use and carry around all day, even fitted with Nikon's 70-300mm VR
lens, it would not be a problem!
I am considering the D7000 with the Nikon 70-300mm VR Lens mainly for
casual use for 'wildlife shots' at the local zoo where I am a member. It
offers a very reasonable field of view starting at 105mm to 450mm which
is a good 'optimum' range for closer shots as well as distant shots. The
D7000's sensor at 16 MPixels will allow the image to be cropped in post
processing, which should produce an extended field of view of around
562mm whilst still retaining very reasonable image quality at around 12
MPixels.
Interestingly enough, the Nikon 70-300mm VR Lens is as compact and
lightweight as any other zoom lenses in this category, even matching for
size the 'micro four thirds' lens technology.
With cheaper priced Nikon lenses, I would not expect to achieve the
'maximum' in image quality that the D7000 could deliver with the more
expensive Nikon lenses. For the average photographer who wishes to
combine the hobby with the 'social side' of their life, the less
expensive lenses which are lighter and very often compact in size, will
more than deliver on image quality to suit average print sizes and
digital displays. Having written that, the 35mm DX lens is exceptional
for a 'Prime' and the 18-105mm VR Zoom Lens is a cut above most kit
lenses.
Is the Nikon D7000 for You?
How to decide if the Nikon D7000 is for you? You first have to decide
what you want from a camera and for someone who is just starting
photography or perhaps purchasing their first DSLR camera, the task can
be somewhat daunting!
A modern DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera usually has a myriad
of technology to break through before you can understand it. Menus,
buttons and switches. I have tried to explain this with an article on my
articles page
'Selecting a
Camera' and hopefully it
will help with checking out the following reviews about the Nikon D7000?
Reviews to Read
I like the reviews I have read so far and the Nikon D7000 DSLR holds up
very well alongside its peers!
Dpreview have reviewed it very
positively, if you checkout their review section for cameras under
Nikon, you will find it.
Imaging Resource is another website
that has reviewed the Nikon D7000, checkout their site under camera
manufacturers and you will find it.
Ken Rockwell has not only reviewed the
D7000, he has also purchased one along with a Nikon 28-300mm VR zoom
lens and raves about the combination. I have to hand it to 'Rocky' he
keeps updating his reviews, especially when he is using the kit on a
daily basis.............his D7000 has somewhat expanded since last
August (2010) and is well worth re-visiting!
Camera Labs is in there as well, with
their D7000 review and it is well worth the read and check out their
videos!
Photography Blog have completed their
review and it is quite a full account of their trials with the D7000!
Mansurovs
has completed a D7000 review
and it is well worth reading. It is presently on the home page but later
it may well be moved into the review section?
What Digital Camera have
produced a nice review on the Nikon D7000 and it is worth reading!
Please click on my
Gear Forums & Review
Sites for a complete list of the sites I have used
that might be of assistance!
Please click here for
Nikon's UK Website!
If you have enjoyed this article - please donate to my
Charity of Choice - The Sick Kids
Richard Lawrence
Scotland
United Kingdom
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