Nikon D7000 review (with 18-105mm lens)

It's not a lightweight camera, but it feels very sturdy and well built, with a solid grip and enough heft to offset the weight of many heavy pro lenses. The viewfinder is lovely to use, especially compared with the dim, squinty ones found in the cheaper SLRs. It's relatively bright, with 100 percent scene coverage, an optional grid overlay, and large AF-area indicators. Rubber covers hide the connectors for composite and HDMI video, USB, and a mic and proprietary GPS connector.

But some of the best aspects of the D7000 are the changes from the traditional Nikon body design that I think are great. In addition to those already mentioned, like the user settings on the mode dial, there's a cleverly designed movie/Live View switch and dedicated record button. The location of the lock-release button for the release-mode dial on the D7000 is toward the back instead of the front (as it is on the D3s, for example). It's a subtle change, but I find it easier to use this way--I can hold it down with my thumb.

Nikon has moved the control for selecting among the AF modes (auto, single, and continuous) to a clever button-dial combination. Yay! The selection also appears in the viewfinder so you can change modes without taking the camera away from your eye. Double yay! And the camera uses a new battery grip that supports AA batteries as well as Nikon's proprietary lithium ion power.

Of course, I still have a few quibbles with the design, though no showstoppers. Nikon sticks with the traditional vertical arrangement of menu, white balance, ISO sensitivity and quality buttons down the left side of the LCD. The buttons feel identical, which requires that you pay a little more attention than I'd like.

My one big complaint about the camera's operation is that the Info display isn't interactive like it is on many models, even just as an alternative to all the direct controls (top). Instead, you can only access the less commonly needed settings, like button assignments and noise-reduction options.

I also ended up having to disable modeling flash; with a flash in the hotshoe, the flash compensation button triggers the modeling flash and I repeatedly blinded people and animals by accidentally pressing the button during normal camera handling.

The D7000 looks like both a compelling cheap alternative to the D300s and a significant upgrade over the D90 for not a lot of money. For video shooters, the cheaper 60D still has a slight edge; though many indie videographers tend to prefer 24p, at the very least it's nice to have the 30p option, and 30fps with full-time autofocus is more attractive to the mainstream user. Plus lots of folks, including me, love the articulated LCDs. But it's hard to argue against the better coverage for the viewfinder, faster burst shooting with a deeper buffer and fast autofocus, and a more durable body construction.

The Nikon D7000 stands out as a great camera for experienced photographers and pros who don't have specific needs like full frame or fastest burst possible. It's expensive for a first dSLR, and there are plenty of sub-$1,000 models to fill that need. But if you're ready to replace your current dSLR with something a little more powerful, a look at the D7000 should top your to-do list.

Shooting speed (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Time to first shot

Raw shot-to-shot time

Shutter lag (dim light)

Shutter lag (typical)

Canon EOS 7D

0.2 

0.4 

0.5 

0.3 

Canon EOS 60D

0.2 

0.6 

0.5 

0.3 

Nikon D7000

0.6 

0.5 

0.3 

Nikon D300S

0.3 

0.5 

0.7 

0.3 

Nikon D90

0.6 

0.9 

0.4