Nikon D7000: Conclusions

CONCLUSIONS
As the D90 and D300 introduction dates approached two years in the rearview mirror, rumors of impending successors began to fly. It appears the D90 question has been answered by the D7000; those of us awaiting the D400 will probably get our answer in September 2011, but given the impact of the D7000 and its niche in the Nikon DX sensor lineup, the stage could be set for a technology tour-de-force arriving in the form of a full-pro DX sensor D400. Maybe a translucent mirror and continuous shooting rate at or in excess of 10 fps? Speculation is fun, but the D7000 is here now and it's an impressive instrument.

Still image quality is excellent and high ISO noise performance is the best in the Nikon cropped sensor fleet by a fair margin. The new AF system is quick, accurate, and doesn't want to let go of the track on a moving subject once it acquires. If you've got old Nikon lenses, welcome aboard - the D7000 responds to legacy glass like any Nikon pro body.

As good as the D7000 is, Nikon has left themselves some room for improvements. For example, a 1080 HD video that captures moving subjects a bit more smoothly than the current 24 fps system. A bit less tendency to clip highlights in bright, high-contrast scenes. A less awkward mode and release mode dial interface. None of these concerns are so major that they can't be addressed relatively simply, except perhaps for the dial conundrum - D7000s anyone? When I did the first look review on this camera I mentioned that if the awkward dials were the worst the D7000 had to offer that I expected Nikon to sell a bunch these cameras. A couple other gripes have joined the list, but I still think Nikon's got a winner on their hands.

Pros:

• Excellent image and color quality
• Excellent high ISO noise performance for a cropped sensor
• Fast and accurate AF system
• Weather sealed
• 150,000 cycle rated shutter

Cons:

• Awkward mode dial - release mode dial interface
• 1080 HD video not smooth with moving subjects 
• A bit more prone to clip highlights than earlier Nikons

Individual Ratings: *

Image/Video Quality 
Features 
Design/Ease of Use 
Performance 
Expandability 
* Ratings averaged to produce final score