My first DSLR was a D80 I purchased four years ago. The shutter went out a few weeks back but I had been planning to upgrade to the D7000 anyway so this just hurried things up. I bought the D7000 kit with the 18-105 lens but quickly sold that on Ebay. I was shooting with a Tamron 17-50 2.8 lens on the D80. For low light, it worked pretty well but greater than half the time I needed to use my SB-600 flash to capture my young kids doing what they do (move). The only downside to the Tamron, or combination of the Tamron with the D80, was that the images tended to be soft, especially when opened up. So I also upgraded my lens to the Nikkor 16-85. While this is a variable lens that maxes out at 3.5, it is amazingly sharp combined with the D7000. And the extra reach is great for getting better shots and also providing relatively shallow depth of field that otherwise would be lost with the slower aperture.
The reason I mention the lens change is that I wouldn't have gone to a variable lens had it not been for the amazing ISO performance on the D7000. I am now shooting flashless at very fast shutter speeds. I usually shoot raw and process with Lightroom and I'm seeing amazing results at 800 ISO even when fully blown up (1:1). At ISO 1600, I can see minor noise but Lightroom 3's noise reduction easily eliminates it. 3200 certainly isn't noiseless but again, Lightroom can clean it up very well in most situations. My old D80 had more noise at 400 than the D7000 has at 1600; I'd say 800 on it was equivalent to 3200 on the D7000. I could see printing 1600 shots at smaller sizes with no need for software cleanup. So while my results are preliminary (3 weeks in), I am astonished at the ISO capabilities of this camera. I no longer have d700 envy and am glad I can get great dx lenses for under $700 as opposed to $1500 for fx. Perfect for enthusiasts like me!
You've seen the stat that the D7000 can shoot 6 shots per second. The 6FPS shutter is in some ways overkill. But if you shoot HDR/Bracket shots in quick succession having such a rapid shutter can allow you to do so handheld. This is really only possible because of the high ISO capabilities enabling very fast shutter times. And for sporting events and the like, it's nice to have the ability to rapidly fire off shots.
I have also noticed considerably improved metering and white balance on the D7000 compared to my old D80. Of the 350 or so shots I've taken, I am spending much less time adjusting lighting and white balance in Lightroom.
As others have mentioned, the ergonomics/design of the camera are quite good and I really enjoy the many direct access shortcuts for adjusting everything from focus to flash to white balance and much more. The two custom settings are very easy to set and perfect for your two most common profiles (e.g. indoor portrait and outdoor landscape). The screen is beautiful and moving in and around even RAW files is very smooth and fast. I went with two 16GB SD class 10 Transcend cards and while I'm currently using the RAW 1 / JPEG 2 option, I plan to use the second as a backup card once I go to RAW only.
I've only toyed with the video function but that was a part of my consideration since I dislike carrying two cameras, plus chargers and media, on family vacations. The tests I've done in 1080P have been very impressive, albeit large as you would expect. Auto-focusing while video recording is okay, as long as the background isn't too noisy or subjects too many. The biggest downside I have experienced is the built-in microphone picks up lots of auto focusing noise. I have not yet invested in an external mic but probably will need to.
All in all I am very pleased with the D7000 and see no major shortcomings. It's not cheap, but you get a lot for your money if you are in the market for a prosumer class DSLR. For users who won't explore and use the MANY options and capabilities of this camera, I would recommend considering the 3100 at less than half the cost. For D70/80/90 users who are ready to step up big time in terms of performance, this is the upgrade you have been waiting for. Some will hold out for a D700 successor (D800 or whatever it ends up being called). I have no doubt it will be an amazing camera but cost wise, you're going to be looking at $2500+ for the body alone and pay roughly double for coverage equivalent lenses. So figure $4K just to get started. Too rich for my non-professional needs but certainly should be considered if your work or wants dictate that level of camera. And there maybe be a D300s replacement in the works too. Still, I'd urge anyone to consider the D7000, which in my opinion is the best cropped sensor DSLR to date.
Nikon D7000 w/18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 DX VR Nikkor Lens
Nikon D7000 (Body only)
Cases
SanDisk 16GB Extreme
SanDisk 8GB Extreme
D7000
Product Features
* High Resolution 16.2 MP DX-format CMOS sensor
* Body only; lenses sold separately
* High Speed 6 frames per second continuous shooting up to 100 shots
* Breathtaking Full 1080p HD Movies with Full Time Autofocus
* Dynamic ISO range from 100 to 6400
Technical Details
* Brand Name: Nikon
* Model: D7000 Body
* Optical Sensor Resolution: 16.2 MP
* Display Size: 3.000 inches
* Width: 4.1 inches
* Height: 3.0 inches
* Weight: 1.52 pounds
Nikon D90 (Body only)
Nikon D90 w/18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens
D90
Product Features
* 12.3-megapixel DX-format CMOS imaging sensor
* 5.8x AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens included
* D-Movie Mode; Cinematic 24fps HD with sound
* 3-inch super-density 920,000-dot color LCD monitor
* Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Technical Details
* Color: Black
* Image sensor format: DX
* Image sensor type: CMOS
* Sensor size: 15.8 x 23.6mm
* Total pixels: 12.9 megapixels
* Effective pixels: 12.3 megapixels
* Image area (DX format): Large: 4288 x 2848; medium: 3216 x 2136; small: 2144 x 1424
* Top continuous shooting speed at full resolution: 4.5 frames per second
* Continuous shooting options: CH: up to 4.5 frames per second; CL: up to 4 frames per second
* LCD monitor size: 3 inches diagonal
* LCD monitor type: Super density
* Monitor resolution: 920,000 pixels
* Angle of view: 170-degree wide viewing angle
* Monitor adjustments: 7 brightness levels
* Shutter type: Electronically controlled, vertical-travel focal plane
* Slowest shutter speed: 30 seconds in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV
* Fastest shutter speed: 1/4000 second in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV
* Bulb shutter setting: Yes
* Lowest standard ISO sensitivity: 200 in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV
* Highest standard ISO sensitivity: 3200 in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV
* Lowest expanded ISO sensitivity: Lo-1 (ISO 100 equivalent)
* Highest expanded ISO sensitivity: Hi-1 (ISO 6400 equivalent)
* Expanded ISO sensitivity options: Lo-1 (ISO 100 equivalent) in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV; Hi-1 (ISO 6400 equivalent) in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 1 EV
* Storage media: SD, SDHC
* Storage system: JPEG: JPEG-baseline compliant, can be selected from size priority and optimal quality; AVI
* File system: Compliant with DCF 2.0, DPOF, Exif 2.21
* Exposure modes: Programmed auto (P) with flexible program, shutter priority auto (S), aperture priority auto (A), manual (M), auto
* Advanced scene modes: Portrait, landscape, close-up, sports, night portrait
* Exposure metering system: 420-pixel RGB sensor 3D Color Matrix Metering II, center weighted, spot
* Metering range: 1: 0 to 20 EV (matrix or center-weighted metering); 2: 2 to 20 EV (Spot metering, ISO 100 equivalent, f/1.4 lens)
* Exposure meter coupling: CPU
* Exposure compensation: +/-5 EV in increments of 1/3, 1/2, 1
* Exposure lock: Yes
* Exposure bracketing: Yes, 2 or 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1, or 2 EV
* Shutter release modes: Single frame (S), continuous low speed (CL) at 1 to 4 frames per second, Live View (LV), self-timer, continuous high speed (CH) at 4.5 frames per second
* Movie modes: HD 1280 x 720 at 24 fps, VGA 640 x 424 at 24 fps, QVGA 320 x 216 at 24 fps
* White balance: Sun, shade, fluorescent, incandescent, flash, preset, fine tune by Kelvin color temperature setting, auto, auto (TTL white balance with 420-pixel RGB sensor), 7 manual modes with fine tuning
* White balance bracketing: Yes, 2 or 3 exposures in increments of 1, 2, or 3
* D-lighting bracketing: 2 exposures
* Playback functions: Full frame, zoom, slideshow, pictmotion, histogram, shooting data, highlight point display, auto image rotation, sound playback, D-movie playback, thumbnail (4, 9, 72 segments), calendar
* Interface: High-speed USB, NTSC, HDMI
* Lens mount: Nikon F bayonet mount
* Compatible lenses: DX AF Nikkor, D-G-type AF Nikkor, AF Nikkor, AL-P Nikkor, non-CPU AI Nikkor (supported functions may vary)
* Picture angle: 1.5
* Viewfinder frame coverage: Approximately 96 percent
* Viewfinder eyepoint: 19.5
* Reflex mirror: Quick-return type
* Viewfinder magnification: Approximately 0.94x
* Depth-of-field control: Yes
* Autofocus system: Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points (including 1 cross-type sensor) and AF-assist illuminator (range of approximately 0.5 to 3 meters)
* Focus modes: Single-servo AF (S), continuous-servo (C), manual (M) with electronic rangefinder, Live View autofocus (face priority, wide area, normal area)
* Focus lock: Yes
* Picture control: Standard, neutral, vivid, monochrome, 9 user-customizable settings, portrait, landscape
* In-camera image editing: Trim, D-lighting, color balance, image overlay, filter effects, monochrome, color balance, NEF (RAW) processing, quick retouch, straighten, distortion control
* Built-in flash: Yes
* External flash shoe: Yes
* Nikon Creative Lighting System compatibility: Yes
* Flash sync speed: Up to 1/200
* FP high-speed sync: Up to 1/4000
* Flash sync modes: Front-curtain sync (normal), slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync
* Accessory shoe: Yes
* Self-timer: 2, 5, 10, 20 seconds
* World time setting: Yes
* Date, time, and daylight savings time settings: Yes
* Battery type: Rechargeable lithium-ion
* AC adapter: EH-5a
* Battery charger: MH-18a
* Image comment: Yes
* Battery life: 850 shots (CIPA)
* Tripod socket: 1/4-20
* Supplied software: Software Suite CD-ROM
* Supplied lens: AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
* Focal length: 18 to 105mm
* Zoom ratio: 5.8x
* Maximum aperture: f/2.5 to f/5.6
* Minimum aperture: f/22 to f/38
* Autofocus: Yes
* AF-S (silent wave motor): Yes
* Compatible formats: DX, FX in DX crop mode
* Vibration reduction: Yes
* Distance information: Yes
* ED glass elements: Yes
* Super-integrated coating: Yes
* Aspherical elements: Yes, 1
* Manual/auto focus mode: Yes
* Minimum focus distance: 1.48 feet
* Maximum angle of view: 76 degrees
* Minimum angle of view: 15 degrees at 20 feet
* Lens elements: 15
* Lens groups: 11
* Maximum reproduction ratio: 1:5
* Mount type: Nikon F-Bayonet
* Filter type: 67mm screw on
* Lens attachment size: 67mm
* Lens dimensions: 3 inches in diameter, 3.5 inches long
* Camera width: 5.2 inches
* Camera height: 4.1 inches
* Camera depth: 3.0 inches
* Weight: 22 ounces (camera), 14.8 ounces (lens)
* Warranty: 1 year
* In the box: Camera, lens, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, quick charger, eyepiece cap, rubber eyecup, USB cable, AV cable, camera strap, LCD monitor cover, body cap, snap-on front lens cap, rear lens cap, Bayonet lens hood, flexible lens pouch, accessory shoe cover, software CD-ROM, user's manual
