Nikon D7100 is a long-awaited upgrade to the
D7000, although it doesn’t replace the D7000. The Nikon D7100 is a new DSLR
camera with a 24.1-megapixel APS-C DX-format image sensor and no optical
low-pass filter (OLPF or AA Filter) – this should produce sharp detailed images
and the camera offers 6fps continuous shooting, 51 autofocus points, and other
improvements to make it the best DX camera nowadays.
Nikon
D7100 DSLR camera
Key features
The new 24.1 megapixel sensor allows for
high speed shooting at 6 frames per second at full resolution, with a quicker
7fps continuous shooting mode at 1.3x crop, giving 15.4 megapixel images. The
camera is proud to have dual SD card slots that compatible with UHS-104, and on
the back is a 3.2-inch screen with 1,299K dots, featuring a 1000:1 contrast
ratio.
The
camera body features Magnesium alloy
The D7100 features an updated “i” button
allows quick access to settings on the rear screen of the camera, and the white
balance spot has been introduced so that WB can be set quickly without the need
of a grey card. The camera body features magnesium alloy and is weather coated
to the same standard as the Nikon D800. A virtual electronic horizon is
available for portrait or landscape view, and the shutter mechanism has also
been tested for 150,000 cycles.
Key
features
·
24.1 megapixel DX format CMOS sensor
·
APS without OLPF (Optical low-pass Filter)
·
EXPEED 3 image processor
·
ISO sensitivity of 100-6400, extendable to 25600
·
AF system: 51 focus points, 15 cross-type, up to
f/8, -2EV
·
Continuous shooting at 6 fps, 7 fps with 1.3
crop function
·
2,016 pixel RGB metering sensor with Scene
Recognition
·
Full HD movie: 1080p up to 60i/50i and
30p/25p/24p, Stereo mics built into body
·
Microphone / Headphone sockets
·
High performance viewfinder: with approximately
100% frame coverage and 0.94 magnification
·
3.2 inch 1229k-dot RGBW screen
·
Durable body with magnesium alloy covers: sealed
for dust, weather and drop resistance
·
Dual SD memory card slots
·
Improved “i” button and Spot White Balance for
quick precise white balance setting in Live View
·
Active D-Lighting (ADL): retains details in
highlights and shadows for well-balanced images
·
High Dynamic range (HDR): combines 2 shots
within a single shutter release to create detailed images of high contrast
scenes
·
Effects Mode: allows selected effects to be
applied to both stills and movies in Live View
Handling
The
top of Nikon D7100
Handling
The improved “i” button on the back of the
camera allows for quick accessing to controls of the rear screen. There is also
a new mode dial with lock, as well as drive mode dial surrounding this, and a
lock button needs to be pressed before the dial can be changed.
D7100 feels very comfortable to hold, and
surprisingly compact for a top of the range APS-C sensor weather sealed Digital
SLR. It has a redesigned front and rear rubberized hand grip, and this seems quite
pleasant to hold, allowing the thumb more to grip onto on the back. There are
ample buttons in the back, top and front to give direct access to a number of
settings and there is also a front and rear control dial to quickly set or
adjust the aperture and shutter speed in manual shooting modes. The body of the
camera weighs 690g, a slight increase compared to the D7000.
The
ample buttons in the back, top and front
Menus
These seem to be familiar to those who has
used Nikon menu systems before, with options spread over six main menus, each
of them has color code, starting with playback, shooting, custom settings,
setup, retouch and recent settings. The custom menu (below, on the left) gives
all of the advanced settings and they are color coded into sections as well.
The right image below shows the display when you press the “i” button to adjust
the settings. A video walkthrough of the menus can be found on our YouTube
channel.
Custom
settings (left) and “i” button pressed (right)
Battery
life
The D7100 uses the EN-EL15 1900mAh battery,
as used in other cameras of Nikon, including Nikon D7000, D800, D800E and Nikon
1V1. Battery life is rated at 950 shots, which is 100 less than the Nikon
D7000’s rating of 1050 shots.
The
D7100 uses the EN-EL15 1900mAh battery
Speed
We took a number of shots to check out the
camera’s responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing
speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure
accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.
Nikon
D7100’s responsiveness
·
Shutter Response: 0.05
·
Wide – Focus / Shutter Response: 0.2
·
Full zoom – Focus / Shutter Response: 0.2
·
Switch on Time to taking a photo: 0.3
·
Shot to Shot without Flash: 0.25
·
Shot to Shot with Flash: 0.8
·
Continuous Shooting – JPEG (shots before slow
down): 6fps (99 shots), 7fps (99 shots) crop
·
Continuous Shooting – Flash: N/A
·
Continuous Shooting – RAW: 5fps (6 shots), 6fps
(8 shots) crop
Sony RX100’s
responsiveness
·
Shutter Response: 0.0
·
Wide – Focus / Shutter Response: 0.3
·
Full zoom – Focus / Shutter Response: 0.3
·
Switch on Time to taking a photo: 2.2
·
Shot to Shot without Flash: 0.9
·
Shot to Shot with Flash: 2.1
·
Continuous Shooting – JPEG (shots before slow
down): 7fps ( speed priority mode, 15 shots)
·
Continuous Shooting – Flash: 1.6s
·
Continuous Shooting – RAW: 4fps (13 shots)
Tested using 16GB
Extreme Pro 95MB/s U:1 card. Switching from JPEG to RAW slows the shooting
speed from 6fps to 5fps, using the crop (1.3x15.4mp) mode, JPEG shooting speed increases
to 7fps, and RAW to 6fps. Focus, shutter response, switch on time and shot to
shot time are all excellent.
