[Leica] D700 vs. D7000

[pj at goodphotos.com (Michael Eric Berube)]

Peter wrote:
> ...  I would be interested in anyone's experience with the D700 and/or
> D7000--particularly those who can compare it to the M8 or M9.  I know
> the difference between an SLR and a rangefinder. I'm most interested in
> image quality, handling, and real-world available-dark performance. K5
> users are welcome to chime in, too.

I cannot speak to the M8/9 but I owned a D700 for the first 2.5 years
that they were out. It is a fantastic Nikon, extremely well made with
nearly unparalleled low light image quality, BUT I didn't hesitate at
all to sell mine in preference of a D7000 once I had tested a D7000 in
real world shooting environment. The 24X36 format is not at all the
panacea that many would have you believe it to be. The DX sensors ARE
'full frame' with a DX lens and they are more than capable of
professional work that, in my opinion, most often now bests 6X7cm film
and challenges 4X5.

The D7000 is no more than 1/2 a stop behind it in available darkness
quality and fully usable at 6400 ISO with a little care...nearly
identical to the IQ from the D700 from 3200ISO or slower. It is
smaller, lighter, more compact, less expensive, has a full HD video
option (should I ever desire it), has a robust shutter, can shoot
metered with manual lenses just like the D700, offers almost perfect
RAW images right out of the camera and works at the full 16MP
resolution with any lens including the excellent DX glass. I've had
the D7000 almost a year now and do not miss my D700 at all. The only
thing that the D700 offered me over the D7000 is a shallower DOF at
any given focal length and this was often a handicap when shooting
groups. I like to be able to shoot at a wider aperture (f/5.6) at a
given angle of view and still get everyone in focus. The 24X36 sensor
requires f/8 or f/11 to get a larger group all in acceptable focus. If
I NEED a shallow DOF, I can always open up to 1.8 or greater. I was
also annoyed at not being able to get the full use of the sensor on
the D700 with my wider focal lengths. Put a 10-20 (or now an 8-16) on
a D700 and you are shooting with a 5.3MP camera. Still excellent in
low light, but not comparable at all to the D7000's 16MP image at the
same focal length.

A D7000 will be a fine body for your more demanding Leica glass Peter.

Carpe lumen,
Michael Eric Berube