Nikon Introduces D7100 DSLR with MB-D15 Grip

<p>When Nikon introduced the D5200 late in 2012, I was puzzled that they put their second best AF module, the Multi-CAM 4800 with 39 AF points, onto that consumer DSLR. Previously, that AF module was only available on the higher-end "prosumer" DSLRs such as the D7000 and FX-format D600. The most immediate question was where would the successors to the D7000 and D300S be positioned? Was there sufficient price range for two more DX-format DSLRs above the D5200, as the D600 has been around $2000, give or take.</p>

<p>With the introduction of the D7100, I believe we have the answer. The model number D7100 suggests that it is the successor for the D7000, and the appearance and price confirm that. (The D7100, body only, is US$1199.95, the same as the introductory price for the D7000 back in September, 2010.) However, internally, there are a number of significant improvements.</p>

<p>First of all, the D7100 uses a <B>24.1MP sensor</B>, which is expected as both the D3200 and D5200 have (two different) 24MP sensors. However, <B>the D7100 has an extra 1.3x crop mode</B>; that is, a further crop in additional to the 1.5x DX (APS-C) crop, for a total crop 1.5 x 1.3 = 1.95x, from FX. For the sake of convenience, let's call it a 2x crop from FX.</p>

<p>If you capture the entire DX frame, the D7100 can capture 6 frames/sec, just like the D7000 (@ 16MP). If you engage the 1.3x crop, the D7100 captures a 15MP image and the frame rate can go up to 7 frames/sec.</p>

<p>Concerning the AF module, the D7100 uses the <B>Multi-CAM 3500 with 51 AF points, 15 of them cross type</B>. That is the same top-of-the-line AF module that debut with the D3 and D300 back in August, 2007. The higher-end D300s, D700, D800(E), the entire D3 family and the D4 all use that AF module. On the D7100, the very center AF point can work with lenses whose maximum aperture is only f8.</p>

<p>As far as the camera body goes, it is very similar to the D7000, or I should say it is even more similar to the D600 but smaller, with the dedicated video button (with a red dot in the center) moved to the top of the camera and a lock on the mode dial on the top left side of the camera. Otherwise, the D7100 retains all of the D7000's features such as dual SD memory cards that meet the UHS i-104 standard that can transfer up to 99MB/sec.</p>

<p>Nikon emphasizes that the D7100 is built to the same moisture and dust resistance specification as the D300/D300S, and they also expect current owners of the D300/D300S as well as D7000 to upgrade to the D7100, plus consumers who have D3000 and D5000 series cameras to move up. Reading between the lines, my guess is that there will be no more updates to the D200 and D300 series. Nikon already could not sell the D300S in Japan starting from November 2011 due to battery safety issues. If there were going to be some "D400," it should definitely have appeared before the D7100. Instead, the D7100 is a merge between the D7000 and D300S, now with Nikon's best AF module that is absent even on the D600.</p>

<p>Other improvements include the viewfinder, the back LCD (3.2" with 1.3M dots), video capability and there is a new spot white balance feature. The D7100 also has no optical low-pass filter in front of its sensor.</p>

<p>The D7100 uses yet another new vertical grip/power pack: the MB-D15, which can hold either an additional EN-EL15 battery or 6 AA batteries. Nikon is not providing any pricing information on the MB-D15 at this point.</p>

<p>As I mentioned earlier, the suggested price for the <B>D7100, body only, is $1199.95</B>; that is the same was the introductory price for the D7000 back in September, 2010. The D7100 also comes with the 18-105mm DX AF-S VR kit lens; the price for the kit is $1599.95. It looks like the price for the lens has gone up; the 18-105 DX is now a $400 lens.</p>

<p>You can find Nikon Japan's news article here: http://www.nikon.com/news/2013/0221_dslr_01.htm</p>

<center>

<p>News images for the D7100 and lens, copyright Nikon Inc.<br /> <img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/16952996-lg.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/16953013-lg.jpg" alt="" /><br /> <strong>News images for the D7100 and lens, copyright Nikon Inc.</strong></p>

</center>

<p>That looks very good.</p>

<p>Very interesting. I am a bit surprised that 24 megapixels seems to be the new "floor" across the board for Nikon DX and FX. I wonder how that will translate into low-light, high ISO capabilities on 1.5x crop sensor cameras.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

<p>I like this. I have a D90 and a D700 now and really want to upgrade the D90. After using the D700 (which I love), I enjoy going back to the feel of the D90 in my hand along with the lighter weight. If the D7100 is slightly larger than the D7000 was, I will be very pleased with this package. The 1.3 crop is interesting. Curious how that will work in practice.<br>

My Nikon 17-55, Tokina 11-16, and Sigma 30mm f/1.4 were feeling a bit neglected. This should cheer them up some.</p>

 

<p>The user interface looks very similar to the D800, and those two bodies would make a versatile combination.</p>

<p>If I can connect a CyberSync/Pocket Wizard radio trigger to this puppy, I'm probably a buyer at $1,200. No more buying $3,000 antique French lenses for awhile though. ;-) If they really did fix the video so it isn't jerky, that's a huge plus. I was extremely disappointed with the halting jerkiness of video playback from my D5100. For me it comes down to can I connect a radio trigger to fire the camera. If yes, I'm a buyer. If not, I'll wait a bit to see what Canon's response is. This camera just might have killed the d600!</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<blockquote>

<p>This camera just might have killed the d600!</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>That did cross my mind as well. ;)</p>

 

<p>Impressive specifications, including:</p>

<p><em>"It adopts an image sensor unit designed without an optical low-pass filter* to take full advantage of the high resolving power"</em></p>

<p>Shun -- Was 11pm GMT-5 the announcement hour? Which is what, 10a.m. in Japan? The emails from Adorama and B&H are just arriving now though they're lists are so large I'm sure people will be getting them all through the night. All very interesting, these technicalities of product break out.</p>

<p>I see this as being a (slightly) poorer-man's D800, especially considering that DX lenses are much less costly than FX-capable ones, at the cost of only 1/3 of the pixels and the benefit of 1/3 the cost of a D800. I'd have a REALLY hard time justifying upgrading to either the D800 or D600 with those factors in mind.<br>

That said, I am more likely to stick with the "good enough" D5100 and put the money into more glass than upgrade at this point. But if I was just entering the market or upgrading, this would be my go-to model for sure.</p>

<p>Certainly an interesting camera for the DXXXX crowd. I would like to go out on a limb though and suggest there is still hope for DXXX shooters. This camera doesn't cover everything that a D300 user used to have. I have recently let go of my D7000 for other reasons and am back shooting with my ancient D200 in good light. The ergonomics and buffer size just do not compare plus a D800 costs almost double the price of a D300s. I think it would be short-sighted of Nikon to discontinue the DXXX line.<br>

From where I am standing, it seems the DX line is being upgraded from the bottom up unlike the FF line. So, we are just missing a D400 with less than 24MP and 8-10fps and Nikon would be done for the next while. I hope.</p>

<p>probably a good time to buy a d7000 while you can. dunno if i'm excited about this, but others clearly are. not sure i need 24mp on APS-C but the specs look encouraging. for me to want to upgrade my d300s, the low-light performance would have to be stellar. given that nikon is announcing this as nikon's new DX flagship, it seems clear that shun is right that the d400's ship already sailed. (of course, nikon could still release an FX d400 with the d4 sensor and a smaller body).</p>

A 15MP camera with a 2x crop factor. Is Nikon trying to take on the micro 4/3 market?

<p>Nikon has already "taken on" the m4/3 market. You can't do it with a big-ass DSLR either. The extra crop has all kinds of other good uses including, as Shun points out, increasing the maximum frames per second. I suspect wildlife people will make use of it too, particularly those who shoot birds with a 300mm lens. </p>

<p>...<em>This camera doesn't cover everything that a D300 user used to have</em>...<br>

<br>

+1</p>

<p>Kent, the D7100 takes the MC-DC2 remote cable like the D7000 does, so I believe the answer is yes, it should be triggerable with the PocketWizard or FlashZebra cable appropriate to the PocketWizard radio you use.</p>

 

<p>Indeed this seems to be the writing on the wall for the D300 successor - and I can imagine people being unhappy with that. The smaller buffer really limits its appeal for some uses, and even though it's larger than the D7000, it does not look to be as large as the D300 either. But you cannot please them all and fill every niche gap, I guess (and I do not find that short-sighted at all, it's business reality). <br />It looks a solid camera, certainly for this price. A logical evolution of the D7000, nothing shocking.</p>

<p>Now, if somebody asks me which camera to get, as Eric, I'd be pointing at the end-of-life sales of the D7000.</p>

<p>No surprises really, except that I thought they were going to jump to the D7200 name since there is the D5200 and D3200. Seems like a good partner to a D600. Bet there will be a D600S with the better AF module and some other minor tweaks eventually.</p>

<p>I am excited about this camera. I currently have a D90 and If there were going to be a D7100 and a D400 I would have waited for the D400. However I don't see enough price gap between the 7100 and D600 to squeeze in a D400, nor is there much missing from that D7100 that could differentiate it from a D400.<br>

Cant wait to get one.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Nikon kondigt ook de WR-1 aan, een nieuwe draadloze afstandsbediening (transceiver) waarmee de recent bijgewerkte reeks accessoires voor draadloze bediening van Nikon verder wordt uitgebreid. De WR-1 is voorzien van een dot-matrix scherm en een reeks geavanceerde functies waarmee de gebruiker de meeste opnamefuncties kan bedienen – van eenvoudig ontspannen op afstand tot het bedienen van complexe configuraties van meerdere camera's, plus mogelijkheden om de camera-instellingen te controleren en te wijzigen wanneer de WR-1 op de Nikon D7100 wordt bevestigd</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Sorry for the Dutch text, but here Nikon seems to anounce a new Remote control too named WR-1.<br />It's a A wireless remote that allows for most camera settings being changed remotely, and has the capability to control setups of multiple camera's ... Waiting fort more specifics now... :-)<br>

As i understand it it will be a transceiver, and for each camera you want to contrlo you need 1 ( so for 1 camera you need 2 of those then, one to transmit , and 1 to receive..).</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>*When 1.3x DX crop is enabled; up to 6 fps when standard DX format is enabled. Both maximum frame rates possible only when image quality is set to JPEG/12-bit NEF (RAW). Measured according to CIPA guidelines.</p>

</blockquote>

<p> Sounds like the old D300 <strong >12</strong>-bit 'flaw'.<br>

<br>

I'm hoping the new grip will make it just a bit faster, at least to equal the old MB-D10 combos.<br>

<br>

I wonder if it's the same body AF motor for non AF-S lenses? I always had a feeling the D300's was stronger/faster than the D7000s when I borrowed someone else's.<br>

<br>

I guess they could make a D7100<strong>S </strong>with a bigger buffer and higher frame rate for those that want a 'better' D300(s). $400 premium for 10fps @ full DX and a twice size RAM buffer??<br>

<br>

Like the sound of the no Low-Pass filter, lots of room to play with or without moire!</p>

<p>Oh here we go! My first email about it, from WEX as it happens.....and what do you know.... £1099 for the body and £1299 for the kit......that's $1700 and $2010.<br>

<br>

US asking price of $1200 and $1600, that's 30% and 20% cheaper respectively. Time for a US trip soon!<br>

<br>

I do hate Nikon Europe's pricing! It will drop into line after a few months, but why do it? To limit the initial demand to allow the factories to catch up?</p>

<p>It looks very good. I am happy that the Multi-CAM 3500 is found in the D7100; I have had much better luck with that AF module (in FX cameras) than the one in the original D7000, which gave me problems with some fast lenses and peripheral AF points. I am much more confident that the D7100 will meet my needs in the AF department.</p>

<p>I don't think high ISO performance is going to be a problem with 24MP DX; the D5200 has a 24MP sensor and it beats the 16MP sensor in the D7000 in dxomark's sensor tests.</p>

<p>Hopefully the live view implementation of the D7100 is good, as I would probably use it as a macro camera a lot. I would like to see the user given the option of switching between "autoexposure live view" as in e.g. the D3X and "see what you will get live view" as in the D800, as when working with live view on macro subjects in the studio (with flash providing the main lighting) it is really annoying to have to roll the shutter speed across many stops to switch between "no ambient, all flash" and "use ambient lighting for focusing" settings in the D800 live view. The setup can easily be nudged slightly out of focus when the photographer has to do these exposure changes between focusing and taking of the picture. In the D3X this problem doesn't exist, as the live view does autoexposure all the time, but the live view image is less stable than in the D800.</p>

 

<p>I know so many people are still waiting for the replacement of the D300s. <br>

I could be wrong coz I haven't really checked the specs of the D800. As soon as it was announced and read it was 36mp I lost any interest on it coz I don't need that. BUT when a D800 is used in DX mode doesn't it come close to a D300s? I think the resolution is still higher, the body built is very closed, almost the same layout and the price is in the same range as when the D300 came out. If I am right, I don't see a reason why Nikon would produce a D400.... If I was thinking in an upgrade, I think I could replace my D700 and D300 with just 1 D800.<br>

I really like the new crop on the D7100.....</p>

<p>I see people complaining about the buffer size not living up to the D300s, but I'm failing to notice where the buffer is specified in any press release I've found so far. Could someone please elaborate?<br />

<br />

I'm not convinced that this is truly a D300 replacement either, at least in terms of handling, but I could believe that there won't actually be a direct D300 replacement. Interesting that it has the D800's AF system but the meter from the D600 (and D7000).<br />

<br />

Given the specs from the D5200, I can't say that 24MP and the 51-point AF was a huge surprise. I <i>am</i> a little surprised that they didn't compete with the SLT Sony's and try to get to 10fps, but I guess poaching D600 sales is more appealing than poaching D4 sales. I guess the lack of low-pass filter isn't affecting video as much as people might have worried.<br />

<br />

Anyway, interesting, and probably more appealing than a D5200 if I want something for reach to complement my D800e. Now I just have to save up (again).<br />

<br />

Spot white balance is vaguely interesting - this is how I always configure white balance retrospectively when editing raw files (I find something that I think should be grey). I'm not sure it'll persuade me to shoot JPEG - and I'm glad it has 14-bit RAW, unlike the D5200 - but it's a bit more useful in the field.<br />

<br />

I'm not hugely convinced by RGBW screens, but at least it's probably not much worse than the previous one.<br />

<br />

Looks like a nice bit of kit. I wonder whether it'll be possible to set ISO and autofocus mode right-handed? :-)</p>