D7000 Focus Points versus D5100 Focus Points

[brian_blattner]

<p>I have researched the camera specification differences between the Nikon D5100 and D7000 and have reviewed many of the articles on Photo.net, but I have a question regarding the focus points.</p>

<p>I know that the D5100 has 11 focus points and the D7000 has 39 focus points, and that the D7000's additional focus points are an advantage for sports photography and action. My question is: Does the additional focus points offer any other advantages for still photography and landscape type shots?</p>

<p>I currently own the Canon Rebel T1i but had previously owned the Canon 30D and 5D. For the longest time Canon users have wanted more focus points in the beginner and pro-sumer camera models and now Nikon has accomplished this with the D7000. I am trying to decide between the Nikon D5100 and D7000. I have already started my comparison list between the two cameras but I don't really know much about the Nikon focus point system so I wanted some further clarification. Thank you for your responses.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>More AF points, especially cross type AF points, is an advantage to any type of photography. If AF is important to you, I would get the D7000, which has many other advantages over the D5100, such as a better viewfinder, better construction, etc. You may or may not care about the D7000's ability to AF with any type of Nikon AF lens, not only those with an AF motor inside the lens as the D5100 requires and the D7000's ability to meter with old manual-focus Nikon lenses without a CPU.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>I probably sounds like I'm obsessed with it (I'm not!), but another potentially important difference between those two cameras is that the D7000 can work natively as a CLS commander, operating Nikon's speedlights remotely as slaves ... and the D5100 cannot do so. For some types of photography, that's a big difference. But on viewfinder quality alone, the D7000 wins hands down. The extra lens flexibility, as Shun points out, may or may not be that big a deal if you don't have a personal history with Nikon, and a bag full of older lenses. The D7000 is pretty ruthless when it comes to lens resolution, so those older lenses may not be worth thinking about either way.</p>

[mihai_ciuca]

<p>Regarding viewfinder.... if we make a scale... where between D5000, D300 and D700 are D5100 and D7000? Is D5100's viewfinder similar with D5000 or is better? Is D7000's similar with D300 or is better?</p>

[brian_blattner]

<p>Thank you Shun and Matt for the prompt response. I was pretty much favoring the D7000 but your answers have really made me comfortable that the D7000 is the right choice for me.</p>

<p>Yes, the focus points make a great difference in my style of photography so this is a big plus. I haven't really gotten into flash photography as of yet but that is another huge plus for the D7000 because I have always heard that Nikon's flash system is much better than Canon's.</p>

<p>Thanks again for help! I have really learned a lot about photography from the forum so I really appreciate the knowledge and feedback. I am excited to start learning a new system and it sounds like the D7000 is an incredible camera.</p>

[bruce_brown]

<p>Brian: One other thing about D7000 focus points ... and you will see this as you get into it ... is you can CHANGE THEM just about as fast as you can blink your eyes ... to suit whatever need you may have. Really Fast.</p>

[cc_chang2]

<blockquote>

<p>Does the additional focus points offer any other advantages for still photography and landscape type shots?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The cross type AF is particularly useful for low light low contrast objects. Beyond that, a single cross-type of AF as in the D5100 is good enough, which not long ago was the AF system of choice in the semi-pro body D200. The D7000 is heavier, bigger, and more expensive, and I love the swivel screen on the D5100, so to me in many ways, the D5100 is an ideal camera and I won't get a heavier and bigger camera unless I need to photograph moving objects in which case having more AF points are necessary for tracking. Having a lighter camera, to some people, means that you are more likely to carry the camera with you, for a more extended period of time, which allows you to capture the moment more easily.</p>