This is a great camera to grow into if you are new to photography or just making the switch from a point and shoot or even upgrading to your first DSLR from a manual camera.
I am making the switch from a manual camera (Nikon F2) to a DSLR after many years away from Photography. While the options this camera provides are a little overwhelming at first, i find great comfort in the ability to take the camera to a fully manual mode for everyday shooting while I adjust. It's funny, because while this is my first DSLR, I feel like I have had this camera much longer than I actually have thanks to the simple and consistent way Nikon lays out their controls, if you have owned a Nikon in the past, you will find the D7100 immediately familiar in many ways.
There are plenty of places to review and compare the specs of this camera, so I wont go into them here, but I will tell you what I think is great about this camera.
While it may be more camera than some people need, I am a fan of buying the best I can afford and simply grow into it, this saves money over the long term. I don't imagine I will ever need more than the 24 megapixels the D7100 provides.
The camera is light but solid with a very well balanced feel, I never feel as though it will slip from my hand and the grip is comfortable, although it may be a bit of a stretch for someone with smaller hands (I am six feet tall with larger hands).
The camera is quiet and responsive, the buttons provide solid tactile feedback, you can easily operate the D7100 in the dark. The LCD screen on the back is crisp and bright, it reminds me of the clarity of the retina display on Apple products.
Coming from a 35mm film camera (full frame) to a DX (crop sensor) takes a bit of getting used to because the angle of view is much tighter. Even though I educated myself about the differences between full frame and crop, seeing it with your own eyes really drives home how different they really are. For example, I also purchased the AF-S Nikkor 50mm 1.4 G with the body instead of opting for the kit lense and what you see with the 50 mm with a crop sensor on Nikon is equal to a 75 mm lense since nikon uses a crop factor of 1.5 (50 x 1.5= 75). This makes for a tighter frame, definitely not a deal breaker by any means, but it is something you should be keenly aware of since it will affect which lenses you purchase and how you take your photographs.
There are so many in camera options for the D7100, I highly recommend you RTFM and keep it with you as it will save you much frustration as you learn the equipment.
Here are some of my favorite options:
* single frame multiple exposure
* exposure bracketing
* intervalometer
* dual card slot
The only complaint I have is regarding battery life, it's a little too short for me. For example, I went on a photo walk recently and ended up taking about 200 shots, by the time I was done the battery was 3/4 depleted. Admittedly I have no basis for comparison, but it felt as though I was being limited by the battery life instead of my own will. Do yourself a favor and purchase a second battery to carry with you. They are relatively cheap but are infinitely valuable.
I have only owned the D7100 for a month now so I have not been able to fully explore all it has to offer like the video capabilities.
As I stated before, this will be a great camera to grow into.
Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR (Body Only)(Renewed)
4.7
| 791 ratingsPrice: 574.95
Last update: 07-26-2024
About this item
24.1 megapixed DX-format image sensor
Shoot up to 6 frames per second for up to 100 continuous shots
Wireless sharing and control with WU-1a adapter (not included)
ISO range from 100 to 6400
Shoot up to 6 frames per second for up to 100 continuous shots
Wireless sharing and control with WU-1a adapter (not included)
ISO range from 100 to 6400