Nikon D7100 Review Hands on

Nikon D7100 Features

FOCUS POINTS

The standout feature of the new model over the D7000 is an increase in the number of focus points. The D7000 was no slouch in this department, with 39 points, but the new D7100 has a whopping 51 points - of which the central 15 are of the more sensitive and accurate cross type.

Those extra points are then spread more evenly across the frame, giving far better coverage. We're not sure all those points will ebenefit everyone, but if you're keen to shoot fast-moving subjects then they will certainly provide superior object tracking within the frame.

SENSOR

The other big jump on the spec sheet is a move from 16.1 megapixels up to 24.1 megapixels. The sensor isn't any bigger of course, so it'll be interesting to see how packing all those extra pixels in affects low light performance and shot-to-shot times - neither of which we could accurately ascertain on the show floor today.

As well as the extra resolution, Nikon has taken the bold move of removing the low pass filter. This has long been standard on digital cameras and uses a very slight blurring for anti-aliasing - which removes jagged edges from diagonal lines and moire interference which occurs on certain patterns.

The removal of the filter should improve picture quality noticeably, with blisteringly sharp details, though of course the above problems may occur. It's an intriguing move and another one that will need serious testing to comment on further.

HANDLING

It has to be said that the Nikon D7100 looks and handles a lot like its predecessor - companies such as Nikon and its arch nemesis aren't known for shaking things up in these departments. Nikon claimed the handgrip had been redesigned and the mode dial had a more positive action, though we couldn't recall having a problem with either of these on the current model.

No change here is no bad thing, however, as the dual control dials continue to make adjusting settings quick and easy. A new Info button has been added, so you can get more information when composing or reviewing shots - whether in liveview or in the viewfinder.

It certainly appeared to be fast in our time with it. Nikon claims 6fps in the specification, courtesy of the Expeed 3 image processor; and we have to no reason to doubt that.

One odd feature is a 1.3x crop mode that can be manually activated. It crops the sensor, and so will further increase your lenses' focal length. Usually, of course, you would simply crop your photos down afterwards, giving you more control over the final image. However, cropping at this point does have some advantages, as the autofocus points then fill the whole of the image, giving even better object tracking.

The dual SD card slots return from the D7000. Though now you can choose to copy files manually between them, handy if you want to give a handful of shots to a friend or client on an SD card on the spur of the moment.

VIDEO

1080p video recording (at 30p, 25p and 24p) is no longer anything to get excited about. But the addition of a stereo microphone is a first for a Nikon DSLR. On top of this, there's now a headphone jack to complement the new mic and the existing microphone jack. This means you can now hear what you're recording and adjust your shooting setup to compensate for any problems. It's a big step forward for those who want to shoot video.

PRICE

The Nikon D7100 will cost around £1,100 body-only and £1,300 for a kit with an 18-105mm lens. At present you can pick up the still-excellent D7000 for around £650 or £800 respectively. You would then need a strong reason to want the new model to justify buying one close to launch.

There's little to compare the D7100 to at present, as Canon's top-of-the-line APS-C body - Canon EOS 60D is also two years old now, and Canon is yet to show its replacement.