A while back I got call from the Nikon mothership which put the very first HDdSLR–the Nikon D90–into my hands months before the world had seen that technology. I won’t ever forget that experience. That little camera kicked off this whole craze of photo and video convergence that we’re swimming in today.
Well…low and behold, a few months ago I got another one of those calls from Nikon. “Chase-san. We have a new camera…” I love those calls. And so today I’m again excited to share with you another new camera that will get its moment in the spotlight next week at Photokina: the Nikon D7000.
There’s a feature list a mile long after the jump below, but the only data I cared about heading into this can be summed up in 4 lines:
_16.2 Megapixels. (CMOS sensor, DX format, 6fps)
_1080p full HD video. (24fps)
_ISO up to 6400 (pushable to 25,600)
_Magnesium alloy construction (read “pro quality”)
When an automaker rolls a new car off the assembly line, the first thing they do is call in a professional driver to “road test” that car. They’re armed with the basic tech specs, but the drivers aren’t overly saddled with capturing data and providing computer-style analysis. In reality they don’t care about that stuff. The care how the car feels.
In the very same way, I got to “road test” the Nikon D7000. This behind the scenes video (above), this short film Benevolent Mischief I got to make with the new 1080p HD video (below), and the still photos I shot after the jump tell my story of getting to play with this cool new camera.
Sample photos from our shoot, images of the camera from every angle you can imagine, a full feature list, and some other links after the jump (click ‘more’ or ‘continue reading’…)
Beyond what you see herein, there was nothing formal about my road test. In fact, I carried this concept throughout my experience. There was no bloated production, no official script, not even a definitive shot list to be honest. It was absolutely back to basics. Simply making pictures. Nikon gave me several cameras, creative freedom, and a budget to rally my staff and a handful of friends out on the road to make some images for my portfolio, as well as a short film I’ve had in my mind for quite some time.
So that’s what we did. And we had a blast. I hope you dig some of the results.
Click here to see a gallery of sample images I shot with the Nikon D7000.
My “road” test revealed:
1. The camera feels great. I had fun using it. It was effortless to make great pictures.
2. It’s beefier than D90. Faster. Better. Kicks more ass.
3. Will do well for lots of markets. The photojournalist, the wedding shooter, the pro-sumer, the video crowd, backup body for pros. Pretty much everybody wins.
4. It feels great in your hand. Personally I think ergonomics are waaay underrated on cameras in general. Nikon usually does great in this department, and this is on the mark. It feels dreamy in my palm. I used it almost entirely with the optional vertical grip because it feels more pro in my hand and the extra battery life is important for video.
5. Nice Price. = It’s not confirmable yet, but it will be around $1000 USD. [UPDATED: actual price is $1199, pre-order or check it out here at B&H] Given that the top of the line flagship Nikon cameras I use everyday for my commercial work are several times that price, this is a sweet spot.
Reminder, if you’re looking for official specs or 3rd party “testing”, I’m not your guy. I’m an opinionated photographer and a filmmaker, and these are my gut responses. Nikon didn’t review this post and they didn’t tell me what to shoot. They didn’t pay me for a technical analysis. They did pay for me to go out and make pictures and make a short film – and I had a blast doing it. They were cool and generous, and I’m thankful for the opportunity. And the camera rocked.
—- UPDATE ! Tons of folks were asking for some full resolution JPEGs to take a look at. I’ve tossed them up on this page here D7000 Preview Images, for everyone to look at download. These are right off the SD cards. —-
Since I’m the only photog on the planet who’s actually shot this thing for any length of time, I’m guessing there are gonna be questions. I’m happy to answer any that I can. In fact, Scott and Dartanyon and Erik are also around to answer questions too – they’ve spent as much time as I have with the D7000 and even more time with the files. Let’s let the comment section below act as sort of a forum. Collectively we’ll try to keep up with the questions that pour in.
If you dig this sort of stuff and wanna see more behind the scenes photography/video stuff, please subscribe to this blog here. “Like” me on Facebook. Follow @chasejarvis on Twitter. I’ll surely be following up this post with more info–and other similar stuff–regularly. Hope to see you again.
In the mean time, here’s a more complete spec list:
_16.2 megapixels with new Nikon DX-format CMOS sensor (4,928 x 3,264 pixels)
_ISO sensitivity range from 100 to 6400 at normal setting; can be raised to ISO 25600
_Full HD (1080p) D-Movie
_H.264/mpeg-4 video compression
_Makes .mov files at 24fps in 1080 (30fps at 720HD)
_Movie has built in mono, but stereo sound recording capability with optional external mic via stereo mini jack
_20 minute movie recording times
_High durability magnesium alloy body (dust and water resistant)
_6 frames per second still image capture
_9, 21, 39 point AF systems
_Double SD card slots
_12 or 14 bit color depth
_HDMI out display port
_Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) capabilities onboard
and if you really need more info than that, I can’t be of much help, but the Nikon site here might be…
Lastly, the music we use in all our vids is a big part of the fun for us. And we always get a boatload of people who want to check out the bands in greater depth, so here are iTunes links to everyone. All are highly recommended:
The Black Angels
Sera Cahoone
Head Like A Kite
Viva Voce
Victor Shade (RA Scion and MTK)
Joshua Roman
Thanks to everyone who helped out on this fun project. More fun yet to come…
Incredible. Of course you’ve had it for months. Great stuff again Chase!
Nikon D7000 Hands-on Preview http://dpreview.com/previews/NikonD7000/
Thank You,
I love the skin tones on the JPEG files.
Was the video you shot put through Magic Bullet for colouration etc. I think Canon still have the HD edge but that is not surprising given their history in broadcast.
I have no preference for brand I shoot Nikon myself but only because I invested in a digital system and lenses I could afford at the time.
I think the D7000 will be my next purchase I was going to buy a D90 several months ago and the guy in the store told me Nikon had a replacement coming and to hold fire which was nice of him and I guess this is what he was talking about.
You need an expert to fly one of those little helicopter things I had one last xmas and it took me three days to get it flying in a straight line! So don’t try it with your new D7000 get a kid of about 8 to do it for you
Thanks Chase and the team xxx
Anabelle, the color work on the video was done within final cut pro.
Hey Chase and team,
Great job on the camera demo footage, looks like you guys had a lot of fun, it translated well onto the screen.
What was battery performance like during your video shoots? how often did you have to change batteries?
Any heat issues ( shutdowns ) while you were in the sun? If so how long did the camera have to cool before continuing shooting?
I’m also interested in the hdmi output resolution during before and during shooting.
Garnet
Batteries were rockin [compared to our d3s] We didn’t have any shut downs out in the sun.
what model helicopter did you use and what modification was needed to mount the camera?
I wondered what camera you would use for video, The 5dmk2 or the d7000?
Im looking for comparisons everywhere, but they don’t exist for video…
Thanks already…
Oh. my god. Awesome.
You had me at camera floating around in a remote helicopter/flying toy! Absolutely loved the ride along. Thanks for sharing.
The sweet-spot price point for these rockin’ new dSLRs is just amazing. “I remember back when…” Well, you know what these things used to cost for quality and usability that cannot compare to what the prosumer market enjoys today.
This D7000 is another step toward opening up the world of photography and high-quality videography to a wider market. The more the merrier. When talented artists are given the tools to do great things, everybody wins.
Body Only $1,199.95
Thanks for all the info, Chase! From your video and still this looks like a hell of a camera (in the hands of a hell of a talent, of course!). Two video related questions:
First, It looks like there’s a fair amount of handheld/off-tripod shooting in your piece, but it looks much better than I’m used to with the normal HDSLR. How does the rolling shutter/motion rendering compare to Nikon’s other cameras?
Second, is there true manual exposure and shutter selection? This has been the biggest problem I’ve had from my Nikon video shoots and I’m really excited if this has solved that issue.
Thanks again!
Will,
The rolling shutter is quite a bit better than we had seen in the previous cameras. There is manual exposure for shooting video.
Sounds like they nailed it. Thanks, Scott!
by saying “there is manual exposure for shooting video”
Do you mean i can finally use manual settings for SHUTTER, ISO, APERTURE ???
The ISO and shutter speed can be adjusted while shooting. You need to set the aperture before entering Live View.
This really reduce creativity, this means no nice change of focus during videos (eg from a leave (@f1.4) to the landscape (@f11)?
If yes it’s really a mess.
To Andrea: Use a non-G lens set to control the aperture with the ring.
I’m betting that lens control of the aperture will be an option in the custom settings, just like all the Dx and Dxxx bodies.
I hope so
what the problem ? you can set the aperture before entering Live View a then you can recording in f12 with any lenses G, it is correct scott ?
i mean do you want change the aperture while shooting ? im not like that in my shot.
I got a 7D and i can get a nikon cam for free. I still see no reason to switch to this one. Sure, the RS is less, but there is still moire. The fact that you can not adjust the aperture during LV is a big -1 in usability. Also no 50 or 60 frames in 1080p or 720p. that is just another minor. These slowmotion you can make with a 7D and some software (twixtor plugin) are a great feature. Canon still owns de video DSLR market.
I got a 7D and i can get a nikon cam for free. I still see no reason to switch to this one. Sure, the RS is less, but there is still moire. The fact that you can not adjust the aperture during LV is a big -1 in usability. Also no 50 or 60 frames in 1080p or 720p. that is just another minor. These slowmotion you can make with a 7D and some software (twixtor plugin) are a great feature. Canon still owns de video DSLR market.
You need to set the aperture before entering Live View unless of course you have an ais lens. Will a d lens also let you adjust aperture (on lens) while recording?
Great stuff, as always Chase. Your initial playtime with the D90 was what helped clinch my purchasing decision and get the D90 so I appreciate your perspective.
My question: The images show a battery grip – is it a new format or will the D90′s (MB-D80) work with it? I thought I’d read that it uses a new/difference battery so my guess is that it’s different or one of the other ones out there like for the D300.
Thanks!
John,
There is a new battery grip for the D7000.
Thanks Scott!
MB-D11
http://www.nikontechusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Power-Packs/27013/MB-D11-Multi-Power-Battery-Pack.html
This looks awesome. I love my D90, but this thing would rock at $1000. Wow. I definitely like that it has the external mic jack.
What is the viewfinder percentage coverage?
Thanks!
100% Viewfinder Coverage.
Is the autofocus system comparable to the Nikon D3s? or is it comparable to a lesser camera like the D90?
John, it’s much more like the D3, it’s 39 point AF
So this falls sort of in between the D90 and the D300? Or slightly above the D300? Either way, I’m diggin it. Nice job as always, Chase and crew.
Surly, I’m pretty sure it’s fitting in between the D90 and the D300s right now…
Is now a must have on my list……and as always great work.
Thanks for the deets, you guys rock and the D90 vid is what made me take the jump on the D90.
Couple questions:
Did you have any problems with rolling shutter on the video?
Are there manual level controls for the mic input (i.e. auto-gain control defeat)?
Victor,
The rolling shutter is well improved over the D90. The microphone input has three levels of audio or auto levels, available through the menu.
Hi,
The video was impressive (quality wise as wewll as artistically). Have you ever shot with a canon dSLR or with a Panasonic GH1? How does the Nikon compare?
This is awesome!
I’m excited to try one out and see how it feels in the hand. 39 point AF? Close enough…good camera to back up the D3.
Great video guys!
Does it have Af Finetune? And how is the high ISO performance?
Adrian,
ISO is awesome to 3200 and very usable above for photojournalism, weddings, live events, art, etc. Not sure what you mean by the AF fine tune. There are 39 selectable points of AF, so it’s very precise.
Great news on the ISO performance.
Also called AF micro adjustment, where you can fine tune the focus for each lens.
I think he means the front focus/back focus fine tuning feature.
Yes it does have AF fine tune. I want to see some high ISO samples!
Awesome. Thanks Robert.
Check out this link for a 3200 ISO Jpeg right out of the camera. Smooth!
http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Well, obviously it preserves lots of detail at 3200 ISO. Colour noise is awful, as you would expect from a DX camera. I would love to see a RAW from this thing. What concerns me are these blue patches on pole in the back. What is this?!? I believe it will be usable for not that large prints. Can you upload a RAW as well?
Thanks in advance, Viktor
Viktor, to my knowledge there is no software available to support the RAW files yet. Let me know if I am incorrect on that. Thanks.
Amazing stuff as usual, any idea when the pre orders will take place?
Good Stuff Chase! I was wondering how the ISO on the camera handled low light situations?
Great low light performance. Holds up for commercial to 1600-3200. Very usable for other applications at 6400. Same league as the D3 line.
Are you saying that the high ISO performance for the D7k is comparable to the D3 models?
The ISO performance is comparable. The caveat being that the larger pixels on the D3 sensor will render a slightly smoother looking image at the same ISO because the grain pattern is not as tight.
Hey there great conversation happening over Nikon D7000 check it out http://bit.ly/ajjvTK
Check out this link for a 3200 ISO Jpeg right out of the camera.
Link: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Wow, what fun you had…
Does the D7000 have a built in AF motor for screw drive lenses?
Kev, it does indeed.
1080p 24fps is great, but do you think only having 720p 30fps, rather than 60fps will hurt them, especially since the 7D does shoot 60fps? Maybe something that could be addressed in a firmware update?
Does it output a clean live 1080p signal? That’s really relevant with the recently anounced kipro mini and the atomos prores recorders.
Daniel, need to get back to you on that, we didn’t try the live 1080 feed from the HDMI.
Ok thanks, that would really differentiate this camera and enable not only high res monitoring for focus check but also high quality codecs using external recorders.
Also, have you found it prone to moire/aliasing in video mode? I hope those questions aren’t out of place.
Thanks again! This seems like a great camera from Nikon.
Great question, Daniel. I think the guys speak about the obvious stuff only.. We need more comparison to the 7D!
BTW great sample shots, Chase! The mischief..not so much, but the BTS video is pretty cool!
Nikon comes late to the fight, but it always brings a knockout punch!
Does it have a built in AF motor so it can use older AF lenses?
Mike, there is a built in AF motor.
wow.. awesome !
more confusing for people to choose..
one question Chase, is the low light performance of this cam ( still & video ) is on par with D3s ?
Check out this link for a 3200 ISO Jpeg right out of the camera. Impressive for sure! http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Do you have some other high ISO shots? I’d rather see some people in this kind of light (and turn down the white balance more, please, this night shot is too yellow)
I’m super interested in the “Auto ISO Problem” on the D300s. On that camera, there is no way to manual override when shooting video and you’re stuck with auto ISO. Has this been changed on the new model? You shot in a number of low light situations (I assume to really test the mettle of the camera) and the video looks great; no grain. Were you shooting super duper fast lenses (f/1.4) or does this camera just handle low light video that well?
Finally, I’d be interested to know your thoughts on how it compares to the Canon 7D (DX sensor, similar price point). Thanks for all your help.
It really handled low light well. There were times we had some fast glass, but lots of time we were just rocking the kit lens, or maybe the 24-70
Very awesome D-lighting system!!!
Amazing pics and video! I’m bummed because I bought a new D90 a couple of months ago, if I would have know I would have waited. I love the D90 but hate the limited video it does, this 7000 looks much better.
Anyone want to buy a slightly used D90?
Yes, actually! I’m looking to upgrade from my D5000. I need the motor inside the camera so that I have more options for lenses as I’m getting more serious about pursuing photography. The D5000 was fine as a student camera.
Troy, where ya based?
Tacoma
Portland
Not the new I was looking for but seems like a fabulous camera and definitely a re-boot on the still fabulous D90..
With the 16MP news I’m hoping that the replacement for the D700 doesn’t go overboard on MP and has dual memory slots that way my HDD won’t get obese…
Mike, I totally agree, I wish someone would end the MegaPixel wars, and bring me a dynamic rage war!
I would like that too!
Fuji tried to make the quality of the image and dynamic range the issue in their S series but unfortunately they (or Nikon) choose a cheap Nikon body to do it with.
Great entry! I have something to save for this year end.
How do you compare the ISO performance up to ISO 3200 with D700? How is the JPEG engine? The gallery photos, have they been touched-up?
Thanks!
Oh hey those photos definitely had some post on them, but overall I feel like the JPEG engine is one of the best. they brought some new compression wizards to the party on it. Have only shot the D700 a few times, I would say they are pretty on par, from my recollection.
Here’s a 3200 ISO jpeg straight out of the camera: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Simply amazing. I thought the d90′s low light performance was pretty good, but I can’t wait to take this lady out for a late night date. I hope my wife doesn’t mind.
I love the benevolent mischief video ~ congrats …. nice use of a well priced DLSR ~ I mean WOW !
Very cool! Thanks so much for sharing. I think I like the intro vid even more than the short film!
I feel like, (as with any, or most motion picture,) audio will still need to be captured with a separate device.
Indeed, as it stands now, there really isn’t a real outstanding audio capturing DSLR.
Agree with Corbin, This movie intro are great, thank you for sharnig this!
Why do you spam your Twitter with the same link so many times? Does it actually help anything to do that? I don’t get it.
Because it really makes you look like schmuck PR-wise.
hey hank. thanks for your thoughts. i’m just happy and proud. and i’m replying in @ form to as many people as possible. i’ve found it’s the best way to share info. best to you.
Hank, why do you have to post more than once? Gah. Such valuable screen real estate laid waste…
Quick question on usability — what’s the process of actually starting a video recording? On the D90 I found it weird — hit the Live Preview button then press the okay button to start recording. Is this the same process on the D7000? And any thoughts on autofocus while in video mode? How is the performance?
Victor,
The video recording has gotten a lot more straightforward. You use the same button to start live view and to start/stop recording. They have definitely addressed that issue.
You are the motherF’n man.
How’s the AF in video mode?
It’s great, really helpful.
So how does the AF work actually in video mode? How does it handle changing light conditions & faces?
I am curious about continuous AF too
The live view face recognition is actually really incredible, and we’ve had good luck in low light. It does need to have enough contrast to grab focus, as with all AF, but we were definitely impressed.
OMG I want!
how is the high iso performance compared to the d90 which was better than expected.
was contemplating on whether to get the d700 and move to FF instead, but the list of specs and the price is making me considering on just moving from my d90 to the d7000 instead of the d700 and stay in DX land. i need the better low light performance.
CA, the D7000 seems to have about a stop better high ISO performance as compared to the D90.
How clean are the shadows at base ISO, esp. compared to the D3/D700/D3s?
The shadow areas are clean at base ISO. Any difference to be seen has to do with the larger pixels on the full frame cameras.
My question is about the music in your movie… I loved it! Great job! Would you mind telling us which specific songs by the artists were used?
Sure thing. Here’s the track list in order:
“The First Vietnamese War” by The Black Angels
“You Might As Well” by Sera Cahoone
“The Boy Who Lost His Courage” by Head Like A Kite
“Beiever” by Viva Voce
Thanks!
Hi Erik!
Hi Scott!
Jen,
The Black Angels – “The First Vietnamese War”
Sera Cahoone – “You Might As Well”
Head Like a Kite – “The Boy Who Lost His Courage”
Viva Voce – “Believer”
Dan Visconti/Joshua Roman – “Weirdo”
MTK – beats for credits
Iso performance – is it comfortable at the higher iso levels (1600-3200) or does the higher pixel count start to bring up issues?
Mike looks nice at 3200, 6400 is a bit of a stretch.
3200 straight out of the camera: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Oh Incredible.That all VDO form amazing camera.Put camera with helicopter that amazing idea i love it.
I had to pick my jaw up off the floor… Although I don’t need it, seeing as I haven’t pushed the D90 to the edge yet, I’ve been looking forward to seeing just how serious Nikon was going to go with the D7000. I don’t think “serious” begins to cover how far they went here… And finding out you and your staff once again were first to greatly push the limits of it, just as you did with the D90… I’m totally psyched for the camera, but I’m even more pumped to just get out there and create some art after watching what you all accomplished! Inspiring stuff!
Great stuff Chase! Love the BTS too!
This is good news! Working in Seattle, I wonder how close I was to you guys and the D7000 without ever knowing it! All this time…
I assume no closer or just as close as the rest of us! Looks like the van scenes were shot under the Ballard bridge.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=ballard+wa&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.401733,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Ballard,+Seattle,+Washington&ll=47.661619,-122.376419&spn=0.000718,0.002064&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=47.661583,-122.376311&panoid=UHx17DmPyJ7QDPJzCJGjDg&cbp=12,146.09,,0,-2.43
Where does this sit in the product line? Above the D90 and below the D700?
Any word you can give us on a D700 replacement?
it’s in-between the d90 and d300s in the nikon line.
Chase, amazing videos and work as always!
Quick questions. Have you used the built in wifi functionality at all and if so how? Also, is the Auto-Exposure bracketing limited to 3 frames?
Thanks guys!
Chris the auto bracketing was only 3 frames ;-(
Man I really don’t understand that. Nikon seemed to have a grasp over the rising HDR phenomenon so its a little surprising/disappointing that they wouldn’t include more brackets. Shouldn’t be that difficult to include more either. Anyways, thanks for letting me know!
It seems it will also only do up to 1 stop increments. The D90 can do 2 stop increments, so that they choose to remove that possibility is disapointing for HDR use.
YEAH, the one thing I’m kinda bummed about, because I’ve gotten some nice results doing handheld HDR with the D90 and 2 stop brackets. It’s so easy now with PS CS5, or some of the plugins. I was kinda hoping the 1 stop +/- EV max for 3 images was a mistake in the specs. It’s just a software thing, but Nikon is not aggressive with firmware updates (D90 never got one)
Actually kyle it will go to 2 stops in 1/3 stop increments
just out of curiousity, how does it compare to the d700. of course different sensor size, but just curious as to know how they compare in IQ and overall performance.
CA, I’d say that the D700 is the choice for the professional who is most concerned about still photography. The full frame sensor creates smoother looking files. That said, the D7000 has great 1080 video, high ISO that’s fully on par with the D700, and a faster frame rate at about half the price.
Would you recommend the D7000 over Canon 7D, honestly? 7D shoots 60fps video has greater resolution and seems to be very robust camera for not that much more.. What do you think?
Fantastic work as usual Chase!
I own a D90 myself and while using video and panning, even slowly it suffers from the dreaded “Jello effect” caused by the rolling shutter…. Has this issue been fixed on the D7000?
Also, what steady-cam was used around time 2:25, it looks nice and compact and does its job well.
Cheers!
-Eric D.
Eric, the steady cam is the Merlin, and yes the Rolling shutter [jello] is MUCH LESS prevalent in the D7000
Really great show!!!
I saw you used some steady cam add-on for your shoots in the bar. Do you mind sharing what brand and model this is?
Thanks!
Emil, it’s a Steadicam Merlin. Fantastic compact rig once you get the hang of it.
Thanks very much!
Hi guys, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us with what seems to be another big Nikon hit. I remember how the D90 announcement maybe me jump and spin around my house.
As you already responded positively to the ISO performance question, I was wondering about the RAW file quality of the D7000 in terms of information and dynamic range for post-processing.
See, I was able to recover a lot of detail from the D90 RAW files.
(see
here for the comparison
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=15164677&l=12632411d6&id=623250297
here for the whole album
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=502532&id=623250297&l=2bac9a9b13
)
So far, I was able to stretch (i.e. modify in lightroom3) D700 files farther than I could with the D90. I was wondering if the RAW file quality of the D7000 has improved or stayed the same regardless of the megapixel and ISO boost or worst, lost some quality due to the transition to higher pixel count.
Thank you so much for your feedback again. I hope I make sense. =)
As of right now the only thing that can read the RAW files is a VERY beta version of Nikon software that we have, and is mostly in Japanese. So it’s hard to say. However even looking at them in that software you’ll always find a lot more detail in the RAW files
Thank you so much for your answer Dartanyon.
I forgot RAW files from cameras as new as the D7000 can be aren’t supported yet by Adobe Camera RAW. my bad, I’ll just go get a hands on experience when I’ll get the chance when it arrives at the store
I read your feedback on JPG rendering and from what I’ve seen from the sample images on the Nikon, they were able to pull out some great dynamic range stunts in the JPG engine.
One very last thing and I promise to wait till I get my hands on one.
I just went through the dpreview article too and noticed that the D7000 can be set to produce 14-bit RAW files (which I find is much more stretchable in post-processing than 12-bit). Last time I tried shooting 14-bit RAW files on a DX body (on the D300/D300s), I experienced a bit of shutter lag compared to shooting 12-bit RAW files. Did anything similar occurred to you guys when shooting in 14-bit RAW?
I didn’t notice any longer shutter lag, but they certainly slowed down the writing to the card, and therefore shortened up the buffer.
Nikon Capture NX2 is a great software, much better than Aperture in terms of output quality. It’s meant for the Nikon ecosystem, I don’t know why you have not been using it before..
Even the current version of capture doesn’t support the D7000.
I was saving for a d300s but now I don’t know what to do. How does this compare and would I be wrong to go
With the d7k over the d300s? I am
Really looking for decent low light low noise performance.
hi chase and company,
would like to ask about AF motor performace using non-AFS lenses like the older primes… how does AF speed compare to the D90 and the higher bodies like lets say, D300/300s, D700? this might be a dealbreaker for most of us. thanks!
JM, I’d say that this camera comes in with quicker focusing than the D90. The D700 is likely to be a faster focusing body than this one, as it is essentially a baby D3, but it can’t compete on price with the D7000.
Chad, we’re having a debate in house here. Some votes for the D300s, some for the D7000. They are really in the same ballpark with low light performance. Our debate is hinging on still speeds )6 vs. 7 FPS), and video resolution (720 vs. 1080). It really has to come to your priorities to make this call. Enjoy!
My god, you shoot like a photographer––in other words, you make every image count. Thanks for your dedication to the craft. Nikon is going to sell these babies by the boat-load thanks to you.
You’re a super talented dude.
I am confused on the logic behind the model numbering of Nikon’s cameras, D5000, D90, D7000, D300, D700, D3. I understand the technical differences between each model but the numbering doesn’t make sense.
Any insight?
They ran out of numbers
Well, it’s true that they did run out of numbers, but I also see it as a kind of update to the existing body. As an example, you have the D300 as a semi-pro body, the dumbed down D3000 and D3100, but there are also the insanely pro D3 series. Same with the sevens. There was the D70, then the D700, now the D7000. It’s the same with most any body in recent years. D50, D5000. There will likely be variants on the individual bodies (D300, D300s; D40, D40x, etc.) but the hierarchy is still similar. Also, within the series, the feature sets are similar, either built up, or dumbed down. Makes sense to me.
As for the D7000, I think that it would make a really great camera for a lot of people, myself included. As to whether it’s better than a D300s is up to personal preference.
I think I figured it out (current models only, and they might be in the process of cleaning up the product line/updating the current lines):
D3000 – D5000 – D7000 (amateur – serious amateur)
D300(s/x) – D3(s/x) (pro-sumer – pro)
D700 (serious pro-sumer) might (now) fit between the D300 & D3, but in august 2007, it was D300 – D3.
Excellent videos. I’m trying to put together a documentary…and this looks like the perfect camera for the job! Smart move too, going with MOV & H.264 over avi. Thank you, all of you, for all your work and willingness to share your time answering questions for us. Where can a guy get one of those helicopters?
I’m suprised they didn’t call it the D90s/x after the film camera F90s/x pattern. The F90s/x was a similar type of upgrade, going from plastic to metal body and making it the portable mini-pro.
Really nice piece of gear that Nikon announced this time! The great specs really leaves me wondering what other ground-breaking stuff will be shown for the future cameras
I’m sure many are dying to find out how the noise performance fares. Guess we need to wait till the bodies are shipped.
Really nice piece of gear that Nikon announced this time! The great specs really leaves me wondering what other ground-breaking stuff will be shown for the future cameras
I’m sure many are dying to find out how the noise performance fares. Guess we need to wait till the bodies are shipped.
Does this camera have a af-on button? I’m so used to focusing with the af-on button. I can’t see any af-on button on any picture of the camera but maybe it’s possible to program any other button as af-on? Preferbly the af-l button. Do you know if that is possible? Thanks!
Roger, I’ve been poking around the custom button options and have not yet seen an AF on option. I’ll drop a line if I find differently.
Great. Thanks! I read somewhere that this was possible on the D90 so it probably should be possible on the D7000 as well I think…
Mr Madsen,
On my D80 and D90, the AE/AF lock button can be reprogrammed to be an AF-ON!…as well as a flash value lock..very handy for spot metering a subject with TTL off camera flash!
Skunk
Interesting, i have a D300 and looking to upgrade to the d700 or now maybe this D7000.
Would i be down grading if i got the d7000 or would you say its comparable to the d300?
They should have made this thing FX, would have made my choice a lot easier!!
That’s a really tough call. The D700 is an incredible full frame camera in a great small package, but the 7000 wins in the megapixel and video categories and is almost half the price. I think you will find it a step up in features from your D300, but you might not see the same jump in quality of still image that you would with the D700 (FX sensor). It really comes down to what features you find the most important.
but would paying for essentially two d7000′s be justifiable when u say that high iso is comparable??
and btw, i forgot to comment on how great that little video is. great compilation of music, artistic perspective and fun.
Thanks guys!
You saved my rany morning. Just one question considering the metering. Does D7000 meter also with non-CPU lenses? As a D200 user I would like to continue using all the lovely Ai & AiS lenses.
TR, we don’t have any Ai lenses that we can test that out with right now, but we think it’s unlikely that metering through these lenses will be supported in any of the current Nikon DSLR releases.
D200 and above, D300,D300s,D700 and so on, meter with Nikon AI and AIS lenses in manual and aperture priority. It seems the new D7000 will work the same way with non CPU lenses.
Peter
DPreview says yes for non-cpu lenses “Up to 9 ‘non-CPU’ lenses can be registered (same as D300s/D3s/D3X)”
Yannik, that’s great news, thanks for the update!
Scott, shooting mainly available light, I was thinking of picking up a used D700 to replace my D200. I’m guessing the D7000 will blow away my D200 at higher ISO…right?, plus the video which I wasn’t even considering could be what puts this over the top…Agreed?
It will absolutely blow away your D200, and yes, the video is going to be a game changer. Have fun!!!
I guess it depends on desired features. I use my D200 for HDR, shooting 5 to 7 auto-bracketed exposures. The D7000 only supports 3 AEB exposures so for me it is a limitation vs. the D200. However, I still might get one to backup or replace my aging D200. Some of the other D7000 features are certainly attractive. I’m also not crazy about the higher megapixel count either. I would opt for lower megapixels with better high ISO capability and smoother “grain” structure.
I think you’ll find the grain structure of the D7000 to be smoother regardless of the increase of megapixels. Check out full res samples here: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Great post!!! Great photos and videos!!!
In the road test video that shows some behind the scenes stuff, was everything filmed with D7000 or are there other cameras capturing there?
Thx
hey mike: everything was filmed with the D7000. no other cameras.
hey guys, great job. very impressive!
which shoulder- and steady-tripods did you use for the movie? thanks!
greetings from germany
chris
I’d say 80% of the behind the scenes video was shot handheld with a Zacuto Z-Finder (http://www.zacuto.com/z-finder-dslr-viewfinder) for focus and an extra point of contact. We also used a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod with a Studioball SB-14 head for some of the locked off shots.
For Benevolent Mischief we used the Gitzo, Z-Finders, a Zacuto Double Barrel shoulder support, a Steadicam Merlin, a Bogen/Manfrotto 501 tripod, and an 8 ft. Kessler Crane. OH, and a doorway dolly that we rented. phew.
Beautiful as always, you never stop inspiring me
Hi Chase/Scott/Dartanyon
Thanks for replying to your readers.
You’ve mentioned that there is manual exposure control in movie mode…can you confirm that we can change the ISO,aperture and shutter speed during video? can the histogram be displayed during/before recording?
also during movie mode, can we change the ISO in 1/3 stop increment? i.e iso100, 160, 200, 320, etc? or is it limited to full stop increment like 100, 200,400, etc.
You need to set your Aperture before you start live mode. The ISO and Shutter speed can be adjusted while in live view and while recording video in 1/3 stop increments. We haven’t found the ability to see the histogram while in live mode.
Excellent stuff, Chase and team. Really enjoyed the videos and stills. As cool as the D7000 looks though, I expect you could create a video which makes a $10 disposable camera look awesome!
Inspiring stuff Chase & crew
thx 4 sharing. One question thou, why don’t you put these on your podcast anymore? Since I got my iPhone it’s been my fav thing to watch on the train to work and the signal is dodgy so the predownloaded format is the only option.
Thx Suzy
suzy. this will be on the podcast!
Suzy … [and Chase] don’t forget we discontinued the Apple TV version of the podcast, and just have ONE version of the podcast, so make sure that’s the one you are subscribed to, but all of our videos have been going to podcast, and all of the chasejarvisLIVE stuff has it’s own audio podcast aswell ….
http://ax.search.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSearch.woa/wa/search?entity=podcast&media=all&restrict=false&submit=seeAllLockups&term=chasejarvis
Great short film with improvised script! Also D7000 seems to be capable for producing high quality stuff.
Hey Chase.
Awesome video. Looking forward to trying the D7000 hands on when it comes into the shelves here.
I have a D700. Was always wanting to get a FX for telephotos.
Just wondering..How was the AF mode when filming and recording video? Was it better than you expected and was it responsive when you switch the focus from one object to another?
@ jonathan: the auto focus is good–indeed better than expected.
but in truth, I prefer manual. i’m fast and good at it. it’s really pretty easy with these short throw lenses and smooth action. at a high f # its really easy…. one can become good really fast with a little practice. and then you’re in control 100%
This is mind bending stuff.
Selling off my D90 this minute
I can’t find any info on the battery pack/vertical grip. Is it an off brand or Nikon, and what’s it going for.
Jon
Jon,
It’s a new battery grip from Nikon. I haven’t heard the price, but the model is the MB D-11
Amazing work!
Thanks again for sharing!
Sudi
Mr Jarvis,
1, Does it have an audio out for monitoring? Any thoughts to the audio in capabilities?
2, Any improvement in the pop up wireless flash capability? More range? More groups? Or no improvements to the existing goodness we’ve enjoyed for years?
3, With all due respect to Mr Kutcher, Chase > Ashton.
Skunk
I liked the way you conclude on D7000! Was wndering is the AF speeds useable on steadicam/flycam shots?
Albert, the AF is certainly usable on the steadicam shots. The flycam stuff was all shot with a pretty wide lens at infinity so we didn’t have to be concerned about the focus and left it locked.
nice! Still loading your clip with my shifty slow connection speed… can’t wait to see…
What about focus pulling? How is the manual focus control in the video? This is the magic bullet for the DSLR video. What was your experience using this camera in manual?
Hey Chase this is great, love that there is no problem shooting things in highspeed like the car scene, where the background seems to just be normal and don’t turn sideways as on many DSLR Cameras that shoots video. It gives a more realistic feel to it.
Great work!
Great stuff as always.
Quick Q: Did you used any post (Color Correction or whatsoever) in the VIDEO?
I’d love to see some of images in higher res in higher ISOs.
Keep up the good work Chase!
Yes, we did. We shot all of the video with the Picture Control set to “Neutral” to give the footage more of a RAW look. Makes for a little more dynamic range and image control in post.
Hi Chase and Crew,
How does the physical size/wieght compare to D90, D300, D700?
Jeremy,
Very similar feeling to the D90 in size/weight. A Little smaller and lighter weight than the D300/D700, but it does have the magnesium alloy body so the D7000 feels very solid in the hand.
I use Canon gear, but this is an exciting new camera! It’s awesome seeing the progress that’s being made so quickly, from both Nikon and Canon, in what is really a huge shake up and converging of lines for those with the talent.
Hey Samuel, I shoot with both Canon and Nikon gear and usually select a camera based on the lens(es) that I prefer for a particular task. Both camera systems are great and both have their pros and quirks. To me it is like having different brands of wrenches in the toolbox. Chase has shown us that it isn’t necessarily about the camera, it is about the photographer’s vision and knowing the limitations of each tool so that you can appropriately capture that vision.
Well said, George. Can’t agree more.
Heya’s
What’s the 1080p bit-rate? And is the bit-rate the same @ 720p?
Bit rate and HDMI out behavior are the key unanswered questions for me. Also very interested in moiré and aliasing performance…
Also waiting for the bit rate. I’d seen it for the 3100, and it was lower than I’d hoped (can’t recall now!). suspect it will be the same.
I am looking into using this for a round the world trip to start learning DSLR photography and videography. Would you recommend it for someone that is starting out? I plan on taking a netbook and some portable hard drives, how much space does 1 hr of full HD video consume and what is it for 720p ? Excited to learn and start playing around with this camera, inspiring video.
from a name convention POV it would suggest this is a replacement for the D700, but does the fact its a DX sensor mean its more likely a D90 replacement?
doesn’t anyone feel that a built in stereo recording is as an important feature thats missing? I don’t want to lug around a set of mics when some basic audio recorded in stereo would fulfill the prelim work? Or anything spontaneous?
Chase, whadya think? Nice work by the way.
Otherwise i’ve already pre-ordered mine
Across the board, the major shortcoming of DSLR video is the audio. No on board stereo recording, no audio meters, no live levels adjustment. The camera manufacturers seem to be struggling to make a camera with the audio support that keeps video shooters happy while not alienating the still photographers by using a ton of resources and extra expense on audio support. This will be interesting to watch in the future.
hi,
whats the bitrate of the 1080p footage? thanks
@thomas: i’m going thru the manual now and can’t find bitrate info. will have scott and dartanyon and erik take a peek too and one of us will get back to you.
thanks chase, much appreciated
Great stuff, Chase!!
Is the D7000 less ‘wobbly’ than the D90? And what about the rolling censor thingie, did Nikon fix that?
good question. it’s 100% improvement. as you can see from the BTS video where we’re driving fast in the car. waaaay better.
I can’t wait to get my hands on one. I’ll be ordering in the first few days. The low light capabilities look great in the videos. Great work!
Hi Chase, Scott, Dartanyon
How did you pull focus? Did you use any kind of pull attachment? Also, did you use any kind of angle-finder, a different focus screen, or any other viewfinder adaptor?
Thanks
Ben
Ah, I see Erik mentions most of the equipment used above. Did you need anything for pulling focus quickly and smoothly? Did you use marks or just determined the focus visually?
we pulled focus manually on all cameras using the zfinders with no 1st AC. this was run n gun.
So Chase does another Nikon sneaky-sneaky pre-video! Good stuff.
Sooooo the biggie – working on any other vids, say D700 update/replacement ? C’mon – you can tell us – we’re friends….
[Been waiting for it for almost a year now!]
This is inspiring. It’s a reminder that following your passion creates opportunities for success. Thanks for sharing.
it realy sux ! we need full frame !!!!
It’s strange that the manufactuers never public the specs that we’re most interested in, not even in the camera manual!:
- What’s the bitrate of the video footage?
- Is there manual audio control?
- What does the camera output through the HDMI port while recording?
The video bitrate is the most important thing… if you or one of the gang could take one of those MOVs, drag them in to Quicktime and bring up the “stream info” and take a screenshot, that would be swell. The number to beat is 48mbit/sec. That’s what the Canon cameras do, and it’s not bad, but it’s not enough. Your play, Nikon.
Stream info? Is that a PC thing? On a Mac it’s “movie inspector”.
we’re working on it. it’s 230 am, so we should have an answer by morning for you.
i can answer audio question now. in short. YES. manual audio of 3 settings, plus “auto” for input.
get back to you on other ?’s asap
I’d love to see some more info about bitrate and HDMI out during recording as well.
Thanks for the great info your providing!
Awesome work!
I was wondering, is it really worth the extra dough over the D90(available at quite a discount and bound to drop even more)? I dont shoot video for starters, and am on a budget but woldn’t mind stretching if I really should.
@ AB. 1080 video. 16mp. 6fps. the call is all yours of course.
oh , i cant wait to try the camera. bit worried about ISO performance though .. ISO 6400 on DX sensor ?? thx for share
generally i think 1600 is great. 3200 solid. 6400 passable in certain situations.
Take a peek at this Jpeg straight out of the camera at ISO 3200: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Did you guys use any NR on the ISO 3200 shot?
Thanks.
hey Scott, compared to the D3 files, how did the D7000 images hold up in back-light?
Thank you
Great. See the sample images in the post above, we shot right in to the desert sun quite a bit. Happy with the results.
Love the Benevolent Mischief film. It’s always fun seeing stuff shot in my neighborhood. I ride my bike past that spot almost every day. Hard to believe the poor fellow would have to park that far away from his work….
I’m stoked the D7000 is finally dropping. If the ISO performance is anywhere close to my D700s, I’ll have to sell one of them so I can pick up a D7000 and get into video like all the cool kids.
Hey
I know there’s quite a lot of people with interest in video who are disappointed with the fact that Nikon doesn’t announce the bitrate of the video. Could you please tell us what it is? That would be awesome!
Also, yeah it looks like this will be the prosumer camera of the year!
does the D7000 do the nasty line skipping like the Canons for 1080p video??
If not, that would be a severe ass kick for Canon and a reason for the Canon video crowed to jump ship!!!
ok, answer to myself after analyzing the two clips:
there is the sign of SEVERE ALIASING with the D7000. Canon Video crowed you can relax.
Any idea of the flash sync speed?
1/250 th
Flash sync is 1/250
“Since I’m the only photog on the planet who’s actually shot this thing for any length of time, I’m guessing there are gonna be questions.”
From Nikon blog:
“Don’t forget to keep an eye on our blog during photokina, as we’ll be posting an interview with outdoor and action photographer, Robert Bösch, who’s been trialling the D7000 for the past few months. He’ll have some great tips and insights on how to get the most out of the camera.”
Haha
Our Chase 
Always not telling what would might spoil the fun 
Nikon got their money’s worth: Chase & co.’s shoot-out now used as promotional images / videos for D7000 on Nikon Global.
Hi,
I went through the comments and questions, some reviews etc. and I haven’t found the info. My question is: how do the U1 and U2 settings work? Are they comparable to the banks in D300? Does camera actually remember your settings (like Canons do) or does it rather remember all the recent changes you’ve made so when you leave and come back it will be as you left them not like you’ve set them in the first place (like D300, read: annoying – I mean you don’t really remember what kind of changes you’ve made to the bank during shooting yesterday and when picking up the camera next day you need to reset everything again…. manually, which makes the options almost obsolete on D300)? Thanks
In my experience, the custom functions you set remain the same until you change them yourself. I’d love to hear from anyone else with experience on this topic.
Hey, great video!
How did you find the camera for pure photography ? Have you used a D300s, and if so how does it compare ? I have a D300s which I bought for better ISO performance and to use for video for my university modules, but now they come out with this and I dont know what to do!?
Cheers, John
John,
It’s a tough call between the D300s and the D7000 for pure photography. The increased resolution of the D7000 looks great as does the high ISO performance. The D300s feels a little beefier in the hands and has a faster motor drive. All things considered it looks like the 7000 may have jumped ahead.
super inspiring stuff. thanks
Does this thing have manual control for video
sound bars on display while recording ?
Thanks
There is manual control for video. You can change the shutter speed and ISO while shooting video. You need to set the aperture before you start live view. There are no sound bars on display while shooting.
are there sound bars at any time ?
I of course assume nothing as clever as a headphone minijack to actualyy monitor
no one would make a camera with no screen to monitor the vision, why no why to monitor the sound I wonder
I assume that chase and the gang have nikons ear, they should shout this error into it
S
thanks for your impressions regarding D7000
will it be possible for you to post high iso images from d7000 ?
regards
Abhinav
Enjoy: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Inspired… Now D300s or D7000?
Chase, I haven’t been this excited about a new piece of hardware in quite some time! And you took it to one of my favorite places to put it through it’s paces. Thanks!!!
Would love to see an ISO 6400 example. Thanks!
Here’s 3200 straight out of the camera: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
all videos are at low light at night but all still images are at bright daylight, cant we see a night shot , high ISO images?
Why all images are in Daylight?
Heres a night shot at 3200 straight out of the camera: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
I want to buy it. Now!
)
The ‘making of’ is better than the actual short film, but the photos are solid. I love the quality.
Great stuff! How about new metering? No more overexposure?
How about blown red issue?
Thks
I want to buy it. Now!
The only turn off would be no manual exposure in video mode..
The ‘making of’ is better than the actual short film, but the photos are solid. I love the quality.
There is manual exposure in video mode via shutter speed and iso. Only the aperture can’t be changed while recording video.
Hi Guys,
Sorry if I have missed this somewhere but does the D7000 have continuous video autofocus, if so did you use it at all and how did you find it’s performance?
Thanks for your time!
The D7000 does have continuous video autofocus. We used it a little bit with good results. Most of the time we were shooting manual focus in order use focus as another tool for creating interesting shots.
On a related note about manual focus, in still mode, I seem to remember running across a piece of information (that I couldn’t find again after much looking), noting that the d7000 has an updated viewfinder that is much easier to focus manually. I shoot with a d90 in a lot of very low light situations and I find that trying to focus manually is all but impossible, even in adequate light, so I stick to AF which often fails me in low light. There is an focus indicator light in the viewfinder but it’s much harder to use manually than the old film viewfinders where the center had that offset element you had to line up to indicate focus. That system would probably still work pretty well! Anyway, I read that the d7000 has addressed this and I wanted to know if this was indeed the case. Great work, thanks for all the back and forth!
Sera Cahoone Rocks!
Thanks to all the guys at chasejarvis for loads of info and amazing videos!!
Was wondering what the interval shooting options are on the d7k? would be interested in its time lapse capabilities.
The built in intervalometer will shoot at .5, 1, 2, or 3 sec intervals.
Thanks for the info Scott
As a sad side note – it is illegal to use an remote control aircraft for any commercial purpose at the moment – the FAA is expecting to issue new rules in ‘one to two years’.
Be careful, the FAA has been slapping large fines on photographers who do this stuff…
really ..never heard that in my country though .
yeah, but do it while you can. The rumors are running that the FAA is going to place severe limitations on Model Aviation.
It is my understanding that FAA has no jurisdiction on Aircraft that remain below 400 feet. People who take aerial photography at high altitudes, most certainly have to heed FAA regulations.
Chase!
I couldn’t wait to wake up this morning for the chance to see if you have gotten to test drive the new D7000…and low and behold you have! Awesome man!
Thanks all the GREAT motivation, creativity, and innovative-ness!
-Matt
Chase,
Real nice stuff! I’m digging the d7000. Currently own d300s. Stepped up from the d90 which I loved. Bit of a learning curve but figured it out. I was blown away by the quality of d90 and seemed more difficult to obtain those results via the d300s. I bought the d300s for my son’s soccer games.
How would the d7000 stand up to d300s in that situation? I also like the fully auto focus in movie mode. I usually shoot with 70-200 vr11.
Thanks!
Andy
Andy,
you should find the D7000 every bit as user friendly as the D90 with a bunch of new tricks up it’s sleeves!
Superb Chase and team. Also, thanks for taking the time to rattle through questions here on your blog. I have a couple of my own if you don’t mind…
if you still have the camera would it be possible to post some high iso, low light photographs?
what size cards were you using for the video and how long do thay enable you to record for?
Thanks again.
Paul
Paul,
We were using 8 and 16GB SanDisk Ultra cards. The video records about 10GB/hour and does so in 20 minute takes.
We should be posting some hi ISO stuff soon.
Here you go, 3200 ISO: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
This would be about 1/2 the canon bitrate. Around 20Mbs which is HDV bit rate (h264 is better than HDV mpg2, but 1080p is also asking for more).
That’s a very disappointing data rate. Fingers crossed they bump it up for the higher end cameras however I doubt they will. Personally I’m a Nikon stills shooter however I shoot video on a PL mount 7D. I’d love to have a Nikon with at least equal quality video to make use of all my Nikon glass.
Scott, you just released info about the video bitrate!
22.7 Mbit/s
In the Camera Road Test film Chase said “It could be one heck of a piece or it could be a disaster”. Reminded me of Jim Morrison’s quote about drinking. “It’s like gambling somehow. You go out for a night of drinking and you don’t know where your going to end up the next day. It could work out good or it could be disastrous. It’s like the throw of the dice”.
Loved your Road Test…and some Creative Photographs!
very interesting stuff you guys do.
Too bad, I would have liked to see what the camera is truely capable of in video mode, not what it looks like when shot with a zoom starting at f3.5 in a low-light scenery. Quality and dynamic range fade a lot quicker in video mode when increasing ISO due to the poor compression compared to stills.
Guess I’ll have to wait for more footage, thanks though.
Mike, the entire behind the scenes video was filmed with the D7000 in a wide variety of lighting conditions and settings. Hopefully you can find some more footage of your liking in that video.
Very nice post. I am very interested in this camera to upgrade from my d90. I do have one audio question. One of the things I’ve been doing (but not with great audio, mediocre at best) is shoot my friend’s concerts in small bars around Atlanta. I’ve actually been using my Panasonic Lumix PnS and the results have been startlingly good. My question is this. In a small club, feet from the monitors, am I going to be able to keep the audio decent and not clip the hell out of it? How is the stereo mic usability? thanks!
Jerry, there are three audio settings in the camera’s menus which will allow you to compensate for loud audio. You may also want to consider a mic with similar adjustments, between the two and some trial/error you should be able to dial in a great sounding setup for concert recording.
Hey, thanks! Yea, looks like a long series of trial and error runs in my near future. Any suggestions for a decent mic to go along with the camera?
We’ve had good luck with this hot shoe mounted mic:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/450170-REG/Rode_STEREO_VIDEOMIC_Stereo_VideoMic_Camera_Mounted_Stereo.html/BI=6218
As usual great stuff from Mr. Jarvis and Co. Would love to know some of your post manipulations though
Was any sort of gimble or mount used for the RC chopper use? What type if so?
I thought that you had been a bit quiet recently.
Cheers again,
Matt
Matt,
there was a gimble on the RC helicopter, but I can’t recall the model. Tab from Aerial Pan showed up with the helicopter fully rigged, and flew like a master!
this post must set a record for amount of comments or WHAT…. super stuff as ever chase, with this sort of tech coming from nikon the new pro breed is gonna be Mega with a capital MEG……..
any idea if the shutter is quieter than the D90,
Bridget, we don’t have them side by side right now, but based on recollection the shutter noise seems pretty similar.
Hey Guys,
I am a video guy more than a photographer and was wonedring if you could give a quick compare/contrast between this camera and the Canon 5D Mk II. I am looking to shift my business to DSLR in the near future, and would love to stay with Nikon (as we have a ton of Nikon equipment).
Hi Scott, a comparison between the 5D Mk II and the D7000 is an interesting one. The 5D is a full frame sensor, so the resolution going to be a little bit better. That said, it sounds like the D700 wins out in ISO performance, motor drive speed, auto focusing video. At less than half the price and in a smaller package, the D7000 is a major contender in the DSLR vid race.
You mean D7000, because you wrote D700. If the dx D7000 is better in ISO than the Canon 5dmark2 that would be amazing.
I did mean D7000 (oops). Take a peek at this ISO 3200 shot to see the low light performance. Our crew agrees that the only camera we’ve seen with significantly better low light video performance is the D3s.
http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Hi Chase and company, any chance to see a full size JPEG with ISO above 800?
Thanks!
we’ll get one up shortly. thanks!
Here you go: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
So… now it’s time to find a way to scrounge up a fresh 1k for a new body. Thanks Chase!
For real… great movie, looked like tons of fun. Can’t wait to get my hands on the new big action.
Please, any information on the battery pack/vertical grip you were using. Also, does this take the same battery that my D200 takes?
Awesome job on the short video, really love the imagery! And the mood of the video. thanks for the inspiration!
Hey you awesome people at Chase Jarvis Inc,
I was actually eyeing the D90 when I recently made up my mind to take the leap from a point-and-shoot camera to a dSLR. Almost everyone here has either owned or handled a dSLR camera (they’re either getting the D7000 as an upgrade to the one that they have or getting the D7000 as a backup camera).
But for a dSLR ‘virgin’ such as myself, would I be able to handle the D7000? Or is the D7000 geared more towards the semi-pro users? It sounds like a really awesome camera but I’m slightly worried that a newbie like me would be too overwhelmed by it.
Thanks & have a great day ahead!
Lydd,
The great thing about this camera in common with the D90 is that you can make it as easy or complicated as you like. The automatic functions are intuitive and effective if you want to let the camera take some of the work off your hands, but you also have the ability to have professional level controls as you grow into them.
Hi Scott, you have no idea how relieved I was after reading your reply
Ok this baby needs to hit the stores like NOW. Christmas is gonna come early for me this year! Wooohooooo!!!! 
I have to say, using a remote control helicopter for areal shots… FREAKING GENIUS! I mean, I never would have though of that but when I saw it, it made perfect sense.
As always, Chase, this is a fantastic post! I love how much detail you put into the post, after post, comments, etc. I would love to see more of the post processing info (great summer haze sort of effect) I know it was probably largely Aperture.
Far be it from me to offer some bit of criticism, but I try to keep it real. For me the story really didn’t mesh. That might be chocked up to personal preference…I tend to enjoy the darker and more sinister shorts, but if this weren’t a Chase Jarvis short…I am not sure I would have cared. I know this was done without a script…off-the-cuff if you will and for me, that really shows…at least for me.
That said many of the shots in this piece are AMAZING, especially the copter shots. Your ability to create dramatic images off-the-cuff (no shot lists) is crazy fantastic!
Keep up the fantastic work…I learn so much from your blog. Thanks for all you do!
simply amazing!!! wow! you are making me go and preorder this camera (which I was waiting last few months anyway). Fantastic job!!!
That is a wonderful piece of technology in some skilled hands with the eye of a master.
Well done Chase.
I don’t understand what “after the jump” means? Can you use it a few dozen more times until you feel cool and trendy? Or maybe, just maybe EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT A FUCKING LINK IS!
I will choose D7000 for sure. You rock, Chase!
Love it. The BTS was as entertaining as the short film. And where do you get a mini helicopter with a stabilizer on it?!?!?
I bought the D90 two years ago based upon Chase’s blog/video about his experiences with the D90 prior to release and the recommendations of his colleagues when I put up a post with questions. For the last 24 months or so, I have never regretted buying the D90. Thank you guys! Now… I can’t wait to get my hands on the D7000! From what I can see, it is going to be the mid-range camera to beat!
D7000 looks very complete…. even better video than the D300s i guess.
so what does D300s edge over the D7000?
The 300s has a faster motor drive and more AF points, but all things considered, the D7000 has perhaps leapt ahead of the 300s.
thanks alot scott…. i just bought my d300s few months ago… im very happy with it…
but D7000 made me cry just a little bit
The curse of technology, everything is always on the verge of obsolescence!
Chase Jarvis for President! You guys should be in Hollywood!
Noooo! The great thing about these guys is that they are not in Hollywood. Long life to independent film!
Hey Guys!
what were your impressions regarding the performance of the D-movie function and the known issues about rolling shutter? Does the D7000 handles better on that field? Do you know if Nikon is using the same Video Algorithm that the D3s uses for preventing (sort of) the Jelly effect?
The D-Movie is greatly improved over the D90. We shot a lot of quickly moving scenarios with good results. I’m not sure how the math compares the the D3s algorithms, but it seems like Nikon has done their homework on this.
Great camera, but the amazing stuff its the story!!!! Congrats!
Buenísimo!!!
Chase, what is the body size? Is it as big as D90? On photos it looks smaller, smth like D5000.
It’s almost identical in size to the D90.
Amazing shots! Thanks for sharing. I hope I am not repeating this but I had a few questions. Does the video mode have an option to override the auto exposure? Also, did the photos get any post processing?
Great work either way.
Can I ask one more time…what battery pack/vertical grip did you use, and is the battery the same as my D200 battery?
Jon,
The battery grip is new and is called the MB-D11, the battery is new and is called the EN-EL 15.
Yep, you can override the auto exposure. You set the aperture before you go into live view, then once you’re in live view you can control the shutter speed, white balance, and ISO.
The pictures did get some post processing. Chase posted a couple full-res, unprocessed images here: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Thank You for notice, Erik.
great video!!!
what stablizer was it that you used for the D7000?
It’s a Steadicam Merlin. Super compact and light weight.
Great movie and great article. I love nikon.
NICE. You have the coolest job ever. I am shooting with a D90, now I need this. If you need a pro lab to print your shit, that’s what I do.
Hey Chase,
sweet video. im really liking the helicopter video shots. How much is it to get a helicopter that will hold a camera?
Sean,
Not sure what the cost of the helicopter would be. We hired the helicopter with the pilot. As much as we all wanted to fly it, the remote with 500 buttons and the 5 foot carbon fiber blades made us reconsider.
ya that would not be a good thing to wreck. well thats something i want to really look into for my photo/video projects. it was alot smoother then i thought it would be. that beats setting up a crane i would think.
Scott, thanks! You guys really did an excellent job…Nikon should be ecstatic over what you guys presented!
Damn!
That’s a very nice camera. I was thinking of a D90, now this is the one, it seems.
Just let the price go down a bit, the US$ 1.199 that Amazon is asking for is a tad too much.
Finally I shall replace my sweet D40, and will be a big jump forward.
Thanks for posting your impressions and kudos to Nikon for designing a great product. Again.
Cheers.
I’ve been soaking in all the DSLR stuff for the last 2-3 months as well as saving up my pennies as I prepare to take the plunge. But I’m so torn in terms of which way to go!
Apologies in advance if most of you folks are Nikon faithful… I was looking at either the Canon T2i or the new Canon 60D – I’m looking for flexibility in shooting with as much in the way of video shooting as stills. I was going to go the Canon route mainly because it seemed Nikon was late to the party with no 1080 etc. So now what???!
The D7000 looks like it kicks some serious ass. But how does it compare to Canon’s T2i or 60D? I can’t afford more than $1300 approx so I know my choice is basically one of these. But which one? HELP!
Chase and Company,
Thanks for the great rundown, and more thanks for keeping up with all the questions people have!
Here’s one I haven’t seen mentioned: how’s the amp glow on the D7000? (If you’re not familiar with it, it’s the purple glow you get in the corners of the images during long, dark exposures – star trails, night shots of city traffic, etc. Some examples here: http://www.fotocanada.ca/Articles/D50%20vs%20D80%20amp%20glow%20images/D80%20vs%20D50%20amp%20glow.html )
If you could post, say, a 10 or 15-minute exposure at ISO 100 with the lens cap on, it would be great to see the comparison.
HI Chase & Co.
Very, very nice to have this video up. Thanks for your sense of community and your sense of humour. A quick question about the hand held stabilizer used in the bar for the pans – what is it? Any recommendations? I have the D90 and the mount looked very useful. Cheers.
It’s a Steadicam Merlin. Takes some practice, but works great.
What was the name of the wind farm you were at?
Jim, it was just north of Palm Springs on the I-80 (i think). If you go there be sure to have a permit, we were visited by the authorities and were glad our paperwork was in order!
You mean I-10. It’s in southern CA between Joshua Tree National Park and Los Angeles.
Thanks for the correction!
seems to be somewhere near here?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Palm+Springs,+CA,+United+States&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=63.343847,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Palm+Springs,+Riverside,+California&ll=33.899718,-116.545415&spn=0.016528,0.033023&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=33.899257,-116.545417&panoid=6qmNVZb-nLys-SOt5T6erA&cbp=12,233.77,,0,-1.72
Thanks, our company owns and operates a large number of wind farms in the area and I was curious if it was one of ours.
Kind of a dumb question (blushes) but I can´t see the AF mode button the one you used to select AF-A, AF-S and AF-C (was on the side of the monochromatic LCD screen in previous models) has it been moved to another place on the camera
?
The AF button is now in the center of the Auto/Manual dial, below the lens release button.
I actually like the new location, it’s very easy to reach with your lens-holding hand, while leaving the right hand free to scroll both front and back command wheels.
Carl, no need to blush. They sort of hid it. It’s a button built into the switch on the front of the camera that chooses between AF and M. Pretty slick once you get used to it.
Good stuff Guys!!
The switch actually has a center button that will let you select AF-C.
@Rvalle and @Scott:
Wow I really like the new position too!! no need to get the camera off your eye to change it!!!
!!!!
Chase and the guys just uploaded a new ISO 3200 shot to the samples page: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
What do you guys think?
I wish the shot wasn’t in the crapiest lighting in the planet… and with Tungsten WB over vomit green fluorescent lights on top!
Nothing like seeing a worst case scenario to judge the high ISO performance of a camera!
Thanks! Did you do any side by side shots with a D3 in High ISO?
THAT would be sweet…
I noticed the Exif said that the Noise Reduction was off. Was noise reduction applied in post-processing?
Nothing was done to this file, it’s the JPEG straight from the card.
I think it looks pretty good. Definitely better than my D90 at ISO 3200 but not as good as my D3 at 3200. My 10 second analysis says D7000 @3200 = D3 @5000.
When shooting 6fps, how many 12 bit NEFs could you take before slowing down? How many 14 bit NEFs before slowing down? Can you even do 6fps in 14 bit RAW?
Just shot a 10 frame burst at 6FPS with 14bit RAW and Large Fine Jpeg turned on. 11 frame burst with 12bit RAW and no Jpegs.
and no slow down I assume… at what point does it slow down?
And by the way, thank you so much for taking time to answer questions like this. I’m sure this is just one of the many reasons Nikon (and a lot of other people) think so highly of Chase and the rest of you guys!
It stops motor driving once I hit that 10-12 frame limit and starts to write. The motoring after that point is intermittent until the files have been written to the card.
My D90 starts slowing down after 3-4 exposures when I have the High ISO NR turned on. Any idea what the buffer is like with NR on for the D7k?
You guys are awesome! You convinced me to buy my D90, which has been the best, best camera I have ever owned!
Chase and team,
Thanks for the review and taking the time to answer all of these questions. We’re all waiting to hear about the bitrate and HDMI out during record capabilities. I have a couple more questions that I have not seen asked:
(1) can you post a sample of a video file right out of the camera?
(2) did you experience any problems with overheating?
The FAQ at http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/microsite/d-movie/en/faq/index.htm indicates 2900 MB file size for 20 minutes of video, that yields 19.33 Mbps.
I’m still hoping for an answer on the overheating, thanks.
Rich, we did see our prototype give the temperature warning 4-5 times. This was on the camera that was shooting behind the scenes video in Palm Springs and Joshua Tree. It was exposed to very heavy use in temperatures up to 115, so I’d say it was sort of a worst case scenario. We had no such issues when shooting any of the other cameras in that environment or while shooting the short film in Seattle.
Thanks. That’s pretty impressive.
How long was your longest single take (did anything approach the 20 minute limit)?
Just throw a thin cloth over the camera body to reduce heat.
sometimes I use a t-shirt if need to. It does wonders.
Has anyone posted any full rez photos from the d7000 in low light with 3200 and 6400 iso. I love low light photography, and would love to see how it responds. If there off a 70-200 mm 2.8, or a 35mm prime that would be great.
Jamie
One ISO3200 image here: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
Awesome!
Just a quick question: What was the (average) ISO from the night footage?
Most of the footage in the short film was shot at 1600-3200.
would love to have seen a list of glass you used for the shoot/video, I probably missed it somewhere but it looks like you used a variety of lenses? shoot was just awesome.
Scott, at the end of the short film (Benevolent Mischief), there is a list of lenses that we shot for that film. As for the rest of the project, we probably shot with 12-15 different lenses.
I’m in the market for some glass and like the look of your shots – which is your favorite and most versatile to use?
Thanks!
SAWEEEEETTTTT!
Seriously! SiC!!!
Thanks for the comments on the camera and your thoughts. It’s nice to get a pro’s impression.
I’m afraid I can’t really judge the camera’s abilities from your photos, because most seem to have quite a bit of post-processing, and seem to all have a similar theme or style. Not much variety, IMHO (mostly people), and I don’t see much low light or macro, and most of the shots look staged. I was hoping to see a wider range of shot types and info on the lenses you used.
Curt,
Here are a few shots right out of the camera that may help you evaluate the quality.
http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
So it doesnt have real interval/timelapse? i.e. expose every 1 minute or 17 minute. If so, why are nikon so lazy to not implement that? Hate using external remotes for a trivial thing like interval shooting.
Other than that, the D7k exceeded all my expectations! my next camera!
Tor, it does have a built in intervalometer but the longest interval is three seconds. I can understand your dislike for the accessory for that function.
That’s strange – most Nikon cameras have a decent in-built interval shooting software – and much better than the Canon ones (which on the models I’ve tried has been nothing).
Hi, luv ur work, Chase. D90 have flickering problem shooting under flourescent or mercury vapor light. Any improvements on D7000? Does ih have a 50Hz solution?
Hisham, there is a flicker reduction setting in the setup menu that lets you choose 50 or 60 Hz.
So is this the same form factor as a D90 and uses the grip from a D90? I think I found my fun camera when I don’t want to haul around a D700 or D3!!
Love the dual SD card slots!! This is a underrated huge bonus. Guess I’m gonna learn to shoot me some vid now!
Nick, same form factor, but uses a new battery (EN-EL15) and battery grip (MB-D11)
I am stoked to purchase this camera, but I noticed in one of the previous comments that someone posted the D 7000 could only autobracket for 3 exposures in 1-stop increments. Please tell me this isn’t so – it would make it very cumbesome for HDR. This could be a show-stopper for me. Even my D80 brackets in 2-stop increments, which is great for HDR.
BTW, awesome ‘road test’ video and stills – Thanks
Nick, good news: it brackets 3 exposures at up to 2 stop increments.
grrrrr it is better than my d300s! the increments is up to 1 only so i have to bracket 5 exposures and dump the 2 exposures to achieve 2 stop increments!
@SCOTT
no scientific answer needed, but how do you feel do the D7000 files hold up in backlight situations compared to the D3?
Thank You
It’s great, there are a lot of examples in our finished files at the top of this post of shooting backlit. I will say that the D3 does a better job of finding focus quickly in backlit situations.
Thanks Scott, Chase and Crew. I see you’re dealing with a lot of different people here, to put it in the most diplomatic way. Keep doing what you’re doing.
time for a new boddy, thx for the video!
Just one question.
How does the D7000 autofocus system compare to that of the D300 series. Is it just as fast at tracking etc? I don’t really care about the difference in points 51 to 39 more the speed and accuracy of focus
Andy, we haven’t had much experience with the D300 series autofocus. It is better than the D90 and not as good as the D3. Odds are it’s pretty close to on par with the D300.
I’m quite surprised that the jpegs look that good. Graining is down to a minimum. I take it the RAWs look even better!
The video function becomes a really nice ‘full grown’ feature. Have you any test shots with the highest ISO? Not that I’d intend of using it but sometimes I find myself in situations where I’ve got only very limited light in terms of a street light for a shot.
Can you actually change the ISO for video as well? And is it as big as the D300s? I quite like that Chase said it was beefy which would be good for myself!
Great vid guys!
Christian, with the highest ISO (25600) the files are definitely noisy, but you have to consider the fact that at that sensitivity the camera is actually seeing more than the human eye, which is really cool. It’s great for exploring what you can do with a camera in the dark.
The ISO can be changed before or during shooting video. The camera is maybe 10% smaller than the D300s.
“Nikon didn’t review this post and they didn’t tell me what to shoot. They didn’t pay me for a technical analysis. They did pay for me to go out and make pictures and make a short film – and I had a blast doing it. They were cool and generous, and I’m thankful for the opportunity. And the camera rocked.”
Wow, Nikon took a big risk giving you editorial control. I mean, gee what were the chances you’d have something critical to say about your client’s product. Seriously, you did a great job and it is very useful information but please spare us the “Nikon didn’t review this post”.
The video was AWESOME! Just wondering what you used in terms of lighting, and could this (D7000) be used to make a feature? Thanks!
Hi Scott,
Really impressive visuals! Compared to the D700, would you say the D7000 high iso levels( 6400+) is on par? Does FX sensor really make a difference at least till 6400 ISO? Also, will having the extended battery pack help boost frame rates beyond 6fps? Any compelling reason to buy D700 over D7000?
JT, we haven’t shot the D700 much so I can’t say exactly how it compares at 6400. I can say that the D3s which is also a FX sensor has probably 1-2 stops better high ISO performance than the D7000. The extended battery pack on the D700 will boost it’s frame rate to 8FPS while the D7000 shoots at 6FPS regardless of the battery grip. The D700 is still probably a better pure still camera with the better sensor, fps, and ISO performance, but 1080 video and the price tag make the 7000 a compelling challenger.
Thanks, Chase! You are really marvelous with the camera.
Rocco, for the short film we used one big HMI placed about 100 feet from the van in the bridge girders. All of the shots in the bar and apartment were shot with available light (and not much of it.) I think that the recent past has shown that these cameras are very capable of shooting feature productions.
Wow! Great news, and cool presentation. Thank you Chase and the team.
I will most definitely save up fpr this camera instead of the D300s.
I also linked to your D700 test on my blog. Hope it´s okey.
http://www.danielskilberg.se/fotoblogg/?p=111
Best regards/Daniel Skilberg
Stockholm/Sweden
That should be your D7000 test;-)
I’m not gonna kid, I won’t be able to afford that camera for at least two years, but that is still made awesome! BTW, how in the WORLD did you get that camera hooked to a helicopter, and how much did that sort of hookup cost?
The D90 didn’t kick off this video craze at all. Reverie and the full frame 5D Mark II is what lit the world on fire.
I can’t believe Nikon didn’t make the D7000 a full-frame camera. They have got to catch up. Another crop-sensor 1080p DSLR is not that exciting, Canon has several. FF gets you low light amazing imagery and real 14mm and fisheye and most importantly, razor DOF with a 1.4 or 1.2 lens. C’mon Nikon, WAKE UP, you are two years behind with this new camera.
Well, you know! Not everyone wants or need a full frame camera. Some people like the 1,5*crop factor. And not everybody can afford a full frame camera.
Best regards/Daniel Skilberg
Fred, if you read their comments above, you’d have gotten that this D7000 delivers D700/D3-like low light capability. For that matter, Canon 5d Mk I is no better than the 2-yr-old D90 in terms of low-light ability. As for wide angle and fisheye, there are DX equivalents that are just as good as their FX counterparts and they are even cheaper. Also, I have yet to see Canon put out a FF in their xxxD or even xxD lines. So just HOW is Nikon 2 years behind the times with this camera?
The “advantages” you point to are not all inherent advantages of a full frame sensor over a DX sensor, but rather what Nikon and Canon have done in specific models that use FF sensors. It is true that given a specific resolution and a specific sensor technology applied to both a DX and an FX sensor, the FX sensor will yield better low light capability. But technology advances quite rapidly and the DX sensors of today are as good as and in some cases even better than the full frame sensors of yesterday.
As for DOF, for an equivalent field of view, the difference between FX and DX is about a stop in terms of aperture. As for actual results, it’s close enough that you couldn’t tell them apart unless you were looking at them side by side.
Generally, I find comments from folks such as yourself are from people with little or no experience with full frame DSLRs or film SLRs who are just repeating the myths they’ve read in other forums and discussions, not realizing that their sources are as clueless as they are.
I want to add a note of dissent at the moaners above. I thought the videos were great. You had the bright “BTS” vid and the dark feature. They both show off different aspects of the camera’s performance. Personally I’d much prefer to watch something like that than a bespectacled Mr. Bean type listing every spec and talking about his test conditions. The specs are widely available, so the videos should be there to show the potential of the camera.
fred….
did you know that canon had the CLS equivalent for the canon crop frame just last year, while nikon had it for several years already.
both company has their preference on what they like to use or develop.
im a nikon user…. but you cant go wrong with any of the 2 brands, if it fits your purpose and style of shooting.
and btw its just a tool for the photographers…. Ansel Adams got a lot of very nice pics out of his primitive camera. so stop whining just shoot.
in this case… chase jarvis and his crew made this… i bet they can still do it using canon or even with his iphone.
I have a 30/1.4 on my D90 and I can confirm that it has razor-thin DOF because it mis-focuses by a few millimeters. Stop spewing BS.
“Just one question.
How does the D7000 autofocus system compare to that of the D300 series. Is it just as fast at tracking etc? I don’t really care about the difference in points 51 to 39 more the speed and accuracy of focus”
I would like to know that as well -
The videos were so cheesy and pretentious that I could not stomach even half of it, but I appreciate the few specification details (even if there’s nothing of technical value in there, like provided on dpreview.com/photographyblog.com etc.) – thanks!
thanks robin. apologies. if that’s your sentiment, then it seems ironically that your comment is caught in the same problem (ie. cheesy, pretentious, and lacking value.) Full refund in the mail.
Robin has a point when you compare your feature to, say, Laforet’s Surfer video (I think it was called Waves).
But in my opinion the BTS video is quite solid considering the market the camera is aimed at. It literally makes you want buy the camera, even though you see that you use that awesome super pricey lenses and you’re in one of the best places in the world.. but still. It works for me.
The feature, on the other hand, made me less excited. It seemed like you were struggling with the film language. It wasn’t terrible, but it lacked some coherence and was misleading. Example: the heli shot was awkward with the camera being pushed forward passing the guy walking down the stairs. That kind of shot means the guy is no longer important and there’s something more interesting happening the the approaching landscape… but NO. You cut to the guy looking at the van. Totally misleading and not “speaking” with the language of film.
Then the ending was really weak and ambiguous. Was the graffiti guy awaiting the reaction of his “friend?”? Was it his friend, in the first place? And how can anyone be happy with such crappy paint job?
Not exciting at all and you know it, Chase, as you state in the video
But again, good job with the BTS footage and the sample shots. They’re really a good promo to me.
So Robin, please tell me why would you need MORE technical details, if you can find ALL of them on the sites you’ve mentioned? There really isn’t anything more to be said about numbers, tables, specs etc…
But I guess to see what camera CAN do (and probably you can’t use it to as good effect, as there are just few out there who can…) doesn’t matter for you, cause the spec is more important…
I wish we were back in film days, where ppl wouldn’t be buying cameras to shoot fifty thousand pictures without any sesnse just coz they don’t pay for every one of them in film and print costs. I guess what cameras allowed you to do was more important then than few numbers in brochures…
why does a roadtrip not surprise me? how long did this take and were you funded by Nikon when you did the D90 campaign?
Road trip is a catchy theme. It shows a life probably no one from Japan or other non-American country will have
Of course Chase was funded by Nikon with the D90. He stated that in one of his lectures. It was his idea to spread the campaign on his blog and Nikon folks were a bit skeptical about it, but it worked and it works for me now, too.
“a life probably no one from Japan or other non-American country will have”
WHAT?! Seriously? Um, America is not the only place with a) ROADS or b) People who go on trips involving vehicles.
Conceptually the road trip is weak and over done. Seems to me like more of an excuse to play around with ones friends with little risk taking creatively. But then the number one purpose of the entire exercise was to play with the 7000 and put it through its paces.
Hmm, maybe it’s time to make the switch from Canon.
You’re gonna cost me money to go to the dark side….. :<)
I really found these videos disappointing on every level. You never told me anything about the video, never mentioned the thing all us nikon shooters are waiting to hear, does it have manual video control like canon?
The video was just bad. Its all dirty nighttime streetlight unshowered actor bar footage…how does that make me want to buy a new Nikon? I sure don’t want my videos looking green and dirty like that. It was way to long, didn’t make any sense, and just seemed self gratifying. Put that up next to philip blooms “skywalker ranch” or anything anyone with a canon is shooting and its embarrassing.
Its just to much “hip cool dude” talk with bandana and goofy over sized sunglasses, in the desert like hippies, I can’t take it seriously, and it just doesn’t make sense. Talk to me like a huminoid about what you think about the camera, i Mean, thats why Nikons throwing money at you right? And it seems like every video you do someone is drinking, there’s alot of drinking in your work. Its sad, you were like the nikon guru, your stevens pass stuff, the LPGA shoot, your ninja stuff, that was insane, but its more about your persona than anything else, and hey that happens to people, and thats fine.
I just can’t follow you anymore, at all. Its sad really.
People need to stop hating on the video. If you wanted tech specs and all that other numerical garble on the camera, go check out the press release. You’re in the wrong place.
Nice video Chase and Co. Thanks for showing us the some examples of the real world capability of the camera.
What do you expect form a pop artist, Jeremy. Chase does stuff to please the majority and he’s not ashamed of it. If you want a serious photographer, you probably won’t find him blogging about mid-range Nikon camera, cause he has other stuff to do and doesn’t need to go into advertorials.
Chase is a chilled lad who has incredible power to sell himself, despite not being the best photographer in the world. Whether it’s good or not, depends on the personal preferences. All things considered, he’s good in his rookie-niche – the people who just learned what aperture means and what that ‘M’ mode on the dial stands for. There is place for everyone and I’m sure Chase is and will be inspiration for “the now amateurs”. He even had been – look at fstoppers.com
Jeez ‘name’, that’s a pretty damning indictment of Chase Jarvis. I don’t personally have any affiliation with Chase nor do I really follow him, but at least he puts himself and his work out there.
Try to dial back the condescension a bit. After all, at some point every photographer was at the point where they “just learned what aperture means and what that ‘M’ mode on the dial stands for.” Who knows, maybe when I view your portfolio, I’ll see that you’re in a much higher niche of your own and see things from a different perspective. You do have a portfolio, right?
Lastly, I don’t get all of the pop artist ….. serious photographer ….. mid-range camera stuff at the start of your post; it’s a bit of a non-sequitur.
John, let me explain. I was trying to tell Jeremy that Chase is trying to please the lowest common denominator in here (as a “pop culture junkie”) – which is good and I agree on what you say. Everyone’s a beginner in the beginning. And what I specifically meant with my comment was – this Nikon rollout by Chase is meant to please that kind of crowd, inspire them and make them buy that camera and I think it works good enough for that; so there’s no point being negative about this launch.
Also, I suggested Jeremy looking at fstoppers.com, which are the product of Chase’s ideology and living example that Chase can inspire people to do things.
I’m sorry you misunderstood me.
Jeremy – chill bro (that’s hip cool dude talk)
I never understand why people like you go onto other photographer’s blogs and post a negative hate mail. If you don’t like Chase’s work then move on, no one will notice that you’ve stopped checking in.
I just visited your blog and found the movie you did called “Lull” where you essentially promote the D300s and D90 and I have to say that my kid’s high school friends are making more interesting shorts than what you did. I expected to see something so unique and inspiring but found a short clip highlighting focal lengths of different lenses. How many phone calls have you gotten from Nikon?
Chase was hired to do a job that appealed to the pro-sumer market and that is what he delivered on. Read this post all the way through before you give your opinion, Chase says “Reminder, if you’re looking for official specs or 3rd party “testing”, I’m not your guy. I’m an opinionated photographer and a filmmaker, and these are my gut responses. Nikon didn’t review this post and they didn’t tell me what to shoot.”
BTW – I have met Chase several times and hung out with him and his staff at his studio at a social event he hosted and he is the real deal, no ego, no holier than thou persona, just genuine and very approachable (so is his wife…they are good people)
Troy – I am the most “loyal” of chase jarvis fans, I have his books, his app, i even (almost) attended his free seminar in new york last year, but couldn’t because I had my kids that weekend.
I disagree that we should only stop here and comment if we have positive good things to say. and I resent your assertion that my comment was “hate mail”, it was nothing of the sort. It was a direct, honest, personal critique of what i saw in respect to all the other pieces I’ve seen. Chase to my understanding is a very open, thick skinned artist, who welcomes both the positive as well as the negative critiques, becuase through both of these people grow. How bad would it be to have 954 comments that all say “great job, love your stuff”, how does that really help?
So i simply provided my input. I would take a bullet for George Lucas, and guess what, i’ve said some not so nice things about “howard the duck”.
but really, to insult my work, really? i’m a small town food photographer, i’ve never once said anything conceited about my work or skill. Do i need certain financial or professional qualifications to critique someones work? Lull was my third short, it probably was not better than what some high school kids are doing, and Your critique of it is correct. But I enjoyed making it, and I really like it, and I learned making it. So my world is not over because of your critique, and neither is chases. I know who i am and what I am.
SO thank you for your critique of my work and of my critique, and while i do not agree with all of what you said, i respect your freedom to say it. sadly I could not find a link to your work to crituqe it as well.
thank you.
Jeremy – one last post about this for me.
The only reason I chimed in about your initial post is because it was not a serious critique but more of a personal criticism and I did not understand the value it added to this discussion. To give your opinion or critique about a body of work is much different than getting off track by voicing your dislike of the artist’s wardrobe or his persona and I don’t know what “talk to me like a humanoid” really means.
I do agree with you though about not liking too many of the same “your so great” comments. I enjoy reading everyone’s views and find the constructive critiques, especially the ones that disagree, very insightful if they are backed up with more than just someone’s criticism. That way I can learn to look at everyone’s work differently.
Don’t take my comments about your Lull film to heart, I was just trying to criticize your work to make a point. Also I don’t have a link anywhere to my photography because I don’t have a need to share it with everyone, I take pictures for my own satisfaction. But if I do put them up somewhere you’ll be the first to know…well maybe the second to know, I’ll probably tell my wife first.
Hope you don’t stop following Chase, like I’ve heard somewhere before…a rising tide floats all the boats.
Troy – I apologize if my critique did not seem serious. I was approaching this as an advertisement and marketing piece for a new Nikon camera which i have desperately been waiting on, and that is why i shared my thoughts, becuase i found it so disappointing.
but I’ve defiantly learned not to critique chase Jarvis. WOW, what a $%*^ storm of hate mail that will bring. but then again, i don’t have to buy the chase jarvis books, apps, or create online videos anymore either.
I agree with some of what you’re saying. On top of that, I’d rather see the camera companies putting their efforts into making better displays right now as that is the main bottleneck in image quality. Why buy a $10000 stereo if you listen to it through junk earbuds? That’s essentially what’s happening right now with digital photography. LCD monitors are not displaying the richness of our pictures. Let’s get OLED, Nikon. Don’t bother me with a D7000 or D8000 or whatever. It’s really pointless until we get better displays.
Oh yes it’s so sad !!!! (N’importe quoi ! )
Ahh boy, a new awesome Nikon camera, and yet Nikon still can’t meet the demand for one that came out in ’09.
I love you Nikon, but that fails. Still, I’m looking forward to giving this camera a test run myself.
Excellent work Chase & Team.
Any chance you can put 30 seconds of uncompressed low light 3200 ISO video up on a server?
what were the shoulder rigs that you guys used? i saw that there were two of them, one that was a circular looking counterweight rig, and another that was a shoulder barrel rig? I’m looking around for some shoulder rigs, and those look very versatile. Thanks!
you guys do such great work, keep it up!
The counter weighted rig is a Steadicam Merlin and the other support that you see Chase using is just something I picked up at a used camera shop. The one I have is made by Optex but it looks very similar to this: http://amzn.to/bmuIEB
I kind of wanted bar tender guy to glance at his van, hint at an approving smile, and after a long day hop in speed off.
Or maybe inspect, touch, step back and then get in and go… knowing that it was in the name of art (maybe clear coating over the piece the next day?).
And for gods sake there should have been props to Krylon!
Hi,
Nice vids.
Question: if you are in live view, and you want to take a picture
1) Does the mirror slap back down to stop live view, AND then slap again prior to shutter going off?
I am interested in this in regard to how much noise the camera makes.
2) have you tried the quiet mode?
Is it a lot quieter, or does it only separate the mirror slap and shutter click?
thanks
There are too many comments at this point to read through them all. I was just wondering if I’m the only person who can’t get the 1080 videos to play back correctly. I have to view them in 720…
Eric,
The mirror does indeed slap down and back it. It’s certainly more quiet than an old Pentax 67 … it’s even more quiet than the D90, but it is noticeable. The quiet mode just changes the timing, not really so much of the volume.
Great videos, camera and crew. Thanks for the quick replies here, too.
Chase/Scott/Erik… could you suggest that Nikon upgrade the firmware to include more movie options: ie 60fps at 720HD? I had been planning on getting a Canon 7D or 60D. The D7000 looks great in many ways. Thanks!
Did you use any follow focus, or was the whole short and BTS done with AF-F?
What sort of settings are there on AF-F, does it have single focus point, weighted guess, closest subject?
Thanks.
It is all manual [Erik's hand] focus. We have a few follow focuses, but didn’t use them.
HA!
Thx Dartanyon. I’ve seen a bit of AF-F testing on the D3100, it looks pretty good on that (lower spec) camera.
Follow/manual focus will always be the best for video.
Good gosh people – get off your freakin jealousy horses.
Chase (and crew), awesome stuff lads, awesome stuff. Remember what Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic that counts,…the credit belongs to the one that is actually in the arena….”
Thanks for being in the arena and inspiring us to join you!
Cheers!!
Matt
As someone that has way too much invested in Canon glass, Nikon just keeps hurting my feelings. It started with the D700 and they just haven’t let up…
One more questions. In your video, it was indicated the 4 lenses used were G lenses and AF-S
While these lenses provide for Continuous autofocus in Live view / Video recording modes, do you know if AF-D lenses will work too?
Thanks.
I love the image and I love your style. But I TRIPLE love that you went and shot in Joshua Tree National Park
Excellent presentation Chase & Co!
Have a question how D7000 deals at low ISO (100 – 400)… switched form D80 to D300 and I was very disappointed form it’s noise in the dark areas and faces even in good light conditions compared to the D80 CCD sensor.
Thanks
That looks like a truly great camera, especially for the price.. I am still using my D700 which is brilliant and can’t wait for D800 or D700s… That should be a revolution..
come on people! chase and his crew are answering valid questions…..
stop whining about the video… who the hell want to hear from you peolple???
its his blog so he can do what ever he want… if you didn’t like the video go look for other videos… maybe you heard if the website called http://www.youtube.com
“name” is calling chase a rookie… well at least you know his name… how bout you “name”? what is your name? do we know you?
PS. im not a chase follower but his so damn good and he deserve respect!
Awesome video chase. I like the wire work in the scenes and cracked up a little when I saw the camera buzzing along the wire in one of the behind the scene shots. I would like to the same type of wire work in my own films, where can I find a rig or can I just Home Depot one myself?
Rick, that wasn’t wire mate … that was a remote controlled heli. More BTS video coming on that soon.
Ha ha… an RC Helicopter. I love it. Gonna have to find me a skilled operator. Thanks Dartanyon.
I understand the AEB is set to only 3. But what increments are they 1 stop or 2 stop?
It’s selectable in 1/3 stop increments from 1/3 to 2 stops.
I am an enthusiast/amateur and have been planning to upgrade my D80. I have been waiting for this announcement based on the strong rumors. Looks like it’s worth the wait and I dont need to shell out the extra bucks for D300S. Any suggestions?
I just want the graffiti artist to paint my boring vehicle and make it look cool.
Great stuff Chase & team, your D90 stuff incouraged me to buy one, now i am seriously tempted to get the D7000, however i am curious does this camera have inbuilt interval shooting like the D300s ?
Ignore me, i thought i read all the replies but a search on the page revealed that Scott already answered this.
Thanks for all the info guys, i think i’ve found my next investment
Hi Chase and Team,
first of all thanx for the great movies from the D7000. I realy enjoyed watching the Benevolent Mischief Movie.
I am a video guy from germany and i am about to buy a DSLR Video Cam. So i am more interested in the video features of the D7000. Actualy i was about to buy a Panasonic GH1, because of the Video AF, the rotating display and the different video formats. But now the D7000 says STOP and buy me! And of course i think that the D7000 have mutch better quality. But with the video formats of the Nikon i can not work. I work in Europe and i need 25 fps. Actualy i would love to have 1080 with 24,25 and 30 fps and 720p with fps up to 50 or 60 like the canon 60D. So to cut a long story short do you guys know anything about forthcoming firmware updates? Or will there be an european version with other framerates? It´s like nikon is doint the same fault like canon on the 5D and its first firmware. Thanx and keep on doing your style, love it!
I have similar issue living and working in Australia. 25fps is a requirement.
Just out of curiosity. Why is 25fps a requirement in Australia?
Hey Scott,
What mini steady cam have you been using to shoot the short movie? (I can see one when the graffiti artist goes up the stairs..). Suggestions for reasonably cheap/effective little stabilizers?
Thanx in advance, Carlo.
Carlo,
That is a Stedicam Merlin
Awesome work.
While taking video can I take still pictures too. Will those frames of still pictures be missing in the video?
That was great. Loved the music… Great story. Very inspiring!
Hi Chase, you’ve got nice job on your goodies.
Have a question though.
Have you ever used D700 or D3 before? How do you compare the NR of D7000 to theirs?
There is certainly less noise in the full frame cameras, One of the advantages of larger pixel dimensions and the associated dynamic range, but compared to the other 1/2 frame cameras the NR is certainly a step towards the full frames.
Could you please make available for download 20-30 seconds of movie straight from the camera? It would be very helpful!
omg you guys did an amazing job! love the video and sure love the shots. very nice post processing as well. although we shoot canon, your stuff makes me want nikon!
great work again
cu
ingoman
Hey guys, great work! how is the audio input? does it capture clean enough for documentary/ in the field journalist work? Could I plug a Rodes mic in and get usable audio?
Thanks
Hey Scott,
Can you tell me about pics iso 3200 again, ya know, for posterity;)
Dan, all of the BTS footage was shot with the Rode VideoMic and it sounds pretty good to me. Definitely usable.
Chase, I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but my first and only reaction to that short is “FUCK YA!” What an awesome premise and combination of all things art.
If you have the D90 and you don’t need the video capability, I can’t see much reason to upgrade. yes it has much sweeter specs but the D90 is already good itself for most of the time. I’d rather upgrade to FX when the D700 prices goes down. but if you are buying a new camera, this is a better buy even than the D300s for much less cost.
Yeah, the D90 is probably better for most photo users, in a practical way. The D7k benefits for still photography, while clear on paper, are marginal in reality. The long run of the D40 is testament to that. But that only speaks to people who are image makers. Many others are people who want a little better.
The video upgrade is welcome but also disappointing. Better than D90 jello, but still behind other brands current models in bit-rate, frame rate. Nikon has not been in video for a while (they released a tape based video camera and failed), and they are targeting primarily photographers. While I wish they had better video, I can’t say I feel betrayed. It just means Nikon will not get my purchase at this time, but I am primarily video.
To close in Chase Jarvis’ own words: Images are not about megapixels and dynamic range, images are about stories and moments.
To clarify, if everyone was satisfied with good enough, progress would be at a stand still.
If everyone was of the mentality that the D40 was good enough (or D90 for that matter), than the DSLR probably never would’ve been invented in the first place.
If everyone is preoccupied with the next best thing, it can be a distraction from pursuing self realization and artistic expression.
The two are both mutually benefiting from each other as well as fighting each other.
it is “lo and behold” not “low and behold”
Well said, fellow pedant.
Does the viewfinder show the Iso setting when in auto iso mode?
No it just blinks AutoISO
The viewfinder doesn’t show the ISO when in auto, but in live view and in video it does. Even while recording video.
Hey ,
I’ve heard you are coming down to Cologne to do a keynote for Nikon ! That’s awesome. Would really like to see you , but I’m not going on the first day. Are you there just for the keynote , or do you stay for a while ?
Now you’re near , you should visit my country , Holland. I think it’s great.
And a awesome job with the D7000 short. Also love the road trip video.
Big inspiration !
Thank you.
Any idea of the file size of a NEF or RAW file with the 16.2 MP?
Grabbed a few … between 18.8 – 21.2 MB. The compression was definitely turned on for those numbers.
I’m a Toronto wedding photographer and I am quite interested in this camera for personal use, read ” 1yr old baby in the house” and even as a back up to my work gear.
Kudos to Chase and team…
Chase and team thank you for this great post
I’m concerned only in still image photography, i want to upgrade from D90, my issue is to find a camera that will handle noise much better especially in low light , i believe lager sensor handle noise much better and produce higher image quality, as per dpreview.com review Nikon d90 and 300s have a lightly larger sensor size (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) compared to d7000(23.6 x 15.6 mm), i wonder how d7000 could produce higher image quality and handle noise in low light better than the other above two mentioned brands
thanks in advance
Chase, Scott, Dartanyon, thanks for not only providing the information on the videos for all to see, but then spending all this time answering questions…I would have stopped about 300 posts ago!
For the few complainers out there, next time offer them some Bugs Bunny cartoons and some free popcorn!
Every generation of camera the software that combats the noise gets better, So you can have cameras that while the sensor is the same [or nearly] the same size, noise reduction is an area that they keep improving.
Could learn from a DSLR Master Class
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXx6aXHWysY
Scott, thanks for the videos!
I was thinking about hooking the camera to a helicopter long ago. But everything i saw they were tiny helicopters. It would not elevate a box of matches i think. What kind of helicopter did you use. I did not recognize it on the screen.
Thank you so much.
We hired Tabb Firchau from Aerial Pan (www.aerialpan.com). I think his rig is mostly custom made.
Hello,
Can the A/V Out port on the left side of the camera be used to monitor audio while shooting video?
Thanks,
Skunk
I just tried that out and it didn’t work, but they didn’t include any a/v cables with our prototypes, so it might be possible with some sort of cabling configuration.
Love the “Benevolent Mischief” video. Jeff is a savage artist!!
WOW!
Is the only word that comes to mind.
Scott/Dartanyon/Chase/Eric:
What is the balance recipe for the D7000/? lens on the merlin? What mounting screw on the docking plate? Position on the stage? Weight distribution on the top and bottom spar? The merlin is SO DIFFICULT to initially set up. I spent days trying to balance a D3s + 28mm and my only clues that is WAS POSSIBLE were screen grabs of Scott in the “Risk” short film flying the D3s in the skate park. Any info on the D7000/merlin recipe would be very much appreciated! Thank you.
Ray,
It’s really just a lot of trial and error. We don’t have it rigged up at the moment [and we've had other cameras on there since then] or I’d be happy to read it off to you. But I am sure when you get your D7000 and what ever lens is going to work for your shot, you’ll find a good setting for it
It can be done, just takes a little patience.
Hi guys, great coverage of the blog comments!! Thank you for that!
I have a tech detail question:
When you are in live view mode, and if you zoom all the way in (to check focus), is the magnification 1:1, pixel-per-pixel with the actual resolution of the sensor?
Or is it more like a 4:1 interpolated to look like 1:1 like in the D90?
Thanks!!
rvalle
Just looking at it now, it looks like it interpolates the first couple of zoom clicks and then switches to 1:1 when you get all of the way in.
Sorry, don’t want to be a pain, but:
Then do you feel the max zoom in Live View on the D7000 is better/more detailed than the D90 (which was not true 1:1 zoom)?
Thanks!
rvalle
Yes, it is.
What information is shown in the viewfinder? I am planning to upgrade from a D80 and the mode dial often changes as it gets bumped — I’d love to know the mode, metering, iso and other settings as i look through the viewfinder.
Thanks,
Adam
ON the view finder [ie Live View] or in the view finder?
In the viewfinder (not liveview). I’m trying to know what information is shown when shooting with the camera up to your eye.
Thanks,
Adam
Have you experienced “rolling shutter” issues present in older Nikon models?
Steve, it certainly seems much better this time around. you may want to search this page I think Erik gave a pretty complete answer up there somewhere.
Hi Dartanyon/Eric/Scott/Chase,
Can the A/V and HDMI port both output their video feed simultaneously while filming?
and have you figure out yet what resolution the HDMI output is during filming?
Thanks!
Since the units we had didn’t have active AV ports I couldn’t answer that one. Given past experiences though I’d say it’s probably one or the other.
First off, thank you guys very much for putting so much effort into the test and the question answering!
And my question: how is the shutter button “feel”? Is it the stiff feel of the D90, or the “mushier” feel of the D3 and other higher end models (the latter of which I personally prefer by far)? To me, the shutter button feel is important because it can mean the difference between getting the shot or not, based on what one is comfortable using. The D90 also has a slippery button compared to the higher end cameras. As such, I cut out a circle of gaffer tape for mine to improve the surface and keep my finger from slipping off it.
Thanks!
-Val
Val, the shutter button is lightly grippy with a bit of a pleasant springy bounce. Not too hard, not to soft …
It’s assertive without being aggressive.
Thanks. Hopefully that means like the D3/700 shutter release!
Cool beans.
very fun videos!!! looking forward to seeing more!!!
What is the recommended SD card speed? Will it handle the faster Class 10 cards? I’ve heard some cameras don’t like them. How fast a card does one really need for various applications…i.e. sports stills, video, etc. Thanks.
********************
I too would like to know the answer to this question. How fast does the memory cards need to be (or how fast CAN they be)??
********************
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HEY FRANKEEEEEEEE MAYBE HE’LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IF YOU USE ALL CAPS. THAT’S NOT TOO OBNOXIOUS EITHER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
btw…. what IS the answer? lol
Hey Chase,
great work and great video!
There is only a small error at min 1:21, he put up the hood then goin down and for a second it doesnt have it, then it magically appears when going down the ladder.
See ya!,
D.
Amazing, Chase! Stunning visuals.
Hi, I’ve got a quick question to ask. What type of wireless remote controll (if any) was used to controll recording, when shooting scenes from remote controlled helicopter and during steadicam merlin bar scene? More specificaly, is it possible to turn on / off video recording from Nikon ML-L3 remote controll?
Thanks in advance
We didn’t use any wireless remotes. We’d just hit record before the heli took off and hit stop when it landed, that way we knew for sure if the camera was actually rolling (didn’t wanna risk it when the shot we were going for took place during sunset). I haven’t tried rolling the video with a remote. I’ll look into it.
Were your hellicopter shots done with the new Auto Focus in Live View? Or was the camera just turned on and sent loose with a really wide angle lense that natively has a really long depth of field?
A really wide lens with the focus pre set. I think the we might have even put some tape on the focus ring to keep it from moving in flight.
A quick comment regarding lighting.
Although I did enjoy your BTS and the final short film, there was one thing that stroke me as obvious: You lighting sucks.
Don’t take this the wrong way, I really enjoyed what you did, and the usage of hand-holding, steadycams and dollies was pretty cool, and well made. The script was simple but entertaining, and the whole thing is fluid. But the lighting sucks.
I believe this is part of why a decent production costs HUUUUGE amounts of money, because you have to setup an absurd amount of stands, lights, gels, power trucks, the works. That takes people, time and money!
They need to set the right amount of light, in the right place, color-balance everything, including daylight, street lamps, inside bar lights, etc, etc.
In a way, it relates to the huge difference it is to shoot a portrait in a bar with available crappy light, and then doing the same with 2 or 3 speedlights and a couple of umbrellas. It take a lot longer, the speedlights add up to the cost of a simple camera, but the end result is way better, even though the model and posing is the same.
I thought the lighting worked. Gave it a film noir quality.
Taste is subjective (grin)
The lighting was certainly intentional. We only tossed up 1 HMI and cast something that looked like a street light from about 30 meters away. We had a fancy grip truck and a couple of grips but they mostly hung out with the craft services folks.
Awesome!!!
Does anyone want to buy my D90 so I can get the D7000?
Hi
Can you post some night time pics, this camera is boasting that it can do really low light photography, and i really wanna test it there.
Chase posted an unaltered, high iso jpeg here: http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
There is one on the pix page …. http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/nikon-d7000-preview-images/
whats that eyepiece you were using on the d7000? is that a nikon accessory
That’s a Zacuto Z-Finder (www.zacuto.com/z-finder-dslr-viewfinder), it’s rad.
Absolutely love the work… Perfect blend of art & art. Fantastic score, beautiful artwork… Thanks Chase & team for putting it all together so beautifully. I am fullyy inspired for the week, and probably next week as well.
cheers,
j
someone might have already asked this question, but what was the hand held camera stabilizer that you where using when getting some of your panning shots?
That’s a stedicam Merlin.
I couldnt read all coments, wot steady did you guys use to get it that smooth?! tnx …
Just a quick one… how did you guys do the slow mo near the beginning of the behind the scenes vid without having shooting at 60fps?
Thx and great work guys (and gals)!
We slowed the footage down in Final Cut Pro to about 75% I believe.
SpongeBob, Squdward stole the camera again!
Last question from me, I promise!
In the D300 and D90 battery grips, the shutter release button lacks a proper half-depress detent, making it a bit harder to slightly press for focus.
How does the MB-D11 grip for the D7000 feel like? Is the vertical shutter button a better match to the main one, with a proper half-press detent?
rvalle, I just threw on the grip to see how the shutter release on it compares to the main one. It’s really quite similar and definitely has a defined detent.
Finally! This is awesome news. I’ve waited a couple days hoping you would post some full 1080p res clips somewhere….Is there any way you can post a downloadable full-res source clip somewhere?
Darius, we’re hesitant to post full res video because of the cost we’ll incur from the downloads.
Try posting it as a torrent. That way you can seed it for a day or so and let everybody else share it amongst themselves.
Hi Great video, great work. To avoid cost from downloads, you can use the perfect solution Dropbox (www.dropbox.com)
and post the download link from Dropbox,
it would be very nice to test a 1080 clip.
Where will this leave the successor to the D300? Will this new D7000 shut down the D300 range, or will the 300 and 700 successors merge?
Birger,
No telling what they’ll do with the 300 and 700 lines. They are different in theory as one is a DX and one is an FX sensor. It’ll be interesting to see what develops next.
Hey Guys! leaving aside FX and ISO…what about comparing the 5D MK II v/s D7000 in video performance? Is the D7000 more “jumpy”? (still concerned about that jelly effect)
Luis, thanks for the question. Since we haven’t shot much with the 5d and are not in the business of directly contrasting specific cameras I can only say that we are pleased with the improvements in this camera that address the Jelly effect, and that the videos above hopefully do a good job of illustrating the capabilities of the camera in that respect.
will the d7000 accept prime lenses? i have a couple of really nice nikon zeiss manual lenses.
It will accept all f-mount lenses although the metering and focus will vary depending on compatibility.
Could you post some video tests with the continuous autofocus?
Also, I was wondering if you found it limiting that the aperture has to be selected before shooting video.
Could you tell me how good the autofocus is when shooting in burst or continous shooting mode? Is the camera able to re-focus between shots at the 6 FPS speed?
Can you follow the image on the LCD and actually capture what you see?
Ruth, the autofocus is quite good. It’s hard to say whether it was able to re-focus during 6fps bursts, i’d say that it was intermittent with it’s success rate at this. Really complex autofocus situations like that are a place where the pro level cameras (D3s) do have an advantage over the less expensive slr cameras. You definitely can follow the image on the LCD and capture what you see.
B, we’re hesitant to post full res video because of the cost we’ll incur from the downloads. As to setting the aperture before shooting video, generally the light levels or the desired aesthetic will dictate your aperture setting when you’re shooting video clips so it’s not a huge inconvenience to select it before you shoot. Of course, it’s always best to have access to all adjustments at all time, but there seem to be technical reasons that is not possible in this unit.
Hey guys, 3 Questions for ya:
1) What is the eyepiece/accessory that is being used @ 2:19 in the Road Test video.
2) What lens is being used @ 4:14 in the Road Test video.
3) I will be purchasing a D7000; I want good glass, so should I invest in FX lenses, or DX lenses. I mean, will FX lenses out perform the DX lenses on this camera. Really looking for a Representatives answer here.
Thanks guys!!!
Hi Trey,
1. The eyepiece is a Zacuto Z-Finder (http://www.zacuto.com/z-finder-dslr-viewfinder)
2. I believe the lens is the 24-70 2.8
3. The FX lenses tend to be a better build quality, better optics, and more expensive. Our recommendation would be to go with FX lenses if you can afford them and then maybe get a wide zoom DX lens (like the 10-24) in order to get a wide enough lens for the sensor crop.
I just returned my recently purchased Canon 50D which I absolutely loved (minus no video functions), which I was more than happy with vs the newly announced 60D which is just awful. But after researching this Nikon D7000, checking the specs & watching numerous hands on video previews along with the two testing film features by Chase & company… I am truly sold! This camera blows many cameras away on either side of the price comparison as well as paired up with some major Canon players as well. I mean if someone is going to spend this kind of money, they better do some research & if specs alone speak volumes the D7000 is a home run! Shame Canon didn’t see the value in consistent quality when they created the 60D. Either way I am drooling daily while I await my D7000 pre-order to arrive.
Nikon has out done themselves with this amazing addition of the D7000
=)
Nice job on this guys! Looks like a very cool cam. Is someone driving that van around town now, all pimped out?
Indeed our friend Alvin is driving that glorious painted van. It’s good to be Alvin.
great stuff….actually enjoyed the “making of” video more than Benevolent. That’s a great circus to travel around with. Thanks for posting all the footage etc. for us to review. Thanks for the blog. Just thanks. Question…So in my next life how do I become Chase Jarvis?….;-)))))))))))
Awesome graffiti artist.
Pentax’s “Uncle Jack” video was pretty cool too. Amazing what can be done w/ dSLRs now…
Hey,
The D7000 is a very interesting camera, but I’m still not sure if it can beat even the Canon EOS 550D on the video-side.
It would be very cool of you could upload a raw video file as well, for us to see.
+1
Based on the longer maximum clip length, it makes me worried about the bitrate for video. Do you have any technical specs on the video?
Also, there is no 25p.
Although you have said the A/V out and HDMI out were non-functional in the D7000(s) you used, do you have any indication that they will be functional during live recording in production models? I am especially interested in live audio monitoring from the A/V mini jack with headphones. Having done video professionally for many years it is hard for me to imagine not being able to verify audio quality live. Of course live HDMI out would also be great for outboard recording and video monitoring, but live audio monitoring seems almost essential for interviews and mic’d talent. Great job BTW, and thanks much for all of your time on these questions!
We don’t have any indication as to whether or monitoring the audio live will be possible. But whether or not you could listen to the audio through the camera, the more professional and reliable solution would be to record the audio with a separate device, such as a Zoom H4n, and that’s the case with every HDSLR on the market.
I guess, when it comes down to Low Light performance, all the questions people have been having boil down to something similar to mine: Is the D7000 DX sensor, at equivalent ISO, any better or worse that what you’d see in the D700/D3 sensor?
My reason is simple: I was actually holding out in hopes that the D700 would get a FMV upgrade this year, and I was finally going to retire my D70s to backup status.
Sure, there are other considerations, such as battery and Memory card investment, but to me that is secondary. If the grain and noise is really no different under equivalent settings, I’d just stay with the DX format for this upgrade, and wait a hampster’s life for Nikon to up the ante on the D700 for my 3rd body.
Chase/Dartanyon– any thoughts on the above would be amazingly appreciated with the understanding that they’d be somewhat subjective. And again, while it has made my decision that much harder, I do want to thank you guys for not only doing the preview, but actually putting up with and answering all these questions. You guys are top shelf.
Happy shooting, guys!
-Rick
Pulled the trigger. Went for two extra batteries and the Multi-Power Pack. Ye olde D70s will be my backup soon…
Rick,
Sorry it took a bit to get back. The D7000 is not quite equivalent to the FX sensors at higher ISOs, but it is darned close. My gut reaction is that you get about a stop more performance out of the D3s.
Hey Scott– Thanks!
I expect that I’ll still see quite an improvement over the D70s with the D7000, though, correct?
Chase, what are those white sunglasses of yours called in the video on the roadtrip? They look awesome!
Those are the Bickle by Electric.
I’ve just pre-ordered the D7000 from http://amzn.to/9kxCTL for just 1199$ and free shipping.
I’m so excited !! this should be like the best camera ever – rich camera incorporates a 16.2Mp CMOS sensor, faster ‘Expeed 2′-branded processor, 921k dot 3.0″ LCD and can record 1080p full HD movies, WOW !!
The way you described the fun and ease use you had with this new camera make me want to have a hand on it. Hoping it could make an affordable back up body for me, exit the S5pro…
The D7000 autobrackets up to +-2EV despite what the nikon site and some other distributor sites might say: http://www.shutterrunner.com/posts/view/nikon-d7000-autobracketing
I agree
I am very interested in D7000 high iso low noise performance.
Could you post more samples @iso 1600, 3200 or 6400?
Hey Guys,
I was wondering if you remember what was the longest recording time per clip in 1080p? I know Nikon says up to 20 minutes but there has been that dreaded “*” next to it and I was wanting to see what the actual times that you got during your test shoot. Also did it ever run hot or give you an over heat message. I use the Canon 7D now and may switch back to Nikon if everything lines up.
Thanks
Jamal
Jamal,
We did not ever have need to shoot a full 20 minute clip, but we certainly shot longer clips than the 5 minutes previously allowed. I suspect that the ‘*’ you’ve seen applies to the fact that this recording time will be dependent on card speed and capacity. As to the over heating, we did see our prototype give the temperature warning 4-5 times. This was on the camera that was shooting behind the scenes video in Palm Springs and Joshua Tree. It was exposed to very heavy use in temperatures up to 115, so I’d say it was sort of a worst case scenario. We had no such issues when shooting any of the other cameras in that environment or while shooting the short film in Seattle.
Jamal, just did a little research, we did indeed shoot a clip that was 19:58. Nice.
Hey Scott thanks this helps me out a lot, do you know anyone needing a Canon 7D? HA HA thanks again and keep up the great work.
Can you guys share your workflow/settings you used to convert video from the d7000 to usable footage? I watched the recent video but it didn’t discuss tech details on transcoding files.
Riordan, we converted all of the .mov files from the camera into apple pro res quicktime files via compressor which were then easy to work with in final cut pro.
stunning piece of work. very great post. thanks for sharing Chase!
Great stuff, Chase & crew.
How does the viewfinder compare to the D700? I am still banging away with an old D70s and was looking at the D700 for a number of reasons, the viewfinder on the D70s is is shite, making fine focus adjustement almost impossible…and I have 20/15 vission, so it isn’t a problem with my ability.
Thomas,
The viewfinder is good. We each used the build in diopter to get the focus in the viewfinder looking tack sharp. I suspect it’s a vast improvement over the D70, but it’s not as good as the D3.
Hi Scott,
Is there any chance you could help me with a reply to my message below?
Nigel Collier Sunday – 26th of September, 2010 at 7:02 am
I’d really appreciate your insight.
Thanks Scott,
Nigel
hej chase, saw you on youtube, you´ve visited photokina ?
damn ^^ i guess you are back in the US, right ?
Any idea when preorders will ship? I hate to put down some money and not have them really ship until late December.
Thanks, Ben
I saw in the video Chase shooting with a Nikon 85mm f/1.4D at one point in the Road Trip video (@ 1:09). That’s one of my go to lenses and I’m just wondering how the D7000 autofocus is with AF-D lenses? I’m shooting a Nikon D200 right now and am leary that if I step out of the “pro” line the AF motors on other cameras won’t be as snappy. Any hands on info you could pass along?
How do you compare the features of D7000 to what Sony is offering in new A55? What about the image quality between the two?
Interesting camera! Surprising that Nikon is also following Canon in the MP wars.
Hi,
Very nice work, it’s spectacular !
Thanks for sharing
I loved the short film!
I have a questions that would probably lead into a hundred question.
Can you give some more info on the r/c chopper used to shoot parts of the video.
-camera mount
-r/c modle
-lens used.
Thanks
Hi Chase & the team,
Excellent work on the D7000 video, photos and contributions at PhotoKina.
I have what I think is an important question, maybe a deal breaker for me, and you are probably the only guys that can help me answer it.
Can you help?
I’m sold on the D7000 except for one thing. The framerate of the 1080p / 720p video. Everything else in terms of feature set looks amazing but since I love photography and film, I wondered if you knew whether or not it was possible that a future firmware update might allow framerates of 50 / 60 fps?
So essentially my question is:
“Is the hardware in the D7000 specified for 50 / 60fps and it may just be a question of time before a firmware update allows for this functionality, or is the hardware not specified for 50 / 60 fps slow motion video?”
I’m sure if the answer is “No it’s not specified for 50/60fps even with a firmware update” then the next level up cameras will cater for it but I just wanted to know your feedback.
Thank you…
Nigel
Hi guys,
Any chance you could let me know your thoughts on whether or not the D7000 has the capability for 50 / 60 fps? I know the spec currently says ‘No’ but does it have the capacity to include those frame rates in the future with a firmware update or is it more likely that the next model up with 1080p will have those kinds of frame rates?
Thank you…
Nigel
So hey Mr. Jarvis im really ready to bite this camera just really need to know when this thing will come out like is it on late september like other website say it would or just the official october??? Thank you
Hi, Chase,
Thanks for sharing your experience for the d7000. Have you used the new lens 24-120 in your promoting project?
I know you got so many questions. I hope to get your answer.
Wenyu
It’s “lo and behold,” not “low and behold.”
Hi! Really like your traning, your photography and your overall cool.
I was curious on jello for D7000 without any tripod/monopod/merlin/etc. I read reviews on Amazon where guy was talking about significant jello hand held without any camera support. Did you notice something like that with D7000. I am seriously wondering if the D7000 has better video than D3100.
Most of the footage for both of D7000 videos was shot handheld. Of all of the HDSLRs that I’ve shot with, the D7000 seems to have the least amount of jello. So much so that I don’t even really think about the rolling shutter while I’m shooting.
Thanks! Great camera work!
Hello!
Just saw you on photokina. Verry inspiring what you said about the time we live in and to just take “that one” picture and not let the moment pass by…
I like “Benevolent Mischief ” a lot,
so heres my question: were is the hiphop version?
can´t find it anywere…
greetings from hamburg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49gFx4y0s8Y
Sorry to post this on two of your posts, this one has a lot more traffic than the other though, so I figured if you wouldn’t mind I would post here too:
Chase, amazing work on the video. Any more stuff would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I crafted this petition to put a little pressure on Nikon. I would really like to see them truly compete in the video arena, and the D7000 seems to be their first real chance…with a few caveats.
As a Nikon user, I hope you can understand my frustrations with Nikon on the video front up until the D7000, and even with the D7000 it seems as if a few things could be improved. As production isn’t my career, I can’t afford to switch systems all together (and wouldn’t want to as I love my Nikons and stills are still my main passion), but would really love to have Nikon be a true competitor on the video front. It seems as if they just may not fully understand what people are looking for.
Here is the link to the petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/d7000video/
Thanks so much,
Josh
truly amazing work, you are a HUGE inspiration to me Chase.
Hi there!
Is there any sample image on kit lens ?
hey, im a film student tossing up up whether to get the D7000 or the canon 7D, and want to try clear things up so i can commit to one. Have you shot with the 7D? (im guessing not as nikon give you cameras) if you have, which do you think makes nicer video in general?? Have you experimented with slowmo with the D7000? how much can you slow footage down without it starting to jump between frames? And are the files it stores video in easily imported into final cut pro? do you need the very latest version??
600+ comment only in this D7000 post. WOW!
hey stuff .. plz
can i get Nikon D7000 by visa card ?
second and the more important
witch effect done on this pic to be in this great colors ?
here is : http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blogpics/Nikon-D7000-Photo-Gallery/large-2.html
by photoshop or in da camera opions itself ?
Nice article. Th for information
Chase,
That was some amazing work on the video shoot. Loved it!
I was looking into getting a D7000 as my next camera to upgrade from my D5000. Everything in the feature list looks amazing, BUT I like to do HDR and this thing still only allows for 3 exposures not 5 like the D300s which was the major contender before this bombshell hit. Anyway you could tell your buddies at Nikon to do a firmware update to allow for bigger bracketing sets of 5 or 7 (high hopes)?
Thanks and keep up the good work and blogging.
Matt Cavalier
Cavalier Photography
I can’t believe comments like Robin’s or Jeremy’s or others, so envious or aggressive, trying to stain this work vomiting empty critiques. We have all these guys from a dedicated team/crew trying to answer all the questions—you can only find it in festivals or conferences.
Please let’s have common sense and take advantage of this experience! Who cares if Nikon paid them to make the short? I don’t think they paid them to answer questions at 2:30am…
Said this, I’m about to buy a camera basically for filmmaking, and now I’m caught in the battle between D7000 and the 7D. I’m disappointed that the D7000 has no 25/30/60fps ability in 1080p, or no 60fps ability in 720p, losing the chance to incur in different formats or slow motion…
My questions are:
1) Do you guys find it as an important limitation in the D7000? Could you consider it a go/no go?
2) Could you please recommend a basic lenses kit for filmmaking, something between the $1,000 to $2,000 budget?
Thanks a lot!
How thick is the hand grip? I find the D90 cramped, my fingers are folded up. The D300s feels just right.
D7000 looks in between, but I can’t measure the width from photos…
Great camera, great video, I would buy it!
All pictures look over exposed
eye of the beholder dude….
Hi
Video is impressive. I wondered about the steady of the video, especially movements in the bar. What was the system used? We can see in the first film like a grip whith a “swing” system, do you know what it is ?
Thanks
Awesome video and stills… as always.
Just wondering about low light performance of the D7000. Seems to have the same size sensor as the D300s but crammed with more megapixles. How is it’s light sensitivity? And how is it’s noise at high ISO?
This all is great, but doesn’t answer the bottom line question. Under normal lighting conditions and ISO, how do the still images taken with the D7000 compare with the D90? Sharper? Richer? Able to be printed a bit larger? Or, no difference for practical purposes.
Chase…
You make me want to be a better photographer..
Your work is Inspiring..
Thank You
G, Marchand
i ask because no one has asked this before
whats the write transfer rate needed in a SD card in order to have steady 1080p video recording ??
i was thinking about Class 6?…
Was the D7000 Road Test Video shot with the D7000. If not what was used to shoot it. I really liked the look of the video.
I’ve waited two years to upgrade my D40. This video finally convinced me. Great stuff.
Nice review and thanks for addressing all of the questions on here. I did my own little review of the D7000 vs the Canon 60D. Check it out here: http://www.aputure.com/blog/2010/10/29/canon-60d-vs-nikon-d7000-mini-review/
Apparently, there have been a lot of issues with “hot pixels” popping up on VIDEO mode. Tiny blue, red, and green dots when shooting in medium light to low light situations.
I had this issue when I first purchased it the 2nd week of October with 6-10 showing up in VIDEO mode so I ended up returning it. Anyone with the same issues?
Did Nikon already solve this with a new batch?
Hi Chase
I have a question : what type of lense did you use with the D7000 to shoot these images ?
Thanks
Fred
I wanted to know what type of remote shutter release connection the D7000 has on the body? Is it the MC-30, IR, or a new type.
Thank you
Amazing work Chase and Team.
I just bought my new camera and awaiting the shipment. Really exited. This is my first DSLR.
This site and post helped me a lot to decide and confirm this is the one.
All the best guys…
Abhishek Rai
I’ve just taken delivery of my D7000 and notice that skin tones often seem bizarrely wash out, smooth or an odd hue. After upgrading from my ancient D80 I’m a bit confused. Did you experience any of this?
Hi Justin,
We definitely did not have strange skin tone issues when shooting with the D7000. The first thing I would check is to see if you have selected a picture control mode that is not intended for images of people. There are some for landscapes, night shooting, action, etc. that might not be great for people images.
Other things that could effect this would be: white balance, color space (should be adobe rgb 1998), noise reduction settings, custom color.
Hope this helps. Feel free to follow up if you don’t find the solution.
hello
great review and shooting!
I do have one question though. Do you know if it is possible to take photos while in movie mode?
Had to write about this on my blog!
http://poh-pursuitofhappyness.blogspot.com/2010/11/photographer-chase-jarvis-nikon-d7000.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVLyCDQzSXc
check this out my buddies and i shot this with a sigma and a d7000
First of all, looks amazing, great work as always.
I am looking to use a D7000 for some documentary work in Brazil. The behind the scenes video looks great, and the audio is clear, are you using a Zoom for the audio? And if not, what do you recommend for audio?
Thanks so much!
Hi Chase,
Great movies, excellent review.
On a sombre note (funny that), you must be aware that Nikon is currently preparing a firmware upgrade (already) in order to fix a hot pixel issue when shooting dark scenes on the D7000 video feature. It seems you did not come across that rather inconvenient issue.
Did Nikon provide you with a beta version of the finalized D7000 firmware? Is there anything you have noticed at all since making those short movies?
The good thing is that Nikon is addressing it, however the manufacturer was prompt to advise that the hot pixel issue only occur in exceptionally dark scenes. I am not sure what they meant by that, but I doubt all the D7000 users who have complained so far about the issue were shooting glow worms in a cave at nightfall. Have you tested your D7000 in darker conditions than in “Benevolent Mischief” (great short movies, I loved it)?
Thank you for any precision you may have.
Sorry I meant Hi Jason
I’m very interested in any info or sites you can point me to, regarding the Helicopter camera platform. What did you use for the video?
Very nice video with the D7000 – got me very excited about getting one to complement my D300 and D700.
I have just started to do real estate video (been doing real estate stills and virtual tours for several years), and I’m debating if to replace my Canon HFS100 camcorder with a D7000.
I have a good collection of Nikon lenses (12-24 f/4, 14/24 f/2.8, 50 f/1.8, 80-200 f/2.8, 24-70 f/2.8 and 10.5 f/2.8).
My RE video is shot daytime and nighttime, indoors and outdoors.
Would the wide lenses I have be good enough for my purposes? I like wide for RE interiors, to show floors, ceilings, etc.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Hi there!
I was planning to buy a D90 with a kit lens of 18-105mm and that will cost me 47,700 PHP (Philippines Peso) but someone tells me that instead of 18-105 kit lens, I should go with the 18-200mm and that will cost me 62,000 PHP (Philippines Peso).And then I realized that the D7000 with a kit lens of 18-105mm is cost 74,300 PHP (Philippine Peso).And much newer release than the D90.But I heard from the other site that the D7000 was made in China.I am really confused now.Please Help me what to but that will not make me regret when i bought it.
Thank you
go to http://nikond-3100.blogspot.com/ for getting details about nikon d3100
Tank you. very good
My buddy & I are wedding shooters using the D90 for video and just have 3 questions that we consider very important regarding filming in the movie mode…
* Does the sensor overheat and shut down after 5 minutes like on the D90 or can you keep shooting video till the cards are full?
* Is the D7000 a global model switch-able between NTSC (60Hz) & PAL (50Hz) to eliminate flickering & rolling black bands when shooting video under artificial lighting in different countries?
3) Do the image stabilised VR lenses work in Movie Mode or is that feature disabled?
Thank for your review Chase
Shooting video gives you max 20 minutes clips, Have used it the full 20minutes several times and it has never shut down
Not sure If I missed this, but what lenses did you use on some of your sample shots. I’m thinking of getting this, but if I did I’d have to use the kit lens (18-105 vr) for a while. I’m curious if I can get some great shots just with that lens, or if I’m going to need lenses that cost as much as the camera to achieve anything close to these shots.
Just curious!
thanks!
Same question I was just getting ready to ask myself. Excellent shots, as always, but what lenses were used for the shots? Thanks in advance.
Anchor Text/Keyword: Nikon D7000 Price
URL: http://www.nikond7000price.com/nikon-d7000-price-with-18-105mm-lens-kit
I just rented the D7000 to play with and shot video for a couple of days. There is very little info in the manual or on the web of any practical use. My question is , I found the video footage to be very contrasty. The dynamic range was not very wide and details in blacks were often blocked up and whites blown out. Even with careful adjustment in full manual mode. I have read a lot of Canon tips on the web regarding Picture Style selection and was wondering if there were similar controls that I missed on the Nikon. Is there a similar Picture Style control or a way to make the sensor record flatter files than what I got out of the box? Help?
Your image shown above I found at the Nikon official website.
Is really taken by you or simply copy paste here?
~Gordon
Practical, yet usable the Nikon D7000 have some new features. But to me it seems more “pro”, then previous Nikon model. Yes, it is an upgrated version with more options and if it goes in talented photograph hands- surely nice pieces of photographic art we will have. Best of luck from me.
I used Nikkon flash I really like it
This camera is the best for the professionals with this great features. I will prefer it
If you are considering this camera – do some research on the oil spotting issue with it. And make your own decision.
I have had it back to Nikon FOUR times with this issues and getting ready to return it for the FIFTH time. They have cleaned it, replaced the body, and replaced a part in it. I was able to create the issue again on the second body. Nikon does not seem to have a solid fix for it. The issue appears in first 100 frames – f22.
A third of the time I have owned the unit it has been back at Melville. Totally disappointed with the D7000 and totally frustrated as I hear such good things about it, but it has been out of service for over 3 months now.
If you have a D7000 and don’t have the issue – consider yourself lucky (so far).
Pretty sweet, helped me decide to buy a D7000 as well. Bought it last semester and used it on a short film with several other people in school.
Honestly because of the AF and resolution I’ve had more fun using my D7000 than I did using the 1DmkIII when I worked for Liberty University.
The trailer for the short film is up now, but we’re still editing the full version which will be posted to our FB page when we’re done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9RYJC1jU0A
http://www.facebook.com/lostcauseshortfilm
lollll
How do you clean the sensor of your Nikon D7000?
I bought one in May.
I have had to return to after sales service from Nikon: balance € 50
Sincerely, Philippe
in the UK we have service center’s you can pay the equvalent of about $80 for a sensor clean. Otherwise look into things such as the Arctic Butterfly for cleaning the sensor + youtube tutorials
Hi Scott,
would you give us a tutorial work flow importing and exporting videos from D7000 using final cut pro.. tried lots of compression file in MPEG steamclip and Final cut. the best compression file id used is the XDCAM but the video is getting darker and im not happy on the result..
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i bought nikon d7000 2 months back…..now i want to upgrade my lens….i have 18-105mm kit lens….
can u suggest me some good telephoto lens for me….!
actually i got stuck with 70-200 and 70-300….which will be more good on d7000…and can i use teleconverters for them to double the zooming capability…!
try the 18-200 zoom!
i love this camera so much that i started a blog just about it nikon d7000
Once I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now each time a remark is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any approach you’ll be able to take away me from that service? Thanks!
Great Stuff,
I’m still Impressed by the quality of this camera,
Here’s a short film I shot with the D7000:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2189H7DXrM
Cheers.
Hello there!
I have been using the D7000 for the past 7 months and absolutely love it.. it’s an amazing camera. I’ve been wanting to start to use the video camera on it however I find that the autofocus is constantly trying to focus and its quite loud. I’ve turned the mic off which is not an issue since I would like to use my own background music however is there a way to have the AF not be so jumpy? Or should I just manually focus it?
Thanks for the the answer, have a great day
Peace, Laurie!
i want 32 lcd sony or samsung or lg at chandigarh
Hey Everyone,
This is a really good camera for shooting HD video at 24fps.
I made a short film recently called ‘Parasite’
Thanks to everyone’s generous votes ‘Parasite’ made it into the final round on YobiTV!
The final round runs from Febuary the 20th-26th and I’ll be competing against 15 other finalists for first place.
The 3 winners will be flown to Detroit, USA for spots on the new YOBI.tv original reality webseries “Aspire”.
Keep up the voting and don’t forget to share this link on your Facebook wall, as well as with your friends, family and co workers.
You can vote once everyday for my entry with a YobiTV account which can be created in just minutes.
Don’t forget to comment on the video as well and like it on Facebook or share it on twitter.
Thanks again to everyone who has voted and given thier support!
Cheers.
Dirk.
http://yobi.tv/yobifilm/contestant/17928/dirknienaber/parasite
I almost never drop responses, however I read a few of the responses on Nikon D7000: Camera Road Test With Chase Jarvis | Chase Jarvis Blog. I do have a couple of questions for you if you do not mind. Could it be just me or do a few of the responses appear as if they are coming from brain dead visitors? And, should you be writing at other online sites, I’d want to follow everything fresh you have to post. Would you post a list of the complete urls of your social networking sites like your twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?