DailyTech - Nikon Unveils High-end D700 D-SLR Camera

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Gadgets Nikon Unveils High-end D700 D-SLR Camera
Shane McGlaun (Blog) - July 1, 2008 11:45 AM

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14 comment(s) - last by soydios.. on Jul 11 at 5:24 PM

Nikon D700 will retail for about $3000 for the body only

Nikon today announced its latest high-end D-SLR camera today called the D700. The D700 uses the FX-format that Nikon first introduced in its D3 D-SLR camera. The D700 has a 12.1-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor with a sensing area of 36 x 23.9mm.

The camera has an ISO sensitivity range of ISO 200 to 6400 and can shoot continuously at up to 5 frames per second. If 5 frames per second isn’t fast enough to suit you, the D700 can shoot at up to 8 frames per second with the optional Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D10.

Nikon fitted the D700 with an exclusive 51-point auto focus system that also has a Scene Recognition System for optimum autofocus. The autofocus system also utilizes auto exposure and auto white balance detection.

The ISO range is ISO 200 to ISO 6400 and promises low noise even at ISO 6400. Sensitivity can be increased with HI 0.3, HI 0.5, HI 0.7 HI 1, HI 2 (ISO 25,600 equivalent) or decreased to Lo 1 (ISO 100 equivalent).

The D700 can startup and be ready to shoot images in only 0.12 seconds and the shutter release has a lag of only 40 ms. Images taken with the D700 can be stored to the next-generation UDMA CompactFlash cards with 35-Mbyte recording speed.

The LCD on the D700 is a 3-inch VGA TFT with viewing angles of 170 degrees. The large LCD can be used to align shots as well thanks to dual Live View modes. The optical viewfinder has 95% frame coverage and 0.72x magnification in FX format.

The image sensor features automatic cleaning with vibrations at four different resonant frequencies to remove dust from the optical low-pass filter in front of the image sensor. The built-in flash of the D700 can control up to two groups of remote light units as master.

Wireless connectivity is optional via a WT-4/4A transmitter that supports Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity for up to five cameras and allows images to be downloaded selectively and displays thumbnails.

The D700 supports 12 and 14-bit RAW images, TIFF, JPEG, and RAW+JPEG file formats. Shutter speed is 1/8,000 to 30s in steps of 1/3, ½, 1 EV, Bulb, and X250. The D700 measures approximately 147 mm W x 123 mm H x 77mm D and weighs 2.19 pounds without a battery or memory card. The D700 will be available in late July for $2,999.95 for the body only.

The last new DSLR camera introduced by Nikon was the D60 back in January 2008.

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Interesting feature set, why the neutered viewfinder?

By Lord 666 on 7/1/2008 3:28:35 PM , Rating: 1

As a proud owner of a D300 since launch, I am torn about the advances of this camera vs the D300 and the decisions of Nikon in its feature set. Great move on making it a baby D3 in a D300 body, but limited view finder is an oxymoron for the FX sensor. Even the D300 has 100% coverage. With over a $1200 price difference, Nikon could have charged a bit more and included the same FoV; but they did this so it would not steal sales from the D3 unfortunately.

On a side note, just came back from family vacation in Disney, took a little over 2,600 pictures with my D300. Looking back, would have appreciated the 6400 iso and hopefully faster AF of the D700. Don't get me wrong, the D300 is a great camera and got compliments from Disney's photo staff using D70 and D80, but your kids are only a certain age once.

RE: Interesting feature set, why the neutered viewfinder?

By tdawg on 7/1/2008 4:34:17 PM , Rating: 2

I thought the D300 did ISO 6400. Is 6400 only an ISO option of Hi-1, or something like that?

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RE: Interesting feature set, why the neutered viewfinder?

By TennesseeTony on 7/1/2008 5:03:58 PM , Rating: 2

ISO 6400, on the D3 at least (same sensor), is the normal range. It looks as noise free as ISO 1600 on the Canon 20,30,40D all of which I have owned.

The neutered viewfinder isn't as bad as it sounds...maybe. We're talking about a % of a full frame sensor, not a % of one of the small sensors. I suspect it will be as bright or brighter than the small sensored Canons and Nikons.

What bothers me is the bulls*** regarding the frames per second. It's capable of 8fps without the stupid extra battery, but they cripple it just to get you to purchase the battery (grip?) With film, the extra power is needed to drag that film strip across the backplate. On a digital, it's transparent marketing bull.

All that said, 5fps is enough for me, and I wish I could get rid of all my Canon gear and start over with Nikon. One last complaint I guess, is lens selection. The past x number of years now, Nikon has been making/developing/improving DX lenses, for the small sensors, which would cripple this body.

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RE: Interesting feature set, why the neutered viewfinder?

By Fnoob on 7/1/2008 5:58:09 PM , Rating: 2

"One last complaint I guess, is lens selection. The past x number of years now, Nikon has been making/developing/improving DX lenses, for the small sensors, which would cripple this body."

They have already addressed this with their 14-24f2.8, 24-70f2.8, and 70-200f2.8 "gold ring" lenses. I would be wary of that last one though - it vignettes 1.5EV at the corners wide open on a my DX sensor - can only be worse on a full-frame. The other two lenses, especially the superwide, are phenomenally sharp and easily outresolve the D300.

All in all, a good day for Nikon lovers.

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RE: Interesting feature set, why the neutered viewfinder?

By soydios on 7/11/2008 5:24:31 PM , Rating: 2

The Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 VR doesn't appreciably vignette at all on DX-format sensors. On FX it does, but not DX. Check DPReview's writeup pages 4 and 5 for DX and FX evaluations, respectively.

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RE: Interesting feature set, why the neutered viewfinder?

By jpeyton on 7/1/2008 7:10:48 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
What bothers me is the bulls*** regarding the frames per second. It's capable of 8fps without the stupid extra battery

First, no business in the world would stay afloat on the Mother Teresa give-away model you're proposing. It's called "product differentiation". Intel's Q9450 can run all day at 3GHz; that doesn't mean they should clock all their budget CPUs at a faster speed and undercut their high-end CPU sales.

Second, their is a legitimate reason for requiring the grip to enable 8FPS: voltage.

EN-EL3e (D700 stock battery): 7.4v
EN-EL4a (D3 stock battery; optional with the MB-D10 grip): 11.1v
8xAA NiMHs (optional with the MB-D10 grip): 9.6v

Using the grip can reliably supply enough voltage to keep the camera chugging away at 8FPS. Being reliable is important in a $3000 camera body, in all weather conditions, when performance claims can mean the difference between getting the shot or not.

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RE: Interesting feature set, why the neutered viewfinder?

By Fnoob on 7/1/2008 5:54:00 PM , Rating: 2

Also love the D300, but only just recently purchased... had I known this would be coming out 2 months later I would have waited! The D700 appears to be ~90-94.7% of what a D3 offers (heft excluded) - so I'm certain this will cripple their D3 sales. I would not be surprised at all if D3 production halts soon, awaiting the D3x.

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RE: Interesting feature set, why the neutered viewfinder?

By FreeTard on 7/2/2008 11:47:02 AM , Rating: 2

I've had a D300 since release, and even with the "D3" sensor in the D700, I'd be hard pressed to buy the D700 when for a little more I can get the D3.

I was in the process of writing this comment, when I read:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d700.htm

He pretty much sums up what I was thinking. It's nice features, and it's great that they are bringing this out. But either spend less and get a great body and a really good lens. Or spend a bit more and get an even better body.

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Lets go Canon!

By ksherman on 7/1/2008 12:55:40 PM , Rating: 4

Stellar offering (assuming the similarity to the D3's IQ and all) from Nikon. Its now up to Canon to shock and awe us with a new 5D.

RE: Lets go Canon!

By phazers on 7/1/2008 1:12:22 PM , Rating: 2

Yep - it may be time to upgrade my ancient EOS 10D :). Since I already have the lenses and external flash, I'm kinda stuck with Canon (not that it's a bad choice). Might try some HDR photography too.

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RE: Lets go Canon!

By ksherman on 7/1/2008 1:13:49 PM , Rating: 2

The 40D is now an incredibly well priced $950 (body only) which almost makes me consider picking one up for the action season... 5D is only average for action.

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some nice pics of the camera

By miura08 on 7/1/2008 5:16:28 PM , Rating: 2

Hi all,
I've found some D700 hands on pics of the camera and functions on this italian site http://www.techup.it/articoli/nikon_d700_nuova_ful...

Typo

By voodooboy on 7/1/08, Rating: -1

RE: Typo

By TennesseeTony on 7/1/2008 4:52:33 PM , Rating: 1

NOT a Typo.

This is built using the same phenomenal sensor as the D3, and ISO 6400 looks like ISO 1600 compared to the Canon 20D, 30D, 40D. The HI settings go all the way to 25,600 or some such.

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