Nikon D700 - Features
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For all the appeal of the bodywork, it's on the inside that the D700 really shines. Nikon has provided a comprehensive feature set that will satisfy the most demanding professional photographer. These are too numerous to list in full, but include:
FX format (full frame) sensor
12.1Mp, 4,256 x 2,832, CMOS with wide sensitivity and large pixel size.
Extra-wide ISO sensitivity range
Standard ISO settings from 200 - 6400, with Hi and Lo extensions from 100 - 25,600.
Active D-lighting
Four modes for optimizing contrast and shadow detail.
Extra large viewfinder
95% frame coverage with superimposition of all 51 AF points and framing gridlines.
High density 51 point auto focus
51 AF points including 15 cross-type sensors, with 3D tracking mode, fine tuning, and subject detection down to f/5.6.
Fast continuous shooting
5 fps standard and up to 8fps with the add-on battery pack.
Live View
Dual LCD framing modes for hand-held and tripod-mounted.
Scene Recognition
Provides highly accurate automatic subject tracking and AF-point adjustment for improved performance of automatic exposure, white balance and focus.
Virtual Horizon indicator
Utilizes aircraft-like on-screen technology for highly accurate leveling of the camera.
Although it isn't easy to select a single item from this list, it is the sensor that really sets the D700 apart. Nikon has been slow to embrace the possibilities of full frame sensors, and for a while it looked as though the company might abandon the market to Canon. Perhaps the wide regard in which the D3 is held has provoked a reassessment, but whatever the truth, it's good to see some competition in this area.
The bottom line is that the quality of the sensor easily justifies the decision to release this camera. The main advantage of a full frame sensor is its ability to significantly reduce the grainy noise that is the bane of much digital photography, especially in poor light conditions. The D700's sensor - the same one as in the D3 - takes this benefit and runs with it, boasting a sensitivity range that allows the camera to take excellent photos in extremely low light.
Noise in these photos is almost non-existent, especially at the highest noise reduction setting, although the trade-off for this is slightly too much softening of the images. The low noise reduction setting does a bit better, allowing very slight amounts of noise to creep in while maintaining far more of the fine image details. Obviously the choice of how much noise reduction to use will depend very much on the conditions, content and intended purpose of a given image, but Nikon has ensured that all the settings are of extremely high quality, and all can be used with confidence.
The Multicam 3500FX 51 point auto focus system complements the sensor perfectly. This is the same system as is found on both the D3 and the D300, further reinforcing the impression that in building the D700, Nikon have set out to create a hybrid of the best bits from these cameras. It works fantastically well, offering an array of options from single-point focusing for stills at one end of the spectrum, right up to 3D tracking at 8fps using all 51 points for moving images at the other. This flexibility makes the camera suitable for almost all kinds of photography, including documentary and news, wildlife, and sports. It could even serve for art work, since under the right circumstances the image quality can approach that of a medium format camera.
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