A lens and memory card are not included with the camera.
Get the type of lens for the shot you need, and a high-capacity memory card so you don't get caught without memory.
The Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only) brings professional imaging with a full-frame image sensor to a lightweight yet durable camera body. It features the exclusive 12.1 Megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor, measuring 23.9 x 36mm, which is nearly identical to the size of a 35mm film frame - thereby eliminating any significant crop factor or focal length multiplier. Images taken with the D700 exhibit exceptional overall quality, broad tonal range and depth, along with extremely low-noise throughout its expansive ISO range of 200 to 6400. Nikon's exclusive EXPEED Image Processing System is central to driving the speed and processing power needed for many of the camera's features such as the 51-point auto focus system and speedy 5 fps frame advance. The camera incorporates many of the features that have made point-and-shoot digital cameras so popular - such as Live View, Auto ISO, and in-camera image enhancement.
The D700 has been designed with refined ergonomics and usability and a streamlined, aesthetically pleasing layout, so photographers can take pictures with greater accuracy and comfort and with less concern about fatigue. The camera's bright viewfinder provides virtually 100 percent coverage for accurate framing, while an ultra-high-definition 920,000-dot VGA LCD screen on the rear of the camera displays images with vivid color and clarity. The 170-degree-wide viewing angle makes composing shots using the LCD screen in Live View mode easy, and the camera also features a unique Virtual Horizon digital level sensor that indicates the camera's alignment relative to the true horizon on the rear LCD screen or in the viewfinder.
The cameras impressive durability means that it can be used under the most demanding conditions. The exterior of the D700 is crafted of magnesium alloy and the camera's shutter mechanism is tested to 150,000 release cycles. Furthermore, the comprehensive array of rubber gaskets and seals protect vulnerable entry points from dust and moisture. If for some reason dust were to make its way into the camera (most probably when changing lenses), the Image Sensor Cleaning function employs piezoelectric elements to generate vibrations at four specific frequencies to optimize dust removal.
| Imaging | |
|---|---|
| Camera Type | Digital SLR with Interchangeable lenses |
| Lens Mount | Nikon F |
| Camera Format | Full-Frame |
| Resolution |
Effective Pixels: 12.87 Megapixels |
| Sensor Type / Size | CMOS, 36 x 23.9 mm |
| Bit Depth | 14-bit |
| Noise Reduction | No |
| Memory Card Type | CompactFlash |
| Focus Control | |
|---|---|
| Focus Type | Auto & Manual |
| Autofocus Points | 51 |
| Viewfinder/Display | |
|---|---|
| Viewfinder Type | Pentaprism |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 95% |
| Display Screen | 3" Rear Screen LCD (921000) |
| Screen Coverage | 100% |
| Live View | Yes |
| Exposure Control | |
|---|---|
| ISO Sensitivity | 100-25600 |
| Shutter | 30 - 1/8000 sec |
| Remote Control | 10-Pin Remotes (Optional) |
| Mirror Lock-Up | Yes |
| Metering Method | Spot metering, Center-weighted average metering, 3D Color Matrix Metering |
| Exposure Modes | Modes: Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority |
| White Balance Modes | Auto, Cloudy, Flash, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Kelvin, Shade, Preset Manual |
| Flash | |
|---|---|
| Max Sync Speed | 1 / 250 sec |
| Continuous Shooting | Up to 5 fps |
| External Flash Connection | Hot Shoe, PC Terminal |
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Self Timer | 2 sec, 5 sec, 10 sec, 20 sec |
| Interval Recording | Yes |
| Connectivity | AV Output, HDMI C (Mini), USB 2.0 |
| Software Requirements |
Windows: 2000, XP, Vista Mac: OS X 10.1.5 or later |
| Power | |
|---|---|
| Battery | 1x EN-EL3e Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack |
| AC Power Adapter | EH-5a AC Adapter (Optional) |
| Operating/Storage Temperature |
32 to 104 °F (0 to 40 °C) Humidity: 0 - 85% |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 4.8 x 5.8 x 3" / 12.19 x 14.73 x 7.62 cm |
| Weight | 2.19 lb / 995 g Camera body only |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Where do I begin?
Before I purchased the D700, I owned (and still own) the D90 - a great camera, and I was very happy with it. The image quality was great, and it had a ...Read complete review
Before I purchased the D700, I owned (and still own) the D90 - a great camera, and I was very happy with it. The image quality was great, and it had a solid, quality build to it. There was one thing that I was missing - compatibility with manual focus Nikkors beyond just mount compatibility, i.e. metering. Moreover, I missed the i-TTL flash option (I had to use my SB-900 in SU-4 wireless mode) with these lenses. And then the D7000 was announced. (I am referring to the newer D7000, not the D700 which is the subject of this review.) If the new 16 MP sensor didn't get my attention, the metering options with MF lenses definitely did, and it became a strong contender on my wish list. I spoke with my wife about the D7000, and she looked at me straight in the eye and replied, "You have always missed full-frame, and if you get the D7k, you always will." She was right. Although I liked my D90 a lot, I also missed the full-frame capability of my old film cameras, and missed the one stop of depth-of-field advantage offered by FX over DX. Thus, I closed my eyes and took the plunge - I ordered the D700 over the D7000. I rushed on the purchase as the tsunami had just occurred in Japan, and I wanted to get the camera before the then current stock ran out (the Sendai plant where the D700 is made was affected). And what can I say? I will always thank my wife for this.
When the D700 arrived, I put on my favorite lenses, and OMG! It felt so good to be back to full frame again. I will share that when I owned the D90 (and the D50 before it), I used to mount my Nikkors on my vintage Nikon N6006 film camera and play around with the focusing just to relish the joy of that full-frame finder. Now, that joy is back in spades. No more tunnel vision from the DX camera (although I must say that for what it is, the D90 viewfinder is superb). And as for the image quality, well, I don't think there is anything I can add that has not been said. Superb low ISO quality. The dynamic range is better than my D90, and I find that I can pull back some lost highlight details even in overexposed areas. Phenomenal! The tonality of the images from the D700 is nothing short of excellent. And then there is the high ISO quality. The very same day I got the camera, I bumped up the ISO to 1600 and shot a photo. While I do consider myself to be mild-mannered, I could not help but pour out a torrent of expletives. The quality of the images at high ISO, specifically the noise (or the sheer lack of it), is nothing short of mind boggling. Light years ahead of my D90.
The one-stop depth-of-field advantage offered by FX over DX is very striking. As a matter of fact, I had to train my eyes to accept the extremely low depth of field possibilities with the D700 after years of being weaned off of film cameras. Lenses with good bokeh absolutely shine on this camera, and macro shots and portraits have a three-dimensional look that pops out of the screen or print. Of course, there is no free lunch, and there are the demons of vignetting and corner image quality that can surface (which were conveniently cropped off by the DX sensor).
Matrix and other modes of metering as well as i-TTL flash control are back with my MF Nikkors YAY! I prefer having the built-in flash on the pro-camera body than not (a la the D3s). Focusing ease and accuracy are also much better with the FX finder. Additional advantages of the D700 over the D7000 in terms of image quality include the ability to save 14-bit uncompressed NEFs and TIFFs (if I am not mistaken, the D7000 only offers the option of saving compressed 14-bit NEFs). Do I have buyer's remorse of not going for the 16 MP sensor? Not an iota! At this point, I find that 12 MP is sufficient for me - image quality is of primary importance. Remember that for a 12 MP FX camera, lenses get diffraction-limited at around f/13 or so. For a 12 MP DX camera, this limit is f/11 due to the the larger pixel density. Going up in MP will only place additional limits on this value (for the D7k, I would imagine it would be around f/9 or so). 12 MP at this stage of the game is the best compromise between number of pixels and diffraction loss IMHO. The AF on the D700 is killer, and is the current state-of-the-art.
If I was impressed by the build quality of the D90, I am floored by that of the D700. The body is very solidly constructed, and the interface allows for a much more seamless shooting experience - the camera feels like an extension of my hands, with all controls falling naturally at my fingertips. Of course, the round viewfinder eyepiece (standard on most Nikon pro cameras except the D300 - the amateur cameras have the square eyepiece) looks pretty cool in itself.
So what does this all boil down to? I now have two wonderful 12 MP cameras. If I need higher pixel density or need additional telephoto boost, I will pull out my D90. Ditto for casual shots or short family outings (we shoot at base ISO for most part). My wife also prefers the D90 for her use since it is lighter. But when I need to do some serious photography, macro work, portraiture or when the light is low, I will call upon the current king of the hill in my camera bag - the D700. Thank you, wifey, for helping me make my decision. You are simply the best!
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Most Liked Negative Review
My third D700 body
I am a professional photographer who shoots a lot of editorial jobs and weddings. This is my third D700. My first D700 I bought two years ago is falling apart. It has 124,000 shutter...Read complete review
I am a professional photographer who shoots a lot of editorial jobs and weddings. This is my third D700. My first D700 I bought two years ago is falling apart. It has 124,000 shutter actuations, the rubber is off of most of the camera and it has gaffers tape all over it. The hot shoe is loose and the shutter sounds like it is going to quit at any time. My biggest complaint with Nikon cameras is the quality of mechanics. The images are amazing, but the bodies fall apart pretty quickly. I just replaced the mirror and hot shoe in my second D700 and it only has 24,000 shutter actuations. The rubber is peeling off and it is only a little over a year old. So overall I would give this camera a 7 out of 10 rating. Images are amazing, but the camera will not last long.
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Pros
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
Everything is great about this camera, I don't have any regret.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
Landscapes, weddings and portraits
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
IO use this camera for sports and outdoor, wildlife photography. Wow, the quality of photos at even high ISOs is great. NO grain at even ISO 3200 in low light.
Easy to stop action in soccer and football games.
Great for wildlife photography.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
Decided we needed to move up to the next level from using D90s that could not perform well in low light or high ISO. Ended up buying a Nikon 24-70 2.8 and a Nikon 70-200 2.8 so I could take full advantage of the FX system.
Camera performs better than expected with very little noise in low light conditions
Very solid feel to camera although much heavier than the previous D90
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
Use this camera for events, portrait photos, and sports.
This camera performs well in low-light conditions and still has carries the same body style as the D300's. I liked it so much, I sold my D300 backup for another D700.
The ONLY two negative points; I also own a D7000 and the only thing I wish the D700 had was dual SD card capabilities; The other point is it's a little noisy when shooting in quiet conditions, but in any case, I would still purchase the D700 as my pro camera over the D7000.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I purchased this camera to upgrade to a FX - interested in it's low light capabilities and the incredibile image quality. After a short time of use I am really impressed. So far it has performed better than expected and I am anxious to test it in all kinds of conditions.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I am a semi-pro photographer. Been stuck using a dx body for some time. Finally had the opportunity to upgrade to the fx. Now i have more wide range of my original film lenses, especially my Super wide angles. Really looking forward to shooting more now.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
As a hobbyist migrating from a D40x to the D90, I decided to take the plunge and step up my game. All I can say is, the D700 is awesome in so many areas to include high ISO performance, image quality, working with my AF-S glass, and general feel in my hands. For those contemplating the move to FF, just save and do it.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I'm a protrait photographer/mom. This camera is great. I'm so excited I finally got to upgrade. The clarity is amazing. I researched this camera a long time and love all the features. I can't wait to get to know this camera and how to use them all.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
For wrestling I always had to use flash with my d300 and missed plenty of shots waiting for my flash to recycle. Never again with my new d700!!
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I upgraded from the d300s and the transition was seamless.This camera is great for everything from weddings sports. When coupled with nikon's 24-70 lens I can shoot just about anything and get spectacular results.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I have been using the D200 for many years and am very pleased with the results I have received from the D700. I shoot mostly family portraits and could not be happier. The full frame sensor makes a huge difference when shooting portraits for me. I feel that I am getting the full use out of my lenses now. I am also impressed with the subtle contrast differences that i see compared to the D200, I process with LightRoom and get stunning black and whites. I also see more saturation with this body, the colors seem much more rich. I am a professional photographer, but this body paired with a good lens will make anybody's pictures better. For the pro, the features and flexibility make this camera an excellent choice for the money.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I purchased this body as my first digital camera mainly to record reference photos from which I create artwork, and also to make digital records of my paintings. I wanted a full frame sensor that was sensitive to enough to accurately record the color nuances in my paintings. I've been able to experiment with the white balance settings to get it fairly accurate, and in Photoshop, I can make changes to get very close. No camera is perfect in recording exact colors, but this one does a very good job. Also great in low light to get those end of the day wildlife photos. I bought the best and fastest Nikon lenses with this camera and love it.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I love the D700 for its performance undr low ligth conditions. Its also a very rubust camera that will last me many rocky trips, but its heavy and big.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I had been shooting with the D50 for about five years when I decided that I had learned all I could from it and it was time to upgrade. When I was researching the body I wanted to buy, I found it ultimately came down one simple question: FX or DX, which could be restated as "D700 or D7000?" I adored the performance of FX, but not the weight and cost. Long story short, I went with the mantra "buy once, cry once," shelled out the money for what I really wanted, bought my D700, and I couldn't be happier with it. This camera has an excellent sensor that performs well under a very wide variety of light conditions. It is heavy, but that's because it was built to be durable. It has every feature I could desire and many more that I am still learning about. It has performed superbly under a huge variety of conditions, from quiet newborn portraiture to sports photography to week-long backpacking landscape-photography adventures. In nearly every instance that it turns out a sub-par photo (in the technical sense, since no camera, no matter how good, is a substitute for good and thoughtful composition, subject, and lighting), the fault is mine alone, not the camera's.
I unreservedly highly recommend this camera body. It's one that I will be using and learning from for years to come.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
There have been a thousand reviews of this great camera but it's easy to lose the whole point of buying this camera versus buying some other camera. So, if you remember this as you read the other thousand reviews, then you'll be far, far ahead...and happier.
Point 1: 12Megapixels on a "full frame" amount of area. This is the sweet spot. If you're in the market for a camera like this, then you're already in data overload. This feature and that feature...or these features that I never knew existed. How can I understand all this info. Well, it is simply the number of pixels per square unit of sensor. Why is this the sweet spot? Because as you INCREASE the megapixels, for example, increasing to 15M or even 24 M. What happens? You get a smaller pixel size! If this camera has 12 Megapixels per the full frame and you compare this to a 24 Megapixel full frame, then what happens? The size of the 24Megapixel must be half the size! Huh? Yes, each pixel in the 24M must be half the size of the D700's 12M. So what? I love 24M you say. Well, if your pixel is half the size then that's less sensor area to collect the light. So, what's the difference? There are many cameras which work perfectly well with half the pixel size...why should I care? YOU SHOULD CARE because THE D700 takes incredible photos that just vacuum in the photons onto the sensor. When? At night. In shadows. In highlights. In the gradation of black to white in a photo. This camera's sensor is PERFECTION OF THE SWEET SPOT. The quality of the picture is what you are after, any digital camera can take the image but you want that incredible quality that just makes the viewer go "oh wow."
Point 2: Associated with point 1 above is this quality: "the ability to show different gradations of light in the shadows." This means that the shadows are not just one shade of grey but rather a sensitive, beautiful variation of colors IN THE SHADOWS! This is what makes this camera so much better than other cameras which have nearly double the Megapixels. More Megapixels are better. Wrong!
Point 3: This is not an easy camera to control if you aren't used to a thousand different settings. I feel like I have to rethink the entire owner's manual whenever I pick up my D700. If you did some experimenting on your last use, then you'll need to either do a reset or try to recall why your photos look strange. For example, you set it to VIVID, but then forget that that's how it's setup. I am not saying that this is any different than any other high end camera, what I am saying is that most buyers of a D700 are coming up from a smaller sensor camera rather than moving down from the big boy cameras. This is not a point 'n shoot, you knew this but I'll guarantee you that after you buy this camera, you'll remember this review which said, "gosh, golly, this is so complicated."
Well, thanks for spending a few minutes to read this review. I know that you're going through tons of information in trying to make "the correct choice." When you eliminate all of the garbage data, I think that you'll agree with me that what defines this camera is its uncanny ability to take photos in low light conditions or night and its uncanny ability to discern shadow detail. Simple as these two features. I agree that its hard to believe that you'd buy a great camera because it takes great pictures in the dark or in the shadows...but you'll love the D700. It is the best camera you can buy at any price (as long as you aren't making huge monster 30" x 50" posters...but who does that?) Have a great time with your new D700!!!
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I am still getting to know my new camera, but I love it so far and it is exactly what I was expecting. I am using it for products, people and landscape photography.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
Easy transition from the D300s to the D700. Amazing pictures. May never go back to the D300s!
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
great camera. moved up from d90 so will take some getting used to. already seeing huge improvements in macro photography.
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Comments about Nikon D700 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only):
I bought this for my husband. We have had a tough couple of years through no fault of our own. But by his planning and forethought and our honesty we have come through.
He will be using this for our Great Pyrenees that we show and our 12 acres that are full of fun things to photograph. I may use some of the pictures for digitizing for quilting and embroidery.
The screen is larger and he is able to read it easier, the speed and lighting are amazing and some pictures we have taken in the past don't compare with what this one does.
It's a plus that his previous Nikon's lenses fit this one.
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