Nikon D700 Review

The Nikon D700 employs the much touted Multi-CAM3500FX system, which boasts 51 autofocus points in all. That may almost sound on the side of excessive, but the intelligent 3D tracking system can utilise these AF points to lock on and track a subject through the frame, ensuring sharp autofocus. Targeting single focus points or using batches of 9 or 21 means there's a multitude of uses, and you'll never miss the shot.

The camera body itself is near identical to little brother Nikon D300, plumping for an 'environmentally sealed' (that's splash and dust proof to you and me) magnesium alloy body. Rear controls allow for easy navigation, and the superb 3” 920,000 dot LCD screen also doubles up as a detailed display and control settings interface. For quick use the trio of buttons atop the camera mean it's a breeze to jump between ISO, white balance and picture quality. If quality's your bag then there's nothing quite like having the option of shooting jpeg, NEF raw (or jpeg & raw simultaneously), or even TIFF straight to your compact flash card. Unlike the D3, the D700 opts for just a single CF card slot.

Opting for a bunch of saleable features, the D700 also dabbles in the world of anti dust - employing a fairly standard sensor-shake system. Interestingly this means sacrificing 100% viewfinder coverage, due to the presence of the dust system around the edge of the sensor. Instead, the D700 provides 95% viewfinder coverage.

A high burst rate means it's possible to shoot continuously at up to 5 frames per second, which is where the most notable division between D700 and D3 comes into play. If you're a serious sports or news photographer then you may be looking for those extra few frames - the D3 offers a staggering 8fps by comparison. But let's not dumb it down, the D700's 5fps is still a mean feat, and with the nippy auto focus the D700 certainly provides the tools to capture the shot every time.

Mike Lowe


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