It looks like a decent iteration. It will undoubtedly have a higher quality sensor than the D7000 and the body is a bit more robust. Better video. It feels like Nikon just realized they needed to bump megapixel again but they are still ignoring the high-end DX user in my opinion. Glad they finally added the weather resistant body.
It is *not* a full on replacement for the D300s. It's a shame that Nikon has still left off features I had on my 2007 D300.
- Same stupid left hand dial to let me select "landscape" or "portrait". Really? That's flagship? I'd rather have the old WB/ISO buttons from the D300
- 51 autofocus points? Yes, that's nice, but it's a shame the D7100 is essentially getting the same focus system I had on the D300 6 years ago - shouldn't it be even better?
- Dual SD cards? Compact Flash is still faster. I'm betting the D7100 will still have a small buffer and will stop shooting at the most inopportune time.
- Where's the DX primes? Or anything cool and new in DX lenses?
Please don't misunderstand; this is definitely a better body than the existing D7000 and a very nice evolution. But it also shows me that Nikon wants to move the former D300 user off to FX just like I said in a thread about 3 months ago -- I predicted back then Nikon would never release a D400 but would instead make the next rev of the D7000 it's new top of the line DX.
For an underwater photographer who currently has a D7000, does this make you want to iterate and buy yet another $
2500, (sorry, $3000-$3300) housing for what is essentially a megapixel increase or does this make you want to jump to FX? Is this a good enough iteration to keep people from jumping to Olympus OM-D which is much cheaper and has a better lens selection?
At least Nikon has finally told us the D400 is not to be...
Edited by johnspierce, 21 February 2013 - 10:05 AM.