Nikon D700 Review

It's practically impossible to review the Nikon D700 as a standalone camera, so many features and functions harking back to the earlier D300, the D3, or both. It's inevitable perhaps that it doesn't quite have the initial impact on the senses of its two predecessors as, by and large, we now know what to expect. If we're asking what the D700 misses, we can point again to the lack of a built-in sensor-shift image stabilisation system, which just forces users to invest in a VR lens instead, plus a tilt and swivel LCD screen like that found on the Olympus E-3, Panasonic L10 and Sony A350 (all currently cheaper) for making the best creatively out of those awkward angle shots and the accessibility of Live View. The supplied battery is also awkward to extract from its compartment when recharging is required. But, to be honest, even that feels like we're reaching at straws and struggling to find fault. Is it worth the asking price? Well that depends on your own would-be use and needs. For the amateur there are more affordable alternatives, but for the professional needing full frame capability it can be considered a steal. In conclusion the Nikon D700 looks and handles closer to the D300 than D3, in terms of controls and layouts, whilst of course featuring the D3's full frame capture ability, but in a lighter and smaller design. As such it comes across as a kind of 'greatest hits' of Nikon DSLRs.

Gavin Stoker

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