D7200 Pre release and early adopters discusion

heartyfisher

I can only comfortably compare between my D7000 and my D610.. although I have played with the D7100 in the shop as well as the D5500 recently. So for what's its worth. The DX bodies are "slicker" than the D610. The shutter clicks are less noisy and produces less shake. I would expect the D7200 to have the same "feel".
Sensor wise I am very happy with the D610. If you shoot raw the D610 should outperform any DX sensor but only if you pixel peep at ISO 6400 and greater. Some say the D7000 is pretty bad compared to the current crop of DX sensors (and that I why I will be upgrading.. besides all the nice geeky bits) but really who doesn't shoot at the lowest ISO 95% of the time?

I would expect the D7200 JPGs to be quite close if not better than the D610 JPGs. I shoot JPG and RAW and only go to RAW if I feel the JPG is not providing enough detail or if I messed up colour balance or some other stuff. at the moment I think I go to the RAW file about 10% of the time. SO the D7200 should be as good as the D610 for me. of course I will use them in situations where they have some advantages over the other. However, I think for most people the D7200 will be very nice and even superior to the D610.

Photobug

I like what I see...everything from price point, right where I expected it, to the minor tweaks and additions. The larger buffer and potentially 2 stop improvement are huge. I like the fact they got rid of the dongle for the Wi-Fi. See my comments in the D5500 forum for Wi-Fi on the D7100, D5500, and D750. Will have to see if all the small improvement add up to a major improvement like the D800 to D810.

+1 on @PitchBlack's comments on the cheap sensor and cheap body comments.

henrik1963

I think a D7200 + the new 300F4 would be a great combo.

From what I hear the D7100 is good camera for birders and others who want reach and good image quality. The D7200 will probably be better - by how much remains to be seen.

bryanD7100

I was thinking of being an early adopter.... but not anymore. I will wait to see how the testing fares compared to the D7100 and maybe ..... just maybe ... by late summer that D400 will have materialized ... just like magic as this cam is no answer to the 7DmII.

Ryukyu

@heartyfisher Thank you for your thoughts. Your experience sounds much like what I was thinking it would be.

ccchuck

" by late summer that D400 will have materialized ... just like magic as this cam is no answer to the 7DmII - "

same here, have a 7100, like it, was expecting a bit more with the 7200 - I'll wait, or lordie help, go look at the 7Dmll.

nukuEX2

I don't know if there will be D400/D9300 but I know I'm getting D7200 it has enough pro specs and weather sealed metal chassis too.

manhattanboy

" by late summer that D400 will have materialized ... just like magic as this cam is no answer to the 7DmII - "

same here, have a 7100, like it, was expecting a bit more with the 7200 - I'll wait, or lordie help, go look at the 7Dmll.

Yeah, I am thinking the same now... I really do not see anything that different from the 7100. The 7000 to 7100 gave us a much improved AF system AND a brand new sans AA filter, higher MP sensor (along with the usual minor accompaniments). Its really tough to say what the 7200 brings over the 7100 if the sensor is the same.

Read this article from Imaging-Resource:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/nikon-d7200/nikon-d7200A.HTM
This is what they say is the difference between the 7100 and 7200:

And finally, your patience pays off: We have the first notable changes. At the top of the Nikon D7200's left shoulder sits a new Wi-Fi logo, hinting at this new model's ability to communicate wirelessly with smartphones and tablets.

So Nikon gives us finally a better buffer and wifi, but then fixes some complaints that were minor at best, like these gems below...

Where the D7100 was rated as good for 950 shots on a charge, the Nikon D7200 should manage 1,110 shots on a charge.

I've shot thousands of pics on a single charge for the 7100. Interestingly, unlike the 800 to 810 increase which was driven by a new battery (and battery charger), the 7200's change is apparently all related to a tweaked processor. Regardless, battery life was not the key thing holding back the 7100, LOL.

The Nikon D7200's autofocus system is based around that featured in the D7100, but with tweaks for improved low-light performance. Where previously, the D7100 was rated as good down to -2EV, Nikon says the D7200 will manage to focus all the way down to -3EV thanks to its tweaked Multi-CAM 3500II DX autofocus module.

Thank God they fixed the low light focusing performance, I was worried that they might want people to use FX cameras in those situations
/s

I am seriously missing why everyone is excited about this camera unless they think it means that there is a D400 coming next month.

Photobug

" by late summer that D400 will have materialized ... just like magic as this cam is no answer to the 7DmII - "

same here, have a 7100, like it, was expecting a bit more with the 7200 - I'll wait, or lordie help, go look at the 7Dmll.

Another dreamer looking for a D400 / D9300. Keep waiting and you miss the use of all that new technology. Peter has not posted any recent hints that would support a D400 by late summer. Nikon wants us to fit our styles into their product line without the D400/D9300.

nukuEX2

" by late summer that D400 will have materialized ... just like magic as this cam is no answer to the 7DmII - "

same here, have a 7100, like it, was expecting a bit more with the 7200 - I'll wait, or lordie help, go look at the 7Dmll.

Another dreamer looking for a D400 / D9300. Keep waiting and you miss the use of all that new technology. Peter has not posted any recent hints that would support a D400 by late summer. Nikon wants us to fit our styles into their product line without the D400/D9300.

Few more things, Buffer!!! 18 14 bit RAWs, 100 Jpegs in Fine mode at full resolution, 1/8000th shutter, and 3 stops better performance in low light? That's D400 spec to me. I shoot in jpeg and with Class 10 SDXC cards that is more than enough to capture fast moving subjects.

donaldejose

"I am seriously missing why everyone is excited about this camera"

I am excited to replace my D7000 with this body. Often, one model number difference (D7100 to D7200) isn't enough to get excited about but two model year's difference is.

It looks like a very nice package to me and a very good value.

Photobug

+! donaldejose
Totally agree.

spraynpray

???? Comparing prosumer DX with top pro FX? Eh?

You are correct the difference between prosumer and professional. is becoming blurred
Professionals will be buying the D7200
and there are amateurs who will spend their pension pot on a D4s
just out of interest; why is that worrying you

It isn't 'worrying me', it is just pointless as one costs five times the price of the other. @-)

4thebirds

I'm not excited nor surprised with the D7200 specs. The model name told us it would not be anything more than a minor upgrade. I am pleased that the buffer is significantly improved... Maybe Nikon actually does pay attention to what we want sometimes? If I wasn't needing/wanting a second DX body right now, I'd probably relax and keep using my D7100. Call me crazy, but I still think a pro DX body might still appear later this year. But who knows... I'm sure not planning for it or holding my breath. This D7200 is so similar to my D7100 that it will be pretty nice switching back and forth between them. Exact same battery, controls, I can even use my RRS L-bracket on either one. And I think for the most part I will view the 2 bodies as equally capable, with the edge going to the new one for the most challenging action or birds in flight. If I didn't do so much bird photography I would probably get a D750 as a second body, or a D810 which could also be used for birds, but yikes that D810 is expensive... $-)

Dave

Photobug

@4thebirds - As you said the D7200 would be an easy 2nd camera in that switching back and forth would not cause you to think about button location.

Consider the upgrade I did, it may or may not apply to you. If it does, it's a path forward. Use the D7100 for lens over 200mm and use the D750 for wide angle to 200mm lens. You get the best of both worlds.

Coastalconn

It's funny, I went backwards. After having the D800 for a few months I sold my D7100. Of course the same day my D800 died.. It would not turn on. When I sent it in for repair I noticed the D7000 fire sale at Best Buy so I picked one up. I'm not noticing a huge difference between the D7K and D7.1K. Sure the D7100 is a little better, but I think I will just wait and see if a "D400" ever comes out. I really like the D800 more than I thought I would and I don't see much need for a DX unless it really competes with the 7Dm2.. And I'm a bird photographer.. go figure... I guess it depends on if the sensor is really improved by 2 stops which I doubt it really is. A native 25.6 ISO should put it in FX performance zone I would think?

4thebirds

Consider the upgrade I did, it may or may not apply to you. If it does, it's a path forward. Use the D7100 for lens over 200mm and use the D750 for wide angle to 200mm lens. You get the best of both worlds.

Thanks Photobug. I have thought a lot about doing that very thing. I hope to do more kinds of photography someday, and the D750 would be fantastic for landscapes which I love. But for now I'm trying to focus on birds which makes sense because I've invested a fortune in a big super telephoto. So I will take my time and delay my foray into full frame. Hopefully it won't be too much longer.

KnockKnock

I wonder if the D7200 has the Auto-ISO feature w/automatic minimum shutter speed based on the focal length, such as found the D750?
[/Thinking out loud]

Not sure if this was tended to - I'm sure it will. The D7100 already has it as do lesser models.

Badger

Thank you KnockKnock,
I wasn't aware that this was already implemented in the DX models, seeing it mentioned in a D750 review (if memory serves) and thought it was a new feature in the D750/D810 generation (/iteration) cameras.

The D7200 is going to make my decision of buying into a new DSLR system more difficult, seeing as I am already having trouble making up my mind between going with FX or DX.

manhattanboy

It's funny, I went backwards. After having the D800 for a few months I sold my D7100. Of course the same day my D800 died.. It would not turn on. When I sent it in for repair I noticed the D7000 fire sale at Best Buy so I picked one up. I'm not noticing a huge difference between the D7K and D7.1K. Sure the D7100 is a little better, but I think I will just wait and see if a "D400" ever comes out. I really like the D800 more than I thought I would and I don't see much need for a DX unless it really competes with the 7Dm2.. And I'm a bird photographer.. go figure... I guess it depends on if the sensor is really improved by 2 stops which I doubt it really is. A native 25.6 ISO should put it in FX performance zone I would think?

You should look at 810 fire sales then. I have reluctantly been starting to think like yourself. After having shot with the 810 for a while, its frustrating to see all the shortcomings of the 7100 or 7K. For me, there are those 1.3x DX crop moments that the 7100 still reigns supreme, but at the 7K's pixel density, shooting the 810 in DX crop is basically the same thing.

Everyone crapped on me for being disappointed with the 7200, but this is Thom's take on the 7200:
http://www.dslrbodies.com/newsviews/nikon-introduces-d7200-dslr.html
I feel like Thom does, in that Nikon did not try very hard with this update.

I still would have traded up from the 7100 to the 7200 if they would have just stole the 810's improved shutter and added Qc mode. But that's fine... maybe a new lens purchase instead.

nukuEX2

It's tough to compare a D7200 with a D610. Everything about the D610 is much worse than the D7200 except the sensor. Think D3300/D5500 with a better sensor and you kinda have an idea what's going on.
D7200: Expensive Body/Cheap Sensor
D610: Cheap Body/Expensive Sensor

Remember D610 came into being as bandage to patch over the gash caused by D600's infamous shutter mechanism issues. Even though it is now only $300 more than D7200 I feel skittish about getting D610.

Ironheart

Why? Are you skittish about cruise ships because the titanic sunk?

Photobug

nukuEX2 you should not feel skittish. Sit down and put it on paper, one column for D7200 and one for
D610. Now add the pros and cons for the type of photography you shoot. Both are good cameras (although I have not owned the D610 - the owners here and what I have read it will produce nice images).

nukuEX2

Why? Are you skittish about cruise ships because the titanic sunk?

nukuEX2 you should not feel skittish. Sit down and put it on paper, one column for D7200 and one for
D610. Now add the pros and cons for the type of photography you shoot. Both are good cameras (although I have not owned the D610 - the owners here and what I have read it will produce nice images).

I'm not saying D610 is a bad camera. I just remembered all the horror stories regarding D600. Even though I have no need for 24x36 or however large prints. D610 is still on my short list of cameras along with the D750 to look at. I know most of my photos will stay online and the D7200 gives me lot of room to work with.

Photobug

I'm not saying D610 is a bad camera. I just remembered all the horror stories regarding D600. Even though I have no need for 24x36 or however large prints. D610 is still on my short list of cameras along with the D750 to look at. I know most of my photos will stay online and the D7200 gives me lot of room to work with.

You should really evaluate the D7200 to see if it fits your needs and if it does - just do it.
Fair warning regarding your last sentence. If you compare the D610 and the D750...don't be surprised if you buy the D750. In my opinion, the D750 is a better camera. But again..buy what fits your requirements.