Nikon D700

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    Highlights

    • 12.1 MP Full Frame CMOS Sensor
    • 200 - 6,400 Native ISO
    • 51 Focus Points
    • 3.0" 922k dot Fixed Screen
    • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
    • 5.0 fps Continuous Shooting
    • Built-in Flash
    • Wheather Sealed Body
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    Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

    Overview

    Nikon D700 was announced in 2008 and is a Full Frame (36.0 x 23.9 mm) DSLR camera with 12.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor. Its native ISO ranges from 200 to 6,400 and expands to 100 - 25,600 in boosted mode. The camera has a Fixed 3.0" screen with 922k dot resolution and built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder.

    Table of Contents
    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Successor
    4. Screen and Viewfinder
    5. Sensor
    6. Photography Features
    7. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
    8. Other Features
    9. Physical Parameters
    10. For Different Types of Photography
    11. Evaluation
    12. Specifications  

    Here is the Nikon D7xx series lineup, where you can view and compare the main specifications of the cameras within the same series.

    Nikon D7xx series lineup
    Model Date Sensor Native ISO Screen Price
    Image cannot be found Nikon D780
    Compare
    		January
    2020    		 24.5 MP
    Full Frame    		 100 - 51,200 Tilting 3.2"
    2,359k dot
    Touchscreen
    Image cannot be found Nikon D750
    Compare
    		September
    2014    		 24.3 MP
    Full Frame    		 100 - 12,800 Tilting 3.2"
    1,229k dot
    Image cannot be found Nikon D700 October
    2008    		 12.1 MP
    Full Frame    		 200 - 6,400 Fixed 3.0"
    922k dot

    You can view their side-by-side comparison here: Nikon D780 vs D750 vs D700.

    Pros and Cons

    In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon D700.

    PROS

    •   Large Sensor
    •   51 Focus Points
    •   Live View Autofocus
    •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
    •   Built-in Flash
    •   HDMI Output
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Long Battery Life - 1000 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    CONS

    •   No Video Capture
    •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
    •   200 Lowest Native ISO
    •   No Face Detection
    •   No Image Stabilization
    •   Fixed Screen
    •   No Built-in Microphone
    •   No Microphone Input
    •   No Headphone Output
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   No Built-In Bluetooth
    •   Heavy - 1074 g (2.37 lb / 37.88 oz)

    And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

    AVERAGE

    •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
    •   DxO Overall Score - 80

    Successor

    In 2014 Nikon D700 was replaced by Nikon D750. Let us now have a look at some important differences between Nikon D700 and its successor.

    UPGRADES Nikon D750 vs Nikon D700
    Video Capture vs
    Higher Sensor Resolution 24.3 Megapixel vs 12.1 Megapixel
    Lower Native ISO 100 vs 200
    Higher Native ISO 12,800 vs 6,400
    Lower Boosted ISO 50 vs 100
    Higher Boosted ISO 51,200 vs 25,600
    Max Image Resolution 6016 x 4016 vs 4256 x 2832
    Center Autofocus vs
    Tracking Autofocus vs
    Face Detection vs
    Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
    Screen Type Tilting vs Fixed
    Larger Screen 3.2" vs 3.0"
    Higher Resolution Screen 1,229k dot vs 922k dot
    Higher Viewfinder Coverage 100% vs 95%
    Higher Max Continuous Shooting 6.5 fps vs 5.0 fps
    Higher DxO Low Light ISO 2956 vs 2303
    Higher DxO Color Depth 24.8 vs 23.5
    Higher DxO Dynamic Range 14.5 vs 12.2
    Higher DxO Overall Score 93 vs 80
    Speaker Mono vs
    Built-in Microphone Stereo vs
    Microphone Input vs
    Headphone Output vs
    Built-In Wi-Fi vs
    Dust Proof vs
    Lighter 750 g (1.65 lb / 26.46 oz) vs 1074 g (2.37 lb / 37.88 oz)
    Longer Battery Life 1230 shots vs 1000 shots
    More Storage Slots 2 vs 1
    DOWNGRADES Nikon D750 vs Nikon D700
    Lower Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.70x vs 0.72x
    Lower Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/8000 sec
    Lower Flash Sync Speed 1/200 sec vs 1/250 sec

    For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Nikon D700 vs D750.

    Screen and Viewfinder

    Fixed screen

    Nikon D700 has a 3.0" Fixed screen with 922k dot resolution.


    Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder

    Camera has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. It has a 95% coverage and 0.72x magnification.

    Sensor

    Nikon D700 features a 12.1 megapixel Full Frame CMOS sensor with dimensions of 36.0 x 23.9 mm and a total area of 860.4 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 6,400 and expands to 100 - 25,600 in boosted mode.


    Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how Nikon D700's Full Frame sensor compares with other types of sensors:

    Sensor size chart
    Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
    Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
    Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36.0 x 23.9 mm860.4 mm23:21x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
    Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
    Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
    Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
    Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

    Photography Features

    Camera is equipped with EXPEED processor and can take pictures up to 4256 x 2832 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolutions like 3184 x 2120, 2128 x 1416 with 3:2 aspect ratios.


    Lens Mount

    Nikon D700 has Nikon F lens mount. Due to Full Frame sensor its crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is 1x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length.


    No In-Body Image Stabilization

    The camera does not have in-body image stabilization (IBIS) so it needs lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction.

    Check out the cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon D700.

    Nikon D750
    Image cannot be found

    Full Frame

    24.3 MP

    Nikon D780
    Image cannot be found

    Full Frame

    24.5 MP

    Pentax KP
    Image cannot be found

    APS-C

    24.32 MP

    Pentax K-70
    Image cannot be found

    APS-C

    24.2 MP

    Nikon Df
    Image cannot be found

    Full Frame

    16.2 MP

    Nikon D800E
    Image cannot be found

    Full Frame

    36.3 MP

    Nikon Z6 II
    Image cannot be found

    Full Frame

    24.5 MP

    Sony SLT-A58
    Image cannot be found

    APS-C

    20.1 MP

    Canon 70D
    Image cannot be found

    APS-C

    20.2 MP

    Canon 5DS
    Image cannot be found

    Full Frame

    50.6 MP

    Fujifilm X-A1
    Image cannot be found

    APS-C

    16.3 MP

    Leica S2
    Image cannot be found

    Medium format

    38 MP

    Connectivity, Battery and Storage

    USB Input and HDMI Output

    Nikon D700 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) input for data transfer. There is a Mini Type C HDMI connector for video signal output.


    Battery

    Nikon D700 comes with EN-EL3e battery pack with battery life of 1000 shots.


    External Storage Slots

    The camera has a single CompactFlash (Type I, compliant with UDMA) card slot.

    Other Features

    Shutter

    Nikon D700 has Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec. Camera can shoot continuously up to 5.0 fps.


    Exposure

    Camera's exposure metering ranges from 0 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment.


    Flash

    Nikon D700 has a built-in flash and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe or PC Terminal. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec. Flash compensation can be set from -3 to +1 EV with 1/3 or 1/2 EV step increments.

    Physical Parameters

    Nikon D700 has dimensions of 147 x 123 x 77 mm (5.79 x 4.84 x 3.03"). It weighs 1074 g (2.37 lb / 37.88 oz), so it is a heavy camera.

    147 mm (5.79")

    123 mm (4.84")

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    123 mm (4.84")

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    77 mm (3.03")

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    Nikon D700 dimensions

    Nikon D700 for Different Types of Photography

    We give scores to the camera for different type of photography based on its features and specifications. Let us see how Nikon D700 is suitable for six different types of photography.


    Landscape Photography

    GOOD
    83

    Nikon D700 gets a score of 83 and is GOOD choice for Landscape photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing

    Sports Photography

    AVERAGE
    64

    Nikon D700 gets a score of 64 and is AVERAGE choice for Sports photography.

    •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
    •   51 Focus Points
    •   No Face Detection
    •   No Image Stabilization
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
    •   Long Battery Life - 1000 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Wildlife Photography

    AVERAGE
    65

    Nikon D700 gets a score of 65 and is AVERAGE choice for Wildlife photography.

    •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
    •   51 Focus Points
    •   No Image Stabilization
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Long Battery Life - 1000 shots
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Portrait Photography

    GOOD
    76

    Nikon D700 gets a score of 76 and is GOOD choice for Portrait photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   51 Focus Points
    •   No Face Detection
    •   No Image Stabilization
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
    •   Orientation Sensor

    Street Photography

    GOOD
    77

    Nikon D700 gets a score of 77 and is GOOD choice for Street photography.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   51 Focus Points
    •   No Image Stabilization
    •   Fixed Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Heavy - 1074 g (2.37 lb / 37.88 oz)

    Travel Photography

    GOOD
    73

    Nikon D700 gets a score of 73 and is GOOD choice for Travel photography.

    •   No Image Stabilization
    •   Fixed Screen
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Heavy - 1074 g (2.37 lb / 37.88 oz)
    •   Long Battery Life - 1000 shots

    Nikon D700 Evaluation

    We evaluate Nikon D700 and give score of 63 out of 100. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


    OVERALL
    63

    Sensor

    GOOD
    71

    We give Nikon D700 a score of 71 for Sensor parameters.

    •   Large Sensor
    •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
    •   200 Lowest Native ISO
    •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
    •   DxO Overall Score - 80

    Photo

    GOOD
    70

    We give Nikon D700 a score of 70 for Photo parameters.

    •   No Image Stabilization
    •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
    •   Max Continuous Shooting - 5.0 fps
    •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec

    Video

    BAD
    0

    We give Nikon D700 a score of 0 for Video parameters.

    •   No Image Stabilization

    Focusing

    GOOD
    71

    We give Nikon D700 a score of 71 for Focusing parameters.

    •   51 Focus Points
    •   No Face Detection
    •   Live View Autofocus

    Screen and Viewfinder

    GOOD
    73

    We give Nikon D700 a score of 73 for Screen and Viewfinder parameters.

    •   Fixed Screen
    •   Screen Size - 3.0"
    •   Screen Resolution - 922k dot

    Connectivity

    AVERAGE
    57

    We give Nikon D700 a score of 57 for Connectivity parameters.

    •   HDMI Output
    •   No Built-in Microphone
    •   No Microphone Input
    •   No Headphone Output
    •   No Built-in GPS
    •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
    •   No Built-In Bluetooth

    Battery, Storage and Physical

    AVERAGE
    68

    We give Nikon D700 a score of 68 for Battery, Storage and Physical parameters.

    •   Environmental Sealing
    •   Heavy - 1074 g (2.37 lb / 37.88 oz)
    •   Long Battery Life - 1000 shots


    For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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