Ken Rockwell: Nikon D700

From Ken Rockwell's website:

"The Nikon D700 is Nikon's top new amateur camera. It's mostly a D300 with the larger FX sensor of the D3. Thus it has image quality mostly identical to the D3, but D300-class handling, which is a notch or two below the D3 for sports and action.

"The Nikon D700 adds a cleaning system and a separate new rear INFO button. Beyond that, I'm not seeing anything life-changing that isn't already in the D3 and D300.

"The function button can be assigned to do more more things, probably including the Picture Control option, but if you do, you lose what you could have programmed the FUNC button instead. I already have to swap my FUNC button among FX/DX digital zoom, non-CPU lens swapping or virtual horizon.

"Don't get too excited; the D3 is no sharper than the D300. The only reason to love the FX sensor over the DX sensor of the D300 is for much cleaner images at high ISOs and for ultra-ultra-wide shots. For ultra-ultra wide shots, you'll also need to buy a 14-24mm, 14mm f/2.8 AF-D or 15mm f/3.5 lens, each over $1,000.

"For sports and action, the D3 is still king. I don't see that the D700 is any faster than the D300.

"Then again, the D700 has a built-in flash and remote wireless flash controller. Honestly, with the D3 and therefore the D700, you just don't need flash anymore except for fill.

Lens Compatibility

"Thank goodness, the D700 works with all conventional AF, AF-D and AF-S lenses.

"It also meters with AI and AI-s manual focus lenses as does the D3, and if you enter the focal length and f/stop, gives matrix metering and correct EXIF data. Whoo hoo, this mean you can use the full catalog of manual lenses."

Read Rockwell's complete review. Includes images, illustrations and camera specifications.