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Nikon D7200 First Impressions Review

March 2015 | By Jeff Keller

Preorder on Amazon.com From $1,196.95

Preview based on pre-production Nikon D7200

One of our favorite DSLRs in the past few years is the Nikon D7100, which was introduced way back in February 2013. The D7200 isn't a radical upgrade by any means, yet it still adds some important features, most notably a larger buffer, improved autofocus performance in low light, 60p video, Wi-Fi with NFC, and 15% better battery life.

The D7200 is Nikon's high-end APS-C camera, and is the only DX format camera in the company's current lineup to support autofocus on screw drive lenses. It finds itself in the same class as the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Pentax K-3, and Sony SLT-A77 II DSLRs as well as the Fujifilm X-T1, Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, Samsung NX1, and Sony Alpha 7 II mirrorless cameras. In other words, it's a very crowded field.

Nikon D7200 key features

24.2MP CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter
Multi-CAM 3500DX II 51-point AF system, all sensitive to -3EV
2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor, used for 3D subject tracking in AF-C
ISO 100-25,600, with ISO 51,200 and 102,400 black and white modes
6 fps continuous shooting (7 fps in 1.3x crop mode) with increased buffer depth
1/8000 sec maximum shutter speed
3.2", 1.2M dot RGBW LCD display
1080/60p video (1.3x crop only) with clean output over HDMI and Flat Picture Control
Dual SD card slots
Wi-Fi with NFC
Magnesium alloy weather-sealed body

One of the most important features on the D7200 is its improved AF system. Nikon has updated the D7200 to its Multi-CAM 3500DX II system, which still offers 51 AF points (the central 15 of which are cross-type), but now all of those points are sensitive to -3EV, while the D7100's were limited to -2EV.

The most obvious improvement in the D7200 compared to the D7100 will be noticed by anyone who shoots continuously. The buffer size on the D7100 was tiny and filled up almost instantly, which not only affected burst shooting but bracketing as well. You can now fire away with the D7200 for up to 18 14-bit lossless compressed, 27 12-bit compressed Raws, or 100+ JPEGs. The maximum burst rate remains the same: 6 fps at full size and 7 fps in 1.3x crop mode.

The D7200 can now extend its ISO higher than on its predecessor, but with a catch. Seeing how little color detail would be left at ISO 51,200 and 102,400, Nikon has chosen to make those two sensitivities black and white only.

Two other new features of note are 60p video (with Flat Picture Control, also available for stills) and Wi-Fi. While the addition of 60p video is nice, it's only available in 1.3x crop mode. The D7200 also has Wi-Fi with NFC, which Nikon has branded 'SnapBridge', which allows for remote camera control and image transfer.

Compared to D7100

	Nikon D7100	Nikon D7200
Pixel count	24.1MP	24.2MP
Processor	EXPEED 3	EXPEED 4
Optical low-pass filter	No
ISO range (expanded)	100-51,200	100-102,400 (51,200 and 102,000 black & white)
AF system	Multi-CAM 3500DX	Multi-CAM 3500DX II
AF sensitivity	-2EV	-3EV
Maximum frame rate	6 fps (7 fps in 1.3x crop mode)
Buffer depth *	6 Raw, 50 JPEG	18 Raw, 100 JPEG
Maximum video quality	1080/60i (1.3x crop mode)	1080/60p (1.3x crop mode)
Flat picture control	No	Yes
LCD display	3.2" 1.2M dot RGBW
Wi-Fi	No	Yes, with NFC
Dual memory card slots	Yes (SD/SDHC/SDXC)
Battery used	EN-EL15
Battery life	950 shots	1110 shots
* Raw files are 14-bit lossless compressed, the default setting

The first row of the table shows that there's a very small difference in resolution between the two cameras. While Nikon wouldn't comment, we wouldn't be surprised if the D7200 uses the same Sony-manufactured CMOS sensor that is found on the D3300/D5300/D5500. If true, this will be welcome news to those who experienced banding on the D7100, which used a Toshiba sensor (that did, however, offer class-leading high ISO performance). The Sony sensor has also proven to have excellent dynamic range on other Nikon and Sony cameras that use it.

The basic AF layout is the same on the D7200 as it was on the D7100. There are 51 points, with the center 15 being cross-type. On the D7100 though, AF points were sensitive down to -2EV. On the D7200, they're all sensitive down to -3EV, which will be a boon for low light shooting.

As mentioned above, the D7200's new autofocus system is a big deal. You can focus in conditions a full stop dimmer, and our tests with the updated Multi-CAM 3500 II sensor in the D750 showed that it continued to focus in significantly darker conditions than the Multi-CAM 3500 sensor in the D810 (a DX variant of which was used in the D7100). What this means is that the camera will focus a whole lot better in low light conditions, across the entire frame. In other words, its non-central AF points will likely focus in dimmer conditions than any other DSLR out there, save for Nikon's own D750.

Cross-type points remain limited to the central 15 though, and the RGB metering sensor used for TTL metering is unchanged at a resolution of 2,016 pixels. It's a shame that this number isn't higher. The recently released Canon 7D Mark II itself offers a 150,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor which, like Nikon's cameras with 91k-pixel sensors, has enough resolution to even detect faces and focus on them during OVF shooting. But Nikon's algorithms for 3D tracking just seem to be better (Canon's iTR in the 7D Mark II is imprecise and laggy in comparison, despite its higher resolution metering sensor), so we're fans of Nikon's subject tracking algorithms in combination with their higher resolution metering sensors.

If you want to control your camera without laying a hand on it, then you'll appreciate the D7200's built-in Wi-Fi. Naturally, photos can be transferred and shared, which is extra-easy if you have a NFC-compatible smartphone.

Lastly, there's battery life. Perhaps its due to the more efficient EXPEED 4 processor, but whatever Nikon has done, it's managed to squeeze another 160 shots per charge out of the D7200 compared to the D7100.

Pricing and Availability

The D7200 will be available in two kits when it ships in early April. For the body only it will be priced at $1199.95, and if you throw in the 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 ED VR lens the price rises to $1699.95.

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.

We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C.

Gear in this story

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I had it

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Comments

Total comments: 723

I agree with San Diego BuckEye below. I also have a D300 (didn't know they still provided new firmware upgrades for that). I was hoping for a D400 or D9300 (whatever the name was). My primary interests would be:

1) A much better newer sensor. One that has low grain at high ISO, so if I take pictures at night at an outdoor sporting event (baseball game etc), it would work. Now I am using my 80-300mm lens at f 5.6, and at ISO 3200 and the shutter speed is not fast enough. What is the true usable ISO for the D7200, where the pictures still look good?

2) Video - yes it would definitely be nice to have a one stop shop with good video so I don't have to take my Lumix along just to shoot some video as well. What is meant by 1080p at the 1/3 crop (I think spec said),? Is this the same crop as the camera itself has where a pic at 200mm is really one at 300mm?

3) Camera Body - read here that the body of this camera isn't as rugged as the D300?

The buffer size is only marginal impt. Thanks!

0 upvotes

I still use the D90. Time to change i think. The difference will be great !

1 upvote

Why doesn't it have the articulated screen and built in wi-fi of Nikon's cheaper camera the D5500? And what about touchscreen? Nikon seem to be drifting backward compared to the competition.

1 upvote

According to the specs it has built in wi-fi. For articulated screen, experts say that it is more difficult and/or problematic for environmental sealing (dust proof, weather proff..etc) with an articulated screen, therefore the more professional cameras usually have a fixed screen for this reason.

0 upvotes

Flippy screens are mostly only important to video people. Polls show the vast majority of people aren't interested in video on a DSLR so Nikon isn't putting them there, except on the lower level cameras. I have never used a touchscreen that was any good so I hope we don't see them on a DSLR. I think they would be useless on such a small screen, anyway.

0 upvotes

Normally the improvements over my D7100 are not enough to make it worth changing. The only thing I would criticise on the D7100 is the small buffer and I've got around that with fast cards.

OK so it's the D400 (finally) for at Dxxx cost. I hope people aren't going to be queuing up to buy it because..

I mentioned it to a friend who has been struggling to keep up with the rest of us on model shoots in apartments and hôtels. We've given up on flash (too complex to set up and adjust). Nowadays we use room light withjust an extra halogen light to add character. He's still using a D200 (at grainy 1600 ISO - laughter). Now he's telling everyone that I'm going to sell him my D7100 and get a D7200.

I suppose I shall have to order a D7200. How tedious.

1 upvote

I have the D300 and just did a firmware update. I have been waiting for the D400 to come out or something that has been identified as the true replacement but it appears that I may be waitng for something that may never happen. How would you stack up the D7200 vs the D300. I have too many lens to switch over to the FX format otherwise i would opt for the D750. Is the D7200 the right replacement for the D300? Most of what I shoot is outdoor photography - getting ready for our trip to Maui.

0 upvotes

I'd like to know the AF points of the D5300 can see down to what? if AF points of the D7200 and the pentax K-3 can see down to EV -3. Can I expect the AF points of the D5300 to see down to EV 0 or something better? and in this case, can I also predict the center AF point to be more sensitive or all the points of same sensitivity?

0 upvotes

According to several reviews on the net, it has been stated that D5300 AF points are sensitive from -1 EV to +19 EV...

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/dslr-cameras/1519/D5300.html

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

1 upvote

thanks so much for your reply and the link

0 upvotes

"which should in theory give Canon's EOS 7D II a run for its money" When shooting surfing action at the beach, my D7100 (6 FPS) sounds like clunk, clunk, clunk, oops, out of buffer. The 7D II (10 FPS) should sound like clink, clink, clink 100 times. My Sony A77 II (12 FPS) sounds like tat, tat, tat, 52 times in JPG capture. In short, the D7200 for most shooting situations should be better, but for birds, surfing, and sports, the D7200 isn't even in the ball game.

0 upvotes

I am looking for a replacement to my d90, and this 7200 does not seem like a big step forward compared to 7100.
Probably i will buy the D750 instead of a DX, starting with the 24-120/f4 kit lens and using some glasses i can adapt, like the 50/1.8D and the 70-300/VC tamron.

0 upvotes

I also have a D90 at the present time I am going to stay with it. Although , I definitely plan on getting a D7200 when the price drops. I've never had to have the latest as soon as it comes out. Good luck with your choice.

2 upvotes

As I have a D7100 and hate the raw buffer limit, once price stabilises in UK I may purchase a D7200
It is not as good as a Canon 7Dmii and not in the same league
The limited 6-7fps in the Nikon and more consumer oriented body show this and it is not a D400
Initial impressions provides a lot of interesting info but to miss out the slower fps compared to D300s is a big oversight.

So nice upgrade Nikon but not a D400 in so many ways

0 upvotes

You're still carrying your 'belief' that this camera has a Sony sensor. It's pretty clear now that it's a Toshiba, like the D7100. Time to update, I think...

3 upvotes

If I change my d7100, will by 7DMKII . not d7200 BYe Bye Nikon, Welcome Canon...

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

3 upvotes

If I had to pick between either of these, I would buy the D610.

1 upvote

Its an option, but worse AF, even than d7100...

4 upvotes

Well, I guess you just have to pick what is important to you.

0 upvotes

Lots more money, lower image quality.
I don't get it.
If it is frames per second there are ways to go much faster.
I use my N1s for motorsports when I want extreme fps, 7DII can't compete with V3 for af or fps.

1 upvote

As it has turned out, the outstanding autofocus on my D750 is the feature that makes it stand out above all my other cameras. So I think the improved autofocus of the D7200 will be an improvement on the D7100 which will mean more out of focus shots in focus and give a higher keeper %. Of course this is so important because it's disappointing when it turns out that your best shot was the one that was not in focus. For D90 guys, focus gets to be a much greater issue with higher pixel counts. If the sensor equals my d5300 it will have better reach with the same telephoto than the D750, in plenty of light. In dim light, the 750 preserves much more detail at higher ISO's.
I agree with others that the Nikon DX glass is not sufficient to take advantage of 24mp sensors. But the high quality dx glass available especially from Tamron and Sigma at really reasonable prices takes care of that issue.
Maybe not revolutionary, but a highly useful upgrade.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

5 upvotes

I have been waiting for this camera for a long time. I will be upgrading from a D5100 and I did not wanted to get the D7100 as there were rumors for a long time for D7200 to be announced soon. It took longer than I have expected though :)

I am especially unhappy with my current camera's AF capabilities even though I have very sharp lenses. I am expecting remarkable improvement with this upgrade.

I believe it will perform very good with my Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G lens :)

Comment edited 5 minutes after posting

6 upvotes

The bad "af" could come down to lack of focus tune? D7xxx bodies have option to fine tune focus in the camera body, but with D3xxx and D5xxx bodies only way is to send camera + lenses to service.

2 upvotes

Thank you very much for this information. I did not know that. I will try the service for tuning the camera, but I will be buying the D7200 as soon as it is available anyway :)

0 upvotes

Any idea how Nikon boosted the buffer performance? More memory? A faster write speed? Or a bit of both?

0 upvotes

More RAM. The simplest and cheapest of all upgrades.

0 upvotes

Actually I am wondering if it is possible to make a setup like using the two SD cards which are available on D7xxx simultaneously to double the write speed.

Lets say you shot 10 frames in burst mode and frames 1,3,5,7,9 goes to first SD Card and frames 2,4,6,8,10 goes to the second SD Card simultaneously, doubling the write speed.

Same idea is being used on computer memories for a very long time. When you load something to your computers memory, half of it is loaded to the RAM module on slot A and the other half on slot B simultaneously to bypass the bottleneck on bus speed and increase performance...

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

1 upvote

Basically you're suggesting an SD card RAID 0. Theoretically possible, but SD cards are more prone to trouble than drives or SSD's, so there would be a reliability issue.

2 upvotes

USB 2 sucks ...

1 upvote

I would buy this camera in a heartbeat of it was the same size as D300. The D7100 I held in the camera store felt like a small toy.

2 upvotes

Why does small size is a negative ? I would understand if the comment was on the contrary like complaining from big size, heavy equipment, hard to carry everywhere...etc

But I really do not understand the negative side of a small sized camera if you are happy with the performance and specs.

Do I miss anything ?

2 upvotes

Perhaps Khal is a giant with giant hands. I have average size male hands and the D7100 feels just perfect.

1 upvote

I'm interested in this body if the noise in high ISO shots is equal or less than my D300. I'm on my second D300 because I really like the camera but the mirror return on the first one failed at 119,000 shots. I cannot afford replacing all my lenses (some which cost $1600) to go full frame so if this body has very good dynamic range (14 or better) I'd buy it in a minute. I remember that in 2008 when I bought the first D300 the body only was $1650 in Canadian money so the price point on the D7200 is quite good. Waiting for a D400 like I was? Don't hold your breath, if it was coming it would be out long ago.

0 upvotes

It should have better noise performance than D300

http://tinyurl.com/megddgo

Regarding D400, it might still happen. Maybe it will be called D400 or a D9xxx

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

Well assuming that they have used the D5300's sensor which has 13.9 DR, I would expect similar or slightly better DR for D7200

0 upvotes

You can be 100% sure that D7200 has better High ISO performance then D300. D300 used same sensor as D90. After D90 ther was D7000, then D7100 and now D7200.

High Iso performance has raised with every update,i highly doubt D7200 will be downgrade 2 models from D7100 in high ISO department. If the sensor is anything like the last one on D5500(Sony) you can except slight increase in High ISO performance in D7200 compared to D7100.

3 upvotes

I had the D300 for five years. The D7100 is a leap ahead in image quality, especially at high ISO.

2 upvotes

What you can afford. What you can't. If in the market for a competent, full featured DSLR in the price point of the D7200 what do "you" recommend? Some say Pentax others Sony. Some love the D7100 but decry the meager up grade to the D7100. Reading these comments it seems so, "He thinks-She thinks". If starting from scratch, looking for a good, quick, weather sales camera and in the light of all of you have such strong opinions, what "does do the shooters say" for purchase today.

0 upvotes

D7100 and D7200 are both good for sports/action, despite having slow burst rate. Even Tony Northup point out that the AF is even better than it is in D6xx

0 upvotes

Its a clear case of hobbling to me. The D7100 is a very good camera and if made substantially better would clearly be a threat to the FX line. So instead of being innovative and making the best camera they can for their customers, Nikon appear arrogant based on past glories and drip feed changes so as not to upset the status quo of their range. If this is the case, it appears shortsighted as a strategy and patronising to the consumer. The different attributes of DX v FX are clear and consumers are more than capable of making a choice that suits them. Nikon should concentrate on making each product line the best they can be and recapture the initiative. Their lens range is similarly constrained with a confusing array of models that often offer no clear differentiators and lack lustre performance. With shipments of DSLR in 2014 running at barely 50% of what they were just two years earlier, you would think someone in NikCan would wake up and do something !

3 upvotes

I agree. Why would they want 3 different cameras in their DX lineup with none of them being pro level is beyond me. They should concentrate on quality not quantity like they once did.

2 upvotes

I'm still using my d7000 and after 4 or 5 years I'm still satisfied with it. I got a d7100 but I returned it because it had this infamous banding issue and it's just unacceptable. Specially that most of my photos are taken in low light conditions and that's it's pretty visible.

I hope that they will solve this annoying issue on the d7200.

Others than that I think this new camera just brings some incremental features. Nothing revolutionary

3 upvotes

when will the first discounts be out on this camera?

4 upvotes

It's an incremental upgrade from the D7100, which I owned and then sold. Aptly named, and the improved buffer and low light focusing will be appreciated, I'm sure. DX Nikons just don't have any place in my camera bag any longer. Wildlife shooters who need 750mm equivalent focal lengths will enjoy this camera quite a bit, no doubt. Sorry but I don't care what claims they make or what DPR says, since it has just become a marketing arm of Amazon. DX sensors can't get the job done when it comes to the edge of the performance envelope. Buy a D750. If you dig down to the bottom line of DX advocates, no matter what they claim, the bottom line is they can't afford FX bodies or FX lenses. Cameras with little sensors are just a cheaper alternative to the real thing. Period. In ten years we'll all be shooting mirrorless full frame cameras, and DX cameras will still be what they are now - consumer grade equipment.

Comment edited 5 minutes after posting

1 upvote

The giant pile of magnificent wildlife images in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, printed six feet tall, disagree with you. Many of these were shot on DX sensors, even back to the D300's 12MP. The D7100 (and presumably D7200) sensors destroy that one in resolution and noise.

10 upvotes

I have two D810s and a D4. I'm looking forward to getting a D7200 as well for when I need more "reach" than my 600mm F4 can give me. Don't think of them as status symbols, think of them as tools to help get a job done.

6 upvotes

Ok, Entropius, good point. But I specifically gave a pass for wildlife photography in my above comment. Also, one uses what's available at the time. Not absolutely sure about this, but I think the first few years of Nikon DSLRs were all APS or DX size sensors. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong about that.

1 upvote

I stay with DX in the hope that ever smaller lighter lenses will be available for travel. While Nikon seems uninterested in a small FX equivalent “holy trinity” DX zoom set, it’s almost available now anyway with the Nikon DX 18-50 2.8 and the recently announced Tokina 11-20 2.8, but we’re still missing a small, light 50-150 2.8. (Sigma’s is too big.) Samsung’s is a good size; they should sell it in different mounts.
Also, a smaller 100D size, D7200 class body would be great for light, backpack travelers.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

Your generalization is appalling. Explain why you think DX sensors can't get the job done. "Performance envelope". What is that supposed to mean ? Do you honestly think your FX camera has taken your photography to another level of creativity ? At the least your post is very condescending.

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

4 upvotes

Well, I have owned four or five Nikon DX cameras, including the D7000 and D7100. I have thousands of shots made with those sensors. So I'm pretty comfortable with what I know about their performance. The term "performance envelope" connotes a three dimensional hypothetical region which contains the functional characteristics of the equipment in question. I think of it more as a region of space, rather than an envelope. When you move outside the confines of the envelope, bad stuff happens. For pilots, the plane crashes. For cameras, it's not so deadly but it can be quite annoying. High ISO noise, DR, and color accuracy are three areas where DX sensors suffer. And yes, moving to FX most definitely improved the quality of my work in photography.

0 upvotes

I have the D750. But I also have a D5300 which I love dearly. It's smaller, it's lighter, it takes 18-300 DX on trips where I can't bring a ton of glass, it makes tele shots easier. It's not like you have to decide whether you're in the DX or FF camp. You can be in both.

1 upvote

What's the difference between d750 and d7200 besides full frame and crop sensor? D7200 half the price of the d750

0 upvotes

If you're asking this question, you don't need an answer. Just buy a D7100 when they go on fire sale after the D7200 hits the stores. You'll love it.

1 upvote

Neither is armed to teeth with features, but they're both step above from D3300 and D610 (D5xxx series has different role than D7xxx, but it's slightly below).
So in many ways they're very similar cameras. Neither has USB 3, not AF button (which shouldn't matter that much really, since both have metering mode selector in much better place than a D810 or (better placed) D800.

What the D7xxx lack in comparison is a tilt screen that the D750 has. This is some nice feature with which you can take some nice shots from different perspectives much more easily. It's something that could be very much useful for my D810 too, and I wish it had one.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 1 minute after posting

1 upvote

"It offers the same continuous shooting performance as the D300S"

Um.... the D300 did 7, 8 with the grip. The D7200 does 6fps. The D300 came out in 2008. Somehow 7 years later 2fps slower is "the same", when to my brain we should be expecting 2fps more (10fps, hopefully without the grip).

Is DPReview getting money from Nikon for their slowball analysis of their product line? Afraid admitting the huge gap in Nikon's line up where a D400 should go will hurt D7200 sales over at Amazon.com??

Pathetic.

Comment edited 48 seconds after posting

6 upvotes

yes, and you can also trick the D300 into doing 8fps without the grip... see youtube for details.

0 upvotes

Yep, I recall that trick. Proof Nikon was intentionally forcing the grip sales with an artificially crippled base camera. At least the D300, D3 and D700 were amazing camera that offered more than their competitors at the time. Nikon was on a roll back then. Now it's just incremental updates, little innovation and mysterious, dubious forced product niches.

2 upvotes

Yep. Poor form. Hugely disappointing camera, although of course it is - it's artificially crippled so they still sell their higher end stuff. Where's the cool innovation, like we see on Fuji and Olympus' cameras? Why can't Nikon experiment with sensor shift IS?

3 upvotes

Not enough cross-sensitive AF points, the 7D II has 65 AF sensors and ALL of them are cross-sensitive. We shouldn't have to be doing "focus center, recompose" on a $1000+ camera.

6 upvotes

How *dare* Nikon make an incremental upgrade of an already good camera. :-) Every upgrade should be groundbreaking and revolutionary. :-)

13 upvotes

yes, the D7100 was good - 2 years ago. (I own one). Today it's still good; - just NOT good enough in the face of advancing technology!!! I for one am starting to get more than a little cheesed off with Nikons willy-nilly approach as regards minor upgrades & calling it a new model. Nikon can - and MUST do better!!

4 upvotes

It's 2015, you just can't ignore 4K video. Heck even my PHONE can take 4K video!!

2 upvotes

The problem is the competition are innovating, and Nikon are happy to just ride on their system ownership.

3 upvotes

When can we expect full DPR review of D7200?

Thanks,
Martin

0 upvotes

Considering that samsung nx1 was announced in september and out in november and didn't get a full review yet, I wouldn't expect a review for d7200 for at least 4-6 months. Or not?

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

1 upvote

Nope, DPR are definitely biased toward Canon and Nikon. I bet you'll see it a lot sooner.

3 upvotes

Can you change aperture in video while shooting?

0 upvotes

No. Only D750, D800, D810 and D4 can do that.

0 upvotes

Nikon has come out with a decent D300 replacement for my opinion. The 1.3x crop mode will work perfectly for sports and give us 7 fps. It has a larger buffer. The D7200 now has the buffer capacity that surpasses all previous-generation DX cameras from Nikon. With a continuous shooting speed of 6 fps, la D7200 Nikon at 14-bit will last 3 seconds before the buffer starts filling up and if you choose 12-bit lossless format, you are looking at 4.5 seconds of continuous shooting, which is usually plenty for most situations as someone pointed out.
Then there is to say that the AF Performance of D7200 has the industry leading low light AF performance of the D750, down to -3 EV.
The Video of D7200 inherits the full video capability of the D810 which includes auto ISO, and which again is a significant enhancement.

7 upvotes

There is the wireless and its features are another major achievement and provide incredible convenience (personally for the use that I do my photography it is useless and I would rather have a GPS that I consider to be the most helpful). The Image Quality seems to be superb but expect to see some tests. Yet it's a DX camera we are talking about. Probably you will be able to take stunning pictures at ISO 6400 and this is no small feat for a DX camera. And all in 24MP. According to my opinion for its features, the D7200 can be considered in all respects a good replacement for the D400. These are my personal opinions of course. I take still happy with my D90 (D300 equal in images to but not equal to the shutter speed and the tropicalization) that are the real unique fundamental differences of the two machines. If one day I were to buy the D7200 I would be definitely go on another planet with features fully improved in all the performance and also requires shooting speed.

4 upvotes

Good and happy shot at everyone.

3 upvotes

LukeLT63

The specs are not really the problem ,it is the less than D300s body build /ergonomics that is the annoying factor. Nikon just will not deliver it seems on that DX front, and no fast glass to match either. Pro DX has left the building - time to move on.

3 upvotes

D750 Industry leading -3EV? The first DSLR to go that low was the Pentax K-5II back in 2012. The Pentax K-3 also has the same low-light sensitivity.

1 upvote

David Vella
I agree with you that Nikon seems to have abandoned the idea of a body semi-pro in DX but I was referring in my speech to the performance of the camera body. I'm not a sports shooter but in my opinion just wanted to point out that in the end the D7200 could now be used for better photos than the previous action D7100 (with very small buffers) and then now could be considered a viable substitute that can bridge the void left for a replacement D300S. For lens there are also Sigma and Tamron which often offer a viable alternative to Canon-Nikon.
CRAPhoto
The term "leader" was reported in only one field production Nikon not in total of all brands. I know Pentax. I think Pentax better than Nikon innovations in its exceptional macchima bodies (such K-3 / K-5). I think you've misunderstood what I meant, or I was not clear in writing.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

0 upvotes

Nikon is competing with Canon on "how far can you strip a camera" game.

2 upvotes

i really hope the companies break that fps and buffer depth barrier and start selling us a 10fps camera with AF of course as standard .

2 upvotes

All what this camera need is a d300 body and call it d400

7 upvotes

That'd work if the burst rate was higher too.

4 upvotes

"It finds itself in the same class as the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Pentax K-3, and Sony SLT-A77 II DSLRs as well as the Fujifilm X-T1, Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, Samsung NX1, and Sony Alpha 7 II mirrorless cameras."

The Sony Alpha 7 II is a full-frame mirrorless camera. How can it be in the same class as the Nikon D7200? Maybe you should have added the Nikon D610, the Nikon D750 and the Sony Alpha 6000 to the "class" to make it more interesting and... crowded?

6 upvotes

A77 not A7.

0 upvotes

Well, you quoted it properly, but you (and apparently others) read it wrong. "Sony SLT-A77 II DSLR"... not A7 II, completely different cameras. A77 II is Sony's current top of the line APS-C DSLR.

Comment edited 47 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

One more try for the blind: (open quote) It finds itself in the same class as the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Pentax K-3, and Sony SLT-A77 II DSLRs as well as the Fujifilm X-T1, Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, Samsung NX1, and Sony Alpha 7 II mirrorless cameras. (end quote)

Just before the end, what do you read? Read again, carefully, all the way to the end of the sentence. You should be able to read: Sony Alpha 7 II. That's the Sony A7 II, or A7 Mark II, or ILCE-7M2. This is a full-frame mirrorless camera.

Sloppy writing? Or sneaky writing?

1 upvote

Oops. Mea culpa.

Only thing I can think of is that when you're at the top of the APS-C class, if you're looking at DSLR alternatives and something mirrorless you're either going m43 or full frame, and the A7 II is more of an upgrade and a bridge closer to the D7200 price wise. But if mirrorless is a contender, then why not the Sony A6000 as well? I think if nothing else, it's clear DPR thinks many are going to buy or migrate to the smaller mirrorless bodies.

0 upvotes

Very sloppy writing by DPREVIEW staff. The Sony A7 II is a serious and capable 24MP full-frame camera that stands in the same "class" with the Nikon D750. The A7 II has nothing to do with the D7100 or D7200. The A6000 might. (When I refer to a camera, I own and actually use it.)

1 upvote

I think this comment was made because all these cameras are in the same price range...

1 upvote

It will be a fine camera. The problem is, if Nikon is to release a D400, it really needs a better DX lens selection, otherwise whats the point of D400.

4 upvotes

You questioned what's the point of having the D400 if there is no better selection of DX lenses. I have been using a D300 since the day it was launched, and recently also acquired the D750. All FX lenses work on DX bodies whereas DX lenses do not occupy the full frame when used on FX bodies. Long telephoto lenses are expensive and using them on DX bodies give me an extra 50% reach. Surely there are lots of people who would want a higher end DX camera for this reason.

0 upvotes

When can we expect the "big shootout" between the D7200, 70D, A77mkII, and Pentax K3?

3 upvotes

Does this mean I will never ever read whining about D400 again?
I am afraid it doesn't...

A tip to Nikon - make an additional service for changing the badge d7200 to d400 for $200.

Comment edited 3 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

No - there is lots of whining on here because it doesn't have this or that. But I am pretty sure this camera is better than a D300s in almost every way. No - it doesn't have an AF-ON button. But you will never see another Nikon DX body with an AF-ON button.

2 upvotes

No AF-On button? ... No big deal since you can re-program the AE-L/AF-L button to be an AF-ON button.

1 upvote

Jim - yes I know - I do this on my D7000 from time to time. But many here will complain that it isn't a separate button. It doesn't bother me either.

0 upvotes

If Nikon would launch a D400, it would have at least 10 fps. The D300 had 7fps in 2007 and this new d7200 has 6fps in 2015. So no! this camera is not a d300 successor as it is slow, even slower than the 70d or the old 7D.

Nikon is not bold enough to do what Canon did by launching the 7D Mk II. They don't want to risk eating into their own D4S market share with a camera that could cut out 2/3 of the revenue.

BTW I own Nikon and Canon gear, as well as Fuji.

5 upvotes

AF-ON button just not as convenient as the D300 where it is located on D7100 and now the 7200. I find it is usable, but not convenient.

1 upvote

Since a lot of people use the D7100 as a wildlife shooter I was really hoping Nikon would please the crowd and surprise us with an AF-ON button. Even a tilted screen would have been nice. Just *something* above and beyond the absolute bare minimum they could do while still calling it a new model.

Comment edited 10 minutes after posting

16 upvotes

They didn't even do that for their D750... you give Nikon too much credit :)

3 upvotes

Haha well if they added it to the D750 I'd imagine it would be taking a bite out of D810 sales but the D7000 series isn't really the same market so I don't see the harm in it from a sales perspective. Maybe they think if they frustrate DX users enough everyone will switch to FF!

2 upvotes

Or switch to Canon 7dII, Pentax K3.

And yes, the K3 is fine AF for birds etc, otherwise how did the photographers with the fine examples of BIF I see using the K3, get those examples?

1 upvote

It's good to have 2 buttons, but it's not like there's "much" use for AEL button anyway imo. I use mine on D810 for selection crop ratios/DX mode. I don't think that not having a separate AF ON would be a deal breaker. Think on the positive side, the D7100 has the metering selector on a MUCH better place than a D810 (even D800 has it better than D810).

If the movie button is customizable to ISO selecting , then it will have better shooting ergonomics than D810 imo (change of metering requires 2 hands, it ain't gonna happen if the lens is heavy and needs to be supported with the other hand. Very big oversight from Nikon imo).

Comment edited 4 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Where are new, updated, higher-resolving, weather-resistant Nikon crop-sensor lenses to go with this new camera? Also, why no tilting monitor, like the D750? Good for sports photographer and pixel peepers, but not the ideal camera that street photographers, landscape photographers, and video shooters are looking for...

Comment edited 1 minute after posting

1 upvote

Yeah, that is the problem with getting a DX body from Nikon (and Canon, but to a lesser extent). They do not support crop sensor bodies with good lenses. That is why other systems that do not have this one mount - two sensor size problem are more attractive in some ways. All the lenses will be designed for just one sensor size.

2 upvotes

The weight of the cam is listed "675g", where 7100 is listed "765g". Is this an error or did Nikon indeed reduce the weight of its 7200? - dimensions are identical to 7100.

1 upvote

Somebody must be dyslexic... ;)

Seriously, no way they can reduce the weight by 90 grams using the very same body and most of the same components.

0 upvotes

For instance with and without battery

0 upvotes

The fact that both figures are made of the very same digits in a different order can't be a coincidence.

1 upvote

Still not the D400. Still not like the Pentax K-3 that has been out a year and a half!

8 upvotes

You will never see a D400. Cameras like the D750 will make sure of that.

2 upvotes

I agree . The D400 has been replace by the FX format. The D7200 is the welcomed DX top of the line. What I would recommend to the D400 hold outs is to first spot Jim Morrison and then see if he's totting a D400.

2 upvotes

the only camera 'like the K3' the 7DII.

And at the price, the K3 is a bargain. I have Nikon lenses and likely will buy the D7200, because just too much hassle to switch, but the K3 is clearly a much better built camera and with superior features. One thing that bothers me about this 'new lot' of cameras... build quality. I guess cost had to cut somewhere for the prices to be where they are. But then, the K3 is built like the old D300 for nothing more at release than this. But I am not keen on buying a camera when clearly it is not built to the same quality as the old D300. I will buy it for what it is supposed to have, buffer, fps, improved AF, sensor (higher ISO than I can use now). When I do, 'if' it does crap out after a reasonably short time, that will be it..... off to Pentax or Canon.

Comment edited 3 times, last edit 5 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

I understand that some might not like the modest incremental updates over the D7100. And this camera may not have every feature one could want, tilt screen, gps, 4K, etc...

But what would you say to those, like me, that are upgrading from a much older camera(D90) and have a nice selection of Nikon DX lenses?

To me it seems like a spectacular upgrade.

3 upvotes

Wait another year? ;)

No way I would buy a new model in 2015 without 4K video.

1 upvote

If you don't need 4k (and you don't since you shoot a D90) then this is a great upgrade for you.

3 upvotes

That new AF system uses in this camera that betters the D810 and D4S is more than a reason enough to upgrade from the D90.

3 upvotes

There is no doubt at all that the D7200 would be a spectacular upgrade from the D90.

2 upvotes

For men with big hands this looks like toy, so its not a d300 successor. Also the LV-AF is not on time, video in crop modus, no GPS, better naming system (xxxxxxx), this is not a "DX-flagship". So please guys these "d300-old boys" could complain about the lack of a real d400.

The world is not you alone, the specs of the camera are ok, but nothing groundbreaking, its something without a lot R&D and so its ok, but critic must be alowed.

A DF/D400 with in-body-VR for the "old guys" and for manual lenses and video, but also with touchscreen and so on, like in the "old days" with the rise of D3/D700 and D300 ... and highiso/ fast fps/ fast-AF:)

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 2 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

What is it with all the negativity on this camera? It has the same AF of the D750 which is rated to be better than the D810 and D4S and finally a deeper buffer.

Aside from a bit slower burst rate, just give this thing a magnesium body and you can call this a D400

4 upvotes

I can't even understand your question... Do you think you're on a different website? This is a comment section on DPReview, just FYI.

Go elsewhere if you want to read congratulatory comments of satisfaction and praise. These comment sections are dedicated to discussing the incompetence of camera manufacturers, both technically and in terms of understanding their customer base.

Cheers to you and best wishes!

Dennis

7 upvotes

He's right. These comment sections are devoted to discussing the incompetence of camera manufacturers. And to individuals taking offense on behalf of their favorite corporation.

0 upvotes

The negativity comes from people hoping for a revolutionary upgrade. In 4.5 years they basically have a camera only slightly better than the D7000 and in 2 years they basically do a buffer upgrade and some other small stuff. That is all fine and dandy if the market had been sitting still for the last 4 years, which it has not been. The D7000 was an amazing camera value when it was launched, not so much any more.

WiFi in APS-C cameras started 3 or 4 years ago, and Nikon is just now integrating it. With 4k video, that has been in the last year, but here we have a D7200 with no 4k video, that means no update for another 2 years. Granted they might release something else in that time, like maybe a different model with 4k, but Nikon went from being the first good about $1000 camera with video (Nikon D90), to lagging behind the competition.

Eric

7 upvotes

While I agree that this is a great upgrade and the new fps, buffer and focus seem to be excellent, I agree with Viking that the cynicism is largely borne out from the issuance of the D7100 with a RAW buffer of just 6 frames. That was the source of angst, whether rightly or wrongly so. And that right there is the source of the cynicism that you are seeing here.

Personally, as with some others, would be nice to see a stronger body build with features, aside from those above, just like the D300. But, whatever, I can use the D7200. Saves $500 bucks in any case, over what a D400 would likely cost. One third of the price off up front, I can deal with that, IF the D7200 body holds up. If not....there are options.

1 upvote

Any Nikon D300 bores still out there moaning about the D70XX not being up to snuff for their "professional" needs or have they all died off?

Those old boys were always good for a laugh.

3 upvotes

No, they've just migrated to the Canon 7D2 and are living happily ever after.

3 upvotes

They're out taking photos instead of trading insults.

4 upvotes

As Jonesy said, some have gone off to the 7DII and some to the K3. Others who don't do sports have much have gone off to Fuji.

Seriously.

2 upvotes

Sold my D7100 because I was unhappy with the higher ISO performance. I purchased a D750 a few months ago, and I am very happy with it. I was hoping the D7200 would have the same body as the D750. Didn't happen.

I am sold on the U1 and U2 settings with auto ISO on my D750. Happy they are included on the D7200,but not sure I will pull the trigger on the D7200 yet.

Seems to be a debate on which sensor is in the D7200. If the quality can be up to par with the D750, I think I would purchase it. I am a birder,and any additional reach is a big plus.

3 upvotes

It won't be on par with the D750.
That would be impossible due to it's sensor size.
There is simply less light captures which means the signal needs to amplified more.

It will be very close to the D7100 that you sold. Which is still a great camera besides the limited buffer.

2 upvotes

IQ will be slightly better compared to the D7100 thanks to the new processor. There's no way it would be on par with a camera whose sensor is more than double in size.

0 upvotes

It wont be on par with the D750. BUT - if you need more reach - it could be better at full zoom than the D750. For example, if you are shooting knowing you will be doing heavy cropping anyway - the D7100 will be putting more pixels on your subject - SO - could be better.

1 upvote

The tilt screen of the D750 is an irreplaceable feature imo. It can be very useful when taking photos in tight space, not to mention the different perspectives. Very good for macro + flowers too..

0 upvotes

Take away that red line in front and it's beginning to look like a Canon.

0 upvotes

Well it's ABOUT TIME! At least Nikon FINALLY did it . . . made a camera that can follow the D300s with a reasonable size buffer and good, professional level features.

Still . . . now they need a D400 that features faster shooting speed. 6 fps just isn't up to snuff. They need to introduce an 8 fps D400 with an even bigger buffer, 4K video capability, and everything that this camera has . . . but with UHS-II memory card slots, so the buffer will empty in just 10 or 15 seconds, rather than the 30 seconds it will take to empty the buffer of this camera. They could include GPS to help differentiate it from this camera even more.

This D7200 will sell well though. That bigger buffer is a major selling point. (The most important upgrade they put into this camera, as far as I'm concerned.) This is a camera that I'd consider buying . . . but I'd rather get a D400 with an even bigger buffer, more fps, and faster memory card slots. I'd pay $300 more for an upgrade like THAT . . . maybe more.

3 upvotes

And to think, it only took them two years to install a larger RAM. What, do they have 1 engineer working on the camera half time?

Eric

2 upvotes

The D7300 will have 8fps. The D7400 an AF ON button. D7500 maybe a flip screen etc. All in 2 year increments. So much time for all these revolutionary upgrades.

0 upvotes

AF-ON

where

2 upvotes

You can assign the AF-L button to it.

Or you can use 3D tracking for better focus & recompose, if that's why you use AF-ON to begin with.

3 upvotes

A dedicated AF-ON button would be nice as I find the AF-L button too close to the viewfinder for left-eye shooters. It's as if Nikon doesn't realize this is a popular wildlife camera and including an AF-ON button would really make this camera stand out.

2 upvotes

I have the D5100 now and looking to upgrade, I was going for the D7100 but just say this... Would the D7200 be a better choice ? I am not looking to go full frame for now. Thanks !

0 upvotes

In a Nikon video promo, the guy was showcasing the "Flat Picture Format". I do get it that it really helps with JPEGs and of course, compressed video outs. But how does that help in RAW?

0 upvotes

It doesn't really, other than help you see the shadows as you're exposing for the highlights.

As long as the D7200 has exposure simulation, of course! Which we haven't verified.

0 upvotes

Total comments: 723

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