EOS 7D vs D700 - Which SLR is Better?

If you’re thinking of buying either the Canon EOS 7D or Nikon D700 digital SLR camera, then you need to read this. The purpose of this article is to take a look at the main features of both of these great digital SLRs and see which is the better camera. We will then sum up which camera is better for each point discussed, and conclude which one you should buy.

How Big Can You Go??

The Nikon D700's 12.1 megapixels mean that you will be able to print up to about A2 size, unless you do a lot of cropping in which case it will probably be up to A3. The Canon EOS 7D's 18 megapixels mean that it wins in this regard. There is a large difference in megapixels between these two cameras, which is strange considering that the D700 is actually almost $1,000 more expensive. It must be pointed out though that there is more to digital SLR image quality than just the number of megapixels. It's also worth pointing out that the D700 has an FX-format sensor, which is basically a digital replacement for 35mm film.

How Fast Can You Shoot?

The Nikon D700 and the Canon EOS 7D are both able to shoot at 8 frames per second for up to 100 (D700) or 125(7D) JPEGs at once. In addition to this though, the D700 does boast even more than this in terms of its start-up time and shutter lag. The 0.12 second start-up time and the 0.40 seconds shutter lag will give you near instantaneous performance.

What About Shooting in Low Light?

Probably the main factor when it comes to how well a digital SLR copes with low-light scenes is its ISO range. The ISO determines the sensitivity of the image sensor, and the higher it can go the more light it will get from the scene. Both the EOS 7D and the D700 are set to go up to an ISO of 6,400. However, both cameras are able to have their ISO ranges expanded, the 7D up to 12,800, but the D700 can go all the way up to 25,600! This means that the D700 is without a doubt the hands-down winner when it comes to low-light shooting.

Remote Control

Another great thing about the Nikon D700 is that you can control it from your computer, and this feature is absent from the Canon EOS 7D. This feature is extremely useful if you're going to be shooting wildlife and don't want to get too close to them. Set up your camera, then hide some distance away with your laptop and wait for the perfect moment.

Live View

The Nikon D700 also enables you to use the 3-inch screen to frame up your photos. Also, this screen is viewable from as much as 170 degrees. This is very handy if you find yourself having to shoot from an awkward place with the camera pointing at an extreme angle.

Summary

Right, let's summarize the main features we have discussed in this article, and see which camera comes out on top for each one:
Megapixels: EOS 7D
Speed: D700
Low-Light Shooting: D700
Remote Control: D700