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Nikon D7100 Comparison Review

The Nikon D7100 is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was officially introduced in February 2013 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 24 megapixel.

camera

Is the Nikon D7100 a good camera? The D7100 has a Camera Elo of 1968. This rating puts the D7100 among the top 40 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the D7100 ranks among the top 50 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3.5-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Nikon D7100
Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60p Video
ISO 100 - 6 400 (50 - 25 600)
Optical viewfinder
3.2 LCD, 1229k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body
950 shots per battery charge
136 x 107 x 76 mm, 765 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Nikon D7100 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Nikon D7100 vs credit card front
D7100 versus credit card top view
D7100 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon D7100 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
#   Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D7100 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 950 Y Feb 2013 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 80D 139 mm 105 mm 79 mm 730 g 960 Y Feb 2016 1,199ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 70D 139 mm 104 mm 79 mm 755 g 920 Y Jul 2013 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D7500 136 mm 104 mm 73 mm 720 g 950 Y Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
5.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 Y Jan 2016 1,999 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D750 141 mm 113 mm 78 mm 750 g 1230 Y Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D610 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 Y Oct 2013 1,999ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D600 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 Y Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D7000 132 mm 105 mm 77 mm 780 g 1050 Y Sep 2010 1,499ebay.com
11.
 
Sony RX10 129 mm 88 mm 102 mm 813 g 420 Y Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Nikon D7100 was launched in the US market at a price of $1,199. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Nikon D7100 features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon D7100 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Nikon D7100 sensor measures

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon D7100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.213.7125683
2.
 
Canon 80D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.2113579
3.
 
Canon 70D APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p22.511.692668
4.
 
Nikon D7500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.314.0148386
5.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
6.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
7.
 
Nikon D750 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/60p24.814.5295693
8.
 
Nikon D610 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.4292594
9.
 
Nikon D600 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.2298094
10.
 
Nikon D7000 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/24p23.513.9116780
11.
 
Sony RX10 1-inch 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.912.647469
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The D7100 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the D7100 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the D7100 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.63x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D7100 and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
#   Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon D7100optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 80Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 70Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D7500optical Y3.2 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D500optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
6.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D750optical Y3.2 / 1229 tilting n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D610optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
9.
 
Nikon D600optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s Y n
10.
 
Nikon D7000optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
11.
 
Sony RX101440 Y3.0 / 1229 tilting n 1/3200s 10.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One convenient feature of the D7100 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D7100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
#   Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon D7100Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 80DYstereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon 70DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
4.
 
Nikon D7500Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Nikon D500Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
6.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
7.
 
Nikon D750Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
8.
 
Nikon D610Ymono / monoYYmini2.0---
9.
 
Nikon D600Ymono / monoYYmini2.0---
10.
 
Nikon D7000Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Sony RX10Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
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It is notable that the D7100 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the D7100 can be found in the free online Nikon D7100 Manual or on the Nikon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D7100. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D71005/5+ +..85/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 1,199ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 80D4/5+ +4.5/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 1,199ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 70D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2013 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D75004.5/5+ +4.5/586/1005/54.5/5 Apr 2017 1,299 amazon.com
5.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,999 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D7505/5+ +4/590/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D6104/5+ +..87/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 1,999ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D6004/5+ +..87/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D70004/5....80/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2010 1,499ebay.com
11.
 
Sony RX105/5+..80/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Nikon D7100 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the D7100.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Nikon D7100?

The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Nikon D7100 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Nikon equipped the D7100 with the EXPEED 4 image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Nikon D7100?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 50-25600.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Nikon D7100?

Nikon mentions a shutter rating of 150 000 actuations for the D7100. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the D7100 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 150 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Nikon D7100?

Nikon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your D7100 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Nikon D7100?

No, the Nikon D7100 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Does the Nikon D7100 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Nikon D7100 for flash photography?

The D7100's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.

Does the Nikon D7100 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Nikon D7100 use?

The camera gets its power from the EN-EL15 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Nikon D7100?

Yes, Nikon offers the MB-D15 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Where can I find the best deals for the Nikon D7100?

Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Nikon.

Camera to camera comparisons

If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just make your choice using the following search menu. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Nikon D7100
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2013
    Launch Price USD 1 199
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 367 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 000 x 4 000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.91 μm
    Pixel Density 6.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 6 400 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED 4
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 83
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 24.2
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1256
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.63x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.2 inch
    LCD Resolution 1229k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 6 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy150 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type EN-EL15 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)950 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 136 x 107 x 76 mm
    (5.4 x 4.2 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 765 g (27.0 oz)

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