Preorder the Nikon D700 DSLR

Order the Nikon D700 now! Expected ship date is late July 2008.

Nikon has announced its newest digital SLR, which is available for pre-order at Ritz Camera:

• Nikon D700 Body Only


• Nikon D700 with 24-120mm VR zoom lens

The Nikon D700 is the latest DSLR utilizing the large FX sensor first released in the Nikon D3. With the FX sensor and 12.1 megapixels, the image size and quality is virtually identical to the more expnsive D3, but with other features more comparable to the Nikon D300, the price is significantly lower.

With a suggested retail price close to $3000, the price of the D700 is about midway between the D300 and the D3, and it is meant for professional photographers or serious amateurs. As with most Nikon DSLR's, it boasts a long list of features from the world leader in digital photography technology. The most obvious feature is probably the bright, high-resolution, 3-inch LCD screen. It's "Live View" capability allows composing your shot via the LCD monitor, with two modes depending on the type of shot you want to take: Tripod mode, which is made for complete control and precision focus, and Handheld mode, wherein the camera's autofocus capababilities are active using all 51 autofocus points.

Other notable features of the Nikon D700 include:

• An FX-format, CMOS image sensor that has an area of 36.0mm (h) x 23.9mm (v), approximately the same size as a frame of 35mm film. For compatibility with Nikkor DX format lenses, DX cropping mode will automatically switch to DX format when these lenses are used.


• An extremely wide ISO range with sensitivity from ISO 200 to ISO 6400. In addition, the sensitivity can be technologically enhanced down to ISO 100 and as high as ISO 25,600.


• The Nikon D700's startup time is a mere 12/100ths of a second, with a shutter lag time of 41 milliseconds. With the normal battery pack, the D700 can capture images as 5 frames-per-second, but when the optional Multi-Power Battery Pack (MB-D10) is used, continuous shooting speed can be boost to 8 fps.


• A Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module features 51 AF points, with a great deal of flexibility in choosing how many and which autofocus points are active. Fifteen cross-type sensors located in the center enable subject detection with lens apertures as small as f/5.6.


• Four different resonant frequencies are used to clean dust and particulates from the low-pass filter which is attached right in front of the FX image sensor. Cleaning performs automatically, and can also be manually selected.


• Rugged magnesium-alloy construction: Along with extensive dust and moisture protection and a durable shutter mechanism tested to 150,000 cycles, the D700 merges pro D-SLR performance with expanded agility.


• The shutter unit employs an assembly made of a new composite carbon fiber and Kevlar hybrid material. Tested on fully assembled cameras, the D700's shutter unit has been proven through 150,000 cycles under demanding conditions. The self-diagnostic shutter constantly monitors and maintains shutter precision to ensure peak performance.