For some years after Nikon brought video to the DSLR world with its D90 , the company pretty much ceded that market segment to Canon, which was first to market with the 1080 and 24p options that really made DSLR video a force in the indie feature and TV worlds.

Great sensor; superb auto-focus, customization and ergonomics. Any flavor of HD (compressed to H.264, of course) that you could want

Has all the same limitations as an HD capture device that all DSLRs have (because video functionality will always be a secondary consideration in designing cameras used primarily for still photography).

The Nikon D7000 is Nikon's latest enthusiast offering. It's a great camera in most respects, but will it appeal to new camera users?

Excellent performance at high ISOs; Good build quality; Comprehensive AF system; Full HD movie mode

Tendency to overexpose in high contrast situations; AF can be very slow in low-light conditions; Aperture cannot be altered in manual mode in "Live View

Nikon built the D7000 using a partial magnesium shell (top and bottom) with dust and weather seals. It feels slightly less balanced in the hand than Canon's D60, but this is a minor inconvenience that most shooters won't notice.

39 focus points; impressive low-light performance; dual SD slots

Mode dial moves too easily; could be better balanced

With full 1080p resolution, quality lenses, and excellent light sensitivity, Nikon's D7000 is an HDSLR that will make video enthusiasts seriously think twice about going back to a standard camcorder ever again.

Shallow DOF; Quick switching between audio and video mode; Excellent build and external controls; Built-in intervalometer for timelapses

No audio meters or headphone jack; Slow autofocus in movie mode; Autofocus and memory card noise with built in microphone

(1 items) With the release of the D7000 , Nikon created a new category in its broad DSLR line. At $1200 (body only), the D7000 offers a mid-range alternative to the higher end D300s, and the slightly-long-in-the-tooth but more affordable D90 (released in 2008).

Outstanding still image quality; Sealed against weather and dust; Above average low light/high ISO performance; Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots; Autofocus in video and Live View modes; Very good video quality

New Nikon DLSR users may be frustrated by learning curve of more advanced features; Full-time autofocus in Video and Live View modes not ready for prime time; Bracket button positioned too close to flash pop-up button; Function button difficult to access

The D7000 sits at the high-end of Nikon's cropped-sensor DSLR camera range. Given a 16 megapixels sensor capable of ISO 100 to 25600, 1080p HD video capture and 6 FPS continuous shooting, plus a 100% viewfinder, dual control-dials and a weather-sealed body, this is one of Nikon's most advanced...

Superb control over image nose; High color-accuracy after tweaking; Great dynamic range; Super-fast autofocus; Ultra-short black-out; Fast and responsive; Very flexible self-timer; Highly customizable with plenty of controls; Dual memory cards can provide instant backup; Manual focus assist...

Metering emphasizes center too much; AWB not perfect under artificial light; EC button not ideal; Indistinct ISO button; Very poor live-view; Limited OVF status line; Noise-Reduction always on at ISO 1600; Lens correction slow down camera; Bizarre Auto ISO hidden in menu; Some control oddities; see...

The DSLR product refresh cycle in the recent past has gathered momentum at least for the entry-level DSLR cameras. However, the models for the more serious amateur and beginner-professionals are refreshed less often.

Nikon's D7000 allies rugged build quality with all the bells and whistles expected of a mid-range digital SLR. All things considered, it's a thoroughly competent camera.

Robust build quality; Quick and responsive; 1080p video recording; Generally competent performer

Heavy; with or without a lens attached; Handgrip could be more comfortable; Occasionally overexposed highlights

The D7000 is fairly hard to find fault with. The new 39-point autofocus system is fantastic, highly customisable and delivers continuous shooting results at up to 6fps to almost the same standard you'd expect from a higher-classed DSLR.

Excellent 39-point AF system; very long battery life; superb picture quality and high ISO standard

Quite pricey; kit lens only reasonable; screen resolution not pushing the boundaries; internal buffer could be larger

Nikon's D7000 digital SLR camera aimed at advanced amateurs boasts many features normally found on in their professional line-up, such as a weather sealed magnesium and polycarbonate body, a 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, 39 AF points and continuous shooting at 6 frames per second.

New 39 point auto focus system; Redesigned controls; Dust and moisture sealing; Performance at high sensitivities; Rugged build; Fast continuous frame rate; In camera editing options; Active Dlighting; Quality of recorded video; Battery life; Twin SD card slots

Speed of focusing during Live View; Buffer is shallow when shooting RAW at 6fps; Current street price may be a bit on the high side