Nikon Unveils 12.1 Megapixel D700 DSLR

Nikon has taken the wraps off its D700 FX-format DSLR, offering a 12.1 megapixel resolution, continuous shooting, and 3-inch LCD display.

Following a long period of speculation and leaked information, Nikon has finally officially introduced its D700 DSLR digital camera, offering a large nearly full-frame FX-format CMOS sensor, a 12.1 megapixel resolution, high sensitivity, continuous shooting capability, and a 51-point autofocus system (with 3D tracking)—plus a myriad of other features designed to appeal to both professional and pro-sumer photographers.

The D700 is Nikon’s newest camera to feature the FX format (36 × 24), but it can also shoot in DX (24 × 16) format. The default setting is DX auto-crop, meaning the camera will automatically select DX format when a user attaches a Nikon Nikkor lens. The camera also features sensitivity down to ISO 6,400, with the capability increase sensitivity to the equivalent of ISO 25,600—HI 2—or reduced to ISO 100—Lo 1—and even Lo 0.3. The D700 stores images to high-speed UDMA CompactFlash cards, and offers either 5 fps or 8 fps full-resolution continuous shooting for capturing those action shots. The D700 also features an HDMI output for connecting up to a big screen display, a four-speed active dust and debris reduction system, two live view modes (handheld and tripod), and Nikon’s EXPEED image processing.

The D700 should be available this month, with prices starting around $3,000 for the body—of course, a DSLR is a bring-your-own-lenses affair, so expect to spend more to trick yourself out with fisheye, zoom, and special purposes lenses if you don’t have them already.