It may seem strange to call a $3000 digital SLR a bargain, but when it comes to the Nikon D700, the label fits.  The D700 shares most of the capabilities of Nikon’s pro-level D3, widely acclaimed for its sensationally crisp and clean images. But while the D3 lists for $50000 (plus the cost of a lens), the D7000 costs $3000, a healthy difference in anyone’s book. What’s more, the D700 is also 20% lighter in weight and far less bulky than its big brother.  And this newcomer even offers a significant feature the D3 lacks: Nikon’s effective dust reduction system, which keeps the image sensor free of contamination and wasn’t ready when the D3 was released in late 2007.

The Nikon D700 uses a full-size sensor to capture images – the same size as a frame of 35mm film – unlike most digital cameras, which employ much smaller sensors. In addition to allowing for superior image quality, that bigger sensor has another benefit. Usually, when you mount a lens on a digital camera, it doesn’t behave the way the same lens would on a 35mm camera:  the telephoto capabilities actually increase, but the shooting angle gets much narrower, making panoramic vistas and group shots in tight environments difficult to achieve. The D700’s 35mm-size sensor avoids that problem, making it a perfect choice for shooting purple mountain majesty and amber waves of grain.

It may be slimmer than the D3, but the D700 is still a substantial commitment to gear schlepping in pursuit of photographic  excellence, weighing in at 35 oz. (995g) before adding a battery and lens, and measuring 4.8” x 5.8” x 3.0” (123mm x 147mm x 77mm). The good news on that front is Nikon’s attention to balance and comfortable design, which  makes this relatively large camera feel secure in your hands and easy to maneuver.The D700 incorporates the beautiful 3-inch LCD screen Nikon has adopted for its high-end cameras, with striking 920,000-dot resolution for razor sharpness when lining up a shot or admiring your handiwork afterwards (the typical  camera LCD, by comparison, has a 230,000-dot resolution).  The Live View mode is fine for shooting objects or scenery, but the auto focus is too slow for shooting fast-moving subjects on a regular basis, so we’d stick to the viewfinder (bright, clear and  comfortable) for most handheld photography. We are enthusiastic about another innovative use of that top-quality LCD, though. Pressing the Info button fills the screen with an easy-to-read display of all your shooting information, and a second press lets you change settings directly.  We quickly found this indispensable.

This is certainly a camera geared to advanced users, but if you happen to hand it to a newbie, they needn’t freak out: Program mode automates most settings and produces handsome photos. There’s even a powerful  pop-up flash, a no-no in pro cameras but certainly handy when you don’t want to invest in or carry around an external flash.

And when outlining the D700s benefits, it would be foolish to forget the extraordinary range of Nikon-compatible lenses and accessories.

Performance (read in-depth lab performance at Digitalcamerainfo.com)
The headline capability here is obviously the amazing lack of image noise – that ugly visual static that’s especially noticeable when shooting in dark areas, and in solid-colored areas of a picture. The D700 posted the best results we’ve ever seen in testing image noise, confirming statistically what we’d already seen when shooting with the camera, which makes taking photos even by candlelight a no-brainer, without a tripod or a lot of technical knowhow on your part. The official range of light sensitivity settings, measured as ISO levels, extend to 6400, which is already a significant step beyond the typical 1600 or 3200 limit, but if you’re willing to push the envelope a bit, Nikon offers “Hi” levels up to an astronomical 25,600 ISO. And till we reached the very topmost part of the Hi range, we were getting perfectly usable photos long after venturing beyond ISO 6400. And keep mind that there’s more to low-noise high-ISO photography than shooting in low light.  When you push up the ISO setting you can also shoot at faster shutter speeds, making it that much easier to freeze the action, and making handheld telephoto shots a lot more practical.

In our other test criteria, color accuracy, resolution and dynamic range scores were all very high, though white balance (the ability to adjust for the colors of different light sources) was so-so. Nikon’s  promised 5-frame-per second burst mode proved entirely accurate, a welcome capability when shooting fast-action scenes.

Comparisons (read in-depth comparisons at Digitalcamerainfo.com)
One area where a full-frame pro-level camera like the Canon EOS-1D Mark III or  the Nikon D90 exceed the D700’s capabilities is rapid-fire photography.  The Canon can fire off a blistering 10 shots a second, the D90 gets 9, while the D700 peaks at 5. There’s also the question of camera build to consider: if you’re into seriously torturing your gear, pro-level cameras are tough enough to withstand considerable physical abuse. The D700 is extremely well built, but less likely to survive an encounter with a rhino or rain driven by hurricane-force winds.

Back in the world most of us inhabit, you can certainly spend a lot less money and acquire a topnotch digital SLR, such as the Canon EOS-40D or Nikon’s own D300, which sell in the $1300-$1700 range. If you’re really serious about your photography, though, and understand the benefits of a full-frame sensor, cutting-edge available light performance and access to every imaginable kind of lens and accessory, the D700 is one investment that will continue to pay dividends for many years to come.