I shoot landscape and wildlife as well -- and I have the D7000 which works very well for both subjects. I do have a D800 coming as well... I sold my D700.
I shoot mostly landscapes and I'd take the 700 anyday. Why? Two things: #1: The viewfinder shutter lever - a very convenient feature of the 700 when shooting long exposures - just flick and expose. Have fun fitting that vf cover on the D7000 while scrambling for position and you only have 90 seconds to nail that golden hour shot. #2 is the build and weatherseal. The 700 is PROVEN tough. If you shoot landscapes (and I mean REAL landscapes not hills on your backyard), you will be hiking for miles and your gear will be in constant beat down, along with the harsh environment. My 700 has been rained on and never once shut down. Will the D7K take that abuse? I'm not sure but I won't be willing to try.
Bob - I think when your D800 or D800E (or both) arrives you will find, like I did, that it is highly suitable to both of your intended uses for landscape and wildlife. And Alice, too!
Chaz wrote:
Bob - I think when your D800 or D800E (or both) arrives you will find, like I did, that it is highly suitable to both of your intended uses for landscape and wildlife. And Alice, too!
Thanks Chaz, you made my day. that Little Alice is my life. There are so many Hummers in my backyard this time of the year. When I see them, Alice comes to life. Oh! life is beautiful.
Bob
I have a couple of each and have had the D7k since it was released. I shoot the D7k as primary most of the time, with a D700 as backup.
Firstly, the dual cards are important to me, so the D700 could not be a primary body. Second, the D700 needs heavier lenses to accomplish the same FOV etc.
I generally want the greater pixel count of the d7k, so it gets 70% of the use for me. However, when I want that extra bit of AF ability, and the shallower DOF, the D700 rules.
IQ wise, the D700 is on par, but the D7k gets my nod for the ultimate IQ when I don't need the thin DOF.
When it comes to cameras, I generally lean more into the semi-pro or pro bodies but when I used the D7000, this changed my perception in what Nikon quality can provide. I have used the D7000 in rainy days, but not soaking wet of course and it's plain common sense not to use cameras (even pro ones) in these conditions. The sealing is there for really extreme conditions but not prolonged use on that environment... Many issues can be overcome by being logical when it comes to using the D7000. The dail on the D7000 isnt pretty but it's logical. The grip isn't perfect but my hands can adjust. There is no viewfinder shutter lever but I can manually meter the scene. The AF and IQ are both great. I'm not paying twice the money if I'm not shooting often in the rain.
Well,
It depends on many factors.. Many ppl mention advantages or disadvantages. Your criteria is IQ.
Do you like printing your photographs BIG. I mean BIG!!. If you do go with D7000.
You said you shoot wild life: You many need crop sensor (to have more reach with your long lenses) and high MP in this case. D7000 is a good fit. Well AF is better on D700 but...
You said you shoot Landscape: Full frame is better on that area as you have quality wide angle lenses. D700 is a good fit.
BTW how about your lenses that you have? If you are going to use a kit lens or one of those super telephoto zooms. .. Go and get a D3100-3200 and be happy with it. Or Even D3000 would work for you.
Otherwise D700 is a class above than D7000 on almost every aspects.
BTW I have owned both D7000 and D700 cameras in the past.
DontShoot wrote:
I shoot mostly landscapes and I'd take the 700 anyday. Why? Two things: #1: The viewfinder shutter lever - a very convenient feature of the 700 when shooting long exposures - just flick and expose. Have fun fitting that vf cover on the D7000 while scrambling for position and you only have 90 seconds to nail that golden hour shot. #2 is the build and weatherseal. The 700 is PROVEN tough. If you shoot landscapes (and I mean REAL landscapes not hills on your backyard), you will be hiking for miles and your gear will be in constant beat down, along with the harsh environment. My 700 has been rained on and never once shut down. Will the D7K take that abuse? I'm not sure but I won't be willing to try.
So to add my comments to this thread, my buddy that I have shot a ton with over the last year shoots with a D7000. He has had it for 2 years or so. He shoots in the same conditions that I do. I had a Canon 1Ds and never used a rain cover or any protection. He uses an umbrella, but not much else. His D7000 has never missed a beat.
So to say the D7000 won't last in "real landscapes" is a myth. BTW, we live in Oregon, so it rains a little bit.
If I had a choice, of course I would go with a D700. Coming from a 1Ds (and now an F5), I "need" full frame . Only thing I wish it had was ISO 50. Weight is not an issue at all. My buddy was/is thinking of getting a D700, but may hold off until he can get a D800E - that is how much he loves his D7000.
An add on to my previous comment. On the 4th. I, my photog buddy and my dog went for a nature walk and ended up slogging through a swamp for 3 hours, (much of it lost) in ankle to knee deep muck and cattails, bulrush and grass way over our heads. I took my D7000 and after awhile looking at it it had changed from black to the prettiest shade of chartreuse I'd ever seen. It was literally and totally covered with cattail pollen and grass seeds. I kept shooting with it and it worked perfectly and the images were great. When I got home I cleaned the outside thoroughly before separating the lens from the body and not a speck of pollen or anything else got inside or otherwise gummed up the works.
I'd say it was pretty well sealed all the way around. The D7000 ain't bad at all.
Still keeping the D7000 though. But if I HAD to let one go, it'd be the D7K. Not because of it's IQ though but because the build, layout and viewfinder of a flagship FX DSLR is simply amazing.
For those that have used both the D700 and D7000, have you been able to get the 7000 to focus spot-on like the 700 regarding anything that is moving? I've read some complaints about focusing on the 7000, but some of those are bad units. I'm to the point where I really don't need everything a D700 will do and am considering just getting a D7000 for something lighter, going back to DX for more lens choices, and come out ahead on money.
Sensor tech on the D7k is definitely newer, and D700 does have better high ISO performance and noise characteristics. But what and how you shoot definitely sways the decision one way or another. My friend who has both loves how the D700 handles and shoots, but his wife likes the SOOC jpegs the D7k produces.
If you're going to have a D800/E, the D7k will be nice, since it will share batteries with the D800/E and it would be a nice 2nd body for something different (DX crop). I have a D800E (love it) and have been thinking about picking up a D7k or wait till the D300s replacement to come out (for consideration), so I have a DX body as a 2nd
If I were to have only 1 camera, I'd pick D700 over the D7k. For the versatility and flexibility, ruggedness and reliability, and overall great performance.
get the d700 an down a legend that makes incredible iq
get the d7000 and save some money
note the d7000 and d90 are a nikon/sony, the only nikon dslrs thus far with a sony sensor, they lack soul and are empty plastic shells that snap pictures
.. Go and get a D3100-3200 and be happy with it. Or Even D3000 would work for you. 
. Only thing I wish it had was ISO 50. Weight is not an issue at all. My buddy was/is thinking of getting a D700, but may hold off until he can get a D800E - that is how much he loves his D7000. 
