7 Reasons to Buy a Nikon D7100 Today

What are some reasons to buy a Nikon D7100? The market for digital photography is filled with choices across all price brackets. However, you can get a powerful camera for the money when opting for something a bit older. The Nikon D7100 is one such bargain, bringing some incredible features for a fraction of a newer camera’s retail price.

This in-depth review is going to cover why you should even look at one of these cameras in the first place. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a great starter camera or you’re a seasoned pro in need of a backup, you’re in the right place.

What Is the Nikon D7100?

A Powerful, Affordable Camera

Nikon D7100 24.1 MP DX-Format CMOS Digital SLR (Body Only)

$599.95

• 24.1MP DX-format image sensor
• Max shutter speed 1/8000 seconds
• ISO range from 100 to 6400
• Shoots 6fps for up to 100 continuous shots
• Shoots 1080p videos with autofocus and built-in stereo mic

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11/26/2023 02:40 am GMT

The Nikon D7100 is a DSLR camera originally released in 2013. It is still a highly competitive camera and one best suited for photographers looking for a powerful device on a budget. The 24.1-megapixel resolution lets images look crisp and clear.

You’ve got a powerful CMOS sensor. This is one of the best in the business, and you’ll multiple critical reviews online praising its overall ease of use. The D7100 is a fantastic camera for users looking to get into photography on a budget, and should still be effective for years to come.

Reasons to Buy a Nikon D7100

Check out our reasons to buy a Nikon D7100 and find out exactly why you need one today.

The Effective Automatic White Balancing

More seasoned photographers are no doubt accustomed to adjusting everything. However, for more point-and-shoot photography, having something like automatic white balancing is key. This has been a fairly standard feature on cameras for a while now. However, when you look at the Nikon D7100, this is one of the stand-out features.

One of the best reasons to buy a Nikon D7100 comes down to just how effective that automatic white balancing can be. You’re getting accurate and true colors except in the most extreme of circumstances. At that point, you’d probably be hard-pressed to find a camera that can keep with harsh or bright lightning in the first place. The automatic white balance is a key feature and works great both in lossy formats and in RAW shooting modes.

It Comes with Great Weather Sealing

Imagine the heartbreak of dropping a bundle on a camera and an errant rainstorm ruins the whole thing. Modern DSLR cameras are built for all conditions, much like their analog cousins. One of the best reasons to buy a Nikon D7100 comes down to the weather sealing itself.

You’ll find comparable weather sealing on the D800, which is a higher-end camera from the same timeframe. However, you can save a bit at the time of purchase with the Nikon D7100. Now, don’t go plunging the camera into a lake or immersing it in a massive mud puddle. However, for most conditions, the Nikon D7100 should be a great companion.

You Can Record Uncompressed Video

One of the best features of the Nikon D7100 is the ability to record uncompressed video. You have the option of recording in 1080p resolution with full lossless support. These files can get fairly large, which can quickly overwhelm an SD card. However, one of the best reasons to buy a Nikon D7100 comes down to external storage support.

If you’re shooting a lot of video, the option to record straight to an external hard drive or SSD is crucial. You’ll have plenty of shooting time, while not compromising the quality of your video footage. The D7100 is a flexible and affordable option for this functionality.

As such, if you’re a videographer, the D7100 is a great choice for an entry-level camera. You might want to upgrade later on down the line if you’re looking to record at 4K resolution. However, with 1080p devices still being so prevalent, this is a great choice no matter the occasion.

The Control Over Audio Recording

You might get a killer video recording on most cameras, but blown-out audio. There are ways to adjust this, but you’ll need some form of post-production experience to get the digital clipping under control. However, this is one of the best reasons to buy a Nikon D7100. You have free control over the manual levels of your audio recording.

This is crucial, especially if you’re in a louder environment. Recording video is always going to be contingent on things like lighting, exposure, and other key aspects that also apply to photography. However, you have the added component of audio to worry about. Even if you have an external mic for capturing audio, having the ability to fine-tune the levels for incoming audio is wonderful.

Nikon’s Fantastic Build Quality

The Nikon D7100 was a premium camera at the time of its release. You’re getting some of the best build quality on the market. True, it might be an older camera, but doesn’t make its build quality any less impressive.

One of the best reasons to buy a Nikon D7100 comes down to its stellar construction. The camera feels good in the hand. The materials used in its construction are sturdy and capable of taking quite a beating. The only weak point you can point out is the viewing monitor’s relative fragility. The overall quality of the monitor is fantastic, as it stands.

Simply put, this is a well-built camera that is intended for hobbyist and professional use. You won’t be disappointed by the overall quality of its materials, nor will it feel cheap in your hands while in use.

The Accurate Autofocus

Many photographers are used to dialing in the focus ring on a lens on the fly. However, for action shots and busy photos, this isn’t always an option. Getting the focus just right on dynamic content is a task best suited for seasoned and practiced photographers. Thankfully, if you’re skills aren’t to par, you’re still covered.

The autofocus found on the Nikon D7100 is fantastic and works well under most conditions. If you’re trying to track something hard to track with the naked eye, it might prove to be an issue. However, for most other photography subjects, you’ll be just fine relying on the autofocus function of the camera.

Great ISO Performance For Lossy and Lossless Files

The Nikon D7100 comes with great ISO performance across any file format you throw at it. If you’re more of a point-and-shoot sort of photographer, then you’re likely dealing with lossy file formats. These are fine for storage purposes and can look great for social media. However, some cameras don’t render the light correctly on lossy formats, leading to JPEGs that look awful.

One of the best reasons to buy a Nikon D7100 comes down to the ISO sensitivity found in both lossy and lossless file formats. You aren’t going to have to worry about what file format you’re shooting. Instead, you’ll have consistent and great-looking photos every time, provided you know what you’re doing. This might very well be the strongest consideration to keep in mind.

Closing Thoughts

So, should you buy a Nikon D7100? Honestly, it is one of the absolute best purchases you can make, especially if you’re on a budget. DSLR cameras age differently compared to other devices like computers or smartphones. That said, you’re going to be well-set for any condition when going for the Nikon D7100.

Once you factor in the great range of lenses available for the Nikon mount, you’ve got your work cut out for you in the field of photography.

Reasons Buy a Nikon D7100 Summary

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Phiarc / CC BY-SA 4.0.