EOS 7D vs D700 - Which Camera is The Best?

The Nikon D700 has 12.1 megapixels, which means you can print up to A2, or A3 if you do a significant amount of cropping. The Canon EOS 7D's 18 megapixels mean that it wins in this regard. This is a big difference, especially considering that the D700 is nearly $1,000 more expensive than the 7D. It must be pointed out though that there is more to digital SLR image quality than just the number of megapixels. It's also worth pointing out that the D700 has an FX-format sensor, which is basically a digital replacement for 35mm film.

Both the Canon EOS 7D and the Nikon D700 are able to shoot 8 frames per second for up to 125 (7D) or 100 (D700) JPEG images at a time. In addition to this though, the D700 does boast even more than this in terms of its start-up time and shutter lag. The 0.12 second start-up time and the 0.40 seconds shutter lag will give you near instantaneous performance.

The ISO range is probably the most important factor determining a camera's ability to cope with dark scenes. The ISO range determines how sensitive the image sensor is to light, and the higher it can go the more light will be captured from the scene. The D700 and EOS 7D both have ISO ranges that go up to 6,400. However, both cameras are able to have their ISO ranges expanded, the 7D up to 12,800, but the D700 can go all the way up to 25,600! This places the D700 as the clear winner when it comes to shooting dark scenes.

One great feature that the Nikon D700 has which doesn't appear to be on the Canon EOS 7D, is the ability to control the camera from a computer. This is great if you are shooting wild animals and don't want to disturb them. Set up your camera, then hide some distance away with your laptop and wait for the perfect moment.

Another great feature that the Nikon D700 has which seems to be absent on the EOS 7D is the ability to compose photos using a 3-inch Live View screen. Not only that, but the screen has a 170-degree viewing angle. This is very handy if you find yourself having to shoot from an awkward place with the camera pointing at an extreme angle.

Okay, so let's sum up the major features we have talked about, and see which digital SLR wins for each one:

Megapixels: EOS 7D
Speed: D700
Low-Light Shooting: D700
Remote Control: D700
Live View Screen: D700
Price: EOS 7D (almost $1,000 cheaper)

So if you're going for very large images and money is an issue for you, the Canon EOS 7D is ideal. However, if you can cope with only using 12.1 megapixels (which, by the way, is still plenty for the majority of photographers), and don't mind paying the higher price, the Nikon D700 will give you a very fast start-up time, superb low-light shooting ability, remote control functions, and the use of a Live View 3-inch screen.

Still undecided what SLR you want to get? Check out the Canon EOS 7D Review and Nikon D700 Review for additional information.