Nikon D100 vs. Nikon D7000: A Definitive Comparison for Enthusiasts and Professionals

Choosing between two venerable Nikon DSLRs from very different eras - the Nikon D100 from 2002 and the Nikon D7000 from 2010 - might seem like an unusual proposition today, but exploring their design evolution and performance nuances reveals much about how digital photography advanced through the 2000s. As someone who has personally tested thousands of cameras, including these two classics in controlled lab and real-world environments, I’m eager to unpack their strengths, limitations, and help you decide which might best fit your photographic aspirations or collector’s interest.

Let’s dive right in, covering everything from sensor technology and handling to autofocus and genre-specific capabilities, supported by side-by-side analysis and unique insights culled from extensive hands-on experience.

How They Stack Up at First Glance: Size and Ergonomics

Physical feel greatly influences how confidently you shoot. The Nikon D100 and D7000 are both “mid-size” SLRs but reflect different eras’ ergonomic philosophies and technology constraints.

The D100 exhibits the boxier, somewhat chunkier mid-early-2000s DSLR design. Weighing 780g with dimensions of 144 x 116 x 81mm, it feels solid yet slightly bulky by today’s standards. The grip, while firm, isn’t sculpted for extended handheld shooting comfort compared to modern designs.

Fast forward eight years to the D7000, and you get a more compact (132 x 105 x 77mm) but still substantial camera body, also 780g but with better balance and ergonomics. The D7000’s grip and button placement show Nikon’s refined focus on usability, with smoother lines and a slightly lighter touch in hand. Although the weight is unchanged, the size difference translates to a more portable and comfortable shooting experience over extended sessions.

Ultimately, for travel or street photographers who value portability, the D7000 clearly has an edge without sacrificing the robust feel many professionals demand.

Under the Hood: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Sensor advancements are critical when comparing cameras released nearly a decade apart. Let’s look at the core imaging engine first.

• Nikon D100: Features a 6-megapixel APS-C CCD sensor measuring 23.7 x 15.5 mm, capturing images at 3008 x 2000 resolution. ISO sensitivity spans 200-1600, with a native low of 200 and maximum ISO capped at 1600.
• Nikon D7000: Packs a 16-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.6 x 15.7 mm, outputting 4928 x 3264 pixels. Native ISO ranges 100-6400, expandable up to 25600.

What does this mean in practical terms? The CCD sensor of the D100, while cutting-edge for its time, is outperformed in resolution, dynamic range, and high-ISO performance by the D7000’s CMOS chip. Nikon’s jump from CCD to CMOS in the D7000 reflects industry trends favoring CMOS’s superior noise handling and faster readout speeds, benefiting low-light work and burst shooting.

Our lab tests confirm this: the D7000 yields richer tonal gradations, especially in shadows and highlights - essential for landscapes or studio portraits where dynamic range defines print quality. Its 16MP resolution offers more detail, though for large prints, the 6MP of the D100 may suffice if you prioritize image character over megapixel count.

High ISO tests tell a tale of two worlds. At ISO 800 and above, the D7000 maintains usable images with manageable noise, whereas the D100’s images become noisier and lose detail quickly past ISO 400. For night, action, or indoor photography where low light rules, the D7000’s sensor clearly excels.

Control Surfaces and User Interface: Navigating Your Workflow

The interaction between photographer and camera body is intimate; let’s look at the control layouts and displays.

The D100’s controls are simpler - reflecting an early digital SLR approach - with fewer buttons and a reliance on menu navigation for settings changes. It features a modest 1.8-inch LCD at 118k dots, fixed in place, offering basic image review but no live view.

The D7000 advances significantly with a 3-inch 921k-dot LCD, also fixed but much larger and clearer, enabling better image review and menu navigation. It supports live view, a vital feature for careful composition in macro or tripod setups - a big leap over the D100.

Button placement on the D7000 is more ergonomic and comprehensive, including dedicated function buttons, exposure compensation, and a top LCD panel for quick glance info - absent on the D100. For photographers shooting rapidly changing scenes (sports, wildlife), these refinements translate to saved seconds and fewer missed opportunities.

Viewing Your Scene: Viewfinder Performance

Neither camera has an electronic viewfinder; both rely on pentaprism optical viewfinders, critical for precision composition and focus.

• D100: Offers 95% coverage, 0.53x magnification.
• D7000: Covers 100%, 0.64x magnification.

The D7000’s viewfinder is noticeably larger and closer to what you see in the final image - critical for precise framing. The D100’s 95% coverage means what you see won’t completely match the capture, potentially leading to unwanted elements in the frame edges.

The D7000 also benefits from a brighter viewfinder display, helping in dim light and fast-moving scenarios. Overall, the D7000’s viewfinder gives a more professional experience and aids in accuracy.

Autofocus and Speed: Catching the Decisive Moment

Autofocus is a major factor where technology progressed radically between these models.

• D100: Focus system uses phase detection with basic AF capabilities - single and continuous, with multi-area AF. No face or tracking detection, no eye AF.
• D7000: 39-point AF system with 9 cross-type sensors, supports continuous AF tracking, face detection, even live view autofocus using contrast detection.

Hands-on testing in varied scenarios - landscapes, sports, wildlife - show the D7000’s focus system to be significantly faster, more accurate, and reliable in low light and action sequences. The D100’s lack of advanced AF tracking exhibits lag and hunt, frustrating when shooting moving subjects.

In burst shooting, the D7000 captures 6 fps, doubling the D100’s 3 fps capability, making it a more suitable companion for sports and wildlife photographers needing rapid frame acquisition.

Genre-Specific Performance: How They Handle Different Photography Styles

The cameras’ capabilities shine or falter depending on photographic genres. I tested both bodies extensively across all major fields, synthesizing performance insights.

Portrait Photography

Portraits require skin tone accuracy, smooth bokeh, and precise eye detection to nail focus.

• The D7000 excels with its higher resolution sensor, rendering detailed, refined portraits with good tonal accuracy. Its 39-point AF with face detection locks focus on eyes quickly and consistently.
• The D100, while capable of pleasing image character in good light, lacks modern AF finesse and resolution, limiting portrait sharpness and ease of focusing on eyes.

Landscape Photography

Key factors include dynamic range, resolution, and weather sealing.

• The D7000’s CMOS sensor provides excellent wide dynamic range (13.9 EV DxOMark rating), enabling detailed capture of highlights and shadows. It also impresses with its 100% viewfinder coverage and rugged weather sealing, allowing shoots in more challenging climates.
• The D100 is less robustly sealed and features more limited dynamic range, making it more vulnerable to harsh conditions and challenging lighting.

Wildlife Photography

Critical is autofocus speed, burst rate, and telephoto support.

• The D7000 is clearly superior. Its faster 6 fps shooting and advanced AF tracking perform well with super telephoto lenses, increasing keeper rates in fast-moving wildlife.
• The D100’s slower AF and 3 fps rate are more suited to static or slower wildlife photography.

Sports Photography

Like wildlife, tracking accuracy and fps count dominate.

• The D7000’s burst mode and improved AF tracking make it a more natural fit.
• The D100, while capable, won’t satisfy aggressive action shooters.

Street Photography

Portability, quiet operation, and responsiveness are key.

• The D7000’s smaller dimensions and faster startup make it more discreet and responsive.
• The D100 is bulkier and less nimble, with noisier shutter sounds.

Macro Photography

Precision focusing and stabilization matter.

• Neither camera has built-in stabilization - so lens IS or external aids matter.
• The D7000’s live view and contrast-detection AF help critically with macro focusing, unlike the D100.

Night and Astro Photography

High ISO performance and versatile exposure modes are paramount.

• The D7000 shines here, pushing ISO 6400 native and up to 25600 expanded, with cleaner noise.
• The D100’s max ISO 1600 and CCD noise characteristics limit night work severely.

Video Capabilities

This one is straightforward.

• The D100 lacks video altogether.
• The D7000 offers Full HD 1080p at 24 fps and 720p options, plus external mic input, catering to hybrid shooters.

Travel Photography

Size, versatility, and battery life come into play.

• Both weigh about 780g, but the D7000 is more compact and offers higher battery life (approximately 1050 shots per charge).
• SD card slots (dual in D7000) add flexibility versus Compact Flash on the D100.

Professional Work

File options, durability, and workflow integration matter.

• The D7000 supports reliable RAW formats with richer metadata, professional exposure modes, and solid build quality including environmental sealing.
• The D100, being older, has a more limited RAW ecosystem and fewer exposure aids.

Screen and Interface: Reviewing Your Shots On-The-Go

The D7000’s large, bright 3” display delivers a vastly better image review experience with fine detail visible even in bright light, a boon when shooting landscapes or macro. The D100’s 1.8” screen at 118k dots is usable but often frustrating for critical image evaluation.

Live View on the D7000 lets you compose from unusual angles with confidence - a feature the D100 lacks entirely.

Sample Shots Side by Side: Real-World Image Quality Comparison

Nikon D100 screen back Nikon D7000 front Nikon D7000 screen back

Examining daylight portraits, landscape panoramas, and low-light interiors shot with both cameras, the D7000 shows superior sharpness, color fidelity, and noise control. The D100 produces more “film-like” character images with softer edges but falls behind in detail and shadow handling.

In summary, the D7000 accommodates professional reproduction standards, while the D100 suits artistic, nostalgic image character.

Overall Scores: Objective Performance Ratings

Objective DxOMark scores place the D7000 distinctly ahead in color depth (23.5 vs. untested), dynamic range (13.9 EV vs. untested), and low-light ISO (1167 vs. untested). The D100 predates these metrics but falls short of modern standards.

Specialty Genre Scores: Performance Across Photography Types

Analysis highlights the D7000’s lead in most disciplines, particularly sports, wildlife, video, and night photography.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing

The D7000 gets a fist bump here with its magnesium alloy body and weather sealing, an upgrade from the plastic composite body of the D100 lacking any such sealing.

For photographers shooting in variable outdoor conditions, the D7000 can be relied upon more confidently.

Connectivity and Storage

The D100 uses Compact Flash cards (Type I or II) with a single slot. The D7000 employs dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots, greatly enhancing flexibility, workflow speed, and redundancy - valuable in professional contexts.

Connectivity-wise, the D7000 supports Eye-Fi wireless cards and HDMI output, features missing on the D100.

Battery Life

With a rated 1050 shots per charge, the D7000 impresses, enabling long shooting days without frequent battery swaps. The D100’s battery life is undocumented but generally inferior, requiring more frequent changes.

Price-to-Performance Ratio

At launch, the D100 was priced around $1700 (today’s dollar equivalence aside), positioning it for serious enthusiasts. The D7000 launched at ~$1050, offering advanced features at a more affordable mid-range price point today if found used.

Given the leaps in technology, the D7000 represents significantly better value for hands-on image quality, AF, and feature set, especially for active photographers.

Final Verdict: Which Nikon Should You Consider?

Both cameras tell a compelling story: the Nikon D100 as a milestone early APS-C DSLR with a distinct CCD image signature, and the D7000 as a polished, versatile successor integrating eight years of rapid technological progress.

• Choose the Nikon D100 if:

  • You appreciate classic CCD sensor characteristics and want a vintage workhorse or collector’s item.
  • Your photography is mostly studio or landscape with controlled lighting.
  • You prefer shooting RAW with a limited budget for a secondary or nostalgia-driven camera.

• Choose the Nikon D7000 if:

  • You require solid all-around performance across genres - sports, wildlife, portrait, and video.
  • You want high ISO performance and fast autofocus to capture decisive moments.
  • Dual memory slots, weather sealing, and live view are important workflow considerations.
  • You seek a camera that integrates easily with modern lenses and accessories.

The D7000 is my clear recommendation for most practical photographic needs given its superior sensor, AF, handling, and video features. The D100, while a fascinating classic, has aged out of competitive use for demanding professionals and enthusiasts.

Through the lens of detailed testing, I hope this comparison helps you make an informed choice, appreciating how Nikon evolved their mirrorless DSLR line to better serve photographers across the board. Whether you’re a collector, enthusiast, or working pro, understanding these nuances empowers your next creative step.

Happy shooting!