Nikon D7100 (Body) Digital SLR Camera

Purchasing your first camera can be a headache. I was bewildered to see huge collections online and on flipkart. After extensive research I decided I would go with either Canon or Nikon, and zeroed down upon Canon EOS 60D vs. Nikon D7000 vs. Nikon D7100 vs. Canon EOS 7D, yeah I agree all of these models are expensive ones, but I intend to pursue photography beyond a hobby and I don't see myself buying another camera until few years (budget constraints)nnActually, comparing Canon vs.Nikon reputation or which is better?, is not justified at all, both are highly specialized players in this field , Canon has a dominant presence in the market and is respected by professionals while Nikon enjoys mass popularity and has carved it's own niche. nLens of both corporations are of superior standards and well built.nnI finally chose the "Nikon D7100" , earlier it was D7000 but changed my mind when heard about the latest upgrade (D7100 launched in mid feb 2013), I didn't mind spending a few extra bucks.nnso why I didn't go for the Canon EOS series ? nnWell to start with , the D7100 beats 60D in nearly all aspects (just like D7000), the only things that pulls up 60D is the flipout screen useful for tricky shots.nnIn fact D7100 competes with the EOS 7D, and gives it a stiff competition overall.nIf 7D has "some" advantages over D7100 (like 8fps vs. 6fps) then D7100 has a "lot" advantage over the 7D with better image quality, two memory card slots and lots more (compare the features online)nand this excludes the High Pixel debate, honestly 24 MP, will be useful only when higher grade lens are used. Canons 18 MP is at par (but yes it does give a slight advantage to Nikon).nnSo choosing D7100 was an obvious choice.nnfinally, my experience with my first DSLR camera, nWell, to be honest I have struggled with the controls, but I am now getting used to it. READ THE MANUAL CAREFULLY before operating the camera.nThe autofocus ability is great but sometimes manual focus is needed when there are multiple objects near and far.nnIf money is a constraint , you can go for D7000 too but keep in mind it's an aging model(launched sept. 2010) , but hey it's the reason why D7100 exists.nnfinally I would recommend anyone buying their first camera to research extensively "online","offline" and then choose, if money is a concern then choose more wisely.Get a feel of your cameras by visiting stores so you can get a better idea.nnI am happy with my D7100 and hope to learn with experience and enjoy and know more of its features soon.nnP.S- It's the person behind the camera who makes the real difference not the camera, it only bridges classic shots with your ability.nnanywho, I wish everyone all the best in choosing their cameras. =)nn(Sony ,Olympus and Pentax are great choice too)

The D7100 replaces my trusted D90. A day of use and I found it to be an excellent camera (way ahead of the D90 not only in sensor megapixels but picture quality too). Captures great pictures even in low light, loads of functions, no complaints at all. Priced most competitively on this website, and I'm very happy with this purchase.nNow for the 2-star rating.. the freebees include a cheap low speed 4GB card (good for the trash can) and an even worse camera bag.. really bad. None of them are fit to be used with this camera in terms of quality or reliability. Trust me you will want to throw them away at first sight. And to my unpleasant surprise these freebees seem to come straight from Nikon India. I just ordered a Lowepro Adventura 170 for the camera. nnPlease don't stop reading yet.. The delivery was late by a day which wasn't really an issue. I usually trust Flipkart courier for good service. However this time they sent the camera through a courier service named E-Com Express (cost cutting?). This courier company's website is forever down and hence your shipment cannot be tracked. Many phone calls to their customer care number went unanswered. Finally the delivery came unannounced yesterday evening. The delivery and the condition of the package was straight out of Ace Ventura Pet Detective, where Jim Carry delivers the package in the beginning of the movie (watch the scene on youtube). The box was literally crushed and battered (I took pictures). My heart sank and I asked the delivery guy -- do you know there is an expensive and fragile camera inside this box? And he said to me - that's ok, there is lot of padding inside. Wow!! There was little protective packing inside the main box, which did little to build my confidence (just a few air packets and shrink wrap). nMany thanks to Nikon's excellent camera packing, and the fact that the cheap free bag was taped on the outside of the camera box, the camera and lens turned out intact. But I have no idea how many bumps and jolts they have taken and how long they will work without developing issues. E-Com Express is just bad!!! (If you need pictures, just ask).nAs for the camera, if you have the dough, go for it!