The Nikon D7100 ($1,199.95 direct, body only) is the latest enthusiast-oriented APS-C D-SLR from Nikon. The 24-megapixel camera is a snappy performer with an excellent optical viewfinder, a great control layout, and an image sensor that holds its own in all kinds of light, both dim and bright.

Fast, 51-point autofocus system; Dual SD card slots; Large pentaprism viewfinder; Excellent control layout; Preserves details at high ISO settings; Shoots at 6fps; 1.3x crop mode available; Very fast startup; Vertical grip add-on available; Sharp rear LCD.

Limited burst shooting in Raw mode; On the heavy side; Some image noise at ISO 3200 and above; Lacks built-in GPS; No PC Sync socket

If someone were to ask for a recommendation for an enthusiast DSLR in this price category, we wouldn't hesitate a moment – the D7100 is it. For all the points detailed above, it's a wonderful camera and really geared for someone who takes their photography seriously.

The Nikon D7100 is the company's latest upper mid-range DSLR aimed at enthusiasts and aspiring photographers. Announced in February 2013, roughly two and a half years after the D7000, it slots between that model and the D600 in the range. Nikon intends to keep the older D7000 in the current line-up.

Excellent quaity and high ISO noise performance; 51-point AF system which works at f8; Dust and moisture sealed body; 1.3x crop mode; Built-in stereo mics and headphone socket

Lack of OLPF makes little difference to image quality; Poor continuous RAW shooting; Poor Full-time-servo AF in Live view; Need accessories for Wi-Fi and GPS

The D7100 sits at the high-end of Nikon's cropped-sensor DSLR camera range. Given a 24 megapixels sensor capable of ISO 100 to 25600, 1080p HD video capture and 6 FPS continuous shooting, plus a 100% viewfinder, dual control-dials and a weather-sealed body, this is one of Nikon's most advanced...

Superb control over image nose; Good color-accuracy after tweaking; Superb dynamic range; Super-fast autofocus; Ultra-short black-out; Generally fast and responsive; Dual memory cards can provide instant backup; Manual focus assist direction indicator; Excellent build quality

Frequent and severe over-exposure; AWB not perfect under artificial light; Bizarre Auto ISO; Indistinct ISO button; Very poor live-view; Aperture locked in video mode; Noise-Reduction forced at ISO 800; Lens correction slow down camera; Level difficult to see

As the successor to the well-regarded D7000 , the Nikon D7100 has a tough act to follow. It has to offer compelling reasons for current owners to upgrade, while maintaining the attributes that have made the D7000 such a popular enthusiast APS-C DSLR in the first place.

Outstanding low ISO performance in both JPEG and Raw files; Very good default JPEG settings; Excellent build quality and very good ergonomics and handling; Effective auto white balance in a variety of lighting conditions; Comprehensive camera customization options; Auto ISO selection can be linked...

Small image buffer severely limits burst capacity in Raw-enabled modes; Slow AF in live view and video modes (compared to mirrorless APS-C cameras; No real-time aperture adjustment preview in live view; Noticeably soft video output; In video mode; the 1.3x crop setting produces upsampled output; No...

The Nikon D7100 is the company's new flagship APS-C DSLR that occupies a sweet spot in Nikon's lineup by providing a ton of advanced photographic capabilities at a reasonably affordable price point.

Excellent build quality; feels like a professional model DSLR; though slightly smaller than others in its class; Comfortable grip provides secure fit in hand; Partial weather sealing and partial metal construction; Excellent image quality with great per-pixel sharpness thanks to 24.1-megapixel...

Slight tendency to overexpose photos; Buffer fills very quickly when shooting 14-bit RAW images; which limits high speed shooting; Almost flush OVF eyepiece and awkward placement of AE-L/AF-L button can result in photographers hitting their thumb against forehead when using; which is annoying; When...

The Nikon D7100 follows on from the popular D7000 and features a number of developments and improvements. Find out how it fares in our full review.

Superb LCD screen; responsive; excellent specifications; accurate AWB system; intuitive metering system; high degree of customisation offered

Processing times; locking buttons make dials fiddly; image noise; AF could be faster with kit lens; some aliasing artefacts

For 2013, Nikon has announced the new D7100 dSLR, or "HD-SLR" because this camera is designed to capture stills at a 24.1 megapixel resolution as well as Full HD video (1080/30p). This ruggedly built camera includes the same moisture and dust resistance as the Nikon D300S, and the shutter will last...

Fast and accurate AF system, Excellent Shooting Performance, Outstanding image quality, Incredibly sharp images, Optical Viewfinder with approx; 100% coverage, Huge, 3.2-inch LCD Display, Dual Memory Card Slots, Full 1080p HD video capture, Continuous AF in Movie Mode, Excellent Battery Life, HDMI...

Slow AF while shooting in Live View mode; We were only able to reach 5fps burst shooting (6fps claimed; Unacceptable noise levels in the Hi settings; No screen protector to save the 3.2-inch LCD; Steep price for a non-full frame camera

So there are a few extra things we would have liked to have seen here. On balance, though, we think that the Nikon D7100 is a very nice camera that's enjoyable and rewarding to use.

The D7100 is the current flagship of Nikon's DX camera family, combining excellent image quality and advanced features. Its APS-C sensor is designed without an optical low-pass filter, which allows us to take full advantage of its 24-million-pixel resolution with no loss of sharpness.