yes, quite clearly I am just starting out here...so here is my questions...

I have taken both home to try out... I want to shoot portrits, babies, bellys, couples and then eventually weddings.... with that said...
all the reviews say these cameras perform comparible, i know i know canon has the video, and d7000 has better image quality etc,....my question is that its so hard to find where the d7000 fits into the whole semi pro / category. ...i mean the 7d is called a pro dlsr and the d7000 not. I know it makes sense to compare the canon 7d with the nikon d300-300s but if the d300-s is a full frame entry level pro dslr is the d7000 anywhere near it?

I just want a simple answer, like which one to buy....I want to invest in my glass, so I am just looking for a body to get me started and learning, and one that I can charge a bit of money for to help pay for the cost of camera....

Money is my biggest factor because I am buying it on time at future shop and they only have the 7d kit(yes i know kit lens suck) or the nikon d7000 kit, but i was thinking IF I GOT THE NIKON D7000 BODY AND THEN SPENT THE EXTRA 500-600 DOLLARS I WOULD HAVE SPENT ON THE CANON 7D AND GET A FULL FRAME LENSE, WOULD THAT BE A GOOD OPTION? THEN I CAN UPGRADE TO LIKE A D700 IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

SO QUESTION IS, WILL A NIKON D7000 WITH A FULL FRAME LENSE ACT LIKE OR BETTER OR THE SAME AS THE CANON 7D? NIKON D300?

AND ONE MORE QUESTION...DOES PUTTING A FULL FRAME( I HOPE THAT IS THE RIGHT TERM FOR PROFESSIONAL GLASS) MEAN THAT THE CAMERA BECOMES "FULL FRAME?"

THANKS SO MUCH!

"Full frame" (FF) refers to the sensor size, and those lenses capable of covering the FF format. None of the camera bodies that you mentioned are FF bodies, but all Nikon dSLR bodies will handle FF lenses (with some exceptions for older manual focus lenses).

The Nikon D7000 is an extremely nice crop 1.5x/APS-C format body. Yes, it accepts lenses made for FF (FX lenses in "Nikon-speak"), but what you want for best quality are the Nikon "gold ring" lenses and the best Nikkor prime lenses, or at least some really good DX lenses. ("DX" is Nikon-speak for crop lenses.)

The Nikkor 17-55mm, f2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX is an example of a DX "crop" lens that is neither gold ring nor prime, and yet it is a superb standard zoom for DX bodies like the Nikon D7000.

Yes, better and best lenses are usually the best place to put your money. For your combination of "portrits, babies, bellys, couples and then eventually weddings...." and working on a budget, using the D7000 as the body, I can recommend:

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR DI-II LD Aspherical (IF)
A very nice standard zoom, DX format, suitable for some portraiture, including single and double full length and 3/4 length portraits.
http://www.adorama.com/TM1750NKAF.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._XR_Di_II.html

Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G AF-S
A very nice large aperture prime lens suitable for head shots and head and shoulders portraits.
http://www.adorama.com/NK8518U.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...mm_f_1_8G.html

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X 116 Pro DX
A very nice super-wide zoom lens, capable of group portraits and environmental portraits.
http://www.adorama.com/TN1116NK.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._AT_X_116.html

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Add at least one good flash, like the Nikon SB-700 TTL AF Shoe Mount Speedlight:
http://www.adorama.com/NKSB700AFUV.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...hoe_Mount.html

... and then make a DIY flash modifier like:

http://www.fototime.com/inv/908195739C4C0D3

... and you should eventually be able to make pretty decent images.

Read all that you can about lighting and posing, and ask intelligent questions at DGrin and other photo forums, and you should probably be producing decent and salable results in around 6 months, with excellence possible in a couple years of hard work.

Caps Lock = shouting.

For the money and the subjects you mention, you should get a Canon 5D Mark 2, or a Nikon D700. Those are "Full Frame" - the sensor is the same size as a frame of 35mm film. They are better for portraits. The 7D and D7000 are "APS-C" cameras, their sensors are half the size, so they introduce a crop factor (google it) and generally perform worse at higher sensitivity (ISO).

But you can start out with even less. A Rebel T3i or a D3100 will allow you to get your feet wet and learn for a lot less money.

Originally Posted by jmphotocraft But you can start out with even less. A Rebel T3i or a D3100 will allow you to get your feet wet and learn for a lot less money.

If you haven't had a lot of shooting experience, the "entry level" dslr's can in some ways be very helpful since they have fewer customisations and settings to confuse a new user. One of these bodies and a decent lens will get you started and you can upgrade the body when you start to feel it limiting what you are doing.

Ultimately, your best investment for "professional quality pictures" will be gaining *skills*. Learn how to use your camera - any camera - and then figure out what features you actually need.

PS The d300/s cameras are, I believe, crop factor and not full frame.

Thanks! So I guess my main question is if you had the choice to start on a canon 7 d or te Nikon d7000 what one would you choose.

I know that the Nikon d300s is more equivalent to the 7d than the d7000 but they only have these 2 as kit options at future shop and so these r my choices

Get the 7d with a kit lense
Get a d7000 with a kit lense and another 4- 500 dollar lense for the same money

Is there that much difference between these 2 cameras ( I know feature differences) I mean will I see a huge difference between the 2 as far as how "professional" they look?

As I mentioned before I know these r by full frames I know I want tr d700 or mark d11 but for now.....

Thoughts? I've seen reviews saying that the d7000 can out preform the 7d?

Specifically, which "kit" lenses are you considering?

The D7000 has been reviewed to have better dynamic range - that is how many different levels of lights and darks can it capture in one image. However you have to process the RAW files to take full advantage of that. This is probably more important if you are into stuff like landscape photography or weddings. I believe the 7D has better autofocus. 7D also has slightly faster continuous drive (frames per second), so it is probably a better choice for sports and action. I also think the 7D is better sealed against the weather, provided you use a sealed lens. Either way, you can't really go wrong. Canon and Nikon are both leaders in the DSLR market. One thing you should do is look at the lens selection of each brand and plan a roadmap of future lens purchases. Whichever roadmap looks better or more reasonable to you should weigh on your decision.