Nikon D600 – Quick Preview and ISO Comparison with the Canon 5D Mk III
First off, I think we can all agree that there have been an overwhelming amount of cameras that hit the public market in a very short time frame. A lot of these have been revolutionary for shooters with expanded features, small form factors and solutions to common problems that we’ve been asking to fix. The only problem now is which is the best to buy to suit my needs? The Nikon D600 is Nikon’s smallest, not to mention least expensive, full frame DSLR with a 24MP, 36x24mm, CMOS sensor, 100% viewfinder and a 39-point autofocus system. As for video, this camera can capture 1080p HD video at 30, 25 or 24 fps and is fully outfitted with an HDMI port to stream uncompressed footage out.
This camera is geared towards photo buffs who are looking to harness the capabilities of a full frame DSLR without all the bells and whistles of the Nikon D800 or Canon 5D Mark III. It has been said by many that the D600 is the updated version of the D7000 with features like 1080/30p video, addition of a headphone jack and a full frame mirror box with 100% viewing through the viewfinder. Although a full frame camera, the D600 does have a feature that allows you to shoot APS-C. This means you have a focal-length magnifier feature built into the camera so you can essentially use shorter distance lenses and still capture the framing you would get from a heavier and more expensive telephoto lens. Something annoying to note about the D600: You cannot control your aperture manually while in live view while shooting video. Kinda lame, right? The Nikon D600 accepts SD cards only with its dual SD card slots. It will not accept CF cards.
In the video above, Emm over at cheesycam.com demos for us an ISO comparison test between the low lighting performance of the Nikon D600 and the Canon 5D Mark III.
Quick Specs:
EXPEED 3 Processor
2x SD(XC) memoryslots
Built-in RAW editor
Built-in timelapse functionality
No built-in HDR functionality
Newly developed external battery grip
3.2″ LCD Monitor
100-6400 ISO – Expandable to 50-25600
5.5 fps Continuous Shooting
39 Wide-Area AF Focus Points
Stereo Mic & Headphone Inputs
i-TTL Flash
Wi-Fi Connectivity with Optional Adapter
Nikon D600 Digital Camera (Body Only)
Hey Olivia! Love the blog! Keep up the good work! Have you had a chance to try out the D600 yourself? How does the video quality compare to the D7000? I’ve been considering upgrading to a full frame camera for some time, but I wonder if it’s worth it. Is it that much better or should I just save up for the D800?
@Ryan I have used the D600, however I have NOT used the D7000. I can’t fairly compare. I can say that I do think the D600 is sufficient enough for prosumer shooters. The D800 comes with hefty upgrades, however, if you don’t NEED them, I think the D600 is a smart buy. There is a really terrible lag, tons of it, when you zoom in to get critical focus while shooting video. This is pretty annoying.
@Olivia Thanks for the tips! I’ll have to get my hands on the D600 and see it for myself. You’re probably right about the D800 though…it’s probably too much camera for me