[jogiba]

Preview based on a production Nikon D600

The worst-kept secret the photographic industry in recent memory (well, except for maybe the D800) is out. Nikon has officially announced the long-rumored and much-leaked D600 - a full-frame DSLR aimed at enthusiasts, with a price to match. At $2099/£1955 body only the 24MP D600 is significantly cheaper than its big brother the D800, and in fact every other current full-frame DSLR.

As such, the D600 - which offers similar build quality and operational ergonomics as the popular DX-format D7000 - is hugely significant. It's full frame, but not only that, it matches or exceeds the pixel count of every other full-frame DSLR bar one (the D800) at the sort of price point that up to now, has been almost exclusively the preserve of high-end APS-C cameras.

For those of us who've been covering the industry for a while, it's sobering to remember that the first full-frame DSLR, Canon's 1Ds, was announced almost a decade ago. It doesn't seem like so long ago that full-frame was the holy grail of consumer digital imaging, promising liberation from crop factors once and for all, and a return to a simpler time where a 24mm lens actually was a 24mm.

A lot has changed since the 1Ds went on sale though (at an eye-watering $7999) and these days, if you want a full-frame camera, you don't have to remortgage your home. Cameras like Sony's Alpha 850, Nikon's D700 and Canon's EOS 5D brought full-frame sensors within reach of enthusiasts, and the more recent D800 and EOS 5D Mark III have continued that trend, offering more and more advanced specifications at prices much lower than top-flight equipment like the Nikon D3X and Canon's flagship, the 1DS Mark III, both of which are looking increasingly anachronistic. It's interesting to note, too, that with the D600, Nikon has significantly undercut Sony's recent full-frame offerings - the SLT-A99 and Cyber-shot RX1, not to mention presented a daunting challenge to arch-rival Canon.

Nikon D600: Key Specifications
•24.3MP Full-frame CMOS sensor (10.5MP DX-format crop mode)
•ISO 100-6400 (expandable to ISO 50-25,600 equivalent)
•Maximum 5.5fps continuous shooting
•39-point AF system with 9 cross-type AF points
•3.2in 921k-dot LCD screen
•1080p30 full HD video mode with stereo sound recording
•Headphone jack for audio monitoring in movie mode
•Uncompressed video recording via HDMI
•Single-axis electronic level in viewfinder, duel-axis (pitch and roll) in live view
•Dimensions: 141mm x 113mm x 82mm (5.5 × 4.4 × 3.2 in).
•Weight: 760 g (1.6 lbs) (camera body only, no battery)

A full-frame camera for the rest of us?

At its list price at launch of $2099 the D600 is one of the most affordable full-frame cameras yet, and there's no doubt that it's a product which a huge number of photographers (not only Nikon users) have been waiting for. Although Nikon insists that there are still good reasons to buy the D300S, it seems very likely that the D600 will finally supplant the older DX-format model as the 'upgrade of choice' for users of the D3200, D5100 and D7000. But despite its relatively low cost the D600 is very far from a 'no frills' model. Features like 5.5fps shooting at full-resolution, 100% viewfinder coverage, full HD video capture with an option to record uncompressed footage via HDMI and a customizable 39-point AF system would be pretty impressive in a camera costing much more.

Nikon's last big DSLR release was the D800. The big news with that camera was its pixel count of 36MP, which when it was released, comfortably eclipsed everything else around (and at the time of writing still does). The D600 doesn't quite reach those dizzy heights, but at 24MP, it matches or exceeds the pixel count of every other full-frame system camera. It is also one of the most versatile, offering a useful 10.5MP DX crop mode and an in-body AF motor, which ensures AF compatibility with older, non-AF-S Nikkor lenses. These factors alone will give it serious appeal to two camps - D800 or D4 owners looking for a smaller, lower-cost second body, and D300S and D7000 owners who want to step up to full-frame but don't want (or can't afford) to replace all of their DX-format lenses.

Ergonomically, the D600 will be very familiar to both of these constituencis. The D600's UI is all but identical to the DX-format D7000, and It shares the same 39-point AF system. In terms of functionality though, the D600 also has a lot in common with its big brother the D800, particularly when it coms to video specification. Something that we didn't expect on the D600 was the ability to shoot uncompressed video footage via HDMI. This, plus a mic socket for an external microphone, and a headphone jack should make the D600 very appealing to videographers. The only real difference between the implementation of the D600's video mode compared to the D800 is that you can't adjust aperture during movie recording on the new model (unless you use an older manual focus lens with a mechanical aperture ring).

D600 versus D7000: Specification highlights
•24.3MP Full-frame CMOS sensor (compared to 16.2MP DX-format CMOS)
•Maximum 5.5fps continuous shooting (compared to 6fps)
•3.2in 921k-dot LCD screen (compared to 3in)
•D800-style combined movie/still live view mode button
•Headphone jack for audio monitoring in movie mode
•Uncompressed video recording via HDMI

D600 versus D800: Specification highlights
•24.3MP Full-frame CMOS sensor (compared to 36.3MP CMOS)
•10.5MP DX-format crop mode (compared to 15.3MP)
•39-point AF system with 9 cross-type AF points (compared to 51-points, with 15 cross-type)
•No AF micro-adjust function (D800 allows micro-adjustment in +/-20-step increments)
•Autofocus sensitivity down to -1EV (compared to -2EV)
•Maximum 5.5fps continuous shooting in FX mode (compared to 4fps in FX mode)
•2,016-pixel RGB TTL exposure metering sensor (compared to 91,000 pixels)
•2x SD slots (compared to CF+SD)
•No 'Power Aperture' aperture control during movie shooting (offered by D800 using Fn + Preview buttons)
•Shutter rated to 150,000 cycles (compared to 200,000 cycles)
•Magnesium-alloy top and rear, polycarbonate front-plate (D800 is full mag-alloy except flash housing)
•USB 2.0 interface (compared to USB 3.0)

Digital Photography Review

[JohnBee]

Looks like a great FF entry camera!
Can't wait to see the tests.

[jogiba]

Amazon Best Sellers: Best Camera

[hcarvalhoalves]

Is $ 2000 considered entry level? I must be really poor. Considering the price and all those buttons, it's more like an affordable pro camera.

I liked the size, although the model seems to have gigantic hands. This camera is still ~30% bigger than a K-5.

[jogiba]

Is $ 2000 considered entry level? I must be really poor. Considering the price and all those buttons, it's more like an affordable pro camera.

I liked the size, although the model seems to have gigantic hands. This camera is still ~30% bigger than a K-5.

A FF sensor is more than twice the size of an APS-C sensor and yes the D600 is by far the lowest price FF DSLR with 1080p HD video mode.

[TOUGEFC]

Considering the price and all those buttons, it's more like an affordable pro camera

Its actually missing alot of buttons/dials.

[Samsungian]

I was up at 1am and put D600 in my B&H shopping cart.
For now I'll pass cuz I recently bought a brand new 5D II for a hair above $1800 brand new/delivered.

I assume 5DII, which is still in production, will underprice D600 this entire holiday season.
5D II will drive D600 cost lower in US.
I bet 5DII will hit $1,750 in USA by Thanksgiving.
It wasn't worth $50 or so to me to wait another two months to see if my guess was right.

Anyways,
Thom has a dedicated D600 page, a must read to clear up errors dpreview made,
like "NO" fine tune AF, and more indepth coverage.

D600 Comments

[hcarvalhoalves]

A FF sensor is more than twice the size of an APS-C sensor and yes the D600 is by far the lowest price FF DSLR with 1080p HD video mode.

I get that, it's the cheapest so far (which only makes sense, considering economies of scale), but to frame it as entry level?

[sb in ak]

I was up at 1am and put D600 in my B&H shopping cart.
For now I'll pass cuz I recently bought a brand new 5D II for a hair above $1800 brand new/delivered.

I assume 5DII, which is still in production, will underprice D600 this entire holiday season.
5D II will drive D600 cost lower in US.
I bet 5DII will hit $1,750 in USA by Thanksgiving.
It wasn't worth $50 or so to me to wait another two months to see if my guess was right.

Anyways,
Thom has a dedicated D600 page, a must read to clear up errors dpreview made,
like "NO" fine tune AF, and more indepth coverage.

D600 Comments

Enjoy the 5DII, as it's an excellent photo making machine. There will always be a new camera that has more bells and whistles; such is life. The D600 is a fine camera and beats the 5DII in many ways though I suspect the build quality is not quite as good. Anyways, what's more important at the end of the day is the operator behind it....my two cents...

[KungPOW]

It is an entry level FF camera.

Just like a D3200 is an entry level APS-C camera.

I don't think anyone considers the D600 to be an entry level camera, without the FF qualifier.

[Winder]

Looks like a great camera for a good price. I hope Pentax engineers are paying attention.

[jogiba]

I get that, it's the cheapest so far (which only makes sense, considering economies of scale), but to frame it as entry level?

The 645D is an entry level MF digital camera.
Medium Format Cameras | B&H Photo Video

[jogiba]

Youtu.be

Youtu.be

[jogiba]

The elephant in the room, though, is the Nikon D600 - a camera that offers a higher spec in several key areas, with its 39-point AF system (including 9 cross-type), 100% viewfinder, 2016 pixel colour-sensitive metering, faster 5.5 fps shooting, dual card slots and excellent movie spec (including such things as clean HDMI output and a headphone socket for sound monitoring). In many areas the 6D just comes up slightly short in comparison, and the question is whether merely being highly competent will be enough to win the hearts and cash of buyers. This is further complicated by the fact that, in principle at least, you can buy (or at least order) a D600 today, whereas the 6D won't be in the shops for some time yet.

Canon EOS 6D Hands-on Preview: Digital Photography Review

[normhead]

This is where the camera companies are getting it wrong, and they really are getting it wrong. In film days you all used the same sensor, the film. You could buy cheap film of really good film and put it in any camera in it's format. With a K1000 and a good lens, you could get the same IQ as the guy using the top of the line camera of the day. You focussed with your eye ignoring auto-focus, you set your exposure manually all the time, there were a lot of things you had to do that others didn't, but you could achieve the same results.

The issue I have with cameras like the D600, is you have a lot of the bells and whistles, but you can't achieve the same results. That to me is inexcusable. It's like buying a film camera, that will only use cheap film.

Personally, I suspect that using economies of scale these companies could put a top of the line sensor in every camera, and then establish market share with features as in the K1000 days. Buying a K1000 instead of a camera with more features in no way compromised your ability to take great pictures. The digital model is to cripple the cheaper cameras.

And that is where Pentax stands out from these clowns, the best Pentax can produce goes in to a mid range camera. In that sense, they are the paradigm busters for the big money sucking companies. It's all that stands between the consumer, and the technology crippling cash grabs of the larger companies. The auto-focus may not be the best, but the images are second to none. It's no accident this comes from the company that made the K1000 for years.

These companies that release model after model with sensors and image processors that are less than their best... you almost have to agree to be mark to buy their product.