Nikon D600 Pro Reviews

For many photographers, Nikon has it the sweet spot with the D600 - a perfect blend of size, image quality, performance and price. Virtually identical in size to the D7000, the D600 is noticeably smaller than any other full-frame DSLR we've seen, yet still feels well-made and comfortable to hold. The full-frame chip that they've managed to squeeze into it delivers excellent results, with the level of detail, noise performance and colour reproduction really impressing. It handles nicely too - controls are easy to access and the menu system clear and concise, while key areas such as the AF delivers the goods. Add to that the price and the Nikon D600 is the camera many enthusiasts have been waiting for.

Both cameras are capable of delivering stunning image quality with excellent colour and detail. The Canon EOS 6D offers Wi-Fi and GPS, which is great for anyone who is travelling, as is the longer battery life available. The Canon EOS 6D may deliver lower resolution images (20mp vs 24mp), however this gives the 6D the benefit of lower noise at higher ISOs. The Canon EOS 6D has noticeably less focus points, just 11 compared to 39 on the D600, which could be another concern for some. The optical viewfinder in the Canon EOS 6D isn't a full size (97% vs 100%) viewfinder like the Nikon D600, however the 6D does have the benefit of allowing it to be swapped out for an alternative focus screen if required. The 6D also features a slightly smaller 3inch screen, instead of the 3.2inch screen on the Nikon D600 (albeit lower resolution), as well as slower continuous shooting. Another potentially off-putting negative of the 6D is the lack of a headphone socket on the 6D which could be of concern for video recording (although this could be resolved by an external audio recorder)

From Nikon's point of view, the D600 has a tough role to fulfill. Primarily, it's an 'entry level' full frame DSLR designed to appeal to enthusiast photographers looking for the kind of build, image quality and features provided by pro DSLRs at a more affordable price. It's also got to function as a pro model backup, able to tick the same boxes as high end models like the D800 and D4, without being so good it begins to look like an attractively priced replacement rather than a supplement. It's a tricky path to tread, but Nikon has succeeded brilliantly. As if by magic, Nikon has produced a lower-priced version of the D800 that doesn't make huge compromises in terms of build, image quality or features. It has a lower resolution sensor, that's still as good as or better than anything else around at the time of testing. The AF system has fewer points but is still more than good enough for most situations and a competition beater. Features you'd expect to be casualties of the drive for reduced costs - the viewfinder, twin card slots, mic and headphone sockets, uncompressed video out, and weather sealing - have all survived intact. This makes it a very attractive proposition both to pros looking for a backup body and all those who've been patiently waiting for their first opportunity to shoot with a full-frame DSLR. For the latter camp, the ability to continue to use their DX lenses in a cropped-frame 10.5 Megapixel mode until they can afford to replace them only sweetens the deal. As does the opportunity to use older non-AF-S lenses with the ability to autofocus. It all looks like great news for Nikon users. We'll reserve judgement on the EOS 6D until we're able to fully test one, but, for now at least, it looks like Canon has got some catching up to do in order to compete with Nikon in this market. In the meantime the D600 is a class act and a tough one to beat and it will come as no surprise that it gets the Cameralabs Highly Recommended award.

Put simply, the Nikon D600 is very much like a D7000 with a full-frame sensor. Nikon drew on the extremely popular design when building the D600. Its 24.3-megapixel sensor was the first available for under $2,100 body-only, followed closely by the Canon 6D's 20.2-megapixel design for the same price. Since many balked at the D800's 36.3-megapixel sensor, it makes good sense for Nikon's consumer FX camera to stick with 24.3. Smaller and lighter than the D800 and D700, the Nikon D600 is still bigger than a D7000. It's hard to hide that large, bright pentaprism without adding a bit of height. The D600 is wider too, but it has great heft and a good grip. Controls are well-placed for the D7000 upgrader too, with only a few additional buttons and control substitutions. The Movie Record button on top and a new Still/Movie switch are the main changes. Just like the D7000, shooting with the Nikon D600 is just plain fun. Straightforward design, a big bright viewfinder, responsive AF and a quiet shutter all add up to a great experience, one where the camera gets out of the way and you can focus on composition.

This is hands-down one of the best DSLRs we’ve ever tested. Picture quality is simply great, with accurate colors that really pop. You can enlarge a nicely exposed shot 100 percent and spend hours pixel-peeping, appreciating all the detail. Noise is barely an issue even at levels like ISO 6400. Toss in first-rate autofocus, metering, and response and you have a serious package in your hands. Is it perfect? No camera achieves that mark, but serious photographers will love this baby. Unfortunately you will definitely go broke when you buy the high-level of glass the D600 deserves.

For many photographers, Nikon has it the sweet spot with the D600 - a perfect blend of size, image quality, performance and price. Virtually identical in size to the D7000, the D600 is noticeably smaller than any other full-frame DSLR we've seen, yet still feels well-made and comfortable to hold. The full-frame chip that they've managed to squeeze into it delivers excellent results, with the level of detail, noise performance and colour reproduction really impressing. It handles nicely too - controls are easy to access and the menu system clear and concise, while key areas such as the AF delivers the goods. Add to that the price and the Nikon D600 is the camera many enthusiasts have been waiting for.

Nikon cuts the cost but not the quality in this capable full-frame SLR

The Nikon D600 brings full frame functionality to the masses along with dual SD card slots and 100% viewfinder coverage. Image quality at high ISO sensitivities is outstanding and a wealth of customization options enables quick access to shooting controls.

A breakthrough price for a full-frame SLR, but you'd never guess from the features, performance or quality

The Nikon D600 is essentially the D7000 with a full-frame sensor and some more modern video capabilities. That's what you're paying all the extra bucks for. Whether it's worth it for you depends upon what you photograph. If you primarily shoot telephoto, for example, the D7000's focal-length magnifier of 1.5x means you can use a shorter -- and generally lighter -- lens to achieve the same framing. The D600 does support DX lenses and will automatically frame to APS-C, so you don't lose any of that flexibility, but if you're never going to take advantage of the wider angle of view or use fast lenses, then you're better off sticking with the cheaper D7000 and spending the extra $1,000 on a nice lens. Another consideration, however, is that the D7000 is due for replacement -- if Nikon chooses to replace it at all.

The D600 is like the lovechild of a D800 and D7000. Given how much praise we’ve had for both those models that sure sounds like a great thing. And it is. It’s not so much that the D600 offers anything brand, brand new. It doesn’t. But what you get for the price - and don’t forget there’s no cheaper full-frame DSLR out there - is spot on. It’s not got quite as much grunt as the D800 in a number of departments though, so if you need the faster shutter or flash sync speed then the D800 is undoubtedly the choice to make.

When the first rumours of an FX-format Nikon D600 started circulating on the Internet, just about everybody thought it would be a full-framer for the masses - i.e. an entry-level, FX format digital SLR camera sporting an entry-level feature set and an entry-level price tag; with some websites speculating that it might hit the shelves at a price as low as £1,200/€1,500. In reality, the Nikon D600 has turned out to be quite a different kettle of fish. With its current price of £1,734.95 / $2099.95, the Nikon D600 isn't the most aggressively priced full-frame digital camera ever - that title is held by the Sony A850, which cost £1,700 / $1,999 at launch - but then with highlights like a weather sealed body, a viewfinder offering 100% frame coverage, a shutter designed for 150,000 actuations, bona fide spot metering and a multi-point AF system that works with lens+teleconverter combinations as slow as f/8; it isn't exactly the kind of camera anyone would describe as “entry-level,” either. And let's not forget that the D600 is the least expensive of all currently manufactured full-frame cameras, undercutting Nikon's own D800 by as much as 20-30%, depending on market. In some countries, you can buy the Nikon D600 plus the new AF-S 28mm f/1.8G lens - or the D600 plus the 50mm f/1.8G and 85mm f/1.8G lenses - for the same price as the D800 with no lenses at all.

The Nikon D600 is essentially a D7000 with an FX sensor, but lacks some of the extra features found in the Canon EOS 6D.

The Nikon D600 is a full-frame 24.3 megapixel camera with excellent image quality and performance. It offers excellent noise performance, excellent image quality with good detail even as the ISO setting increases, and puts it all into a rugged weather sealed body with a great 3.2inch screen. The camera offers advanced Full HD video recording with both microphone and headphone sockets, and videos benefit from the full frame sensor in low-light situations. Handling is very good with a large rubber grip and ample buttons and controls on the outside of the camera so that you can avoid using the menu systems if you prefer. A number of built in editing options, RAW processing, and video editing could save a lot of time as you are able to edit and customise photos and videos away from the computer. The fact that the camera is available for just over £1700 makes it very good value for money for a new full-frame camera, and quick 5.5fps shooting and a number of advanced features makes it versatile and suitable for a number of different situations. For example built in time-lapse video creation could save a lot of time, and the electronic level could save further time correcting images later. The camera comes with a printed manual, wide strap, and 2 year warranty further expanding the appeal of the camera.