Some cameras launch with a huge amount of anticipation and fanfare, some are surprises from far left field, and some are simply such poorly kept secrets that the manufacturer might as well just have skipped the announcement. Although the Nikon D600 falls squarely into the last category, I think photographers in the world were pleased when it finally broke official cover. The camera itself breaks almost zero new ground technically – it doesn’t push boundaries in any way. Not quite what you expected me to say in the first paragraph, I bet. This is not to say that it’s a bad camera; far, far from it.
Smaller than the D800, but you’ve got to put them side by side to see it. Subjectively, it’s lighter but you don’t really notice in use; it feels about the same weight because the square handgrip design requires you to exert more pinky pressure, which makes the whole thing feel a bit heavier than it is…
I think two questions were on the mind of the Nikon enthusiasts and pros after the launch of the D800 (full review here) and D800E (which curiously, I’ve never actually reviewed): firstly, was this the D700 replacement, and why the enormous resolution? The D800 snuck in at the same price point as the D700 back in 2008; subsequent erosion of the D700 saw prices fall to the US$2200 level or thereabouts, at least for street prices in this part of the world. The older model continued in the lineup together with the higher spec (and higher priced) D800 pair. At this point, however, the technology inside the D700 was five years old – an age in the digital world, and possibly the oldest sensor architecture still purchasable new (with the exception of the Leica M9, whose photosite design was inherited from the 2006 M8).
Awaiting departure. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
The D700 and D3 were turning points in Nikon’s history: first full frame, and first time in recent memory the noise advantage shifted decisively away from Canon. Even today, the D700 remains an excellent camera – mine has over 70,000 frames under its belt and hasn’t missed a beat. I still use it on reportage assignments or where the client doesn’t require 36MP and the associated enormous files. (My long term review of the D700 is here.) This review will be written from the point of view of a long-term D700 (100,000+ frames on two bodies) and D800E (20,000 frames between the D800 and D800E) user, with comparisons and references to both.
Man in blue. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
Over the last few months, I’ve received no end of emails from prospective upgraders asking if the D800 was the camera for them; my answer is a resounding no. If you need the level of image quality this camera can deliver, you’ll know it, and you won’t need to ask me. If you don’t, and you buy it, you might be surprised that it doesn’t quite deliver the same pixel-level crispness as the D700 or D3. It’s an excellent machine, supplanting low-end medium format gear, but it also requires the rest of the support (lenses, processing workflow) to go along with it.
Car lust. I make no secret of the fact that I’m a huge BMW fan. Nikon D600, 28/1.8 G
Note: this review, as with all of my other camera reviews, is written from the point of a working professional. Images are edited through my usual Photoshop workflow as this is how I’ll be using the camera normally; I don’t shoot JPEG SOOC other than for client previews. For those who think it skews results, Photoshop benefits all images equally: it can make a great shot even better, but it can’t fix something that should have been there at the time of capture. EXIF data is intact and can be viewed by clicking through the image to its Flickr hosting page.
Rain = traffic, Kuala Lumpur. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
Enter the D600. I think it’s best described as a hybrid of the D7000 and D800; it inherits the feel, construction, AF system and controls of the former, with most of the innards of the latter. It falls between the two in size, too, but it closer to the D7000 in ergonomics and weight. It also has a similar shutter/ mirror feel to the D7000 – well damped, and much quieter than D700 or D800, but is limited to 1/4000s instead of 1/8000s. Mirror blackout feels about the same as the D7000, which is still excellent. You won’t notice shutter lag with any of these cameras, which are all in the 40-50ms range. All three share the same EN-EL15 battery. The rest of the spec falls squarely in the middle, too: 24MP, 5.5fps (no boost with the optional EN-EL14 battery grip, and no provision for taking the larger/ higher capacity battery from the D4); 1080p30 or 720p60 video, native ISO range from 100-6400 with extension to 50 or 25.6k.
Selat Mosque, Malacca. Nikon D600, 28/1.8 G
It uses the same EXPEED 3 processor as the D800, which means shunting around those largish 14bit files with relative abandon; the 14-bit lossless compressed RAW buffer is 10 frames. (Despite the files being smaller, it doesn’t feel any faster, though.) You also get a 100% finder with 0.7x magnification, but not the round eyepiece or eyepiece shutter; it’ll take the DK21M magnifier, and has a reasonably high eyepoint – I can see the whole frame just fine with my glasses. Sadly, the focusing screen has become even less snappy than the D800; it’s nearly impossible to use for manual focus without the focus assist dot. Fortunately, live view works the same way as on the D800, with a button to enable it surrounded by the still/ movie mode switch. It’s also inherited the record button placed behind the shutter, and the slightly difficult to reach second button – except now it controls metering mode, with exposure modes placed on a lockable dial – together with the fully customizeable U1 and U2 memory positions from the D7000. You also get IR remote receiver ports on the front and the back in lieu of the 10-pin connector on the front, which neither the D700 nor D800 have.
Pick’n'mix for grown ups. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
It definitely doesn’t feel as solid or dense as the D800, let alone the D700; but if you haven’t handled either, you probably won’t be able to tell the difference. Nikon claims a magnesium-alloy top panel, polycarbonate bottom section and magnesium frame, although the only way you’ll really be able to tell you paid a bit less is the feel of the rubber grips – it’s definitely D7000 semi-slippery and not D800/ D700 sticky. I personally don’t find the shape that comfortable either; it’s too square around the bottom portion where you little finger rests. The body has environmental seals to about the same level as the D7000; the gaskets don’t look as robust as those on the D700 or D800, and certainly not the D4. Curiously, I don’t feel either the D600 or D800 are true replacements for the D700; neither will do 8fps, and the model that shares the same build (D800) has such a high pixel count that it isn’t really suitable for some applications such as photojournalism or low light work. The D700 line has thus bifurcated into a more serious and less serious option.
Slurp. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
There is one huge improvement in usability that’s worth mentioning: in manual exposure mode and live view, the camera now shows a usable/ visible image rather than the actual shooting exposure, which means that you can easily manual focus with a flash setting (say 1/200s, f8, ISO 100) in ambient light rather than having to change exposure or switch between aperture priority and manual to be able to see your image. The image is also a lot sharper than the D800 and not blocky – it’s much easier to tell what is in focus, and what isn’t. Needless to say, we don’t need to talk about usability of the D700′s live view function – putting it on the drive mode dial was just clunky, and precluded the use of the self timer or mirror lockup to minimize vibration.
The surprise joy of finding you just might be in love. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
On the other hand, the D600 lacks a few controls that I’ve come to rely on in my normal workflow with the D700 and D800E, and as a result feels a bit more amateur than I’d like, mainly due to the number of button presses required for some things. Once again, if you’ve never used either D700 or D800, you probably won’t know or won’t miss them: specifics that come to mind are single-button zoom to a desired magnification level in playback using the center multi-selector; having the metering switch around the AE-AF-L button, and a separate AF-ON button. There are also fewer custom settings, though, notably around control configurability and autofocus. It’s also worth noting that although the camera has the same levelling display as the D800 in live view mode, it lacks the two-axis overlay in the viewfinder; instead, it uses the exposure meter to show left-right tilt, at the expense of the other shooting information which subsequently disappears. The LCD also appears to be less accurate for judging exposure than before; it appears much brighter and more contrasty than the actual image, which is something I haven’t seen on Nikon’s typically accurate LCDs.
Untitled. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
You get the 39-point MultiCAM 4800FX autofocus module in this camera, not the wide-field CAM3500FX system in the D700 and D800 – and the cause of much consternation amongst D800 owners for the notorious ‘left side AF’ issue. I’m pleased to report that after extensive testing and specifically looking for the problem, autofocus on the D600 is fast, accurate and positive even with moving subjects; perhaps feeling a little more ‘solid’ than the D800 – more like the D700, in this sense. My particular example required no AF fine tune adjustment with most of my lenses, and -5/20 on the 28/1.8. CAM4800 has been tried, tested and proven in the D7000, and performs equally well here; it’s even been tweaked a bit to be able to focus consistently with lenses as slow as f8 to allow reliable use with 2x teleconverters.
A glimpse into home and family. Nikon D600, 28/1.8 G
The one bad piece of news regarding autofocus is that the points are now even more clustered around the center of the frame than the CAM3500FX cameras; it seems that the base AF sensor itself has been taken from the D7000 and used without adaptation to the field of coverage. The overall coverage area is similar to the Canon 5DII, and it doesn’t cover the rule of thirds points, meaning that you’re almost always going to have to focus and reframe with off-center subjects, whereas the outermost row of five points would cover these subjects on the D700 and D800. Still, I’d rather have reliable accuracy over wider coverage, but ideally we should have both. The AF mode controls now use the new Nikon system of button plus command dial; rear to select AF-S or AF-C, and front to choose the number of points or 3D tracking.
Stall proprietors sometimes remind me of thespians. Nikon D600, 28/1.8 G
In some ways, I miss the physical switches of the last generation, but having these settings electronically selectable means that you can save all settings, including AF configuration, to the U1 and U2 mode dials – I’ll probably keep one set up for regular reportage-style shooting with 11-point AF-C, aperture priority and auto-ISO, and the other for studio/ flash work at the X-sync speed (1/200s), manual exposure mode, base ISO, and 39-point AF-C. I wish my D800E had this option. That said, I’ll probably leave the D600 set up for reportage, and the D800E for studio work.
Lantern and Dunlop. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
The D600 uses Nikon’s tried and tested RGB metering sensor (which also feeds color information to the AF system for subject tracking, as well as face recognition); it appears to be less biased to the active focus point than in the consumer cameras, but not quite as accurate for the overall scene like the D700; the camera seems to meter a bit hot in dark scenes, and a bit under for light/ white scenes – it seems we’ve taken a step backwards here. I feel the D700 generation had the most reliable metering of the lot; the D800 falls somewhere between the two. Auto white balance is accurate, and can safely be used for most situations.
A curious symmetry. Nikon D600, 28/1.8 G
I believe the D600 shares the same base Sony sensor as the A99 (previewed here). It’s a 24MP CMOS design, apparently customized for Nikon – in the process losing the A99′s 10fps capability (or perhaps deliberately, to protect the D4′s position in the line as flasgship). Uncompressed RAW is no longer an option, but the whole workflow is 14bit. In any case, I remember testing the difference between lossless compressed and uncompressed NEF with the D3 and not being able to see any difference. The sensor delivers the same color palette as all of the other modern 14-bit Nikons; no surprises here. It’s worth noting that despite the larger pixel pitch, the D600 only matches it for dynamic range – somewhere around 13.5 stops useable at base ISO, which is on par with the leading DSLRs at the moment.
Full test scene.
Low ISO crops. Click here for 100% version. As usual go by what I say, not what you see; you’re looking at an artefacted JPEG, not the original file.
High ISO crops. Click here for 100% version.
Both D600 and D800E produce slightly cleaner images at the pixel level than the D700 at identical print sizes; they’re also cleaner at the pixel level. The D600 doesn’t seem to gain anything over the D800E though; if anything, there appears to be more chroma noise at a lower, blotchier frequency. There’s also some softening going on; it seems that NR OFF isn’t really NR OFF on the D600 in the same way that it is on the D700 an D800E. The D600 also isn’t holding anywhere near as much detail – the AA filter no doubt has some bearing on that. What’s surprising is that at ISO 6400 and above, I’m not sure it’s outresolving the D700, either – look at the numbers in the purple swatch. The D700 also has noticeably less chroma noise; the amplitude is higher, but the grain pattern appears tighter and almost entirely monochromatic. Overall, I wouldn’t hesitate to use ISO 6400 under normal conditions, and perhaps 12800/HI1 under duress with a significant amount of postprocessing. One important caveat: Adobe Camera Raw does not yet support the D600, so I couldn’t put the files through my usual workflow. I used the default Neutral picture control with sharpness at 7 and HIGH ISO NR off from all three cameras; though it seems that sharpening 7 means different things on the different bodies I believe I’ll probably gain another incremental bit of image quality once I can run the files through my normal workflow. Such are the downsides of early adoption. For now though, a flat JPEG is eminently useable, if lacking in some of the tonal plasticity of a good NEF. The lens used was a Zeiss 2/50 Makro-Planar at f5.6, focused at high magnification with live view. The cameras were locked down on a Gitzo 5-series Systematic tripod and Manfrotto Hydrostat head.
Inside the ‘kitchen’. Nikon D600, 28/1.8 G
Overall, it’s safe to say the D600 shoots with the dynamic and tonal range of the D800, with the low light usability of the D700 – in part due to the lower pixel density sensor, and in part due to the very low vibration shutter. The large pixel pitch also means that it’s more forgiving when it comes to lens quality; needless to say anything that performs well on the D800E is going to perform well on the D600; I’m primarily using my AFS 28/1.8 G and 85/1.8 G without issue. Image quality is definitely closer to the D800 than the D700, and under circumstances where you can’t achieve sufficiently high shutter speeds, I suspect the D600 may well yield a better image than the D800 can, simply because it’s less demanding on the photographer.
Feeling the emptiness and abandonment. Nikon D600, 85/1.8 G
Battery life may well be the best of all of the current Nikons – I’m estimating around 2,000+ frames per charge with my normal shooting pattern (400 frames with a mix of CLS, live view and regular CH reportage/ street cost 20% in battery life). No flash and short bursts of 2-3 shots yielded the results below – without a photo, I don’t think any of you would have believed it. I certainly wouldn’t – that extrapolates to about 3,400 frames/ charge! If that’s still not enough for you, there’s an optional MB-D14 vertical grip that allows addition of another EN-EL15 battery; the grip is physically smaller to match the size of the camera, so it can’t physically fit the larger battery from the D4, and consequently doesn’t get a frame rate boost with the grip installed.
I don’t remember seeing this even on my D3. Whatever they’re doing with that new sensor, it’s very, very power-frugal. Also, the test was done with an older battery from my D800E which had been cycled a few times – so it’s not a new cell anomaly. The screen appears monochrome because the highlights are blown; it was a very dark scene and shot for illustrative purposes only.
I don’t have much to say about the camera’s video capabilities – I’m leaving that for persons more knowledgeable than myself; I’m absolutely not a videographer. However, on the few quick panning test videos I’ve done, I see minimal rolling shutter and to my eyes, it looks slightly more fluid overall than the D800′s video. This isn’t entirely surprising given the sensor’s shared origins with Sony’s heavily video-centric A99; video has traditionally been one of the company’s strengths. I believe the D600 also has the same capability as the D800E to stream uncompressed video out to an external recorder via HDMI, which will make it an interesting option for videographers on a budget.
The D600 didn’t receive anywhere near the same fanfare or hype as the D800/ D800E at introduction; perhaps it was the long rumour train, or perhaps it was the fairly conservative spec sheet. However, I think this is going to be one of those cameras that enjoys a long burn in much the same way as the D70 and D700 did – it brought a decent feature set with a sizeable leap in image quality at a new low price point. The D600 body retails at US$2,100 or thereabouts. In that respect, I feel in the long term it will do for full frame what the D70 did for DSLRs in general: it made it accessible. It’s more than enough camera for the average user, yet not so much that getting the most out of it becomes a challenge, like the D800/ D800E. The D600 is full frame for the masses; if you’re not a pro but you’re itching for an upgrade from your D700 or D7000, this is probably what you’ve been waiting for.
Untitled. Nikon D600, 28/1.8 G
You’ll notice I haven’t said much about its nearest immediate competition, the Canon 6D – that’s because I haven’t handled one. But I’d be surprised if there was any dramatic difference in image quality; photographers will pick one or the other based on the lenses they already own. Both of these cameras would make excellent travel outfits. Personally, I’m currently trying to decide if I’ll stick with the OM-D or go with a D600 and a couple of pancake primes. Both are capable of delivering excellent image quality in the right hands, have a few tradeoffs, but neither would be taxing to carry and shoot for an extended period of time in the same way a D800 and suitable lenses would. It’s the first big camera I’ve bought that didn’t feel like it was a dramatic upgrade in some way to what I had previously (think D200 to D3, or D700 to D800E) ; but a solid, incremental upgrade in all directions.
In conclusion: the Nikon D600 may not be the D700 replacement or make waves like the D3 did, but for most users it’s going to be like Goldilocks: just right. MT
The Nikon D600 is available here from B&H and Amazon (body only or kit (with 24-85 VR lens).
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Hi Ming,
Great review and thanks. I just received my D600 and I love it so far! It is a joy to shoot with and light and compact but not a toy either. It really is an amalgamation of a D800 and a D7000. Currently using a D3, a D800, and the D600 and this camera is a perfect travel, light weight, walk around, backup camera. It strikes a balance with just the right amount of pixels. One other thing to mention is the build quality is quite good, a little beefier than the D7000 but not quite as big, bulky and heavy as the D800. Also, the 24-85 VR kit lens is a nice lens. It has great contrast, it’s compact, covers a nice range, and seems pretty sharp upon initial testing.
I couldn’t agree more with you about the OK button during playback. The simple solution is to allow the OK button (during playback) to be re-assigned to zoom instead of the re-touch menu ( who actually uses that anyway!). They allow for custom re-assignment during shooting, why not playback?
Anyway, keep up the great work and thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts.
No idea. I suppose it’s an indication of the camera’s intended audience…
Can those nice black borders around your photos be produced in Lightroom 4 ??
No. It’s a custom photoshop action.
This is a fantastic real-world review! Thank you for your time and effort making this. It is very informative. I’m currently deciding on either the D600 or the D800 as an upgrade from my D300s. This review along with your D800 review have given me great insight into the decision. Thank you again!
No problem. Bottom line: if you don’t need the build quality or resolution, then go with the D600. It’s just a shame they didn’t put this sensor inside the D800…
I totally agree. That would have been the upgraded D700 I’ve wanted all along.
For all we know, they’ve held back on that product to make us buy D800, D600 and the eventual D700 successor…sneaky.
Clever Nikon marketing. I think the 5DMIII was actually the D700 successor. hehhehe… But in the time being, I need to choose the lesser of two evils 600 or 800.
I agree with you and Schultz completely, but instead of buying the D600 and the D800 (impossible for me), I prefer to buy a second D/700 and wait for its real update.
Not a bad option either – still a great camera.
Thanks for the excellent review. I’m about to buy my first DSLR. I’ve been following photography blogs and researching the options and waiting to see what new cameras would be released this fall. I’m interested in learning photography and also making some simple short films (esp. video interviews).
I was leaning toward getting a refurbished Canon 7D with two good lenses to start with. (The 5D Mark III appears to be excellent but also more camera than I need and more than I can afford.) Then I started reading about the new full-frame cameras, the Canon 6D and Nikon D600. After reading a number of early reviews and tests, I’m ready to make the plunge and buy the D600. I thought for sure I’d be getting a Canon; but the specs speak for themselves, and in my situation it’s really hard to justify not going for the D600, given the alternatives.
I suppose I’m one of those customers that Canon could’ve had — for the camera, lenses, accessories, etc. — but won’t get because the 6D is simply inferior to the D600 in many significant ways. The price is right, and the product is excellent. Can’t wait to get this camera!
No problem. Good lenses will always make more of a difference than a good body – especially if the choice is between a slow kit zoom and a couple of decent primes (the Nikon f1.8 Gs are pretty darn good.) And adding a shameless plug, it would be great if you could order it via my Amazon referral link
Any recommendations on lenses? Again, I’m starting from zero, and can’t spend a fortune. I was thinking of getting two lenses for now: the 28-300 and a 50mm. I read your review of the former, and a few other reviews as well (Rockwell, Mansurov).
I’m going to Asia in January for a few months, so I need a few (2-3 perhaps?) good lenses that will multi-task while traveling extensively: people, landscapes, some portraits; some video, mostly stills.
Suggestions? many thanks
I’d actually go with a pair of primes – the 28/1.8 G and 85/1.8 G. Light, fast, and reasonably cheap, too.
Thanks for the generous replies. I’ll definitely purchase my new gear through your Amazon links.
Could you say just a bit more, in layman’s terms, about the lens recommendations? (I need to learn a lot more about this topic.)
Specifically, why these two lenses (instead of, for example, the classic 50mm)? How should I think about those two lenses you mentioned (the 28mm and 85mm), and what are they best used for? And why no zoom? I wasn’t expecting that.
Thanks in advance for your support. I prefer to have two distinct perspectives – 28 is a moderate wide, 85 is a moderate tele – and both correspond nicely to the native human field of vision (general scene plus peripheral vision, focused vision on one subject). I’ve just never really gotten along with the focal lengths in the middle – 35 and 50 – so it’s as much of a personal preference than anything. There’s no one size fits all for anything – you can use any lens for any subject depending on the perspective you want – but generally, 28 is good for documentary/ walkabout and 85 for isolation, portraits and details.
You’ll lose at least a stop in aperture (more in transmission due to the large number of elements) with even the best zooms, and gain plenty in weight. Primes give you better optics, too – they’re optimized for one focal length, not a whole load of them. The only zooms I own at the moment are the 100-300 for M4/3, and the kit 14-42 that came with my E-PM1.
Hi Ming,
I think I red that your Nikon 24mm f/4 G is a lens that you like very, very much. Did you prefer the 28 f/1.8 G over the 24 f/1.4 G ? Greetings, Jorge.
Yes, because of reliability of focus and familiarity (personal) with the 28mm field of view.
I was thinking to buy the 24 f/1.4, but if the 28 f/1.8 is not so much away in terms of quality I could easily change my mind. Greetings, Jorge.
Sorry Ming,
Just I saw your excelent review of the Zeiss ZF.2 2.8/21 Distagon, that you define as a “no brainer for architectural or landscape photography”. Could I know how you compare it with the Nikon 24/1.4 G ? Greetings, Jorge.
Much better in microcontrast, edge sharpness/ CA, and color transmission. The 24/1.4 wins on speed and AF of course!
Ming, I’ve found those two prime lenses you’re referring to and plan to purchase them. As I’ve researched those lenses, however, I’ve realized that they’re poor choices for filming video on this camera. Manual Nikon lenses are better for video because of the common focusing challenges with DSLR video.
Can you or one anyone else on this forum confirm? In addition to those two prime AF lenses you’ve recommended (28mm and 85mm), which I plan to purchase for taking stills, what are the most useful lenses for filming video with the D600?
I’m not a video guy so I can’t comment, but yes, I can see why that would be an issue – no hard stops and very short focus throw. From the limited video experimentation I’ve done, have a look at the Zeiss 2/28 Distagon, the Zeiss 1.4/85 Distagon, and the Nikon 105/2.5 AI.
Ming,
Could you comment on the Nikkor 24-120 mm f/4 vs. the Nikkor 24-70 mm lenses on the D600 and the D800? Can either be used on either camera or is one not adequate for a specific sensor? I plan to purchase one of the 2 lenses today, and will do so through your link to Amazon after I get your recommendation. My leaning is toward the 24-120mm f/4 due to the light weight and longer focal range for more flexibility, but only if the optics hold up for both the D600 and D800, as IQ is my priority. The reason I ask this is that I am undecided on the D600 vs D800 though I plan to get one of these, and I want to make sure that the lens I pick will work on the camera I decide upon.
I am still working with the D600 on action shots (dogs running at up to 30 mph) and as you suggested, think that the problem is not in the AF system, but in the quality of the optics I am using with my Nikkor 70-300 mm and Nikkor 80-200 mm f/2.8 mm lenses. I am starting to wonder if regardless of whether I get the D600 or the D800, it will mean that I also need to abandon my Nikkor 70-300 mm and replace my Nikkor 80-200 mm f/2.8 with the 70-200 mm f/2.8. It seems to me that moving beyond the resolution of the 12MP D700 sensor requires better optics even at the D600, 24 MP level. Is that correct? Have you tried the 80-200 mm f/2.8 on either the D600 or D800? I think it would be easier to figure this situation out right now if I had a 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens to try on the D600 for a direct comparison but I do not.
Thank you for your generosity in sharing your time and expertise.
Nope, sorry – I haven’t used either on the D600 or D800. Last time I shot with a 24-70 was on the D3. I’ve gone all primes since.
I’d probably go for the 24-70 though, focus seems a bit faster and you do gain an extra stop of light.
You’re correct: more resolution/ pixel density requires better optics. The 70-200 I isn’t that great in the corners, you’ll need the II.
This is another vote of thanks both for the blog and this post in particular – I love the ‘test’ photographs, makes me want to come over and trying my hand.
I’m another confused amateur with a D200 looking to upgrade…
I recently bought the Nikkor 70-200 VR II with TC 2.0 with an eye to improving my lenses before buying a new body, particularly as it might be D800. Now I’m not at all sure – I shoot Air Shows a lot, so fast AF and high fps are important, the rest of the time it’s a mixture of wildlife (bird), landscape and street – for which I use a S90.
I’m sort of leaning to buying a D600 for the IQ and DR for most of my shooting and pair that with a D3200 for the air shows – the DX crop will help there as the new zoom plus converter still come up a bit short occasionally on the D200. Even here in the UK it’s about the same to buy a D800 or both the D600 and D3200. The problem with the D3200 is that it has only has 11 autofocus points, is still only 4fps and probably has a tiny buffer. If only a D3s was cheaper but then I’d want more pixels so I could crop!
No problem. I think the D7000 is what you want – decent FPS, good AF field coverage, and the crop factor. FX isn’t ideal for reach unless you crop, which defeats the point.
This is an excellent review. It is always nice to read a review that
1) Actually is a review and not a “preview” or conjecture based on specs
2) Doesn’t sound completely like a fanboy review
So, thank you for that. I am a D7000 owner (have been for nearly a year now) and have been quite pleased with my weapon of choice, until I shot at Fashion Week and experienced the weakness of my camera. In well lit, completely controlled environments, I couldn’t ask for more.. but with the need for higher ISO and much better fps, my little D7000 was running to keep up. I have been wondering if getting the D600 would be appropriate, or if I should wait until I can afford a higher-end FX camera, and this review has gone a long way toward helping me make up my mind.
(Excellent shots, btw)
Summer
http://www.summerpolonsky.tumblr.com
Thank you. Everybody has an opinion, but none of them are meaningful unless a) there’s some point of reference, and b) there’s some experience and substance behind it. If you get enough fps out of the D7000, then the D600 should be plenty – it’s 5.5 vs 6, and you won’t notice the difference in practice.
hi
thanks for the brilliant review and ur responses…
i have got a d90 and had been bitten by ‘FF’ bug.
my interest is towards wildlife, nature and portraits. i am thinking of d600 over d700 bcos of its low light ability and the flexibility of cropping the pictures. however, i am also impressed by the relatively affordable ‘long zoom’ lens range offered by Canon over nikon. so, should i wait to see what 6D has in store?
would be very helpful to hear your thoughts…
cheers
No problem. I don’t think I’d pick one over the other for image quality, but usability and lenses. You’ll find the Canons are not that intuitive to a longtime Nikon user. And if you shoot mostly wildlife, I don’t think it makes sense to go FX because you instantly lose 1.5x reach…
hi thanks again for such a prompt response…
wildlife n nature (landscapes), goes in opposite extremes…FF vs DX & affordable lens system and weight to carry!!! In your expert view, what would be the most balanced approach?
Well, you can still do landscape work with DX, and there are decent wides available, so I’d probably go to DX since it’s much harder and more expensive to get the same reach from FX for wildlife than it is to go wide on DX…
Ming,
Great review, as always. You highlighted what I think is the showstopper for me, and possibly others…the AF coverage area. I’m constantly in AF-C mode with moving subjects, so I rely heavily on the outer focus points for focus & composition. I realize that technically I could use AF-ON (programmed on the AE-L button) and recompose, or shoot wider and crop later as a compromise. However, I don’t think that will yield the results I expect.
What are your thoughts on my specific usage?
Thanks in advance.
PS it’s too bad because the specs are almost perfect otherwise, and I love the feel of the camera. I realize the D800 is an option too, but think it’s not a great fit/overkill for what I need…pretty bummed at Nikon here.
Thanks Christian. I too normally rely heavily on the outer AF points – that’s how I found out about the D800′s shortcomings in the first place – the D600 may well be the only ‘proper’ camera I leave permanently in ‘centre-point-and-recompose’ mode. If you’re just shooting wider and cropping because of the AF points, doesn’t that just turn the camera into a D7000?
Hello Ming, what are you thoughts of 85mm 1.8D vs 85mm 1.8G? Thank you very much…
The G is much better. Neither is great for flare performance, but sometimes that can be cinematic – I actually don’t mind it. When I want to shoot into the light with zero flare I’ll use my Zeiss lenses.
Thanks very much for your reply Ming. I have now purchased a 1.8G and it’s a really great lens just as you say.
For your shots, what is your workflow to set the ISO, or do you have auto-iso enabled on the camera?
I use auto ISO unless I’m shooting manual with flashes, or doing long exposures on a tripod.
Hi Ming. I’m new to shooting. I own a D7000 but would like to move up to FF. I like to use the AF points to move around the frame, especially with off centred or thirds composition. With the AF points spread being so concentrated in the middle, I’m concerned I will not be able to do this as well, or I will need to focus recompose using centre AF point. I’ve heard focus recompose was not good to do. This is my main concern with D600. Thoughts?
The rules are overrated. Learn them, then throw them out the window. Focus and recompose is dangerous with shallow DOF lenses because the effective focus distance may change if the focal plane is not flat. A greater AF point spread is good, but not if they’re not accurate…the D600 is accurate but tight. I think it’s mostly acceptable for the majority of situations.
Thanks!
Great review, as always from you! Even though I switched to Olympus recently, there’s always something to be learned by me by just looking at your pictures. Thanks for sharing with us.
Btw, since you’re a Bmw fan, it is pure coincidence that you’ll doing a workshop in munich, isn’t it?
FYI, the Bmw world building has it’s own website: http://www.bmw-welt.com
Kind regards, Tom
Thanks Thomas – how are you finding the DVD? And no…er…well…maybe, yes, there’s a reason why I’ll be coming to Munich
I hear der Welt rents M cars by the hour…
Hi absolutic/Ming,
Great personal insight on the D600. Though I wanted to inquire from absolutic as to his/her dislike of the D800 (although your comment would definitely be critical, Ming). absolutic, How was the D800 worse? What are you usually shooting? It’s because I’m planning to invest on a D800 to shoot kiddie parties, reunions, portraits, engagement shoots & on some occasions, as a 2nd team wedding photographer.
I have a D700 and it’s really a stellar performer. But I need a second body to be delegated either as a primary camera or my back-up. I hope that you would be able to respond as soon as possible as I’ll be purchasing either a D800 or D600 by Monday. Thanks.
You’re better off with the D600 for that – the D800 is going to require higher shot discipline than you can always manage in a reportage scenario.
Wow! Thanks for the prompt reply Ming. Much appreciated! Though, I just want to add to my inquiry:
1. What and how do you mean by higher shot discipline? (I’m just curious)
*Also, I usually shoot in manual mode. With regards to this, would your definition of shot discipline include a faster shutter speed than the usual (above the suggested focal length)to be able to get crisp & sharp images from the D800 and that even if the image is going to be underexposed, I could still adjust it through Lightroom given that the D800′s dynamic range would allow the underexposed areas to show.
2. honestly, I’m leaning more towards the D800 for the following reasons:
a. It has a magnesium alloy body (I had a D7000 before, and it unfortunately fell from 3ft. attached to a tripod and the middle portion, which is hard plastic, cracked open, ripping off the mount from the camera body. Maybe a magnesium body would not result to the same situation as it did to my D7000).
b. Live view movie mode Aperture control can be adjusted.
c. I have the following lenses: 70-200mm f2.8G VR2, 24 f1.4G, 50 f1.4G [Which all could be well-suited for the D800 as I’ve read from forums and with some of your comments (Though I’m not sure).
Hope you would be able to comment soon. Thanks and much appreciated Ming.
1. Higher shutter speeds, optimal apertures etc to avoid camera shake and softness.
2a. Yes and no – I’ve seen/ experienced magnesium bodies crack, and plastic bodies bounce and shrug off similar falls. Depends on the angle of the fall and the lens attached etc.
2b. Fair enough – not thought about this as video isn’t really a concern for me
2c. 70-200II is good, 24/1.4G is good if you have a good copy (many have decentering/ astigmatism; it’s a complex design and the tolerances are very, very high to get one that works perfectly at f1.4) and no AF issues on the D800. 50/1.4G haven’t tried, but I wasn’t that impressed with any of my 3 copies on D3/D700, so I doubt I would be on the D800. 50/1.8G would probably be a lot better.
I understand Ming. Okay, for my final inquiry: What about AF performance? I heard that the D800 is kind of sluggish during low light situations (As Chris Nicolls of the CameraStoreTV have professed on their D600 review which is why he’s planning to plunge towards the D800). Is it really true? And is the D600′s AF as sluggish as well (based on your field test) or is it the same as that of the D700?
They all feel about the same speed, it’s the precision that’s the issue.
Thank you Ming. I would like to commend you on your prompt responses! I appreciate you taking time in replying to people’s inquiries and I’m sure many are grateful as well (Given that with you as a professional photographer have only limited time windows to reply on those multiple comments from people)! And your reviews are as unique and as insightful and they are extremely helpful to a great number of consumer’s already in their buying decisions for a camera. Blessings be upon you from the Almighty.
You just happened to catch me while online and doing some site maintenance – I do try to reply everybody, though. I’m sure I’ll miss one or two occasionally – it’s nothing personal!
Haha I see, Ming. Still, I believe you have a heart for people which is why you take time in trying to get back to them as soon as you can. And many are happy for that especially for such a professional photographer taking time to reach out to people.
Well, I guess the decision is up to me now. But I’ll take your recommendation of buying the D600 over the D800 into serious consideration…very. serious. consideration.
Thanks again.
Silly question, but why not try both?
If somebody takes the time to write to you…it would probably be rude not to write back, no?
That’s not a silly question, Ming. If only I could try both and determine which camera suits me, then that would be the best scenario. The problem is that in our country, once you open the box and flick the shutter, it’s considered sold (Unless the D800 would have the AF issue).
But if you mean I try both by buying both cameras, that would be far-off because I can only invest in one.
If somebody takes the time to write to you…it would probably be rude not to write back, no? – YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, Ming. The problem is, some people wouldn’t even care if others would think disappointingly of them by not answering back. Having the heart of humility, being compassionate and being helpful at the same time is quite uncommon these days.
That makes sense. There’s still a lot to be gained by having a fondle and test shoot even in a store – they have demo units, presumably. You can even find them here in Malaysia, where it’s much the same situation (no returns, zero customer rights etc).
There are many popular bloggers/ reviewers I’ve written to over the years for various reasons. I think I get perhaps less than a 10% reply rate. I don’t want to be one of those people. The minute you start ignoring your supporters is when you start to become too arrogant for your own good…it’s dangerous.
Hi Ming,
Sorry I dosed off already last night when you replied. You’re 90% reply-back response is, for sure, highly acclaimed and I’m sure, you’ll get a roaring applause for being very decent & courteous enough to your commenters.
I just hope that with you taking the lead by appeasing your supporters with your prompt responses, the 10% who are described otherwise would realize that arrogance, being prideful or conceitedness would lead to negativity & disappointment. Thanks again!!! Blessings be upon you from the Almighty God.
Hi Fathom,
I’m in a very similar situation, but my choice is to buy a second D700 body (In Peru we sa: “Better something bad that you know, than something good to be known”. In the future, I would like to have a D800 for special purposes, and I will replace one of the D700 when a real update comes. Greetings, Jorge.
We have that saying here too: ‘Better the devil you know than the one you don’t.’
If AF/ moving targets/ weather sealing and build quality/ controls are a priority: buy the D700.
If image quality is more important: buy the D600.
If image quality is really important, you print large and are willing to carry a tripod, buy the D800E.
Hi Jorge,
Actually, buying a 2nd D700 body is my 3rd option. But, honestly, I want to have video capability because I’m sure it would come in handy when it’s needed. Though I’m happy for you that you’ve made your decision already. At least you won’t go into the trouble of finding more reviews and assessing them that would lead to tour final decision (Believe me, I’m panicking already because I was given the privilege of having both a D600 & D800 under my name but it’s going to be until tomorrow only).
Though thanks for replying on this thread. I’m glad I’m not the only having the feeling of insecurity should I be choosing the wrong unit. But you have a great point in choosing a proven, stellar performer.
Hello Ming,
First of all big big congrats for you site, I have discovered it searching for D600 reviews and I’ve been reading your past articles for some days now. I appreciate your on-the-field reviews and your pictures, keep up the good work.
Second, I dare to ask for an advice from you. I own a D90 for 3 years now shooting mostly street, portraits and sports and I plan to upgrade to FX. I own 2 FX lenses (85 1.8 and 180 2.8) and plan to buy a 24, 28 or 35 after getting the body. My budget would cover a new or used D700, new D600 or D800, I have tested all of them in showroom and I am aware all will get me better IQ, ISO performance and DOF, I have to say I am a fool for getting nice bokeh when shooting portraits.
What I want besides that? Forgiveness (at least at first), accurate AF and speed. For now I tend to exclude D800 as I see it fit better for studio and more experienced photographers and I want to choose between D700 and D600. I see D700 as more forgiving and with better AF and D600 as newer, potentially with a longer life ahead, better at ISO and IQ and smaller (I prefer the D90/D7k shape).
What do you think would fit me best out of the 2? Or 3?
Many thanks in advance,
Lucien
Hi Lucien,
Thanks for your compliments. I don’t think you’d miss the extra controls/ configurability of the D700, coming from the D90, so I’d go with the D600 – as you point out, it’s got more life in it, and more potential in terms of image quality. I don’t think there’s that much of a price difference either.
Cheers
Ming
Thank you, Ming!
Hello Ming,
First of all big big congrats for you site, I have discovered it searching for D600 reviews and I’ve been reading your past articles for some days now. I appreciate your on-the-field reviews and your pictures, keep up the good work.
Second, I dare to ask for an advice from you. I own a D90 for 3 years now shooting mostly street, portraits and sports and I plan to upgrade to FX. I own 2 FX lenses (85 1.8 and 180 2.8) and plan to buy a 24, 28 or 35 after getting the body. My budget would cover a new or used D700, new D600 or D800, I have tested all of them in showroom and I am aware all will get me better IQ, ISO performance and DOF, I have to say I am a fool for getting nice bokeh when shooting portraits.
What I want besides that? Forgiveness (at least at first), accurate AF and speed. For now I tend to exclude D800 as I see it fit better for studio and more experienced photographers and I want to choose between D700 and D600. I see D700 as more forgiving and with better AF and D600 as newer, potentially with a longer life ahead, better at ISO and IQ and smaller (I prefer the D90/D7k shape).
What do you think would fit me best out of the 2? Or 3?
Many thanks in advance,
Lucien
Hi Ming,
Thanks for your excellent review! I’ll probably buy the d600 (upgrading from d90). I know you like the 28 mm f1.8. Are there any other wide angle Nikon lenses that you would recommend, say 24 mm or 35 mm that would work well on the d600? Thanks in advance, and keep writing and shooting! Lee
No problem. Haven’t tested the other wides on it, but I’m pretty sure the 24/1.4 will be excellent if you get a good sample.
Nice review, wonder whether you’ll ever be testing it with the WU-1b wireless transmitter and see how’s does it perform in Wireless tethering or LiveView controls.
No plans to.
[i added this question earlier today, re-posting here since i had included it way back in the thread]
Ming, I’ve found those two prime lenses you referred me to a few days ago on this thread, and plan to purchase them. As I’ve researched those lenses, however, I’ve realized that they’re poor choices for filming video on this camera. From what I’ve read, it appears that manual Nikon lenses are better for video because of the common focusing challenges with DSLR video.
Is this true? Can you or one anyone else on this forum confirm? If so, in addition to those two prime AF lenses you’ve recommended (28mm and 85mm), which I plan to purchase for taking stills, what are the most useful lenses for filming video with the D600?
thanks
And replied in the original question. The blog has some sophisticated software that lets me keep track of all replies
I think you’re onto something here (“full frame for the masses”
I too have been impressed with the specs for the D600 and the entry level pricing. As a high ISO night photographer, this camera has a lot of great features, which I’ve reported on in my recent blog, including some interesting links (including a video shot entirely with this camera):
http://intothenightphoto.blogspot.com/2012/09/new-entry-level-full-frame-cameras.html
Lovely review bro. I actually read till the comments section where you summed up pretty much everything. I’m a D90 user.
Taken from the comments previously:
”
If AF/ moving targets/ weather sealing and build quality/ controls are a priority: buy the D700.
If image quality is more important: buy the D600.
If image quality is really important, you print large and are willing to carry a tripod, buy the D800E.
”
If I’m into weddings/portraits/may be alittle motor sports, will D600 suffice?
IQ from D700 vs D600 isn’t a huge difference?
Thanks a lot for your time.
Thanks. Pretty much on the money. You should be fine with the D600, but you might miss the wider AF grid for motorsports.
Huge difference in IQ from D700 to D600, the D600 has twice the resolution, one more stop of dynamic range, better color, and slightly lower noise.
Ming, you’re really unbelievable in your response rate and patience! You have probably a 99% rate instead the 90 you mentioned
. And you’re articles are very thorough, well written and nicely supported by great images.
I’ve been struggling several weeks on weather to upgrade to a used D700 or D600 (from DX), and this comment helped me with the final decision towards the D600. THANKS!! Besides resolution wasn’t sure there were other significant improvements in IQ, which is my main concern (I shoot mainly land/cityscapes, night photography, HDR and portraits, I don’t print much, but eventually can start doing it more regularly, and the smaller file size was even an advantage for me).
I got here by a link on a forum thread discussing D700 vs D600, and from now on I’ll definitely start following your blog (would follow you on 500px also, I don’t use flicker)
Thanks. I try to respond to everything, but I’m sure a couple slip through. There are hundreds of comments a day, so it’s quite possible.
Too many social media to keep up with; started with Flickr and just don’t have the time to change. Enjoy the new camera.
Ming,
I am still trying to troubleshoot the D600 and figure out what I may be doing wrong or right. I purchased the lens align system and my Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4D lens repeatedly front focuses in live view. My first concern is whether I am misinterpreting the test results, but the 4 which sits on the ruler just in front of the 0 to my view is clearly the sharper image. Is it possible to send you the photo to look at to get your opinion? If my interpretation is correct, could that mean there is a sensor misalignment issue or some other problem?
I cannot thank you enough for your help, and I suspect I speak for many others out there who love photography. It is very hard for hobbyists striving to learn more to find resources for personal help and assistance. I know it is only very little, but I did use your Amazon link to purchase a new SD card for the camera. I will use that link exclusively in the future as I expand my camera equipment, hopefully next with the zoom lens I asked you about previously, but first I need to get things figured out with the D600 before I can go forward. Thank you.
Kim
That sounds very odd indeed. You are using single-point AF-S and defocusing the lens manually before running the test, correct? This should theoretically be impossible; the only thing I can think of is that the camera is focusing on the wrong thing. You should be focusing on the vertical target portion, not the ruler – if it’s too small, bring it closer to the camera.
Ming – Yes, I set up the test exactly as you described. I used a 50 mm Nikkor f/1.4D measured exactly 5 feet from the test target, focusing exactly on the central sighting port in the center of the vertical target. The minimum distance at which the test can be run with this lens according to the lens align distance tool is 4 feet. I sent my “set up photo” taken in standard color profile at f/8 and my “test photo” taken in live view at f/1.6 to Michael Tapes, the designer of lens align. He verified accurate set up and front focusing in live view. At your suggestion, I repeated the testing tonight at progressively closer distances between the camera and the test target and with each change, front focusing got less and less. Finally at a distance of 26 inches from the vertical front target of lens align to the camera sensor did the front focusing cease in live view. I believe and correct me if I am wrong, that the sensor is taking in a larger area than what one would think given where the focus point shows up on the image or the sensor is not exactly where it is marked as being. I think I should probably return the camera unless you think this finding is within acceptable tolerances. I am interested iin hearing your thoughts about this. Thanks again for all your help and teaching.
Honestly, this result doesn’t make any sense at all. In LV, the camera uses the imaging sensor to focus the lens, which means that whatever image you get is as good as it’s going to get. (I presume you used a tripod, of course). This could mean that your lens has issues at longer distances (unlikely) – it is possible to have high resolution and low contrast, and vice versa. I don’t remember being particularly impressed with the 50/1.4 D or G on even the D700 though. How about borrowing another 50/1.4D and trying again? Is the effect still there at f2?
Hello Ming – I have not been able to borrow another 50 mm f/1.4D, but I am still working on figuring this out. Wonder if it has something to do with field curvature. I am going to abandon this lens and move forward as planned with a lens purchase since I am heading out for vacation to see the change of seasons in the mountains and looking forward to taking the D600 along. You have convinced me of using prime lenses instead of a zoom, especially after my recent testing showed my Nikkor 80-200 mm f/2.8 to be an AF fine tune 0 at 80 mm and -12 at 200 mm on the D600. By the way, is this within factory tolerance for this lens or should I send it to Nikon for repair?
I plan instead of getting the 24-70 mm we discussed a few days ago, to get a pair of prime lenses as you advise, specifically the Nikkor 85 mm and 28 mm f/1.8G lenses you recommend. However, I read that the 28 mm has not only focus shift problems causing back focusing which peaks at f/5.6, but also has a donut field curvature problem. This makes me a little nervous after struggling with the 50 mm. Could you tell me what your experience has been and if the lens has these issues how to work around them? I would like to use the lens for trying my hand at landscape pictures and for daily walk about use. Once I know what to do, I will use your Amazon link.
Thanks for all.
Could well be – try the 50/1.8 G, it’s the best of the AF 50mms at the moment.
I have no idea what their tolerances are, but I suppose if you can adjust it and it’s sharp, that’s within tolerances right?
The 28 does have field curvature, and I can’t actually think of one that doesn’t. My favourite 28 – the Zeiss 2/28 Distagon – has even worse field curvature. For critical focusing (usually at middle apertures), I use live view anyway which focuses on the sensor and avoids these problems. If I’m viewfinder shooting, it’s either at or close to wide open, or very stopped down – neither of which will cause those problems.
Hello Ming,
Just a quick followup: the Nikkor 50 mm f/1.4 D when tested on the D700 with lens align front focused as well. I think the problem is due to a field curvature of the lens. Not sure if I will keep it. I guess it is good for an emergency if used stopped down. I am now heading for your Amazon link to buy the 28 mm and 85 mm f1.8 G lenses since those are the ones you have recommended. Thanks for your suggestion of the 50 mm 1.8G, but I would like to go with what your first recommendation is.
One quick question re. my Nikkor 80-200 mm f/2.8: O AF fine tune adjustment at 80 mm but -12 at 200 mm. Is this outside of normal tolerance for a zoom lens? I am trying to figure out if this lens needs to go back to Nikon for repair.
Thanks for helping me through the transition process from the D700. It really was a forgiving camera as these lens related problems were not nearly as apparent as on the D600.
Definitely sounds like a lens issue. Just to be sure: does you D700 focus ok with other lenses? Need to rule out (however unlikely) that it could be an identical problem.
On your 80-200 – it doesn’t sound unusual, but that’s the problem with zooms – you’ll have to AF fine tune for the FL you use the most, unfortunately the camera will only remember one setting.
No problem! The D700 has enormous pixels, and is very forgiving of technique, lenses and general postprocessing abuse of its files…And thanks for your support.
Thanks Ming for the very informative D600 review. Got hold of one day after,, when I set it to WB to A, it does its job of correcting the tungsten yellow the 1st time. when it was turn off/on again it did not do the job and after 5 shots it works again..Ming do you encounter this problem. Thanks
No, but then again I always color correct my images manually.
D600 it better than my D800 lol…. I want to change my gear ha ha
Depends what you’re going to use it for…
Dear Ming: thanks for the superb site (just found it today). Like many, I’m deciding between the D600 and D800E. I have a slightly different usage scenario than I think is normally discussed. Economically (and for familiarity), I’d like to invest in one set of lenses. Ideally one body. And in any event, I only want to carry one set of gear when I’m shooting. My two usage situations are events, where I want to cover both people (street scenes, essentially) and interesting objects, but then I need to switch to long-distance shots of action. The other application is basically landscapes, where a tripod/monopod is sometimes possible. For the latter, I’d like to be able to print large at times (up to 4′ wide).
Initially, the D800E seemed ideal, if possibly overkill, because I am viewing the D800E or D600 as a flexible set of cameras, not as a spec that always must be maximized.. But some reviews, like yours, raise questions about the difficulty of applying the D800E casually (e.g. outside the studio). My question is this: is this a hard limitation of the D800E, where you actually get inferior results compared with say a D600 or D7000? Or is it more a case of “you won’t get the most out of the D800E”, but if you use lower res settings and/or DX mode your results will be perfectly good?
Thanks Tom. You can use the D800E as a general purpose camera; the caveat of ‘you won’t get the most out of it’ is because it puts a huge number of pixels per each degree of field of view, the highest yet; you will need much higher shutter speeds to handhold than you think. I’m finding 1/2x or even 1/3x is required. If you want to make 4′ wide landscapes, the extra resolution of the D800E will make a difference. But ask yourself: which will you be doing more of? I think that will tip the decision either way for you. Even the D600 I’m finding needs a bit higher shutter speeds than expected. Perhaps the 12-20MP range was the sweet spot for most handheld applications…
Really appreciate your reviews – THANK YOU Ming! I think I’ve read all 222 comments, too ; )
I’m pretty sure I know the answer, but…. I’m shooting portraits and weddings with my trusty ol’ D300…. I’m going to love the D600 right?!? (The D800 files are too big for my liking)
Haha, no problem – You’ll love the D600 except for the very centrally-concentrated AF area – especially coming from the D300.
Thank you for your reply Ming! I just rented the D600 for the weekend to try out and I thought I loved it until I found a bunch of images with moire.. argh! Was not expecting that and haven’t had issues with moire since my D70 9 years ago. Love how sharp it is and the noise, or lack there of, is superb, but I’m not impressed to see moire. Sigh.
No problem. I haven’t seen moire in any of my images. A possible solution is to stop down a bit more so diffraction removes the moire…I do this with my D800E sometimes when shooting heavily textured subjects.
Hi Ming,
Thanks for a great review. I am looking for a new camera for my growing family. I will have a newborn soon. I like to take good family portrait and landscape photo(my hobby). Looking for a new camera system with great image quality, replacing my aging camera- CanonXTi (I don’t have much investment in Canon lenses).I have used this camera extensively over the last 4 years. I’ve read lots and lots of reviews. My choice comes down to MFT with full range of lenses VS Nikon full frame with few primes. Will I miss much image quality if I go with MFT? Thanks again.
Teera
No problem. You’ll miss continuous AF ability more than image quality, I think – especially when the kids start running around.
Thanks, Ming. I never thought about that!
Hey Ming,
Just Google-stumbled my way to your blog while searching for D600 and ended up reading dozens of your posts over couple of days. You light your shots like a true artist, which impressed me a lot.
I primarily shoot environmental portraits using Pentax but now I am considering a switch out to Nikon full frame. I had one question for you about Face Recognition: D800 with its 91K RGB meter (370×246 grid) is supposed to be able to detect faces far better using skin tone + shape information compared to D600′s 2016 pixel meter (55×37 grid). Once a face is detected, D800 meter biases exposure for the face. Face detection metering, if implemented well, can come in quite handy for tricky lighting situations.
In your shooting experience, did you feel that D800 was seeking out faces and exposing correctly for them? How big is this difference in practical usage compared to D600?
Thanks!
Kay
Thanks Kay. My D800E is used almost entirely for studio work, so I shoot manual with flash 99% of the time – the remaining 1%, I didn’t think the matrix metering was anything special; to be honest, it felt less reliable/ predictable than the D700 and got easily fooled by either bright point sources or what was directly under the AF point. That said, it’s no worse than the competition, just seemingly not quite as infallible as its predecessor.
Hi Ming,
Thanks for the review. I shoot mostly at my church which is very poorly lit and has horrible multi-colored stained glass windows. I’m getting a bit older and less steady in the hands. I have a d700. I understand that the d600 is about one stop better at high iso but is also needing higher shutter speed to get clean pics. So … is this basically a wash? By the time I use one stop extra with the d600, will I immediately loose that stop be having to dbl the shutter speed? I always have to use the expo-disc or grey card with the d700 as I don’t like the skin tones with the d700. Are the d600 color more accurate?
Thanks
Andy
It’s basically a wash, depending on how good your handholding technique is. Color is more accurate, but as usual, depends on you getting the WB spot on.
So, here really is no net improvement in shutter speed btw the 700 and 600 for hand holding. Very interesting. Thanks for the info.
Andrew
Not if you want critically sharp images at the pixel level.
Ming,
thanks for a great review! i’m coming from shooting a canon film camera. i just use three primes, and i am fine with giving those up for a nikon 24/1.4g, 85/1.8g, and a 50.
it seems canon got it right with autofocus and metering, but overall the 5d iii did not sound like great value. therefore, i was ready to go with a d800. i planned on shooting 5:4 crop to slightly reduce file size, and also to give a very full frame of autofocus points. (i got a fuji x-pro for walking around, handheld shots.)
i was going to use the d800 mostly on a tripod, for landscape and portraits. but your review spooked me a bit. i wondered if it would be too much for my first digital camera. still . . . i figured i would grow into it. and i trust myself to figure things out. i tried a d800 at the local store . . . the lighting forced all shots to go to high iso . . . over 4500. (i had set shutter at 2x focal length, so the images were sharp enough—and they were.) it looked much worse than i thought it would in terms of noise. fuji does much better at higher iso in my opinion. i will print some of those images soon and see how downsampling worked on them.
so, trying to figure this out . . . the d600 is what i HOPED canon was going to do with the 5d iii. the dynamic range of this sensor is what they should have delivered. too bad nikon didn’t make one of these with a d800-type body!
anyway, i’m thinking of choosing the d600 over the d800. i was so excited about the 24/1.4, but dismayed that you were not happy with it on the d800. did you use it on the d600? and how about the 85/1.8g? better, worse, same on d600 vs d800?
i rely on af, and i am a little concerned about af on the d600 since i can’t so perfectly use my 5:4 approach to getting focus points at the edges. sure, one gets used to where the cut-off points are. but with the d800 you can see them in 5:4 mode! and it gives you a feeling of a very full frame of focus points.
you do say in your review that . . . well, you seem to suggest that the d600 is quite precise: “perhaps feeling a little more ‘solid’ than the D800.” i was surprised by that. however, you also say that you actually focus and recompose on the d600. so, i am wondering if those outer points are not as reliable in your experience. focus and recompose from center to edge of frame is troublesome in some situations, at very wide apertures. in general, people have expressed a lot of disappointment in the d600 focusing array. for portrait and landscape, i think it shouldn’t be so big a deal, but if the autofocus is not as good as the d800, i would be inclined to go with the latter. i also occasionally shoot dancers, in low light. i don’t quite need d4-level autofocus. but i do need precise and reliable.
d800 still seems very compelling for portraits and landscapes (and the mild action of low light dance). but maybe the autofocus is really no better overall. also, i know that in terms of sheer image quality, the d600 has enough for me.
(also, i have larger hands. the d600 feels really awful to me. i bet a grip will greatly improve things. the d800 is more comfy, but even that would need a grip. canon got ergonomics much better, even if the actual u.i. on nikon is great. but that’s another story.)
okay . . . back to work. thanks again for all your help!
And, by the way, you not only have a great blog, but you make some damn fine images. and i would be less inclined to trust you otherwise. there is SO much nonsense out there in terms of gear opinions.
Thank you – finally, somebody who equates quality of output with experience!
Wait for the 6D since you’re a Canon shooter.
The D600′s AF points are all precise, but they’re just so close together that it’s faster to center-focus and recompose than select one and still have to recompose slightly.
thanks for the reply. with respect . . . maybe not “equates” . . . because that might go too far. tiger woods may not be the best golf coach. why not? because he may not actually understand HOW he does what he does. knowing how and knowing about aren’t the same. moreover, tiger might just suck at explaining, diagnosing, motivating.
but, i do take into account the fact that you have some really great stuff up here in terms of images, and you DO seem to understand quite a lot about the how of it all. so, it’s a general compliment. and your reviews make a lot of sense. except for recommending the 6d.
but seriously, the d600 seems to offer much better dynamic range, shadow detail, and overall value. except for af and metering, it seems to give the bloody 5d iii a run for its money. my years with an old ae-1 film camera are not enough to make me wedded to canon. in any case, my lenses are manual focus, and i’m done with that. i admire you manual focusers. and it’s a little more primal. but i am happier with autofocus.
***however, i am still wondering about those lenses. have you used the 85/1.8 g or the 24/1.4g on the d600?
***also, as far as focus . . . i have heard people say that the d800 is really good at guessing the subject you want to focus on, and that if it doesn’t guess the first time, it usually guesses on the second try. so i was in part asking about the af sensor’s ability to, say, detect a face and lock onto the nearest eye (which the d800 is supposedly pretty good at). i live on the california coast, and anything in favor of the d800 makes me lean that way to get maximal impact on those landscape shots, as well as the portraits of the lovely souls who live here.
of course, much of this must sound like nonsense to a pro like you. it’s nice as hell of you to indulge all of us crazy-hearted amateurs. still, we love the same thing in the end: it’s all for beauty.
Thank you.
Hold on a minute: don’t make a snap judgement to switch systems on the basis of third hand information. I doubt the difference will really be that large. But if you have no lens commitments – then whatever works.
No, I sold both my 85/1.4 G and 24/1.4 G after finding they didn’t work that well on the D800E.
I’m manually focusing my D800E for just about everything because the AF system just isn’t accurate enough for my liking, especially to wring every last bit of detail out of that sensor.
Hi Ming
Read your earlier response to Hanshan…
My query will be made comparing D600 vs D700.
Will you lose more sharpness integrity of the focused area (eg. eye of the subject) when you recompose in the D600, assuming equal recomposed distance in the D600 and D700 respective viewfinders?
Btw, you’ve one of the best photography blogs I’ve ever come across!
Depends if your lens is flat-field or not – some will, some won’t. It’ll be especially critical with fast wides.
Thanks!
Thank you for the very detailed review. I am researching an upgrade from my D90 and keep bouncing back and forth from the D7000, D600, and D800. You review has been by far the most complete I’ve found for the D600.
I think the D600 probably best fits what you need, unless you shoot wildlife and need that 1.5x boost.
Actually, wildlife and landscapes are my key subjects. it’s complicated as cost, weatherproofing, and battery life are all key considerations as well. I am moving to rural Borneo soon, to an area with heavy rains and intermittent power.
I have heard of people reporting oil spattering on the sensor of both the D600 and the D7000. Have you had this occur with your D600?
Hmm, you might actually want the D7000 for wildlife. Landscape is solvable because there are decent DX wides. The weatherproofing is the same as the D600, i.e. one notch below the 700 and 800.
No oil issues here.
Hi, I just want to say you’re one of the few photographers who have the talent and skills to match their professional gear. I think I’ve learned a few things as to what and how I should do with my camera just from taking a look at your work. You’re excellent.
Thanks Roy! The gear is a tool. If I can’t find a use for it, I won’t buy it. I don’t want to spend money I don’t have to…
Dear Ming,
Thank you for your very thorough and insightful review of the D600: sufficiently detailed, technical and documented. Of the many reviews that I have read, yours was the most helpful in providing understanding of the camera and its differentiation from its bigger and smaller brothers.
Again thank you,
Mike
No problem! Thanks Mike.
Hey Ming love your site, praise it to everybody. Being absolutely a nonpro I just love to make pictures. I recently got hold of the D800e after 6 years with D200. My abilities aside the reason to the hefty upgrade was that it had good video reviews and it just might hold another 6 years until next upgrade. So in 2018 I don`t have the feeling that all the pictures I took in the meantime was undersized. In 2018 we could easely have reached 36MP resolution screens. Besides, right now, its so funny to crop a picture – and still being able to hold a high resolution.
Thanks Jesper. I’d still avoid cropping if I were you, it means that a) you’re not using all of the resolution you paid for and b) you’re not making the most of your perspectives – a 24mm does not render like a 24mm anymore; it’s impossible to get a strong image if you can’t previsualize your shot and this includes perspective use.
Thank you for the quick reply. Every picture as an imagination before the shot and to be kept as so after – or deleted. You are right. Every picture tells a story, cropped or not,- but you should know when you take the picture, what the story is. I guess this is where I am not the real artist. Often I dont know excatly what i want, just feeling the moment. Im still an imature picturemaker,- the best pictures resemble something i have seen before – therefore the visualization is a strive to copy others. And when i “gut” shoot it is a weak pursue trying to see things different from what i have seen in others.
I think you just need some more practice – both technically, to give you the tools to create what you envision, and to be able to see and conceptualize strong ideas in the first place.
Using DX lenses I believe it will deliver 10.5MP DX-format crop mode. Hence, do you see any drop in image quality if using DX lenses e.g. 17-55F2.8 or 35F1.8 in comparison with similar lenses onto D7000 or D300s body?
Yes, you’re better off using a dedicated DX body if you’re going to run it in crop mode.
dear dear Ming
i read that one of the famous photographer stated in his blog that D600 would be the body he would recommend to folks over the D800. one of this reasons is it has the same “e4″ flash custom setting like the D4, can you help me to understand what that custom do ? and how is it really important, and if it lacks in D800?
one more thing how the technique of (focus and recompose) will affect your speed to acquire focus especially in macro when u are shooting insects… i think i going to miss a lot of shots for active insects when relying on the technique ..what to u think , is not that a real limitations because of those cluster focus points?
It’s exposure compensation for flash over the entire frame or background only; basically in addition to adjusting flash power (affects the foreground) it will also adjust the exposure to brighten the background. I personally don’t use this as I run in manual mode whenever I use flash anyway; I prefer it because you get more control that way.
Focus and recompose is definitely going to affect your response time, and yes, I’m slower because of the centered cluster of points.
thanks a lot Ming for your kind reply
Looking at your skin tone colors of the different pictures that you put up, are you using the vivid colors of Nikon? Because the colors of the different skin tones taken on Nikon and Leica look quite similar…. or is it just a post processing method?
Love your blog, and your work!
I don’t use any out of camera settings. In general, every file is shot RAW and processed through photoshop for consistent colour; I aim to deliver consistent color regardless of of camera. For the D600 review, I used a desaturated, low-contrast JPEG to give me the flexibility to put the tonal range where I wanted in the final image, plus retain as much dynamic range information as possible.
Thanks Ming! Appreciate the reply to my query. Look forward to seeing more interesting photos and reviews from you!
hi Ming,
After reading i still cant make up which camera to buy, a d600 or d700(can still buy brand new online)? mainly i am taking pictures of landscape and kids. Which camera gives better picture quality in terms of colour and sharpness? I am new to camera and taking classes.
thank you
I’m inclined to say go for the 700 unless you are planning to print large. Both are capable of delivering excellent color and detail but the D700′s AF system will give you the edge with moving subjects.
Ming do you mean go for the d700? i wont be printing big.
Yes.
Thanks for your fast reply Ming, can u suggest a lense with that as well.
thank you
Depends on what you shoot.
pictures of my kids =)
Then the general purpose 24-70/2.8 is good both for both versatility and focusing speed.
mr. thien, jolly good review of the d600. one was in a bind over the upgrade purchase of the my d7000. apart from the centralized focus points, the d600 seems to be the more sensible choice until 2014. how would you rate this camera for outdoor portraits and for candid shots?
More than sufficient, as your D7000 would be too given the right lenses and photographer.
Ming,
I have the D600 and like the pictures you took with it. What were you camera setting when you tool those pictures? i especially like the last one (6000779b). What post processing did you do? I like how the image pops with details and color. Are there any specific camera setup that you use? I am looking to get quality shots like that from my D600.
Thanks
No specific settings. Aperture priority and the right amount of exposure compensation. If you nail the basics of photography and postprocessing, that’s all you need. It’s not in the camera – it’s in the way you shoot.
indeed. i came to the realization that putting the d600 in DX mode for street photography would compensate for the centre biased focus points. i should think 12mp is sufficient for this undertaking, yes? does this camera have “aperture preview” a la d800, and do you do HDR with a single photo and LIGHT ROOM editing?
Sufficient providing your shot discipline is adequate. No, it doesn’t show the shooting exposure in live view, but it has depth of field preview buttons. I don’t use Lightroom.
Hi Ming- I appreciate the thorough review. A quick question: The last couple shots- the ones of the food vendors on the streets- seem to be shot at rather low iso levels for the apparent light. Could you shed some light on this?
Seriously though, did you underexpose and lift the lows/mids in post? If not, what do you think of the d600′s potential ability to be shot in such a manner? Thank you for any insight you may have on this matter.
No, I was exposing for the highlights and it wasn’t that dark – plus I was shooting with an f1.8 prime.
I am coming from the Canon side with a 40D, and instead of a 6D or 5D Mark III, I bought a D600 due to its excellent feature set for the money, along with a nice 6 FPS burst mode (similar to my old Canon 40D) and great dynamic range. On the other hand, my issues with this camera is the kit lens being not very sharp (compared to the Canon 24-105 F4L/IS kit lens on the 5D Mark II and Mark III), and the body was a little too light and too small for me to stabilize easily for handheld use. I sold the 24-85 kit lens and bought a 85mm 1.8G instead, which should arrive later this week.
I picked up a D800E the other day for a good price, and I am now comparing it against the D600. I am only planning to keep one camera and return/sell the other. The D800E feels much nicer and is much easier to stabilize than the D600, but it is $2700 vs. $1700 for the D600 body (after I sold the lens). I suspect the D600 will handle much better than it does now if I equip it with a battery grip. In terms of image quality, I took some quick test shots indoor on a tripod with the 105 F/2.8G VR lens to compare the two cameras yesterday, but cannot come to any conclusions yet.
Which camera would you recommend? Is the D800E worth the $1000 price difference? I can return the D800E, or sell the D600. I am losing no more than $50 for the D600 if I decide to sell it, due to the high demand for it.
What are you going to use it for? If you don’t need to print over 20×30″, then you probably won’t see any difference. And if you don’t have the right lenses or correct technique to shoot the D800 then you’ll probably find there’s no real gain in resolution at all. Remember also the files are 50% larger too…with all of the computer overhead that involves.
Hi Ming, thanks for the prompt feedback! To be honest, I am an photography enthusiast and just take pictures for personal use, I don’t forsee needing to print over 20×30″, but I believe that I do have the necessary computing power to handle those files (quad core i7 laptop with 8gb of ram, bought in 2011). I think what I am chasing after is image quality, and perhaps versatility too.
In terms of lenses, I readily have access to various Nikon lenses in my family, with the two best lenses being the 14-24mm f/2.8 and the 105mm f/2.8 VR. Both gave me great results on the D600, which I had for 3 weeks already. However, I am not as excited about the D600 as I believe I should be, given that it has all the benefits of full frame, a quick burst mode, weather sealing, dual SD slots, and reasonably fast AF, almost all of which are upgrades to my Canon 40D. I do not really know why I am not completely excited about the D600, but I have been trying to point my finger at the D600′s handling (being too small and light for me), but even that might not be the true reason.
I suspect it has to do with my experience with smaller capable cameras. I have a NEX-5N which I enjoyed and used almost exclusively in the past year because it eclipses my Canon 40D in terms of image quality, low light performance, and portablity. And, perhaps this is the problem with digital photography, with newer and better sensors being crammed into smaller and smaller cameras, making slightly older DSLRs seem like expensive and cumbersome dinosaurs from yesterday. Lately, cameras like the Fuji XE-1 and the Sony RX1 really got me fascinated. However, the Fuji system is relatively new and has limited accessories and lenses, and the RX1 is purely for image quality and portability only. But, what interests me about the D600 and the D800E are their full frame sensors and the better depth of field control, bokeh, and image quality. In the case of the D600, the price is no more expensive than offerings like the Fuji and is also much less expensive than the Sony RX1, leaving enough money for one or two excellent lenses for it.
Would appreciate any insight you have on this!
Charles
Honestly? Use whatever makes you happy. It seems that logically you know the D600 is right, but you just want the D800. Neither one will make you a better photographer.
Good review, thanks. Your photos are great. I just got a D600; too early to say much about it, but so far I like it a lot. It’s a huge upgrade from my D60. You mentioned the biggest thing about the handling that really bugs me: the lack of one-touch 100% zoom in playback. I knew about that before buying it, but decided there just wasn’t enough value to justify paying almost 50% more for the D800, and in fact I specifically did *not* want a 36 Mpx sensor. Quite honestly, the overly high resolution of the D800 was the single biggest factor that pushed me away from it and toward the D600. I might have even paid the premium for the extra features if I didn’t have to swallow the massive increase in storage requirements, slowdown in processing workflow, and the need to buy only the most expensive glass to get any real benefit from all that extra weight (I mean weight in terms of data, but physical weight is a factor too).
It’s all too easy to fret about every little detail when you’re trying to decide on a $2000+ piece of gear, but after four solid years of shooting with my D60, I know that the biggest limitations of any camera are in the operator, not the equipment. My goal was to move up to full frame before investing any more money in glass; thanks to the D600, I was able to do that for an amazingly good price that was unheard of before this camera existed, and I got a ton of really nice feature additions and improvements too. The differences between the D60 and D600 are incredible; by comparison, the differences between the D600 and D800 are almost microscopic. As you said, if you need the crazy high resolution, you’ll know why you need it, and if you don’t need it, you almost certainly don’t want it. As with photography itself, choosing camera gear is largely a matter of perspective.
One note: the reason you don’t see a difference between lossless compressed and uncompressed NEFs is that there is literally no difference at all (and I do mean literally). That’s what lossless means; no information is lost, thus the lossless & uncompressed files have exactly the same data, bit-for-bit. Not sure why you’d want to go with no compression at all; it requires much more storage for literally zero difference in quality. It might cost a bit more CPU time (to compress the data) when capturing, but then it also reduces the strain on your SD card throughput (which is probably the main bottleneck in the entire system).
Actually, there is no reason why Nikon couldn’t have included the one-touch zoom off the center ok button in the multi-selector; it seems a rather arbitrary omission to me.
Agree on lossless compression, just pointing it out to the unsure. I use it all the time myself.
Hi Ming,
I’m a D700 owner since 2009 and I’m very happy with it, the only thing that drives me crazy are the inaccurate colors. When I look at your images with D700 they are always spot on. I’m shooting RAW most of the time, but still it takes me a lot of time in PP to achieve good results, not excellent like yours. Yesterday I bought a brand new D600 but honestly I found the the exposure to be not so adequate and consistent like D700, especially in spot metering. So here is my dilemma, to keep D600 for it’s lovely colors SooC or D700 for it’s versatility, but so-so colors. My workflow includes Capture NX to develop the raws, which I found most accurate for D700 in terms of colors, than I finish my images in PhotoShop, but I’m never happy enough with the final results. I’m a full time graphic designer and I’m very familiar with the graphic software and retouch, but the colors coming form D700 drives me crazy. Sometimes I’m working with files from 5D and they are gorgeous even SooC jpegs. I planned to get a 5D, but I have a nice Nikon lenses and don’t like the Canon layout at all.
Greetings from Bulgaria!
Love your images and writing, your reviews and advices are the the most valuable and photo-centric that pops on my iPad every morning
Would appreciate any insight you have on D700!
Thanks,
Georgi
Thanks for your compliments, Georgi. With the D700 – shoot 14 bit raw, and use the eyedropper tool in ACR. Same with the D600. I was convinced the D700 yielded pretty good color, but after some time with the latest generation I’m convinced the D800/D600 are definitely more accurate.
Still – try using the eyedropper in ACR on a grey portion of the frame to set your white balance manually. Forget Canon, their SOOC color is terrible.
Hi. I am a high end bathroom Remodeler. I currently use a d7000 with Tokina 11-16 lens. I would love to upgrade to d600 plus Nikon 14-24 lens. It’s a lot of money for me but seems like it would produce much better results. Any thoughts or comments would be much appreciated. Thanks.
There won’t be that much difference if you’re shooting on a tripod at base ISO etc. I’d buy that first if you haven’t already gotten one.
I just skimmed through the written part of your review…no reflection on your review itself, its just that I am not that interested in the written part as I am already deep into a Canon system…but I just wanted to congratulate you on the images..they look rich with a sharp eye for detail…which I am sure is more a testament to your own skills than that of the camera…these are some of the nicest images that I have seen on your site! Coming from a silver halide film background I am less interested than most in some of the finer technical nuances of modern cameras…as far as I am concerned its all a giant leap forward and I am constantly amazed at whats possible compared to only a few years ago. Its a wonderful time to be a photographer!
Thanks – I’ve got a lot of images, you might want to keep looking
Hello Ming. I am seriously considering replacing my D800E with the D600 because the focus issues, along with the LCA issue, when it is combined with my favorite lenses (the 85mm f/1.4G and the 24mm f/1.4G) makes the D800E a frustration to use. I shoot mostly people, and like to critically focus on their eyes. 1-2 CM off makes the photo not usable in my opinion. Quite frankly I regret moving to the D800E from my D3x (which I sold), but I cannot deny that when using LV focus for landscape work, the D800E is unbeatable. But since I am also getting the m240, I have a feeling the reason for keeping the D800E is getting less convincing. But rather than going back to the D3x, should I just go for the D600? Have you compare the images between the D600 and the D3x? it’s a sad question to ask, but a necessary from my perspective . . .
No direct comparisons, but I’ve shot both enough to say that the D600 is 2-3 stops cleaner, but the D3x has slightly crisper pixels. The D800E beats both. Save yourself the money and trade the 85 and 24 for the 85/1.8 G and 28/1.8 G instead.
Hi Ming, thanks for the fast reply (it’s something that really distinguishes you from the other authors, your responsiveness). I have the 85mm f/1.8G and it does focus much better on the D800E. However, the problem is that I shoot a lot into the light (a lot of my model shoots are against backlight), and the 85mm f/1.8G’s flare problem is not always a desired effect. Also, I frequently shoot with available light, and when the sun goes down, that extra stop makes a difference. Since the 1.8G also has about 2/3 lower in T-stop, I really lose almost two stops agains the 1.4G. That, in combination with that the D800E has a LOT of shutter shake, it is not realistic to shoot at even 1/80 shutter speed without worrying about camera shake. All of this combined makes the D800E + 85mm f/1.8G less attractive for me. I think there is a place for the D800E for certain applications, no doubt, but I am leaning towards that the D600 is really what I need for the situation I described . . . that’s my thinking anyway, but I haven’t shot with the D600 so I am just speculating. As for the 24mm f/1.4G, kind of the same thing, when I am shooting behind-the-scenes shots for, say, music video productions, every top does count . . . I thought about the D4, but having had three samples that had the same focus problems as the D800E (all of which I returned), I am not sure whether that solves the problem . . .
And the D4 focus issue is really what puzzles me . . . It has LESS pixels than the D3x so the argument that higher pixel density demands higher precision doesn’t really seem to apply there.
Okay — one last question and this one has really been driving me nuts. My 85mm f/1.4G front focuses so I have to set the AF fine tune to +7 to have the center focal point perform the best (still have LCA wide open, of course). However, oddly, the only way for me to compensate is to set the default AF fine tune to +7. Using a saved value that is specific to the f/1.4G (same value, at +7), actually makes the focus worse. Do you have any idea what is going on here? It’s very strange . . .
Ah yes, can’t help you there – either you like the flare, or you hate it. The 1.4 G is much better there because of the coating. Maybe what you need is a D3S if you’re not printing large…
As for the D4: it has the same AF modules (and presumably the same calibration issues) as the D800/E.
Your AF fine tune is additive – default + lens-specific setting = 7+7, which means you’re doing +14. Try lens default at zero and general only.
Curious, why D3s over the D600? Does the D600 also have a problem with the 85mm f/1.4G?
On the AF tune, I tried 1) general = +7, no CPU saved value, and 2) general = 0, +7 for CPU lens. I assumed that both would yield equal results, but they do not, which is what is strange. Unfortunately, on this particular sample, the 50mm f/1.8G, which normally does not have a problem with the D800E, also front focuses severely, so I do think it is a general front focus issue with this body.
No, but if you’re doing mostly handheld/ available light stuff and don’t print larger than 20×30″, I’d pick the D3S. Handling/ ergonomic issues and a bit of high ISO boost, plus wider AF point coverage.
1) and 2) should behave the same. Could be your body.
Thanks Ming. I do print large prints (poster size for some, and sometimes on Duratrans), so more pixels is better, all things being equal. I don’t really need to shoot much higher than, say, 1600 ISO. I would otherwise go back to the D3x, but with the D3x I found 800 ISO to kind of be the limit of what I thought was acceptable (unless I was going for the noisy look). Agreed on the ergonomics of the professional bodies, though.
Wonderful, on the AF tune issue . . . another stupid thing to deal with on this D800E . . .
You could always try a new D800E body.
This is my 8th one . . . (well, 6th D800E, I tried two D800 before this). I thought it might be the lens, so I did order a new 85mm f/1.8G and 24mm f/1.4G. My prior one, the best of the 7, was fixed by Nikon 4 times. The first three times didn’t do anything (that was before Nikon admitted there was an AF problem). The four time, left AF problem went away, but the camera front focused generally. So, I insisted that Nikon take it back, which they did, and I bought this one. don’t get me started on my D800/E saga . . .
Oh boy. That’s a disaster. Late serial and everything? And I thought I had the runaround with a couple of bodies and fixes.
Hey Ming,
Sorry for intruding into this thread with newbie question, but could you be so kind and explain a bit about this “crisper pixels” thingie? Is it equivalent to some other established term? Can it be measured objectively? Subjectively? Which cameras are the best at it, according to your experience?
Thanks!
It’s not a technical term. However – there are cameras with AA filtration vs non-AA filtration – some acuity is lost in exchange for moire suppression.
Well, as far as i know, both D600 and D3X both have their AA filters present. And they have exactly the same pixel size. So how come one is different from the other?
Also removing the AA filter theoretically should bear some consequences (there was a reason to put them in the first place), so those aliases and moire should be worse on some cameras then the others – is there some comparison anywhere?
As on my D600, despite the AA, i sometimes see a lot of moire (mostly color one) in frames with small regular patterns present. Seems to me worse than the D7000 i had beforehand (but i didn’t have them at the same time to make accurate comparisons).
The D3x AA filter is weaker than the D600 one – at least in my experience shooting with the two cameras. And not all pixels are created equal – just because there are the same number doesn’t mean they have the same architecture or SNR properties.
There are plenty of comparisons between D800 and D800e online – perhaps the clearest like to like comparison of the effects of an AA filter.
Yeah this one starts with 301 so it’s a late model. I’ve basically concluded that I just can’t shoot comfortably with the D800E with any of the lenses that are faster than f/2.8. Quite frankly even the f/1.8G lenses are not always spot on. But the D800E is no doubt the best choice if you are using any of the f/2.8 or slower lenses. In that regard, the D800E still has a place in my lineup for a lot of applications. For situations when I want to shoot with the f/1.4 lenses, I will have to look to another body, and I am debating between the D3x or the D600. Important to me are image quality, ISO, and dynamic range (since I shoot into the light a lot). It sounds like for image quality, D3x is still higher, ISO advantage goes to the D600. How about the dynamic range issue?
D600 wins on dynamic range, in my mind. It’s almost the same as the D600, and holds it much further up the ISO scale. The D3x was great at 100 and 200, but beyond that you could feel the dynamic range disappearing quickly.
“almost the same as the D600,: do yo mean almost the same as the D800? Anyway, thanks Ming. I think I know what do to now — D800E for studio, landscape, lens choice = 24-70mm f/2.8, 16-35mm f/4, 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII, PC-24mm. D600 for faster lenses when I need the speed, or want the bokeh, lens choice = 50mm f/1.8G, 85mm f/1.4G, 24mm f/1.4G, 135mm f/2 DC. I have not coupled my 400mm f/2.8 VRII with the D800E, will have to try it and decide. On the D3x, the 400mm f/2.8 VRII was insanely sharp.
I usually have two bodies anyway, one as a backup. So I guess in this case, the D600 will be my backup/fast-lens camera.
Until the D4x comes out, anyway
Sorry, yes – the D600 is almost the same as the D800/E in terms of dynamic range. I couldn’t see much of a difference.
Okay since it was on my mind, I just tested the 400mm VRII on the D800E. Tact sharp I am happy to report (whew), even at 3 meters, where my DOF was only about 1.5 cm, LensAlign image shows focus spot on right at the 0 line with the DOF ending symmetrically at around 1.5 on both sides. at 10 meters, focus is still spot on. Granted, my D800E has to be set to a +7 default AF fine tune because of a general front focus, but so far of all my lenses, the 400mm VRII is the sharpest, most accurate, and consistently focusing lens on my D800E. Of course, this is the sharpest lens that Nikon makes, so I am starting to wonder whether, on the other lenses, some of the softness is contributed not only by a focus issue, but just the sharpness of the lens not being able to keep up with a 36MP sensor.
The teles tend to work much better than wides because the increase in phase angle between in focus and out of focus is easier for the AF sensor to deal with. Some of the softness is definitely a lens limitation, though.
Ah, that makes sense; you’re the man Ming there is no question to which you don’t have an answer. However, I do have to confirm — I don’t think that the Nikon AF tune is cumulative as you suggested. I think if there is a saved value for a particular lens, that value is used instead of the default value. If a mounted lens has no saved AF fine tune value, then the default is used (assuming AF fine tune is turned on). Am I wrong on this? Just going by the manual . . .
Mine seems to be cumulative. I’ll check.
Awesome site Ming,
Your reviews and comments are always enlightening. To revisit an old subject, have you heard anything lately about Nikon resolving the reported debris and lubrication spots widely reported by many users? I think that the 600D is the camera best suited for me, but I don’t want to buy a camera that has inherent problems built in.
Thanks
Don
Thanks Don. Nope, sorry…
I just had my Nikon D600 last month. I took photos with aperture priority and when I verified the shots through the computer under properties and details, the Metering Mode registered on the photos says Pattern. Can you please tell me what this means?
Matrix.
would you be able to say how much you post, regading last photo in yours review as it seems to me very very corect exposured? i do some weddings and this is perfect light for candids…
Sorry, I don’t quite understand the question?
is this jpg stright from camera or you did some twiking i LR or Ps..
i just read other coments regarding d600 and i see that you use workflow in ps.(dvd) so… i was intrested in low light quality as it seems very good on this photo..
regards arek
It’s my own workflow, so yes, it makes sense that I use it. Low light quality is better than the D700, i.e. excellent.
I always shoot RAW via PS. SOOC JPEG is like a microwave meal…
i prefer fresh meal too..
my Q’s. were as that was review and because people said it has very good DR i thought is this reallyjpg strait from camera? as i said i do some weddings, and from DxO mark differentbetwen ISO is massive D7000 vs D600 and i thought, is it realy worth to upgrade.. i like very much yours night shots as most reviews shows books cases insted of real situation, that is why i ask is this stright from camera or you did a lot of work in PS… like your blog and is allready in my favorites,
all the best
arek
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If you know your equipment and have enough skill, you can get great results out of any camera. But all things given, the D600 is of course better than the D7000.
“Stall proprietors sometimes remind me of thespians. Nikon D600, 28/2.8 G”
Maybe I’m missing something, but I think the “2.8G” is a mistake.
No, my typo. 1.8G!
You may delete my comment then