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Nikon D5600 vs D7200: Which Should You Buy?

The Nikon D5600 is a very minor upgrade over its predecessor (the D5500), but still offers strong competition to the more expensive D7200, providing identical image quality. If you’re having a hard time deciding which one to buy, my general advice is always this: buy the least expensive camera that will meet your needs, and buy the best lenses that you can afford. Below, I’ll cover the differences between these cameras and explain which types of photographers will find the different features useful.

New In the D5600

But first, if you’re deciding between D5600 and slightly older D5500, here’s the difference:

  • the D5600 now supports continuous wireless communication with a smartphone or other mobile device with the use of Nikon’s SnapBridge App and NFC. This facilitates easier direct uploads to the the internet
  • minor improvements have been made to the touch functionality of the swiveling touch-screen
  • the time-lapse functionality has been improved to match the capabilities of Nikon’s higher end DSLRs, in case you don’t use your phone or another device as a time-lapse controller

That’s it! The D5500 and D5600 are virtually identical otherwise, so as the price drops on the D5500, many photographers who don’t care about these minor upgrades will be able to pick it up at a great price. Currently, the D5500 body costs $ while the newer D5600 body costs $.

The Nikon D5500 and D5600 side by side, front view
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter The Nikon D5500 and D5600 are almost identical, with only minor internal differences.

Nikon D5600 vs D7200: What’s the Difference?

To begin with, we can take a look at the most significant specs for the D5600 and the D7200.

Nikon D5600Nikon D7200

Price (body)
$$989.95
Price (with 18-140mm kit lens)$1,200.00$1,698.00
Body MaterialSereebo, (carbon fiber reenforced plastic) body-chassis Partial Magnesium Alloy Frame, Plastic
Dust/Weather Sealed BodyNoneYes
Sensor Resolution24.2Megapixels
24.2 Megapixels
Anti-Aliasing Filter
(Reduces sharpness, prevents moire)
NONO
ISO Range100-25600100-25600
Total AF Points3951
Cross-Type AF Points915
AF Motor In Body
(For Using Older AF Lenses)
NOYES
AF Light Level Range-1 to +19 EV-3 to +19 EV
Autofocus Fine Tuning
Adjustments
NOYES
Shutter Speed Range1/4000th - 30 sec.
+bulb
1/8000th - 30 sec.
+bulb
Max Frame Rate5 fps6 fps
(7 shots in 1.3x crop mode)
Max RAW Burst
(buffer size)
6 shots, compressed 14-bit18 shots 14-bit
Max JPG Burst
(fine, Large)
100100
Flash Sync Speed1/200th sec.1/250th sec.
Wireless Flash
(Built-in Commander)
NOYES
Auto FP Flash Mode
(High Speed Sync)
NOYES
Media Slots1 SD / SDHC / SDXC2 SD / SDHC / SDXC
LCD Size3.2"
1,036,800 pixels
3.2"
1,228,800 pixels
LCD ArticulatedYESNO
LCD TouchscreenYESNO
Built-in WiFiYESYES
Body Weight420g (no battery)
470 (with battery)
675 (no battery)
Body Size124 x 97 x 70 mm136 x 106.5 x 76 mm
Battery Life820 shots
CIPA Standards
1,110 shots
CIPA Standards
Viewfinder Coverage95% Frame
.82x Magnification
100% Frame
.94x Magnification
Video CodecMPEG-4 / H.264
.mov
MPEG-4 / H.264
.mov
Video Resolutions1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 50i, 30, 25, 24 fps)
1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps)
1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 30, 25, 24 fps)
1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps)
640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)
Headphone JackNOYES
Back view of Nikon D5600 and D7200
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter Back view of the Nikon D5600 and D7200. The D5600 has a swivel-screen, while the D7200 does not.

Build Quality

Perhaps the most obvious difference between the D7200 and the D5600 is in their construction. The D5600 body is significantly smaller and lighter, built of carbon-fiber reenforced plastics (Sereebo), while the D7200 is heavier and built for durability, with a metal (magnesium alloy) back and top, and importantly, it is weather sealed. Since the D5600 also uses a smaller battery, the carry-around weight of the D7200 is about 40% more1 Actually 38.6% than the D5600.

Whether this is an advantage or disadvantage depends on your photographic needs; some photographers (especially those with larger hands) prefer a larger camera with some ‘heft’ to it, while others prefer something more lightweight and easy to carry around, especially travelers and hikers. Needless to say, those who work in harsh conditions will usually prefer the D7200’s weather sealing and heavier-duty construction, as a matter of practicality.

Nikon D7200 with grip
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter Nikon D7200 with optional battery grip

The Sensors : Exactly the Same

Like the previous generation, Nikon’s D5600 and D7200 both have 24-megapixel sensors, and neither one makes use of an anti-aliasing filter. Consequently, if you shoot RAW files, you will not be able to detect any difference in image quality between these two cameras, and since both cameras use the same processor, the JPGs should be equally indistinguishable, though shooting JPG creates many opportunities for differences to creep in.


More AA Filter Info
The success of the D800e may have led directly to Nikon’s decision to produce an APS-C camera without an optical low-pass/anti-aliasing (OLP/AA) filter, but whatever led to the fact, the D7200’s sensor is naked. Before the D800e, all of the major SLRs produced their sensors with an AA filter: essentially an extra layer in front of the sensor that blurs the image slightly, in order to reduce the jagged edges and moire 1 that have traditionally been associated with digital capture. With modern improvements in image processing software, though, Nikon was confident that the moire and jaggies could be avoided without the AA filter, so they opted to remove it2 To be more precise, the Nikon D800e does have an AA filter, but it also has an AA-canceling filter, so it does not have one in practical terms. The D810 does not have an AA filter at all, nor do the D5500/D5600 and D7200. and allow the cameras to capture finer image detail.

With the success of the D7100, Nikon also decided to remove the AA filter from the D5300 and D5500’s sensors, and now the D7200 and D5600. For all practical purposes, there is no difference between the sensors the D7200 and D5600, so there should be no difference in image quality if you shoot RAW. Though this lack of AA filter does provide the potential to for the camera to produce sharper images, don’t expect too much.


Why does that matter?
Comparisons of images produced by the D800 (AA Filter) and D800e (no AA Filter) have shown that the principle works; there are subtle improvements in fine detail in the D800e’s images. However, we should not expect such significant improvements in the D7200’s images. The receptors on the 24 megapixel sensor of the D7200 are already much, much smaller than those of the D800e. In fact, the D7200 and D5600 fit about 56% more pixels into the same sensor area as the D800e.

Why does that matter? Even with the much larger receptors of the D800, lens resolution has become a serious bottle-neck for image quality. Nikon has already produced a special list of lenses that can allow you make the most out of your D800 sensor. The dramatically higher pixel density of Nikon’s 24-megapixel APS-C sensors (which is even higher than that of the Canon 5DS R’s 50 megapixel sensor) will tax lens resolution even more, meaning that the D7200 and D5600’s images won’t get much sharper unless lenses get sharper first.


Auto Focus Systems

When the Nikon D5500 was announced, its 39-point autofocus system (9 cross-type, adopted from the Nikon D7000) was significantly better than its competitors like the Canon T6i and 70D, which had only 19 auto-focus points (though all 19 were cross type; click here for an explanation of what cross-type points are and why they’re so important). However, while the D5600 was announced with no upgrade in the AF system, Canon has upped their game, with the 80D and now T7i/77D housing AF systems with 45 AF points, all of them cross-type.

The D7200, however, shares the same AF system with the once-flagship Nikon D4 and the D810: 51 AF points, including 15 cross-type… the best system available in a Nikon body.

For all but the most dedicated action photographers, though, the system in the D5600 will be more than sufficient, even if you’re buying a camera primarily for shooting sports. If your paycheck is going to depend on your focusing system, though, the extra several hundred dollars will be well spent on the D7200.

Speed

When it comes to speed, the differences between the D5600 and D7200 are more modest that you might expect. The D7200 does have a top shutter speed that is one full f-stop faster than the D5600’s (ie, 1/8000th vs 1/4000th). When it comes to shooting bursts of photos, though, the D7200 only provides an additional frame per second over the D5600’s 5 fps (unless you’re shooting in 1.3x crop mode, in which case it will give up an additional frame per second, at 7fps).

However the D7200 has a significantly larger buffer, allowing longer continuous bursts of shooting. While the D5600 (and D7100) can only shoot 6 14-bit RAW files in a row before filling the buffer and getting bogged down, the D7200 can shoot 18 RAW images in a row, three times more than the D5600.

Shooting JPG gives you even more freedom to hold down that shutter button. The D7200 can shoot bursts of 100 frames or more (at 6 fps), just like the D5600. The D7100 was only capable of shooting 33 in a row.

The D5600’s Downfall

Flash. With the popularity of off-camera lighting (aka,“Strobist”) techniques over the past several years, flash photography has become increasingly important to amateur and professional photographers, and this is where the D5600 falls short: it lacks high-speed-sync3 For a quick explanation of what high-speed-sync is, watch our video here. (Auto FP Flash, henceforth AFP) and external flash control with the built-in flash. External flash control may not be a big deal; many of us prefer to use radio-units anyway… though the built-in IR system can be very useful with Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS). Hot-shoe mounted flashes with commander-mode capabilities (such as the SB500, SB700, SB5000) can be used on the D5600 and D7200 to control CLS slave flashes.

The Nikon D7200 and D5600 with pop up flashes and hot shoe mounted flashes
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter The pop-up flash of the D5600 can not be used as a wireless controller for other flash units, but you can use radio triggers or hot-shoe mounted flash units for that purpose.

The lack of AFP, however, is a serious problem. Consider this situation: you’re shooting a portrait outdoors during the day, and you want to use a large aperture to blur the background… perhaps f/2 or f/1.4 . Even at ISO 100, this will push your shutter speed beyond 1/1000ths of a second, much higher than the camera’s 1/200th sec. maximum sync speed. So, if you want to use a flash to soften the shadows or create a catch-light in the eyes of your subject, forget it: the flash will not sync. The same is true if you want to use flash for sports and a high shutter speed, and while you can purchase external command modules or radio transmitters for off-camera-flashes, there’s nothing you can buy to work around the lack of AFP. You’d need to buy the D7200 instead.

In some instances, a neutral density filter can be used to bring the shutter speed down within the range of the D5600’s sync speed. There are several problems with the method, though: the image through your viewfinder can become quite dark, making it hard to frame your shot and making it hard for your camera’s AF system to pull focus, you lose flash power, if you’re shooting with a telephoto lens, shutter speeds at the camera’s sync speed might not be safe for hand-holding, and they’ll always be too slow for sports or fast action (if you’re balancing flash and ambient light).

Nikon SB-910, SB-700, and SB-500
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter A Nikon Flash Trio

All the Little Things

There are a few other assorted differences that deserve mention here, but they’re mostly the same differences that we saw between the D5000 and D7000. First, the D5600 does not have an autofocus motor built into the camera body, so it will not be compatible with the full range of (old school) Nikon lenses, while the D7200 does posses the motor. And speaking of “focus”, the D7200 is capable of micro focus adjustments to correct for front or back-focus problems on lenses, while the D5600 is not.

The Nikon D5600 with swivel screen extended
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter The Nikon D5600’s swivel screen can be rotated up, down, and even forward.

As should be obvious from the images above, the D5600 has an articulated LCD screen, which some people find helpful for ground-level shots and video but others find a breakage hazard (or just a bit amateurish), and it’s also a touchscreen.

The D7200 has dual SD card slots. It can be nice to have two slots if you want to record JPGs to one card and RAW to the other, perhaps sending JPGs to an Eye-Fi card, for example. However, if you only need storage space, a single slot is fine. These days, a good, single 128GB SDXC card costs only $50, and I rarely shoot more than 64GB per day, even at all-day events.

Additionally, the D7200 has two User Preset positions on its mode dial (U1 and U2), allowing photographers to store commonly used groups of settings for quick access later. I’ve never found this necessary, but some photographers find them very useful, and they’re not available on the D5600.

Top view of Nikon D7200 and D5600
Matthew Gore | Light And Matter Overhead view of the Nikon D7200 (left) and D5600 (right). Note that the mode dial of the D7200 has “U1” and “U2” positions for storing two user-preset modes, which are popular with some photographers.

As mentioned above, the D5600 can sustain a full-time connection to your smartphone, if you’re the type of photographer who likes to immediately take a shot and publish it to Instagram or some other social media site.

Finally, if you are interested in video, the D7200 has been given a headphone jack for monitoring audio while you shoot. The jack is absent in the D5600 (and D5500). All of these cameras can shoot video at up to 1080p 60fps.

Which Should You Buy?

The Nikon D5600 and D5500 are great cameras, and I’d recommend them for the vast majority of photographers, with the exception of those who need superior flash capabilities.

To summarize, you should buy the D5500 or D5600 if you:

  • want a great, all-around camera
  • shoot primarily with natural light (or manual flash)
  • need an articulated LCD screen for video or photos
  • really care about the weight of your camera
  • think you’ll really enjoy using a touchscreen
  • want to save money to buy the best lenses possible! At Amazon, the current price for the D5600 body is: $

Buy the D7200 if you:

  • shoot lots of action, especially in long bursts
  • are hard on your equipment and need a more durable body
  • use flash for action or fill, and need high-speed sync
  • use Nikon’s CLS and want to use the built-in command module
  • shoot macro (or other focus critical work) and need to make micro adjustments to your lenses
  • shoot a lot of video and want a simple headphone jack on your camera
  • don’t need to worry about spending a little more. At Amazon, the price for the D7200 body is $989.95.

For the sake of simplicity I’ve tried to focus on only the differences that, in my experience, will actually be important. There are, of course, numerous differences between the two cameras, though, and some features may be more important to particular photographers. If you think that I’ve left out something important, please feel free to let me know.

Please Comment!

If you have additional questions or comments, please let me know, below. I’ll do what I can to answer questions and clear up any confusion.


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Armando

Hello Wayne,

Really appreciate the concise comparison information. As much as I would love to get the D7200, my budget points to the D5600, that is until I started to price the cameras around and came up with some options on the D7200 as ‘Nikon Refurbish’ that could meet my budget. I am wondering if you have any guidance/opinion on this. Again, thank you.

Wayne Precanico

Hi,

Very good comparison – thank you. I’m curious to see if you still have the same thoughts today? I started looking at the 5600, but then saw the 7200 and I’m kinda torn. I’m looking to get back into photography and one thing that caught my eye was the ‘more’ ruggedness of the 7200. I agree about the buying a body you can afford, and then better lenses. I have around $800 to $900 to spend on this, so what would you recommend?

I know, it’s not a ton of money, but I need to keep this in perspective too!

Thanks for any guidance you can offer,

– Wayne

Nilendu Sarma

Hi, which of these two will be better for clinical macro photography of the skin

David B Meloche

Is it possible to use a radio transceiver on an off-body flash to sync to 1/4000 shutter speed?
I wasn’t aware that on body would be limited on the d5600, my sony a100 (10+ years old) has no problem syncing.

Ela

Hi, I was decided to buy D5600 but recently the D7200’s price went down here in my country and it’s just a bit more expensive than 5600 now. It’s going to be my first proper camera, so I was wondering if 7200 would be too complicated as I’ve read on some websites before? But I think I would really appreciate that it’s quicker and more durable (on the other hand there’s no touchscreen which I’m used to work with). I take photos mainly of animals, nature and horse riders, so the extra fps is great for me. Which one should I buy?

Ela

Thank you! I actually bought D7200 and I love it. I also bought a 50mm, f/1,8 lens as something to begin with. I take photos in manual setting only and it’s not that complicated as I expected, I’m incredibly happy!

Abir Paul

Hey Ela, from which country you’re?
I’m from India, I’m a bit confused between these two.But I thik today the price difference between these two is not too much.
So according your experience what do you suggest me!
Please let me know!

Ronit

Hi Matthew, I learned a lot from your comparison – thank you. I believe I’ll buy the D5600 especially because of it’s weight.I like to take photos of nature street and landscape. I want to buy 18*105 lens and I’d rather use just one lens. .Which lens do you recommend? Thank you. Ronit

Megan Edwards

I’m still trying to decide between the D5600 vsD7200? I’ll mainly be shooting kids, pets, wildlife and landscapes can you give some pointers. Thank you

Andrew C.

I’m looking at getting my first ‘nice’ camera and was wondering if you had any input on the canon M50 vs the Nikon D5600 for nature photography. I think I’ll mainly be doing macro shots of flowers and wildlife photography with more emphasis on the latter.

I know there are not a lot of native lenses for the M50 at the moment, but they have an adapter and I have no current lenses so I don’t necessarily see that as a drawback.

Thanks in advance!

Karina

Hi Matthew,
I had a hard time deciding between the D5600 and the D7200 but your article helped me pretty well. I guess, I will go with the D5600 but I still have one concern.
I am heading to India in a few month and I will mostly take street photography as well as landscape and architecture with focus on architectonic features. A big role play temples and temple caves. Temples and temple caves are not very well lit but I will need a good image quality of the ornamentations, reliefs and sculptures. Will the D5600 do? What lenses would you recommend? I don’t want to carry a lot of lenses with me and don’t want to switch too often. Will the 18-140mm zoom and the 50mm/f1.8 or 35mm/f1.8 do (especially in dark places)? What about the flash SB-300?

Thanks, Karina

Jyotirmoy

Hi Matthew,
How nice and informative information. I am basically a Wedding video photographer. Presently I want to switch over still wedding photography. I have read this article carefully and inclined towards D7200 due to old lenses compatibility as well as flash. But confused about video recording which is also important to me. I came to know from your article that there is canon 80D which have all 45 cross AF and capable for good video recording. My question is, can Canon 80D give same Image quality like D7200 or D5600? Google also confused me more. I do not need 4K video. Full HD and HDR are sufficient for me. Help me a camera with good video and D7200 like photo with this price range.

Jyotirmoy

Matthew, thank you for your valuable suggestion. Within 7 days I will purchase Canon 80D. Forgive me for my bad english as it is not my mother language and for weaknes. Please suggest me good lenses for wedding photo and video shoot . Thank you again.

Maegan

Matthew, Thank you for all the wonderful informative information! I’ve been wanting to get into photography for a long while. My husband and I will be going to Hawaii next year and I’d love to get a camera before hand and learn the ends and out before the trip! We also have a toddler who I’d love to also photograph as she grows. So between the 5600 and 7200 I have discovered a couple of kit options at our local camera shop and was wondering which one you might recommend?! First kit is 5600 with a AF-S 18-140 lens, second kit is 5600 with two lenses 18-55mm VR and a AF-P DX Nikkor 70-300mm, and last but not least the third kit 7200 dual zoom AF-P 18-55mm VR and AF-P 70-300? I know you say buy the base I need and a better lense so if there is a setup you would recommend instead I’d greatly appreciate it! I’m leaning more towards the 7200 because it’s weather sealed but I’d love your thoughts! Thank you!

Maegan

Matthew, Thank you so much for the information! I definitely will look into your recommendations and will keep you posted on what I decide to get! Keep up the amazing work with your website! It’s the best information I’ve come across so thank you!

Ravindra

Hi Matthew
I am planning to buy my first DSLR, i don’t have any idea on DSLR’s and i request your suggestion whether to choose Canon / Nikon / Sony / FujiFilm. Traditional DSLR / Mirrorless.

Thank you in advance,
Ravindra

Ravindra

Hi Matthew,
Thank you for your time. I recently started photography as an hobby, as it is a festival season in India big brands like Nikon, Canon, Sony, FujiFilm are giving big discounts and combo offers. Today i had a demo on D5600, D7200, EOS 800D, a6000 and now i am in a confuse state to finalize. Shooting videos is not my interest and if available its an added advantage but not compulsion.

Couple of kit options offering by big brands

Nikon
D5600
AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55MM F/3.5-5.6G VR
AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140MM F/3.5-5.6G ED VR
AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55MM F/3.5-5.6G VR + AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300MM F/4.5-6.3G ED VR

D7200
D7200 WITH AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105MM F/3.5-5.6G ED VR
D7200 WITH AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140 F/3.5-5.6 G ED VR
D7200 WITH AF-S 18-200mm VRII

Canon
800D
EF-S18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM (at focal length of 55mm)

EOS M50 Kit (EF-M15-45 IS STM)
EOS M5 Kit (EF-M15-45 IS STM)

Sony A6000
E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6
16–50 mm + 55–210 mm

Fujifilm
XT20
16-50/50-230mm Dual Kit
18-55 Kit

XE3
18-55kit (Black/ Silver)
23mm F2kit (Black/ Silver)

T100
15-45mm
15-45mm & 50-230

Thanks
Ravindra

Ravindra

Matthew, thank you for the information and i am going with D7200.

Ravindra

Hi Matthew,

Purchased D7200. As suggested, should i go with AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D OR AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G.

Thanks a lot in advance.

Regards,
Ravindra

Akshat Bhargava

I have Nikon D-5600 and love to shoot wildlife and Birds photography. Is it worth to use Nikon 200 – 500 Lens with D-5600?

Akshat Bhargava

thanks for reply only draw back of 200 500 lens is its too heavy to operate. will you plz tell Sigma 150 600 or Nikon 200-500 which one is better for D5600

Nirmal

Hi Matthew,
I am planning to get an ultra wide angle lens for my nikon D7200. I have sort listed
1. AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR
2.Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8 ATX Pro DX II Lens for Nikon APS-C (DX) Digital SLR Cameras
3.Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM ELD SLD Aspherical Super Wide Angle Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

I am confused which one should I get? Please help me.

Nirmal

You are great Matthew, thank you very much for your quick response..
I was looking for landscape, photography possibly will be doing at night too. I hope Tokina 11-16 F/2.8 is fully compatible with D7200. Yes I am planning to get a new tripod too.

Did you say Tokina 11-16 has another cheaper version f/3.5-4.5 ? I am not finding it in google. Could you please share a link? Will used lens be good. New one is bit expensive. Which is best site for used lens?

Any other wide angle lens would you recommend ?

Nirmal

Hi Matthew,
When I was searching for Tokina 11-16, I found various names in different site. So wanted to clarify. Please tell me which is better or all are same?
in adorama
Name – Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8 ATX Pro DX II Lens for Nikon APS-C (DX) Digital SLR Cameras
Link- https://adorama.evyy.net/c/62026/51926/1036?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adorama.com%2Ftn1116nk2.html

in Amazon
Name – Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II Digital Zoom Lens (AF-S Motor)
Link- https://amzn.to/2FEXkWN

Another version in Amazon
Name -Tokina ATXAF116DXIIN 11-16mm f/2.8 Pro DX-II Lens for Nikon F, Black
Link – https://amzn.to/2DI90Wc

Nirmal Sahu

Good to hear that u r in India. You might have already planned your stay in India, but let me know if I can help u with anything? Which all cities are you traveling?
Thanks for your reply. Is this lens compatible with nikon full frame body? I might upgrade from d7200 to FX body in future, so asking?
I am also researching for a travel tripod. There is a MeFoto with carbon fiber tripod/monopod and aluminium Model. Cost difference is almost $100. Is it worth to take carbon fiber model?
Any other budget tripod you can recommend? Mefoto/ manfrotto are bit expensive. Please give me some link or model Or shoukd i still go with mefoto?
If possible please soon so that I can take advantage of festivals deals.

Nirmal Sahu

Is this vanguard model convertible to monopod too?
How about this mefoto model
MeFOTO Backpacker S Travel Tripod/Monopod – Carbon Fiber Black (BPSCBLK) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H7PRH3T/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_api_1pq-BbTMTMQ05

Bob

Can’t figure out why a swivel/articulated screen would be considered ‘amateurish’. Wouldn’t a Pro need ‘all the angles’ and an amateur tend to just stand there and shoot straight? I am a Pro and I love the swivel, especially for video. I lament high end cameras with a fixed screen… ridiculous. Notice D500, D7500 and others are starting to at least have TILT. It’s about time!

nycdan

Matthew,

Thanks for this perfect article. We are looking to replace/upgrade our D3100 before a trip next month. One of my biggest issues with it is the delay, particularly in lower-light, between pressing the button and the picture being captured. Some of this may be my own lack of complete understanding of how to manage that, but my question is whether either or both of these bodies will be faster to shoot from the button press and if so, will there be a noticeable difference between them as well.

I probably have a few more questions but let’s start with that.

Thanks.

-Dan

nycdan

Matthew,
Thanks for the informed response. The wife values the smaller, lighter feel of the D5600 so I think that’s the way we’re going. I’m glad to hear there will be noticeable improvement in the shutter lag and definitely willing to put the time in to figure out the rest.
Another question if you don’t mind. We have the stock 18-55 lens that came with the D3100 which is nothing special. We added a Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED for longer shots (this is going back at least 5 years). Are any of the optional lenses with the D5600 worthwhile or will we be much more satisfied going with something else. I am fairly sure we want to replace the shorter lens at least as a ‘ready’ lens but open to suggestions. We will be in Iceland and France ina few weeks but we mix in a bit of everything including indoor sports in well-lit gyms. So… 1) is our long lens still decent by today’s standards and 2) what is a good multi-purpose lens for shorter distances for the new body, and 3) will we want a third lens for scenic shots?
Thanks again for your advice. If we do purchase from Amazon (in consideration) we will gladly use your link.
-Dan

nycdan

I can’t edit so I’ll add this here. Looking at your lens page and reading below, the SIGMA 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM jumps out as a pretty solid option to use instead of the comparable stock lens. Any others you’d suggest to look at in comparison? If this will cover wide shots and closer shots (e.g. people against farther backgrounds) then it seems like a solid general-purpose lens.

Marco A Casco

Great site you have !!!! Thanks !!!!
I have a Nikon D5100, an old D3100 and an old D40…..enough for me, not a pro, they take great pictures…carry one of them with me everyday (most of the time I use the D40 since it’s lightweight and flash synchs at 1/500 !!! along with a Nikon 18-300 lens, and a Nikon 35 mm 1.8 (don´t mind the lens weight of the 18-300 mm lens, good workout !)….
question is: what lens would you suggest for taking pictures indoors, in close quarters that’s not as bulky as the 18-300? One that’ll give me some wide angle and some close up too, the kit lens seems to be a bit blurry at 18 mm. at the sides of pictures. Any suggestions?
Love this site. Thanks Matthew !!!! Keep it up !!!!!

MIGUEL ANGEL ORTIZ VALENZUELA

Thanks for this great review.
Right now im a D3300 user, and since a few months, i start to feel short with the features, and this two are my candidates so far.
Its going to be very helpfull to make the decision.

SALUDOS desde Chile.

Udayakiran

Hi Mathew,

I have a D5100 with NIKKOR 50MM for portraits and Tamron 18-400 for travel lens. I am facing auto focus and fast focus issues with both these lenses. Since i have not used any other body, i want to know if i should upgrade my body for D7000 series for faster focus and good auto focus?

Anil

Hi,

For pre wedding type of photography, i thought d7200 is enough but with budget constraints, i thought to step down for D5600.

so with a d5600 and 1.8 sigma 18-35 mm lens, does that make a good gear for my work?

Kristy H

Hello! Thank you for such a good review! I have been using a d3300 for about 2 years and have learned some good basic photography with it. I have mainly used it for landscapes on a myriad of travels in the last couple years (and plan to continue to travel and take landscapes). I am also about to start doing portrait photography and thought it would be a pretty good time for an upgrade. Lenses: I have the Sigmas 10-20 3.5, Nikon 35 1.8, NIkon 50 1.8, Nikon 18-55 kit lens, and Nikon 55-300 basic lens. I just got the d7200 used and like the controls, but am unfortunately finding it a bit cumbersome and heavy. I have small hands and also have tendonitis in my hands and wrists. I am so thankful that photography has not been painful and would like to continue that! So my dilemma is- do I keep the d7200 even though I am already finding it a bit heavy and worrying about using heavy lenses (would also like to upgrade the kit lens for a good zoom/slightly higher focal length lens for landscapes to complement the wide angle). ….Or do I resell the d7200 and either just keep the 3300 for awhile or go to the d5500? I do like the articulating screen because I enjoy getting shots really low to the ground sometimes, but I really like the button layout on the d3300 and am not sure if there would really be an image quality upgrade from the d3300 –> d5500. Any advice would be awesome!!! Thanks so much!

Kevin

Hello Matthew,

After reading through your reviews I’ve decided to go for a 5600D, before then I usually ran on a cheap D3100. Thus I already got the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G and a 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G. My thoughs are right now to buy a 35mm f/1.8G lens and possible a 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G. My prime use for the camera will be landscape and portrait pictures since this is my hobby when I am not studying. Whats your thoughts and opinion? Should I go for a 50mm f/1.8G instead? Also what filters would you recommend? Is there other lenses I should try out? Love your reviews and keep rocking!

Thanks in advance,
Kevin

Steve Weinstein

I purchased the 5600 and like the 18-140 lens cause it gives me some wide angle and portrait zoom capability. I also have the 55-300 and 35mm f1.8 lens (which have not used much)

Kevin

Thanks for a quick reply!

I have a friend of mine that got the 35mm which I enjoy shooting with a lot, but I’d definitly try the 50mm and 85mm before buying one! As for the polarization filter I should go with the Pol-circ instead of the linear type?

Instead of the Sigma 17-55f/2.8 or 17-55, whats ur thought’s and opinion on SIGMA 17-70mm F/2,8-4,0 DC OS HSM Contemporary Macro? Or would you still go with the one you recommended?

Thanks!

Kevin

Alright, thank you very much for the feedback. I’ve got one last question if you wouldn’t mind. Would you go for the same lenses if it would be a D7200? Or is there something to consider different when having a D5600 versus a D7200 (or the newer D7500). As I’ve understod the cameras got different stabilisation built into the camera, and I’ve read around on the internet that some lenses should have a built in stabilisation to shoot better photographies.

Daniel Ardeline

You won’t find a better deal than the Nikon 35 mm f/1.8 for a combination of quality, price, small size and utility. Rarely do I use anything else. The 18-55 mm kit lens is cheaper, but much slower. I just took sixty night shots, alternating between the two of them. Note that the 35 mm doesn’t have VR, and I had taken a lot of shots by resting the camera on things (I have no tripod, and was taking 2 second exposures of fireworks). I personally only use wide angle lenses for photographing rooms in close quarters.

Gurpreet Singh Sidhu

Thank you Matthew for the detailed comparison between Nikon D5600 and Nikon D7200. I am looking to get my first DSLR soon. Nikon D5600 seems to be great option and it is in my budget too. However, I am still confused between Nikon D5600 and Canon 800D/T7i. Which is best for still photography? Thanks beforehand for your support and knowledge.
– Gurpreet Singh

Nirmal

Hi Matthew,
First of thank you so much, After reading your reviews I finally purchased D7200 with 50mm 1.8 lens and I am amazed to see the results.
Now i am planning to buy a good tripod ($100 -$150)and a budget landscape lens. Could you plz suggest some options.
Thanks in advance.

Nirmal

Thanks Matthew,
Yeah i wanted an ultra wide lens. I know aperture makes a lot difference specially on lens price.
So which one would u suggest. Send some.. I would try buy from your link.
One question I always wanted to ask is – what is the major difference between lens made by cigna, tokina, tamron etc brand VS made by Nikon? Is there any IMAGE quality difference ? or its just because of brand? Why there is huge price difference between other brands lens vs Nikon lens?
So you suggest K&F is good brand?
Send some link for travel tripod… I believe you will suggest me for Carbon Fiber.
Will aluminum tripod be also good for travel purposes?
Thanks again for your time and help.

Konner Rohrer

Hello, I am debating on these two models currently. I am a novice photographer and this will be my first DSLR. I will mainly use it for my pets (dogs) and their Instagram page. And also traveling with family. I was planning on going with the 5600 and spending around $500 on new lenses. Can you suggest some good prime or zoom lenses that would take the image quality of my pets to the next level? Which should I get first? Thank you!

Harikrishnan

Hi, really good article and comparison. I had this doubt about taking 5600 or 7200, and chose D5600. I am planning to make a purchase for a good lens which will give the maximum result from my camera. I usually shoots with my 35mm DX 1.8G, and also interested in FX 50 1.8 & 85 1.8Gs. But then I saw the 16-80 which is a very good lens but costly compared to 16-85. What is your opinion in this regard.

Lee

Hi Matthew,

I just came back from the trip last week and wanted to report that I LOVE the camera. It was so unfortunate that I didn’t have a lot of time to learn to use it before leaving for the trip and didn’t realize that the 16mm lens has something called “clutch” system where you can pull the focus ring to change the camera to manual focus and my lens got to that mode by accident. During the trip it was so crowded everywhere we went and we were on tight schedule so I didn’t have time to take a good look and research what was wrong with the camera. I noticed that the autofocus didn’t work when I pressed the shutter half way but also wasn’t sure if the problem was me not seeing it clearly because I didn’t wear my glasses so half of the pictures came out blurry. I also wasn’t sure what settings we should use for the conditions we had, most of the time it was cloudy or we were in a shade so tried to use low f-stop but that also contributed to the blurriness because the camera chose the low shutter speed to compensate that plus being in a crowded place and people rushing you all the time didn’t help either :-( That’s a learning process I suppose. Nonetheless, I still want to say that I love the camera, it’s very easy to use given the little time I had to practice before the trip but because the knobs and dials are out there making it easy to access even in a hurry. You can quickly change the settings and snap the shot. What I lack is the skills and experience picking the settings and good composition which I’m hoping to gain with more practice.

Anyhow, now I’m back and looking for another lens. I learned from the trip that there were times when I wished I had a longer reach so I’m thinking of getting a telephoto lens to add to my collection and also a tripod/monopod combo. I noticed from the trip that in most places we went, tripod is not very practical because of the crowd around you and a lot of places don’t allow them actually. In situations like that I can see monopod being a better choice plus it is lighter and more compact to carry around.

I realized that I’m probably in a wrong thread but don’t know where else to post and wanted to continue our conversation, so sorry for hijacking your Nikon thread :-) And if you are still thinking about the mirrorless, I strongly recommend the X-T2 and want to thank you again for pointing me in this direction.

Lee

Hi Matthew,

Thank you so much for the recommendation. No worries about the delay, I totally understand and I’m in no hurry this time. Seems like a lot of people really like the XF50-140mm lens and I can tell by the price that it must be a great lens but the weight scares me a lot so I’m also looking at the XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8 because the weight is more manageable but I don’t like that it’s not water resistant and probably not as good. I would love to get the XF50-140 but I feel that my skills are not good enough to justify the price. I think I might try the 55-200mm first and revisit the 50-140mm later when I can find a way to handle the weight issue, as 3.9 lbs is quite a lot for a petite person. Or maybe I will try to add a couple of dumbbells to my camera bag and walk around with them for a day to see how it feels. Must be a good workout :-)

Thank you again and good luck with the lens reviews, I will check your other pages out later!

David

Lots of great information, but anyone considering the D5600 should realize that it is primarily a prosumer point and shoot, with less than ideal manual controllability while the D7200 is a midrange professional designed with tried and true Nikon usable overrides and manual controls. My adult daughter purchased the D5600 back in Aug ’17. Almost immediately she seemed to be fighting the camera. I thought it must be user error until I tried to use her D5600 and found that I too was fighting it. Throw the D5600 into full auto and it is a really nice point and shot, but try to use manual controls and you quickly find that the body lacks sufficient physical controls to allow intuitive override and manual control camera functionality. It was also incredibly difficult to say with certainty just how the camera was setup at any given time and the info was always buried in the touchscreen menus. Also the info in the viewfinder was virtually worthless outdoors it was impossible to glance and read it due to washout. She tried to make peace with the D5600 for over 2 months, taking several thousand pics, but in the end, gave up, traded up to a D7200 and immediately started getting the shots she wanted on a reliable basis. Let the D5600 control its world and all is well, but attempt to toss in some manual, creative control and the D5600 with its layered menus/touchscreen forces you to focus on the camera rather than the shot and that is NOT a good thing.

Glenn

Great review. I am upgrading my canon 300d this christmas. My main use will be photographing my kids playing rugby here in NZ and also a bit of motorsport mainly Rallying (if the WRC ever comes back here) I like the loo of the 7200 for the weatherproofing but I have never had a problem with the canon over the years. Do you think It would be worth me going for the 7200, or just sticking with the 5600 which is a bit smaller and lighter, considering most of my use will be for action. Thanks

Steve Weinstein

Hi Matthew—I just bought the Nikon d5600 and now I have 3 lenses with it, the 18-140 VR, 35 f/1.8, and 55-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR so I think I am all set for my trip to China and Vietnam. I am thinking that during the daytime land excursions I would use the 18-140 lens as my “Go To ” lens?

Steve Weinstein

Thanks Matthew as you have been so helpful in my search for the 5600 vs 7200 and the lenses. Taking all this on a cruise/ land trip from China to Singapore.

Steve Weinstein

So I have now with my D5600 the 35mm f1.8, 18-140mm f3.5-5.6, and 55-300 f4.5-5.6 lenses. I am going on a cruise/land tour to China, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore and want to carry a minimum of lenses that will do the trip justice. After buying the above lenses, I see B & H is selling a Tamron 18-270 f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD AF lens for $300. Am I wasting money buying this lens after obtaining the lenses above although the Tamron covers the range from wide angle to telephoto. Not sure about the quality of the Tamron at the long edge of the range. What do you think?

Steve Weinstein

Great–I was hoping that you might say something like that after I purchased all 3 lenses. I am tempted to go with my 18-140 plus the 35mm for dim or indoor lighting and leave the 70-300mm at home. I use the 70-300 in the Adirondacks during summer to take photos of Herons and Loons and Bald Eagles in the early morning around sunrise and that is a good lens for that. Thanks very much for your help and comments.

Steve Weinstein

Just learning to use my Nikon 5600 and would like to know what settings I should try to capture the Super Moon? I have the 35mm f1.8, 18-140mm lens and the 55-300mm lens. I do have a tripod. So looking for suggestion as to ISO, Aperture and shutter speed. Thanks

Nirmal Sahu

Hi Matthew, we r going to have a Christmas house party this year. My friends have asked me to shoot this event. The party will be in hall, under a normal house lighting surrounding. Pleae give me some tips on aperture, iso, and shutter speed. I am planning to use 50mm 1.8G and 18-55mm. Do I need a tripod. I want to impress my group with my clicks.
Thank you so much in advance.
— Nirmal

Steve Weinstein

Matthew, can you recommend a travel tripod that is “easy to work with” and cost in the range of $100-200 and folds to no more than 15″? I look on B & H and everyone has some critical comments of the Mefoto backpacker or Roadtrip ones around screws that don’t stay tight or having to remove plate to fold up. I am looking for a tripod that is “easy to set up” and fold back and will hold my 5600 and 50-300mm lens. Any recommendations?

Steve Weinstein

Thanks Matthew. There is another Super Moon on Jan 1 and we will be on a cruise in China at the time so I was hoping to get some photos from the ship while it is docked even though there may be some movement.

Steve Weinstein
Steve Weinstein

The Vanguard VEO 265AB gets mostly very good reviews with a few claiming it is fragile with the collar breaking. But mostly good reviews, compact and has locking clips versus twisting. Any thoughts on Vanguard?

Steve Weinstein

After spending lots of time, reading many many reviews, I have decided to buy the Slik Sprint Pro II with Ball for $69.95 at B & H. All the reviews give it lots of kudos with always a very few who find something they don’t like. Thanks for helping me evaluate this decision.

Steve Weinstein

OK—I will be taking it on the cruise from Beijing down to Vietnam, Bangkok and Singapore. I expect to use in on the ship when it is docked for some night shots and possibly on our excursion to the Great Wall of China. I get back end of January and I will let you know how it went.

Steve Weinstein

Matthew, after to speaking with B & H, he asked me how I would be using the tripod and I told him with a 300mm lens. He told me that the Slik Sprint Pro II was only rated for 4.5 lbs and it would not be as stable versus another tripod. So we went over several and we wound up with a Mefoto Road Trip Titanium which also extends to about my height. It was $178 with a $50 rebate so net cost of $128. It should arrive on Monday and I will try it out before taking it to China.

Steve Weinstein

Thanks. I am leaning towards the Vanguard but will do a little more research on the reviews compared to a few others

Victoria Sword

Hello! I am a former 35 mm minolta user who has been using a teeny Canon Elph (which is a great knockaround travel camera) and making the move back to a nicer camera. We are going on a Northern Lights adventure next year. While I will also be taking some refresher classes, I’d like my purchase to be geared to taking these types of photos (with everything else coming second).
BTW I still have my old Minolta and lenses which are in perfect shape. Can you recommend any place/ any one who could appreciate this camera? Love to sell it, but it is not worth much on ebay, so would like it to go to some good hands.
Thank you so much.

Nirmal

Hi Matthew, Great Article. So Far I was inclined to D7200 but now I am thinking about D5600. Honestly, I am still confused which one to buy? I just want to explore photography as my hobby.
When I researched I found 5600 is basic level and one who is serious about photography should take 7200. definitely, 7200 is expensive I can afford but do not want to spend if it is a waste of money. So looking for an expert who can say that 7200 is not worth so that I can confidently take 5600.

While researching I found 7200 is better over 5600 on following major points –

1. Number of Focus Points – 51vs 39
2. Number of Cross Type Focus Points – 15vs 9
3. Viewfinder Coverage – 100%vs 95%
4. Max Shutter Speed – 1/8000svs 1/4000s
5. Low Light ISO – 1333vs 1306
6. AE Bracketing Range – ±5 EVvs ±2 EV
7. Min Focus Sensitivity- EV -3vs EV -1

Do these parameters affect photographs? I will do photography on marriage events, birthdays for friends and family. I will do outing so would like to do portrait, landscape etc.
Please suggest should I take 7200 or 5600 and which all lens would be best for me.
thank you again for this great article and awaiting your reply. Please reply so that I can take decision before ThanksGiving :)

Nirmal

Thank you so kuch for quick comment . I am looking forward to deals on this thanksgiving. Please allow me ask you one more question-
Which lens will you recommend for
5600 and 7200 respectively?
As my requirement is for marriage, birthdays, outings photography. For portraits, landscape and zoom too.
Budget below $200.
Will you also recommend refurbished body and lens. If yes which site is trustworthy?

Nirmal

Hi Matthew, I am planning to take nikon 50mm 1.8G for portrait. But not able decide ultra wide angle lens for landscape.please suggest any between $200-$300.
Thank you so much.

Kare Karppinen

Hi Matthew,

I bought new D7000 body two weeks ago. It cost 375€ in Finland and it has Nikon full garantee. So I mean D7000 is still good option, if it is new or little used and price is reosanable.

T. Kare

Jossy

HI

I currently have the D5100 and it’s been useful but I feel I’m missing something when my pictures don’t seem to be as crystal clear as professional photos. Will I close that gap with the D5600 or should I go for the 7200?

Lee

Hi Matthew,

I’m so glad I found your site! We are travelling to Japan next month and on Friday I did a quick Google search “best camera for travel” and found a recommendation for D3300 but when I was on Amazon I found that the price difference of the D3300 and D5300 wasn’t significant, without doing much research I decided to go with the D5300.

Last night I had more time so while trying to do some research on lenses, I came across a review that said D5300 can’t focus with non AF-S lenses and that D7200 is better. More googling brought me to your site and I’m sure glad it did. It’s so tempting because the D7200 seems like a great camera too but the only concern I have is the size and weight. Budget is not a big problem for me but I think the lighter weight of the D5300 will make it easier to carry it around and your articles confirm that the D5300 is still a good choice. I saw that you also like the Sigma 35mm F1.4 ART DG HSM Lens that I planned to get. Now the problem is I also noticed from your comment replies that mentioned the 18-140mm lens being a good overall lens but the D5300 I found a good price on ($489) comes with a kit lens 18-55mm. The option with 18-140mm lens for D5300 is not available at the same vendor but they have D5600 with 18-140mm at $900. Is the extra $500 worth switching to the D5600 because of the lens?

Also, I understand your recommendation is to get a cheapest camera and spend the money on the lenses. This will be my personal first DSLR and I plan to take some classes but for a start I just want to get a good camera and a good overall lens that I can carry around for family picture and trips to learn and practice. If I don’t want to be lugging around a big camera bag, can I get by with just the Sigma 35mm F1.8 lens as overall lens for the trip? Even if I went with the D5600 with 18-140mm lens, I think I will still get the Sigma 35mm. But that lens is not cheap so I don’t want it to be a duplicate if later I end up with more lenses for different purposes… long term thinking of course :-)

Thank you in advance for your help!

Lee

Thank you so much for the quick and thorough reply! Very informative and very helpful. It’s interesting that you brought up the mirrorless as an option, I never looked into it as much as I should have. I had the impression that they are just advanced pocket cameras but still a step down from DSLR’s. I grew up around Nikon enthusiasts so the image of “big Nikon body with big lenses = pro” stayed with me for a long time, long enough that I had made up my mind that when it’s time to get myself a new camera, Nikon is the only choice. It might be silly, I know but it’s just kinda one of those sentimental things. I also like the sound of the shutter and the flipping mirror that the traditional and digital SLR’s make, and the feel when holding those cameras. That being said, I do appreciate your recommendation on the Sony a6500, it seems like a great compact choice especially for travelling. I feel like it’s great as a 2nd camera with new technology that will make taking pictures easier but the D5000 series might be a better choice for learning the old school shooting techniques, I might be wrong on this since I don’t have any experience with the mirrorless cameras and am still a novice in general. I think I will get the D5000 series first and will follow the Sony a6500 till I feel more comfortable to make the switch (and for the price to come down a little more). Right now it’s still hard to erase that old Nikon image out of my mind :-)

Oh! I will also look into the lenses you mentioned. I think I will change from the Sigma 35mm to the 18-35mm f/1.8 as it seems more versatile and might add a 24-70mm and a 70-200 later once I have time to do research on the selection. Since I only have barely a month left before the trip and still have to plan the trip details so might have to pause the camera-related search in the meantime.

Thank you again!

Lee

Hi Matthew,

You make me rethink the mirrorless and it’s possibilities. I’m slowly inclined towards the mirrorless now. I might have to try to stop by the store and take a look at them. Between the two of your pick, which one is better in low light? At a glance, I like the look of Fuji X-T2 more and also like the viewfinder location. The first thing I don’t like is the price though. It will be over $2,000 easily with lenses. If I took the plunge I don’t want to regret later. Some people said that the technology is still new and the price will drop later. Hmm… it’s a tough one…

Thanks a bunch!

Lee

If you hadn’t mentioned the Sigma lens compatibility for the Sony, the Fuji X-T2 would win my vote easily. But even with that in mind, I feel that I would still pick Fuji. I think Sony makes it easier for people who already own a lens collection to switch to them if they can still use some of their favorite lenses on the new camera. But for people who have to start from scratch like me, the decision might be easier to go with Fuji. Even I feel sad that I wouldn’t be able to use the great Sigma lenses that I had my eyes on, the fact that I haven’t owned them make it easier to look for something else as I haven’t grown attached to the gear. I feel that overall I like the X-T2 more. Sony might have an edge on video but I don’t do a lot of videos so Fuji should be just fine.

Hard to be believe, but I’m very close to finalize my pick :-) Now if I go with Fuji, I have to continue my search on the lenses. Seems like both of their FX 35mm f/1.4 or 56mm f/1.2 are good choices. If I can get only one, which one do you think is a better overall lens?

Steve Weinstein

I just bought the 18-140 Nikon VR lens from 42nd St Photo for $299 on sale. Now I have to make choice of buying the 5600 or 7200 and I think from reading your comments the 5600 May be good for me

Steve Weinstein

Mathew if I were to buy a 50mm fast lens for dim or night time for a 5600 nikon, what would you recommend? I think you mentioned a Sigma lens that you liked? I am going on a cruise to China, Vietnam and Thailand and would like to take some photos from the ship during night time with a tripod. Any suggestion for a good Travel Tripod that is not too bulky?

Steve Weinstein

Mathew, the Sigma lens is a little steep in price after I buy the 5600 and the 18-140 lens. What is the difference between the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8 and the Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8 in performance with my d5600? Which would you recommend if any of them?

Steve Weinstein

I forgot to mention what the difference is between the Nikon 50 mm f/1.8 D and f/1.8 G lens? I think for the d5600, the G lens is preferred cause it autofocuses?

Steve Weinstein

Mathew if you were going to buy a d5600 and 50mm lens, whom would you buy from that can be trusted not to upsell me or sell me a “gray” product? I am looking at 42nd Photo, B & H Photo and Abes of Maine.
Does anybody have any experience with any of these? I have seen several complaints against 42nd St photo but not the others?

Steve Weinstein

Thank you very much and now I will buy from B & H or Amazon. I just want to let you know that your website and your forum is the best thing for me with taking your time to respond to my questions. It has been bookmarked to my favorites and I am recommending it to others.

Steve Weinstein

Just ordered the d5600 body, 35mm f/1.8G lens, Hunter 35 waist pack, 32GB memory card and extra battery plus UV filter from B & H. They told me that if 42nd St photo and Abes are selling the 5600 at a lower price, they are not selling a brand new Nikon or a Gray market product. I should receive all by Monday or Tuesday. Thanks for your help in both your review of the 5600 vs. 7200 and lens selection.

Steve Weinstein

Hi Matthew, I now have the Nikon d5600 with the 18-140 VR lens and the 35mm f/1.8 lens. So if I were to shop for a 200 or 300 zoom, what would you recommend. I can buy the 70-300mmVR from B & H for $250 (regularly $400) because I bought my camera body from them. Do you have some other suggestions? Thanks

Nirmal Sahu

Hi Matthew,
I just got a new D7200 and an 50mm 1.8G. What i found is lens mount is very tight. Is it normal?
At the same time my old 18-55 mount is very smooth. Please help else i will have to return to amazon.

Nirmal Sahu

Yes, there is a black rubber ring.I hope it will affect me camera body. I will apply some vaseline . Thank you so much.

Nirmal

Hi steve, 5600 is great choicei m not expert but check the best buy deals on this Black Friday. They hv a deal on 7200 its 999 with two lens. I am planning to take this and will sell the kit lens so difference between 5600 and 7200 cost will not be more. Just a thought.
Plz let me know if you get any site which is having deals on nikon lenses. 18-300, 50mm and a wide Lens is in my list. Provided they are in budget.

Steve Weinstein

42nd St Photo is selling the d5600 body right now for $579 and the d7200 body for $779. I already bought separately the 18-140 VR lens from them for $299. After Mathew’s excellent review, I am heavily leaning toward the 5600 cause we go hiking and are traveling to China and Vietnam so the lighter camera works better for me. So now what do you recommend I complement my 18-140 lens with? A fast 50 mm for dim light or night time or a 50-200 telephoto? I really do not want to carry more than 2 lenses.

Steve Weinstein

Thank you very much. Now who to trust to buy from–42nd St Photo, B & H (higher in price by $100 for the 5600 + 50mm G lens) or Abes of Maine (same price as 42nd St Photo)

Nirmal

Hi Matthew, for landscape would u suggest nikon 10-24.
What t the parameters to consider for selecting landscape lens?

Steve Weinstein

How does buying from B & H, Amazon or Adorama help you? How do they know that I received valuable info from you and then go on to buy at the above sites?

Lee

Hi Matthew,

Do you have a link to Adorama or B&H for the X-T2 and kit lens? That will save me over $100 on tax and hopefully I can still support you :-)

Thanks a million for your help through this whole process!

Lee

Hi Matthew,

The 23mm f/1.4 is not water resistant , but the newer model with f/2 is water resistant and cheaper but reviewers say that the f/1.4 one is sharper. I’m still reading but leaning toward the f/1.4.

Lee

Hi Matthew,

After reading and picking a few combinations of lenses, I think I’m settling on the kit lens (since it’s a great lens at a bargain price) and supplement it with the 16mm f/1.4 R WR. I didn’t think I would go this wide and it’s heavier than the 23mm but it seems to check all the boxes I want for low light, water resistant plus it also has macro capability. I think it will be great for the weekend hiking trips. I also like the 23mm, 35mm and 50mm. I think I will also get the 50mm f/2 WR and will see what the kit lens can do first and then might come back to get the rest.

I’m ready to order them tomorrow. Very excited. Thanks again for your help! :-)

Steve Weinstein

Oh, I saw this too late. I called B & H and told them that Matthew Gore recommended I buy from them so maybe and hopefully you will get credit for it. I spoke to somebody named “Paul” and my order number is 703273510. Hope that helps.

Lee

Hi Matthew,

If you’d like, after I come back from my trip I can send it to you to play with it for a couple of weeks, as long as you promise to send it back :-) That might help you with your decision too.

Lee

Hi Matthew,

Just ordered the camera and the 16mm f/1.4. lens. I started at Adorama site but was busy over the weekend and by the time I was done adding everything I need to the cart, the camera and the lens were out of stock so I had to go back to Amazon. Seems like both the camera and the lens are very popular. BTW, all of the 17 items I ordered were sold by third party vendors (including Adorama) not Amazon so I didn’t have to pay tax, I hope that would still work out for you :-)

I will be back during the last week of November. At least that would be a small thing I could do in return for your help… can’t wait to try the new camera!

Luke

Hi Matthew,

Sorry for bumping an old comment thread, but I found your review very useful. Thank you. I’m looking to get my first DSLR soon and I’m torn between the 5600 and the 7100. I can’t justify the higher price of the 7200 just yet.

One of my main concerns is weatherproofing (it is quite rainy in the UK as you know!). What is your experience, if any, for using a non-weatherproof camera in some rain? Or are there any accessories that can add/improve the weatherproofing of the 5600?

My other concern is the lack of AFP in the 5600. I’d be mainly shooting wildlife/nature, but should I be worried about this when just starting out with photography?

Thanks
Luke

John McDonnell

I read this article a few weeks back then bought the 7200. You should too, it’s great. I got mine from grey stock from a highly rated store on a popular auction site. As they freely admit, you don’t get the Nikon warranty but they give you a year themselves. As I’d had a Nikon before for three years without a single issue, I was happy to take the gamble the 7200 will be problem free after the first year. I’ve only had it a month so far but so far so good and I saved 20% on Nikon’s minimum selling price. Good luck

Luke

Ok I think I need to do a bit more research before choosing, especially now the D5300 could be an option. I’ll keep shopping around until I find the best deal I think.

Thanks both for your help! Greatly appreciated!

Linda

Hi Mathew,
I was looking at the D7500, but it didn’t convince me to be better than the D7200 and worth the extra money. I don’t see any improvement in that foldable screen…

So I compared the D7500 to the D5600. I am traveling and hiking and my hands are not that big, so from the body the D5600 suited me just perfect. Your article supported my tendecy to go for the D5600 and save some money. BUT there are two major points I am missing in your article.

1. visionfield of the optical viewer
D5600 has just 95% compared to D7200 100% which means that if you are composing your Fotos while shooting, you will have to cut those ‘unwanted’ 5% later manually on a computer.
Furthermore the picture in the viewer is much smaller in the D5600.

2. preview (sorry, in German it’s the ‘Abblendtaste’ and I don’t know the correct term in English) the D5600 is totally missing that button. It is not possible to check your settings regarding focus and background unless you take a picture and check.
Usually with that button you can see it directly in the optical viewer.

Hope you get what I mean :)

Jeff

Finally time to upgrade my D70s (yes, its been a while) and I have a SB800, will D5500/D5600/D7200 all work as a remote trigger for this flash?

Thanks, and great article!
-Jeff

Gjøran

Nice review. Thanx! This helped me a lot. Is the 5600 a lot better than the 5300? (there is a lot to save on going for 5300 vs 5600 and touchscreen is not on my “I really need that”-list. However. Higher ISO may be (if the quality in higher ISO is descent.)

Fairy Rose

Hi, I’m looking to upgrade my old Nikon D90. Tempted by weight and ease of use I spontaneously bought a Coolpix B700 a few days ago. Whilst weight and ease of portability certainly are great I am already missing the speed of the DSLR – I’m taking a lot of photos of children and pets, and am getting many lost moments, heads turned, eyes shut etc – all of which are so much easier to avoid with a DSLR.
I asked in a photoshop which of the current Nikons would be today’s equivalent of the D90 and was advised it’s the D7200. Is that right? It seemed a great deal heavier…..
They also said that buying *any* of today’s versions will give me an upgrade compared to my old D90. Would you agree with that?
And would you definitely stick with Nikon? That’s my instinct, but if I’m missing out by ignoring Canon, then please say!
Thanks for any thoughts.

John Mcdonnell

Hi

Thanks for a great article. Currently looking to upgrade my D3100 (I already have some decent lenses). Whilst I don’t use social media a lot, I do like to be able to easily share pictures with family and friends so was just wondering if you’re able to comment on how easy it is to send photos taken on the D7200 to a mobile device (and whether that can be achieved while out and about, or do you need to be on your home WiFi network, for examaple). From your article it sounds like the D5600 would be better for that but that otherwise the D7200 is the better camera.

Also, I found your comment on using an Eye-Fi card in one of the D7200s dual SD card slots interesting – why would you need to have an Eye-Fi card if it has WiFi? I ask because I’ve given up with Eye-Fi. The X2 Pro was good but sometimes flaky before they effectively discontinued it and the one they replaced it with, which I did buy, makes you sign up to their storage/portal with a monthly fee. But perhaps some people like this which is why they may use an Eye-Fi card? But then didn’t I read somewhere that Nikon have a similar but free service in which you can back your photos up to the cloud (seems unlikely).

Any help clearing this up would be greatly appreciated!

John McDonnell

Hi Matthew. Thanks for the quick response. When the older Eye-Fi cards worked they worked well. Images I wanted to keep I would protect on the camera which would then see them transferred to my phone first, within 30 seconds usually, then when at home and my phone connected up to my home WiFi network, it would automatically download my photos to my laptop into (customisable) date-named sub-folders. The endless memory functionality would also delete photos that had already sync’d off the card to always keep 20% free on the card.

How good is all that? Never had to do anything manually to copy photos to my laptop. I consider it a faff to have to plug the memory card into the laptop, check which photos I’d already downloaded then copy and paste the ones I hadn’t.

Shame a couple times it messed up, though I was able to fix it with help from their support, then Eye-Fi discontinued the service in order to try and make you sign up to their paid service.

I assumed that if I bought a camera with WiFi connectivity I could still achieve what the Eye-Fi card used to but it seems not. Anyone have another way to achieve this?

I guess it’s going to be use snapbridge for sharing lower quality photos using my phone (fine) then I could set up a (Windows) PowerShell script to run on inserting my SD card(s) that checks what I have on my laptop then only copies off what’s not already be transferred, again into date-named folders it creates. Not the end of the world but with the Eye-Fi method I almost instantly had the full size photos backed up to my phone in case the SD card broke or I lost my camera (not likely I know), not sure how I combat this. Anyway, rant over.

Does anyone know if the D5600, which also uses Bluetooth, can transfer full size files?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Olivia Peck

so I’m currently debating which one to get and I would like to thank you for making this article it helped me pick which one I want more which I’m currently looking at the D7200 which I’m planning to take places if I travel mainly to Thailand because my parents currently live there

Patrick

First of all let me say thank you Matthew for all the time and help you so generously publish on your website. I’m UK based so it is interesting to see so much of your recent work in Europe.
This comparison caught my attention because I have been pondering this problem myself. However one feature you don’t mention that interests me is the difference with viewfinders in these cameras. As I understand it the D5600 has a pentamirror and the D7200 has a pentaprism.
Bit of background. I’m ancient enough to have grown up for most of photo hobby time with Canon film cameras, including an A1 and ending up with a T90. A couple of years ago having retired I wanted to renew my interest in photography and started to compare digital cameras. My choice ending up between the Panasonic FZ-1000 and either a Canon or Nikon DSLR. I borrowed a Nikon D3200 which I quite liked but in the end the thought of lugging a bag of lenses around and the good reviews of the FZ-1000 I bought that camera. However what I found is that having been so used to using the viewfinder I rarely use the LCD screen and I just can’t get on with electronic viewfinder. So I am considering again going over to a DSLR for the ‘proper’ viewfinder.
One other point about the D7200 that concerns me is that as the back LCD screen is exposed all the time is subject to getting damaged in normal use?
I did wonder if the D7300 might arrive soon with the articulated LCD?
Really appreciate your thoughts.

Patrick

Thanks Matthew that’s really helpful.
Patrick

Gmdsr

What about the D5300 for even a more less expensive option?

TN Args

Your comparison is way better than those others that look like a robot did it on auto pilot. Thanks for the extra effort. Also quite a sane, balanced perspective (you are wasted on the internet).

Perhaps worth mentioning that the D5600 does support CLS and external flash control including groups, but needs an SB-500 or bigger on its hotshoe to do so. People interested in this usually have quite a few flash units to hand, so it is not a big difference IMHO.

Rene Grothmann

I made the decision based on the weight and size, and then the 5600 is a clear winner. The only thing I missed so far are used defined presets. The most annoying feature of the D5600 was that the settings for the timer are lost after each shot. But for my travel photography those are minor points.