Buyer’s Guide
Not sure which Nikon body will be the one for you? Here’s a quick rundown of the current range to help you out
All the stats you need on cameras and lenses, so you can buy with confidence
Nikon 1 J5, 10-30mm
A CSC that D-SLR users will love, the J5 has the highest resolution of any Nikon 1 camera to date (20.8Mp) and a decent sensitivity range. The top dial now also gives access to semi-automatic and manual exposure modes, plus you can shoot in RAW, which is real bonus.
Nikon 1 S2, 11-27.5mm
Small in size but big on qual ity, the svelte Nikon 1 S2 is responsive and speedy. With a 14.2Mp image sensor, and the omission of built-in Wi-Fi or a touchscreen, it’s more basic than the J5, but still a highly capable camera that you can slip into your bag as a lightweight backup.
Nikon 1 AW1, 11-27.5mm
Very much the ac tion ad venturer, the AW1 is shockproof, waterproof to a depth of 15 metres, and freeze-proof down to -10°C. To keep pace with a truly active lifestyle, it also has a built-in compass, altimeter, depth gauge and GPS.
Nikon 1 V2, 10-30mm
For comfort and familiarity, the conventional layout of the V2 includes a sculpted finger grip, electronic viewfinder and shooting mode dial. It’s been largely superseded by the V3 (below), so look out for it at bargain prices.
Nikon 1 V3, 10-30mm, EVF and grip
The flagship Nikon 1 ca mera adds a vari-angle touchscreen to the comfortable ergonomics of the preceding V2, along with key upgrades to the image sensor, processor and autofocus system, plus built-in Wi-Fi. The electronic viewfinder is optional.
Nikon D3200
An instant fa vourite with beginners when launched back in 2012, the D3200 eases you into creative photography with a built-in Guide mode that serves up interactive tutorials. There’s impressive picture quality to match, thanks to its 24.2Mp image sensor and EXPEED 3 processor.
Nikon D3300
continues the D3200’s beginner-friendly
trad ition of an interactive Guide shooting mode, and boosts performance with a later-generation EXPEED 4 processor, faster continuous shooting and greater low-light potential. There’s also a new ‘easy panorama’ mode.
Nikon D5200
THE D5200 has become a very aff orda ble
intermediate-level ca mera , now that the D5300 and D5500 have hit the market. Originally launched in early 2013, its specifications still look appealing, and the vari-angle LCD makes for easy shooting from tricky angles.
Nikon D5300
A significant upgrade over the D5200, this camera features a newer generation processor, plus built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, wrapped up in a carbon-fibre-reinforced body shell. As with the D3300, the optical low-pass filter is omitted to maximise the potential for image sharpness.
Nikon D5500
The sa me pixel count and process or as the preceding D5300, built into the same style of monocoque (one-piece) body shell. The most notable upgrade in the newer D5500 is that its vari-angle LCD is a touchscreen. However, it loses the D5300’s built-in GPS.
Nikon D7000
Outstripping the near -pro-level D300s when it was launched in 2010, it nevertheless now lags behind the newer D7100 and D7200, but still offers advanced controls and great handling to suit creative photographers, and at a knockdown price.
Nikon D7100
The D7100 gets a notable hike in pixel
count compared with the preceding D7000, along with the removal of the optical low-pass filter to maximise sharpness. Its autofocus system gets a boost too, and a 1.3x crop facility increases the maximum drive rate to 7fps.
Nikon D7200
Build ing on the D7100’s specifications, Nikon’s latest and most advanced DX-format camera boasts better low-light autofocus, a bigger memory buffer, an updated processor, built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, plus new trick modes for light-trail photography and time-lapse movies.
Nikon D300s
The veteran D300s was launched all the
way bac k in 2009, but is still available if you look hard enough. Image quality is appealing, the maximum drive rate is fast, and its entire body has a magnesium alloy build that’s particularly durable, though its specifications look dated.
Nikon D610
Full -frame photogra phy star ts here, with the most affordable of Nikon’s FX cameras. It’s no slouch, with a 6fps maximum drive rate and a quiet (but slower) continuous drive option. It also features a weather-sealed body and, compared with the D600, a revised shutter unit.
Nikon D750
The D750 is eas ily manageable for a professional full -fra me body. A recent addition to the line-up, it includes a tilting LCD screen and built-in Wi-Fi. The pixel count strikes a happy medium between the 16.2Mp Df/D4s and the 36.3Mp D810.
Nikon Df
Iconic design meets high-tech excell ence in this retro beauty. The Df is amazingly compact for a full-frame body but direct-access dials and buttons ensure that shooting controls are always within easy reach. The lack of a video shooting capability is a surprise omission.
Nikon D800e
A special edition of the original D800, this one has a modified optical low-pass filter that omits an anti-alias feature. It’s therefore better able to capture extraordinary levels of fine detail, maximising the potential of its ultra-high-resolution image sensor.
Nikon D810
The king of the resolution stakes, the D810 boasts 36.3 million pixels and, unlike the older D800e, has no optical low-pass filter. It has a later-generation processor and an extended sensitivity range. A specialised D810a edition for astrophotography is available (£3000, $3795).
Nikon D4s
Nikon’s speedy flagship professional D-SLR delivers 11fps shooting, complete with continuous autofocus and metering. Handling is sublime with duplicated controls for portrait-orientation (upright) shooting, and image quality is immaculate, even at ultra-high ISO settings.