[shuttertalk]

So this is the next bombshell Nikon have unleashed on photographers everywhere - a more affordable full frame DSLR that sits under the wings of the big brother D800. Affordable is a relative term though - at $2100, it's still way above APS-C territory but less of a step up then the aforementioned D800.

Key highlights are 24.3 megapixel CMOS sensor, ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 50-25600), 39 point AF system, 5.5 FPS continous shooting and the kicker - full dirt/dust/weather sealing.

http://www.petapixel.com/2012/09/12/niko...rame-dslr/

I think Nikon have played their cards absolutely perfectly in terms of their lineup and product differentiation between the D800 and D600. 24 megapixels is more than adequeate compared to their APS-C offerings and they remain absolutely competitive with the rival brands. However the 36 megapixel D800 will still provide enough of an incentive to step up to a bigger gun.

Canon however have a harder time on their hands - there are rumours of a budget FF DSLR but the lines are definitely blurrier. Create too good a camera and it'll cannibalise their 5DMkIII sales. Too poor a camera and it'll be crippled against the competition. Thoughts?

[Pavel]

Rumors say that Canon will very soon announce a very similarly specked camera at similar price.

D600 seems like a great deal. If I was making a decision now, I would probably go with D600 rather than D800, but I did not have a patience to wait it out. Do not get me wrong I LOOOVE D800. I got into the same situation with D300. I bought it (and loved it), but if i waited, I would have gotten D90 with similar specs and lower price. My main issue with D600 is the use of DX lenses. I have a few that I really like. On D800, the DX crop gives generous 15+ mpix, while on D600, the DX crop is 10+ mpix. That would make me a little nervous with even fairly modest crops on larger prints. With FX lenses on, D800 may be an overkill for me, as most of my lenses are not really top grade (except fabulous and expensive 14-24) and I am too sloppy to get a "top quality" image with what I have most of the time.

[shuttertalk]

The DxoMark results are in for the D600, and impressively, they rate it as the 3rd best sensor of all time. The first two spots are held by the D800 and D800E. Very impressive considering the best Canon sensor down in 13th spot, held by the 5D Mark III.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/09/nikon-...best-ever/

[Pavel]

The quality of the sensors in Nikon DSLRs is unquestionably a huge advantage on paper at least. No doubt Canon has its own advantages. I am less familiar with the Canon line. I admit though, I can not tell which camera was produced using which image. I am now on the verge or recognizing photos taken by a full frame as opposed to APS-C based camera some of the time.

For me, D800 sensor is very liberating, as I can take hand-held photos well before sunrise in Newfoundland, where nights are dark (no man-made light sources to speak of). The dynamic range at low ISO means that so far I never needed to use HDR - very liberating - no need for a tripod, you see. To get most out of D800, you should be using a tripod most of the time, pay great deal of attention to choose the right aperture and the right focal length on your zoom, use only a select few of the existing compatible lenses, most of which cost well over a thousand (of which I have only one). I just keep my filters/lenses spotless, use the apertures in the range between stopped down 2 f-stops and F/11, unless I have a reason to use other aperture, I use a shutter speed that is hand-holdable with the particular lens (minimal shutter speed = 1/focal length and adjusting for image stabilization). ISO end up being where setting of aperture and shutter speed bump it to. The results are sub-optimal for this awesome camera but generally the quality I get is pretty good and better than I got with D300, where I had to watch ISO like a hawk. D800 is thus liberalizing the way I use it, in that I can mostly ignore the camera and just focus my attention to what i wish to capture.

[vlad]

There's a complete review on the D600 on Dpreview.com http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/11/13/...iew-posted