First of all, if you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I really do enjoy writing like this and it's not often I get the chance to. There's a little bit of information about each different Nikon model in the current lineup below. You can find many detailed reviews and specification sheets for all of them by searching for the model.
Image by me. Nikon D7500, Sigma 17-50 f/2.8
Nikon has a large selection of cameras to choose from starting with the entry level D3500 up to the professional D6. I currently own a Nikon D7500, Z50, Z5 and Z7. I love each for different reasons. I could get by with any one of them. I've shot Nikon's for more than 25 years. I love the results that I get with them.
Now you’ve had hands on the cameras and decided Nikon is a good fit. What model should you choose? Nikon has been at this business for a LOT of years. Longer than most of us here have been around. Let’s start at the (recent) beginning. I’m going to go as far back as the D3x00 and D5x00 series bodies. This will cover us back to over 10 years ago. There are older Nikon DSLRs out there, but that would just make this unnecessarily complicated. As I mentioned previously, all of the Nikon DSLR (D-series) cameras use the Nikon F-mount for their lenses. (As opposed to the new Z-mount on the Nikon mirrorless lineup which I'll also talk about.)
Nikon’s DX series includes the D3x00, D5x00, D7x00 cameras, as well as the professional D500. There are also three Z-series mirrorless, the Z50, the Z fc and Z30. I'm going to change this slightly and get the
The D3x00 series are Nikon’s entry level DSLR camera bodies. The series started with the D3000. The main focus of this series is to keep the cost low while getting you into a Nikon camera. Many of the internal components, such as image sensors, are shared with the D5x00 series. To save cost, some unnecessary features are not built in, such as WiFi and a touch-sensitive screen.
This series has come a long way on features and image quality in the last 10 years. The current model is the D3500, but anything from the D3300 or newer is a great place to start. The older (D3200 and previous) bodies do not support the latest generation (AF-P) lenses and have much lower resolution sensors, so I don’t recommend them unless they are super cheap. The D3300 and later sport a 24 megapixel (MP) class sensor and can shoot up to 5 frames per second (fps). I’ll mention a few other features as I compare this with the next model.
There are a couple of specific features that are missing from the D3500 that I think are worth mentioning. The D3500 does not have a microphone port. If you are going to use a DSLR for video, it is generally recommended to use an external microphone. The in-body microphone will pick up the focus motor noise from even the quietest lens. The other feature this is missing is an intervalometer. This allows for things like time lapse. If interval photography is something you know you’ll do, jump to the D5x00 series or higher.
The D5x000 series is what Nikon calls the “advanced entry-level” body. The D5200 and newer bodies also use a 24 MP APS-C type sensor. In fact, the image sensor used in the D3500 and D5600 is the same, which means the image quality will be the same. There are a number of added features with the D5x00 series. If you are going to use any of these features, consider this series over the D3x00. These are specifically from the D5600, but will be similar in older models.
I had a D5600 for about 2 years before I upgraded. I only sold it because with my other camera bodies, it just sat on the shelf.
The D7x00 series is Nikon’s “prosumer” or enthusiast camera. It brings a number of features from the professional series bodies without so many that it becomes a professional model. The current model, the D7500, shares the same image sensor and image processor as the professional D500 body without the sticker-shock. Unlike the D3x00 and D5x00 series, upgrading here will have an impact on image quality especially in low-light. The D7100 and D7200 are also worth looking at if a D7500 isn't in the budget. If you’re coming from the older (D90, D100, D200, etc.) DX bodies you'll want to look at the D7x00 series.
One thing a lot of people will catch when the look at the specs is the D7500 has a 21 MP sensor, where the D35/5600 have a 24 MP sensor. It’s true. There’s more resolution on the lower-end cameras, but the 21 MP in the D7500 is a noticeably better sensor. The latest Nikon flagship body, the D6, also has a (very different) 21MP sensor. In a $6500 body. Higher resolution doesn’t always mean better image quality. Doubling (or nearly doubling) the resolution such as a D850 will produce a more detailed, higher quality image (at significant cost).
A few other specific features you get with a D7500 are:
The D7100 and D7200 have similar specs. One thing Nikon dropped with the D7500 that people dislike is the older bodies had dual card slots like the FX bodies.
The newest entry in the Nikon DX line is the Z50 mirrorless. It’s my everyday, take everywhere camera. When it comes to image quality the Z50 is on-par with the D7500. Both the D7500 and Z50 punch above their weight in features and image quality. But the Z50 is nearly half the weight and significantly smaller than a D7500. The 16-50mm lens Nikon designed for the Z50 is top notch and it’s also very lightweight and compact. While it doesn’t fit as easily in my coat pocket as the a6000 did, it blows the a6000 out of the water in every regard. I’ve read more than one article by pro photographers that have fallen in love with the Z50 as their secondary and dedicated travel camera, and I understand why. That really says a lot about this camera. One thing that keeps coming up in discussions about this camera is that a lot of the initial reviews complained about autofoucs performance. Nikon has released several firmware updates and AF has been much improved.
Some other technical advantages you’ll see if you compare specifications between the D7500 and Z50 include:
My Z50 has definitely become my favorite. If I could only take 1 camera with me somewhere, this would be the one. (Along with a couple of extra batteries.)
The D500 is the flagship of the Nikon DX line. It is considered a professional camera and comes at a professional price. I’m not going to write too much on this one, because if you’re really looking at a D500 you probably know a lot more about photography than I do. This body is a great example of something I mentioned before. If you aren’t going to use a feature, don’t pay for it. If you’ve got the budget for a D500 and think you’ll use the extras vs the D7500, this is the cream of the crop. You pretty much get more of everything I’ve mentioned previously. More auto-focus points, more fps continuous, 2 storage slots, etc. I never considered this body because it’s out of my budget and as “advanced” of a user as I am, I wouldn’t come close to pushing this camera’s capabilities.
The Nikon FX bodies do not get updated as often as the DX bodies. I think this is mostly because the DX are marketed towards consumers who are used to quick upgrades. When you look back at the last 2-3 updates on the DX lines, it’s all feature changes. The imaging hasn’t changed in 5 or more years. Since the FX lines don’t get updated as often, I’m going to stick with the current models only.
The D610 is Nikon’s “entry-level” FX body. I put that in quotes because it’s hard to call it entry level. Just like it’s DX cousin, what makes this entry-level is having features removed to save cost. Here are some of the D610’s feature highlights.
One glaring feature that’s missing is any wireless connectivity. The good news is you can fix that with an adapter for $50. Even though this is the oldest model Nikon still sells new, it holds its own nicely.
The D750 is Nikon’s enthusiast or prosumer FX body. That puts it somewhere between advanced entry-level and professional, similar to the D7500 in the DX line. But I feel like that sells it a little short. Of all the camera’s in the Nikon lineup, the D750 is the one that everyone compares everything else to. That goes for comparing with other brands as well. When you compare the D750 and the D610, you’ll see a lot of things that match up. Here are a few upgrades compared to the D610.
The D750 has found its way into many professional photographers bags as well as hobby photographers. It’s probably the most commonly recommended Nikon camera there is today.
I mentioned the D780 previously. It is one of the newest additions to the Nikon family. The D780 is the replacement for the D750, but it’s a little bit more than that. The D780 is the first Nikon DSLR body that has borrowed innovations that were developed for mirrorless. The sensor in the D780 is the same or very closely related to the Z6. This brings a number of improvements. Auto focusing is improved. Video and Live View are significantly improved. There are a slew of other improvements, but they get rather technical. In the end, the D780 is a unique camera right now. In many ways it compares more directly with a Z6 than it does as an upgrade to a D750. If you don’t have a bunch of F-mount glass, it might be a better plan to go to a Z6. Here are a few specific upgrades from the D750.
Just like the D500, if you’re seriously considering a D850, you probably know more than I do, so I’ll keep this short. The D850 is the top of the Nikon semi-pro line. Personally I’d call it a professional model. I've seen it called the best DSLR camera available today more than once. The biggest difference between the D750/D780 and the D850 is the sensor resolution. The D850 comes in at 45.7 megapixels. Now as I’ve said before, more megapixels doesn’t automatically make it better. But this is an upgrade from well, anything really. The level of detail you’ll get with a D850 is only rivaled by the Z7. One reason to jump to a D850 is if you plan to do a lot of extra-large (poster size) print work. On the other hand, all this detail comes at a cost. You’ll often hear people talk about how huge the D850 files are and how much horsepower it takes to work with them. If you're looking for a high resolution camera, this is the one.
I already mentioned the Z50. Below is information about the rest of the Z series line up. These are all fantasic, feature rich cameras. All use the newer Nikon Z-mount natively. I also mentioned the FTZ adapter before. Just like with the Z50, I recommend buying one at time of purchase. You get a significant discount and you will want to use F-mount glass at some point. Let's dig in.
One of the newest additions to the Nikon lineup is the Z5 FX mirrorless body. I bought one to replace my D610. Just like the D610, it's considered "entry-level" only because it has features removed to make it less expensive. It's actually a very nice camera. I'd put it right on par with the D7500 for the bang for the buck award. First, I'll talk about the two places the Z6 has a clear advantage. The Z5 is not as good at shooting video as a Z6. Specifically with a 4K video it gets cropped by 1.7x. (Note, this also applies to 4K time lapses.) This means that you get a fraction of the field of view that you would shooting 1080p. The other clear advantage you get with a Z6 is continuous frames per second rate. The Z5 is limited to 4.5fps vs. the Z6 at 12fps. I rarely ever shoot more than a handful of continuous shots, so this isn't a huge issue for me. If you're shooting sports and wildlife, it could be a deal breaker. For wildlife, I'd actually suggest the Z50 over a Z6. The APS-C crop factor is helpful and 11fps for half the price is on point.
Now that we've covered the few things that the Z5 compromises on, let's talk about all the things the Z5 is great at. Everything else. The Z5 shares the same EXPEED6 image processor as the Z6 and Z7, but has a slightly different sensor. It's 24MP just like the Z6. The difference is it's not the backside-illuminated style sensor. Basically this means that the Z6 will have better image quality vs. the Z5 at the high end of the ISO range. But the difference is not huge. After processing the NEF files through LR or other software, the difference will be difficult to see. One of the biggest complaints people have with the Z6 and Z7 is the use of the XQD card and that it only has one card slot. The Z5 sports dual SD/SDHC/SHXC card slots. (The Z6II and Z7II also address the single card slot complaints.) It has a 273 point hybrid AF system with face and eye-detect. Field reviews are putting the Z5's AF system among the best on the market. The new EN-EL15C battery allows the camera to be externally powered and charged while using the camera. This is the first Nikon to allow this. I do a lot of long exposures, nightscapes and timelapses, so I'm really liking this feature. It also keeps the 1/8000th maximum shutter speed you see on the higher end of the Nikon lineup. The Z5 also picks up in-body image stabilization (IBIS) like the Z6 and Z7 have had. IBIS is serves a similar function to VR in lenses. Also important to note, the Z5 does not have a built-in flash. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. An external flash is a good thing to have and not very expensive.
I'm re-writing my section on these bodies. In the mean time, the REALLY basics. The Z6 and Z6II are the best hybrid cameras in Nikon's lineup. Every Nikon takes great stills, but if you are wanting to do more than the basics in the video realm, the Z6 and Z6II are the cameras to look at. The Z7 and Z7II are basically the same camera (except how they support video) with a 45MP sensor and twice the cost.
The "II" versions have a couple of big upgrades. One is that they have 2 EXPEED6 processors and Nikon added an SDXC slot in addition to the XQD/CFExpress slot.
I hope this has been a helpful read for you. I’ve enjoyed writing it. Photography is an adventure. It’s a fantastic hobby because there’s always more to learn. It can also become a very expensive hobby because there’s always something more to buy. But as I’ve said before, the difference between a decent snapshot and a great photograph is the person behind the lens, not the gear.
Now get out there, get shooting and above all