2013-07-15T21:00:00
Rated 4 out of 5
Great starter kit
I got this kit because I was switching from Canon and this had everything I needed to get started and some cool gadgets like the WiFi adaptor. One of the draws for me was the price point for a full frame giving me great low light low noise performance and also shallower depth of field than aps with the same lenses and fstop. Also has one of the best dynamic ranges tested on dxo. I'm a natural light photographer so I wasn't looking for a high speed synch which it doesn't have. Love to customizable buttons and the large 100% view finder.
Adorama Customer Service is awesome... tried hard to make sure I am happy. I did run into a issue with my camera (seems to lock up when the battery get to 40-45% so I don't get to use the full charge. I guess I need to send it to Nikon for repairs.
Tech22
2013-02-17T19:00:00
I bought this in December, and it took a couple weeks to get here (about 3 weeks). Finally got it and have given it a good run so far. First off, the problem most people seem to complain about with the D600 – dust spots on the sensor – does not appear to be a problem on my particular copy. I have shot a few thousand frames so I think I am past the worry point there.
Next, the menu/user interface is rather easy to get acquainted with, even for someone like myself switching from Canon. I find it far more intuitive than Canon's interface. The U1 and U2 settings are really convenient as I often shoot B&W so to have a dedicated setting for that is really great. Switching back and forth from color settings is also a breeze with a single button on the back. I love having the time lapse as well as interval shooting options close at hand, as well as ISO, shutter speed, aperture adjustments so easy to make while shooting.I also find the camera to be very comfortable, overall to handle. I have big (okay, huge) hands and really enjoy how it feels in my hands.
The autofocus… what can I say? It's fast and accurate and I am infinitely impressed (especially having switched from a lower-end Canon). Shutter slap is really quiet… I mean REALLY quiet compared to any other DSLR I have ever seen (Disclaimer - I usually shoot a Bronica S2A 6x6 which is notorious for being loud - so I come at this from that perspective).
Color rendition is pretty accurate, and white balance controls are easy to access when the camera doesn't get it quite right on its own. Low light performance seems pretty good, at higher ISO, although I cannot claim to have done all that much with that as of yet. Just a few shots at ISO 800-1600 with very minimal and in some cases, pleasant noise.
Here's where the fun comes in: I always like it when I test something and it performs better than the manufacturer claims or other people reviewed. When shooting in burst mode with RAW+LF jpeg images I was able to get up to 18-22 frames total (as opposed to 12-13 I had heard was possible) before it would fill the buffer and slow down. I'm really excited about this, as I am planning to take up rodeo shooting this coming summer, and that will be very useful.
I cannot claim to be any sort of expert on DSLRs having only ever owned 3… but I would say that if you are in a similar situation as I was – an enthusiast or student looking to find a way to vastly improve your shooting ability, you wont be disappointed with this camera, I don't think. And it will only cost you an arm OR a leg, not both…
ROBERT M.
