Nikon D600 Digital SLR Camera Kit with 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S VR Lens - Refurbished by Nikon U.S.A.

2014-02-17T19:00:00

USE for PORTRAITS & DAY TO DAY GREAT RESOLUTION! GREAT FEATURES RUMORS OF SENSOR PROBLEMS BUT ALREADY HAVE USED THREE WITHOUT PROBLEMS

ARMOND G.

2014-02-13T19:00:00

My wife is using this camera as an upgrade from her D3100 that she has been using with a Nikon 50mm f1.8 prime lens mainly for portrait work. So far we have been very impressed with this camera. It came packaged very securely and arrived quickly after ordering from Adorama. Both the camera and the lens in this package are refurbished, so don''t expect any retail packaging. But from what I can tell you get everything else that comes with an original purchase (albeit the warranty is only 90 days on both items). We purchased the 3 year drops and spills coverage and it wasn't very expensive. Both the camera and the lens look and act like they were brand new. So far we haven't had any issues at all, but it's only been a few days.

Some p.

2014-02-03T19:00:00

I upgraded from the D7000 model. I recommend all DX users to upgrade to this FX model.

Davcreations

2014-01-21T19:00:00

Very happy with this, and a great camera all around. The refurbished aspect actually is reassuring in regards to avoid sensor oil issues. Dynamic range is amazing, focus is fast (with multiple lenses, not just kit lens), nice weight and feels in hands. The lens is above average for a kit lens, as well as for one that isn't a constant aperture. Initially I went with the body + lens kit just to try the lens out but most likely sell it, however I will likely keep it in my bag for awhile. Video is great, once you've properly adjusted the settings (sharpening off, contrast all the way down, saturation -1 or -2). Despite the varying aperture, I actually find the lens to be sharper than a 24-70 2.8. Sharpness and contrast are excellent. You really have to try to make it flair, and when it does it's not so pretty, compared to say a 50mm Super Takumar, but more often than not we're trying to avoid flairing, right. I'm actually very happy that I waited on purchasing this, as the D610 forced the price own so much, even though the D600 is 99% the same camera.

KURT L.

2013-11-01T21:00:00

Oil on the sensor

Advanced a.

2013-10-02T21:00:00

I was a little hesitant to order a refurbished product, but both the camera and lens arrived looking brand new and with no wear and tear evident. So far I'm very happy with both and notice absolutely no sensor issues thus far. Very happy with purchase.

BRIAN R.

2013-09-23T21:00:00

I was intrigued by all of the positive reviews pertaining to Nikon's D600 and D800 and hesitantly decided to give the D600 a try. The D600 is a remarkably good camera with outstanding features and sensor technology but I was initially disappointed with the camera's handling of tungsten light compared to Canon. (The D600 jpeg pictures had a definite orange cast that persisted through color and white balance adjustments.) Most outdoor pictures were crisp with a good color and definition but still seemed to need more WB adjustment that Canon. Camera handled well but Canon cameras are more comfortable to me. After much flip-flopping back and forth I decided than I much prefer Canon and returned the D600.

Biker J.

2013-09-09T21:00:00

Photography is a long time hobby for me. I use this camera for travel, portraits and landscapes. The D600 is an upgrade from my 7 yr old D200 and what a difference. Sharper images with good low light capability. This is the first refurb. item I have purchased and other than the 2,600 prior exposures showing, the camera looks and performs like brand new. Convinced me to buy refurb. in the future. The only negative is that it does the same thing my D200 does, namely sometimes does multiple exposures when in single frame mode.

JOEL S.

2013-08-25T21:00:00

As a pro.photographer,it is very good camera ,Do not hasitate refurbished prducts.

Pravinkumar D.

2013-08-19T21:00:00

I bought this refurbished kit with confidence, as I've purchased a number of Nikon refurbished products through Adorama in the past (including the Nikon D80 this camera is replacing). I'm extraordinarily impressed by the D600. As a semi-pro photographer, it has exactly the features that matter to me. Best value full-frame DSLR of 2013. I've had the camera for about two weeks now, and I'm thrilled. It's a wonderful upgrade in every respect. The 24-85 kit lens is of much higher quality than the 18-55 DX lens that came with the D80. The 24-85 is plastic, but has a better heft and feel. Its zoom range is slightly wider, slightly longer, and it's much faster at the long end than the DX kit lens. The 24-85 also feels wider than I expected. I'm not sure if it's the larger viewfinder or the change from crop sensor to full frame, but 24mm on the D600 is noticeably wider than 18mm on the D80 did. I also purchased a Nikon 135 f/2, and let me say, HD video through that lens is gorgeous.

TIM M.

2013-08-19T21:00:00

It is amazing camera, is like a pro camera, great colors and amazing for low light.

PABLO P.

2013-07-30T21:00:00

This may not be your typical review but.... This is to replace a D300 that I've had for years with over 150k clicks on the shutter. I also have a D800 which is great but way more camera than I need the vast majority of the time. I'd been debating on waiting for the D400 or going with the D7100 but couldn't pass up this refurb kit at this price. I've been using the D300 to shoot outdoor sports and the 1.5 image multiplication has been great. My intention was to get another APC camera but the D600 on crop mode does the same thing and still yields 10MP files if I need them. Also by using the crop mode the focus sensors cover a much larger portion of the image area than full frame - a plus. I suspect that I'll be using it on crop most of the time. Physically the camera just feels right. A little adjusting on changing ISO's IQ, WB, etc but nowhere as big an adjustment as changing focus on the D800 (and now D600). I'm still not sure Nikon did the right thing by doing away with the focus lever on the front. This also uses the same battery as the D800 which helps with redundancy. Size wise it just feels right - smaller and lighter than the D800. Focus is fast and dead on. As a refurb I was concerned about oil on the sensor but so far after just a few hundred shot, no problems there. If it is stays clean I'll be a very happy camper. The only real negative is that Nikon has done away with the PC terminal for studio flashes. A hot shoe adapter solves that but I need to remember to pack it in whatever bag I'm using studio strobes. Using SD cards vs CF cards is no big deal especially when they are so cheap. A couple of 32GB cards in the 2 slots is all I suspect I'll ever need. The 24-85 is better than I thought it would be. I was thinking I'd sell it but it's small, light and pretty sharp so I'm thinking it's a keeper. I have other lenses but 24-85 is a good range for most all my work. All and all, I'm happier than I thought I would be with the D600 - 24-85 combo. the price of the refurb unit makes it even sweeter. Highly recommended.

ROBERT W.

2013-07-22T21:00:00

The last few years I haven't had much time for careful photography, so my D200 was used mostly for when I need a picture quickly (documenting a building project, selling on ebay, rushed travel photography). The very convenient 18-200 VR stayed on the camera almost all the time, while my Nikkor prime lenses sat unused in a case. Compared to my old film Nikons the D200 and VR lens were fantastic in how I could often shoot in low light without flash. The VR let me use long exposure times handheld. Pushing ISO up to 800 caused less quality loss than going from 100 to 200 on film. ISO 1600 was usable, sort of comparable to 400 film. Whereas I have always been too lazy to carry around long tele lenses even when I owned them, 200 mm on the zoom got used very often, even for such simple tasks as taking a picture for ebay. However, at the long end that zoom was soft enough that it bothered me every time I used it even casually. When I ordered the D600 I got the body and the 24-85 VR separately but reconditioned and open box, so basically they were the same as the reconditioned kit. Three things motivated the purchase: 1. I was waiting to get the 18-200 back from Nikon repair. 2. I wanted video capability (more about that later). 3. Nagging dissatisfaction with softness in the 18-200. So what is my experience with this not-brand-new D600 and 24-85 VR kit lens? Cosmetically they are perfect, and any problems I have found are due to the design and no different in the brand new versions. The only reason to buy brand new would be to get a longer warranty. So how does it feel to use the D600 compared to the D200? I guess I had subconsciously expected the viewfinder to look brighter in the FX camera. In reality, if the D600 looked any different at all, it would be to the dimmer side. When I zoom to see the subject the same with the same lens on either camera, the D600 looks slightly dimmer. The fact that the maximum aperture of the lens decreases slightly as the lens is zoomed out for similar framing is one relevant fact. It certainly doesn't make sense to upgrade in order to get a brighter viewfinder. However, finder of the D600 shows the frame with a wider viewing angle, which is a plus. Anyway, the biggest improvement I noticed with the D600 is the higher ISO capability. The improvement seems just as great as the one I saw from film to the DX format camera. Now it seems I could leave the external flash at home almost every time. I test my lenses with a professional test target and a tripod. The not-new 24-85 was every bit as sharp as I expected. On the D600 and at the center it is as good as my 105/2.8 mikro-nikkor and my also very sharp 50 f/1.8 AFD and 85 f/2 AIS. Stopped down to f/8 the 24-85 also equals those lenses in corners at some focal lenghts, while it lags a bit at others. Not a perfect lens, but much better than the 18-200, and a worthy match for the resolution of the D600 sensor. I also like the fact that the wide end is wider than is the 18 mm on the DX format. The most noticeable shortcoming of the 24-85 in my mind is that the built-in focus motor is a bit slow. Not very slow, but somewhat slower than that in the 18-200 seemed to be. At the 50 mm setting it does not focus as quickly as the old 50mm 1.8, which lacks a built-in focus motor and relies on the focus motor in the D600. This shows that it is a lens issue and nothing to do with the sensitivity and speed of the D600's focus sensor and electronics. I am sure I am going to miss the tele capabilities I had with the 18-200. I will probably get a separate tele zoom such as the 70-300 VR or 70-200 f/4 VR. However, I suspect that I will not be carrying it when I happen to need it... Do I regret not getting the 28-300 which to the FX format what the 18-200 is to DX? Not yet, as I believe there is again too much compromise involved in that large zoom range. (But it will probably happen once I spent the money on a tele zoom and never use it.) In summary, for taking stills I have gained a lot in ability to take pictures in low light without flash, and with a big improvement in resolution, even compared to what the D200 could do with the sharpest lenses. I have lost long tele capability, but I can get a little bit of that back by just cropping. In DX mode the D600 has about the same number of pixels as the D200. In fact, if I keep the 18-200 I can use it on the D600 and still probably keep a lot of the ISO improvements, but if I did that regularly, a D7000 probably would have made more sense. I do miss the PC connector and the electrical remote release connector on the D200. The Live Wiew on the D600 is an asset, but autofocus in that mode is pathetic. Both cameras came with a little plastic protector for the hot shoe. I never saw the point of this, and never used it on the D200. Why slow down the access to the hot shoe when needed? Surely there is sufficient weather sealing. Maybe a risk of static electricity damage? I never had a problem with the contacts exposed for years. Maybe the metal could be bent on impact without the protector? I never had a problem, but then I don't handle my equipment roughtly as a pro might. The D600 also comes with another small piece of protective plastic, this one intended for the finder lens. This function is essential for correct metering when the camera is not at the eye and extraneous light may enter through the finder eyepiece and affect the meter. The D200 had a lever to shut the finder quickly and conveniently. The little plastic piece that came with the D600 is ridiculous, and I would quickly lose it if I tried to use it. I'll probably use a piece of black tape instead... Getting video capability was a very important reason for me to get the D600, but here I have been sorely disappointed. If you are making "movies" you may be happy with this camera, provided you focus before shooting each scene, accumulate recordings to be viewed and edited later. My video need is very different. I share a ballroom dancing hobby with my wife, and using video to polish a move would be very helpful. Here you record for maybe 10 seconds and review the recording immediately before you lose the muscle memory of how it felt. Someone practicing a golf swing would face a similar situation. The good news for my application is the fact that at 24 mm the lens covers the whole dance floor if the camera is placed on a table in the corner, and at ISO 6400 the and f/11 I get good sharpness and exposures anywhere in the room with regular ighting and a fixed manual focus setting. Of course with the manual exposure setting the meter is not used and there is no need to cover they finder window. But from here on I found no joy at all. What I need is quick recording start, quick recording stop, quick review of recording, rinse and repeat. No time to walk up to the camera, so remote control of all steps is essential. Review must be on a large screen TV that is visible from anywhere on the floor. On the advice of an Adorama chat session I bought an ML-L3 infrared remote to start and stop recording. Big mistake. The camera doesn't allow video recording to be controlled by this remote. In retrospect I see that the manual actually explains this. It also makes clear that the WU-1b wifi adapter has the same limitation. Ridiculously, the only Nikon solution to remote video recording control seems the 3 ft remote cord, which won't reach across the floor. (Since I haven't tried it, I can't be sure that even the wired remote can start/stop video recording.) Adorama sells a third party product called CamRanger that apparently can do the job, at a high price. So there is a solution, be happy! Not so fast. It turns out that when the D600 is hooked up to the TV with the HDMI cable, the camera refuses to record video, period! It seems to be a Nikon firmware problem, maybe at the level of the camera's internal operating system. How can a quality electronics manufacturer be so backward at a time when cellphone manufacturers routinely provide multitasking in their operating systems? Is it a case of trying to do everything in-house as proprietary software? That has stifled much progress at other companies. Maybe some of the blame lies with TV manufacturers who can barely agree on limited and pathetic standards for how TV sets interact with program sources such as cameras? Anyway, Nikon is surely to blame for not pointing out in the manual that the TV hookup kills recording capability. So maybe the TV hookup is a bad idea to begin with. After all, if it worked, I would have to carry the TV remote in one pocket (to control video review) and a wireless remote (possibly in the form of a smartphone) in another pocket to control recording. How about using that smartphone for viewing the videos too? The screen would be a bit small, but one of the bigger phones or a small tablet would be good. Unfortunately the CamRanger product can do everything EXCEPT review recorded video. The creators of that product seem to know what they are doing, so I would be surprised if they had not tried. Again, I suspect that the problem is something in the Nikon software that makes the video review impossible.

ERIK B.

2013-07-16T21:00:00

Love the camera! Nikon users will be happy with the menus and interface since they are basically the same as the d7100. Simple and easy to use. Love the sharp and clear pictures it produces. Overall I'm impress!!!

Tom S.