Nikon D5300 : Tests and Reviews

Announced worldwide in November 2016, with an intriguingly belated announcement in the US at CES in January, the mid-level D5600 is the latest addition to the range. While the new model features a similar DX-format 24-MP CMOS sensor and 3.2-inch fully-articulated LCD in a relatively compact body to that of its predecessor, it adds the company’s SnapBridge technologies —both Bluetooth and WiFi with NFC for image transfer, some touchscreen LCD enhancements, and a built-in time-lapse movie recording option.

Lab scores and full review of Nikon’s latest affordable telephoto zoom lens for APS-C shooters looking for a longer focal range.

With an f/2 constant maximum aperture, this lens is a new ultra-high-speed addition to the range of wide-angle zoom models for DX (APS-C)-format DSLRs from Tokina. Its ticket of around $899 represents a premium over its smaller and slower siblings, but the lens is still competitively priced against the other brands, especially when taking the f/2 maximum aperture into account.

A wide-angle is a must-have lens for landscape and architectural photographers, with a versatile wide-angle zoom often favored by those shooting press, weddings, events, or street photography. That there are different DSLR sensor sizes (35mm full-frame or cropped APS-C) means that it’s important to buy a lens designed specifically for each format. This is especially true for wide-angle zoom lenses, because although a full-frame format wide-angle will still work on APS-C, the crop means it’s not really wide-angle.  

Announced in September 2015, the new $479 Tokina AT-X 11-20mm f/2.8 Pro DX (Tokina 11-20mm f/2.8) is a wide-angle zoom lens for Canon, Nikon and Sony APS-C DSLRs. Updated from Tokina’s popular 11-16mm f/2.8, this latest wide-angle alternative offers an increased focal range that’s equivalent to 16-30mm on Nikon DX-format DSLRs.

The new Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC (Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3) is a super-zoom lens for Canon, Nikon and Sony APS-C sensor DSLRs. Offering a wide-angle through to long telephoto focal length in a single optic, it’s an ideal all-in-one shooting option for photography day trips and convenient general use when you don’t want to keep changing lenses.

Nikon’s long-awaited upgrade to its venerable D300s DX-format DSLR has finally arrived in the shape of the new Nikon D500. Announced alongside the flagship FX-format D5, the new Nikon D500 shares much of its bigger sibling’s advanced technology, but in a smaller, rugged, weather-sealed shell.

Announced earlier in the year, this model is the upgrade to the Pentax K-3 and features the same chassis and casing, 24-Mpix sensor, 27-point AF system, and high 8.3fps continuous shooting as the original, while adding new Pixel Shift resolution technology and an improved 4.5-stop shake reduction option.  Read on to find out how well the sensor in this new upgraded model performs.

Nikon’s latest flagship DX-format DSLR, the D7200, features a 24.2Mp APS-C image sensor and weather-resistant shell, as well as an improved autofocus and image buffer capabilities. Using the same or similar APS-C sensor previously tested in their D3300 entry-level and D5500 mid-range DSLRs, how will the scores from Nikon’s new top-end APS-C DSLR compare?

Besides being the first Nikon to feature a touchscreen LCD, the mid-range DX format Nikon D5500 is a mostly unremarkable update to the D3300, but as with that model, the performance of the 24-Mpix CMOS sensor really stands out. Read on to find out how well it performs.