When getting started in photography, one thing that most aspiring photographers experience is sticker shock.
Outfitting yourself with a camera, a lens, a tripod, and other basic photography essentials can easily run you into the hundreds - if not thousands - of dollars.
But there are some smart moves you can make to make your dollar stretch further, including buying a camera that's well-priced so you can make your dollar stretch a little further.
Once such camera is the Nikon D5600.
Now, I'm not saying that this is a beginner-only camera because it's not. If you're an intermediate shooter, this rig will work just fine.
But part of its appeal for beginners is that you can pick up a like-new body for just over $600. When it comes to cameras, that's not a bad deal at all!
Let's explore a few more characteristics of this camera that prove to be helpful for beginners.
It's Fully Featured
Making an investment in a camera - even if at a discounted price - is something you want to last you awhile.
The Nikon D5600 will do just that, allowing you to learn and grow as a photographer without outgrowing your camera in a few months.
As far as the specifications go, it's fully featured:
- 24-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
- 39-point autofocus system
- 5fps continuous shooting
- 1080/60p video shooting
- Time-lapse movie setting
- SnapBridge Bluetooth & Wi-Fi communication
Nikon has a history of making cameras with great sensors, and this one is no exception.
At 24-megapixels you get all the resolution you need to take detailed photos that can be turned into large prints, especially given that the sensor produces images with great colors and excellent contrast.
What's more, if you want to take photos of your kids playing soccer or your dog running around in the backyard, the D5600's 39-point autofocus sensor will help. Aiding in that is a 2,016-pixel RGB sensor with autofocus tracking and metering.
The result is that you can let the camera find the target and it'll do a great job of keeping focus on the subject. Though the autofocus system isn't the most sophisticated, it's surprisingly fast and certainly outperforms many of the autofocus systems from the D5600's competitors.
In other words, this camera makes it easier for you to get crisp action shots that are well-exposed.
Add in HD video capabilities and a built-in time-lapse movie setting, and you have the makings of a camera that'll expand your capabilities into the video realm too.
It's Compact
In a world in which we depend so heavily on our small, lightweight smartphones, lugging around a full-sized DSLR can be a bit of an inconvenience.
Because the D5600 is a crop sensor camera - meaning, it has a smaller sensor than a traditional full frame camera - it has a smaller camera body.
And as crop sensor cameras go, this one is among the smallest available today.
That's handy for a beginner for a couple of reasons.
First, being so small and relatively lightweight means you don't feel like you're lifting a kettle ball every time you want to take a photo. What's more, the smaller the camera, the more likely you are to take it with you when you head out because it's not a huge inconvenience to carry it.
The second reason is closely related - the more you have your camera, the more you will practice taking photos, and the more photos you take, the better you will get.
Since this is a camera that you can easily carry around, it will help you get the practice you need to improve your craft.
It's Got a Flip-Out Touchscreen
Even though the D5600 is a svelte little camera, it's got a sizeable 3.2-inch touchscreen LCD.
The touchscreen alone is a handy feature for beginners because it makes it much easier to navigate the camera's menu system (which you can bring up with a single touch) and for focusing when shooting in live view.
Speaking of live view, the camera has a handy "live view" lever on the top of the body, that way you can quickly access that feature.
Additionally, the screen articulates, so you can more easily compose images from a very low perspective or a very high perspective, which helps in the creativity department.
The Ergonomics are Nice
This might not seem like a big deal, but the way that the camera feels in your hand is an important consideration to make.
Some smaller cameras feel a little cheap in the hand, but that's not the case with the D5600.
The grip is fairly robust, especially for a camera with such a small body. You feel as though it's solid in your hand, which goes a long way in feeling confident about getting sharp photos.
What's more, the layout of the buttons and dials is intuitive, so you don't have to spend hours and hours trying to figure out the lay of the land, so to speak.
Instead, a few minutes of practicing reaching each button and dial, and you should be good to go.
SnapBridge Makes Sharing Easy
Today, we're more connected than ever with smartphones in our pockets, virtual assistants to play our music, and intelligent home systems to turn on our air conditioning and turn off the lights.
It makes sense, then, that cameras are becoming more and more connected, and the Nikon D5600 is no exception.
The camera comes with SnapBridge technology that allows you to more quickly and easily share the photos you take.
Using Bluetooth, the D5600 will transfer a 2MB copy of the images you take directly to your smartphone.
That means that if you're on vacation and want to share your photos with family and friends on social media, you don't have to rely on the less powerful smartphone camera in your pocket.
Instead, take all the photos you want with the D5600, watch as each one is sent directly to your phone, and share them from there.
There's another handy feature of SnapBridge, too...
Using Wi-Fi, you can transfer video files to a smart device. You can also use Wi-Fi for remote live view. That means you can set up your camera for a shot, go sit in the car, and see what the camera sees from your smartphone.
Unfortunately, remote live view doesn't let you change any settings, but you can at least see what you'll be photographing before remotely firing the shutter.
Catch a quick introduction to SnapBridge in the video above from Nikon.
Wrapping It Up
When it comes down to it, the Nikon D5600 isn't the most expensive or fancy camera out there, but it certainly is a homerun for beginner photographers that want something that can grow with them as their skills expand.
As noted above, this little camera has plenty to offer - a great sensor, good image quality, fantastic ergonomics, and modern-day connectivity we all want.
It's also got excellent battery life, an easy-to-use and effective autofocus system, and a touchscreen for easy menu navigation and focusing. The price is great too.
And though there are some things that aren't as good about the D5600 - SnapBridge is more difficult on iOS devices, autofocus for video isn't all it could be, and the touchpad function is really only useful for right-eyed shooters - there is much more to like about this camera than dislike.
If you want something that's got great features and produces clean, sharp images, I'd consider the Nikon D5600 any day of the week! Check out a complete tutorial and overview of the D5600 in the video above by Tony and Chelsea Northrup.
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