Nikon D610 at a glance:
- 24.3-million-pixel, full-frame CMOS sensor
- Optical viewfinder with 0.7x magnification
- ISO 100-6400 (extended to ISO 50-25,600)
- 39-point AF system with nine cross-type points
- 6fps burst shooting
- Street price around £1,560 body only
Nikon D610 review – Introduction
The Nikon D600 scored highly (84%) when we tested it last year (AP 13 October 2012), and I’ve been a big fan of it. However, the problem was that after around 3,000 shots some users started to experience dust/oil spots appearing in the upper-left portion of the frame. Hard to clean, Nikon was forced to issue a ‘service advisory’ and the D600’s reputation never quite recovered.
Just over a year later, we now have the D610. Its arrival suggests that Nikon wants to draw a line under the bad press the D600 has received in some quarters and start afresh. But with limited updates, is there much to get excited about?
Nikon D610 review – Features
The Nikon D610 sees only three obvious improvements over its predecessor: the burst speed has been improved from 5.5fps to 6fps; there’s a new ‘quiet continuous’ mode that shoots at 3fps, with the noise of the shutter release dulled; and the auto white balance has improved colour rendition in artificial lighting and gives more realistic skin tones. The first two features can be attributed to the D610’s new shutter mechanism, which perhaps points to the cause of the issue with the D600, although this can’t be corroborated.
As with the D600, the D610 includes a 24.3-million-pixel, full-frame CMOS sensor that supports a built-in 1.5x DX crop mode. So, if you currently have an APS-C-format Nikon DSLR, you can use your DX-format lenses on the D610, albeit at a reduced resolution of 10.5 million pixels. Combined with the Expeed 3 image-processing engine, the D610 offers a native ISO range of 100-6400 that can be expanded to an ISO equivalent of 50-25,600.
Thanks to the built-in flash, the Nikon D610 offers wireless flash control that allows you to trigger remotely positioned, compatible flashguns for more creative lighting, with the option of TTL or manual control.
As with the D600, wireless transfer of images is supported via the optional WU-1b mobile adapter, but it’s a shame not to see this facility integrated into the D610.
Image: This shot was taken with studio flash using the 1/250sec maximum flash-sync speed
