Originally Posted by
arthurking83
the 'real world' tech differences between a D5300, D5500 and D5600 are(for all intents and purposes) meaningless.
That is to update from a D5300 to either a D5500 or D5600 all you get is some useless wireless feature that just gobbles up lots of battery power.
The primary/underlying tech in all three D5300-5600 models hasn't changed in about 6 years. Very high quality 24Mp sensor .. maybe a few frames extra burst speed, and maybe buffer increase .. but either camera will give pretty much the same image, quality for a given ISO value, as the other.
The only other tech feature of note that usually gets updated with each body model is a better AF system. I'd have to look them all up, but I can't ever remember the AF system being properly updated between each of those models.
Why you'd want a D7100 over a D5300. D7100 has a much better AF system.
The difference is one of those things that you would notice when photographing birds.
As Hawthy said, there are those features like flash sync, controlling ability for slave flashes .. etc .. and all can be handy to have.
More handy hardware features to have access too that the D7100 has over the D5xxx and D3xxx models:
* the ability to work with non CPU lenses. Many of these old, sometimes very cheap manual lenses have fantastic IQ. Also a bit of a treat to get back to working for your shots .. manual focusing, and stuff like that.
In addition to that ability to meter and use focus confirmation, you can also store a number of non CPU lens specs in the camera, then choose them as you use those lenses. This way EXIF is added to confirm the lens used for a given shot.
Possibly the most two important hardware feature advantage the D7xxx bodies are:
* viewfinder .. much brighter and larger uses prism as opposed to mirrors
* the command/sub command controls. ie. one control wheel for each of shutter and aperture.
My second biggest gripe with the D5500 is the single command wheel to control either shutter or aperture .. it just feels wrong!(major gripe is that the body is just too small for me, gets uncomfortable after a short time).
Another body feature advantage in the D7xxx is the ability to change AF settings easily with a button-dial combo, rather than delve into annoying menus.
There's a dedicated AF button for menu/config variations.
Not obvious to the first timer, but once you've shot for a while, easy access to variable configurations could be something to pay a bit more for.
On a similar note, same with a dedicated AF-On button! Some folks call it Back Button Focusing. It's just simply AF-On. this little button can be worth it's weight in plastic! makes a world of difference in difficult situations.
In saying that tho, AE-L button can be configured to be used as an AF-On item.
Sensor is the same. So image quality at any given ISO value will be near identical between D7100/7200 and D5300-5600 AND D3300-D3500 .. they all use the same sensor. Sensor gets a tweak with every model, but underlying IQ from all those cameras is near identical IQ.
What can make a difference in IQ tho is focus accuracy. This is where the D7100 will(or could) yield a shot where the D5xxx or even to a greater degree the D3xxx models can fare worse off.
Where you may get a blurry image due to misfocus with the D5xxx/D3xxx cameras, the D7xxx cameras may get it in focus.
D7100 has more focus points, more X type focus points and a faster and more accurate system for focusing.
With fast pro grade, large aperture lenses .. the focusing issue may be less relevant.. that is a 70-200/2.8 will focus just a quickly on a D3xxx as it will on a D7xxx .. just a blistering quick focus lens.
But when choosing small aperture slower focusing consumer grade lenses, it can make a difference, and as light levels get lower and lower .. it WILL make a difference.
Another hardware feature not normally addressed is that with the D7xxx bodies, the bodies themselves are far more durable. They feel 'more hefty' .. a little heavier, etc. but this is because they have a bit of magnesium in them in strategic areas.
D7xxx bodies not quite as durable as a the higher end Dxxx bodies with all magnesium build, but still have a more solid feeling.
If lighter weight in more important, then the D5xxx/3xxx bodies are obviously the better option here.
As with the D7xxx bodies over the D5xxx bodies advantage, the D5xxx bodies have the same(but less) advantage over the D3xxx bodies.
Major advantage that the D5xxx has over all models discussed so far is just that fully articulating screen.
I have to be honest here and while the D5500 is my daughters camera .. I use is primarily for the tilting screen! If I have an awkward position to get into to get a shot, I use that in preference to my cameras!
Other than focus system and some other obscure features that put the D3xxx bodies to a disadvantage, the primary one is that raw file capture is limited to 12bit only(as opposed to 14bit as an option).
Not entirely problematic, but in some scenes, where you push process as far as possible, it does make a difference.
Thanks useful information: 
Reply With Quote
Add To Bookmarks
