Canon 1300D versus Nikon D5600

The Canon EOS 1300D (called Canon T6 in some regions) and the Nikon D5600 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2016 and November 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 17.9 megapixel, whereas the Nikon provides 24 MP.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 1300D and the Nikon D5600. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. If you prefer, you can also use the toggle button to switch to a comparison in percentage terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the 1300D – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D5600 is notably smaller (8 percent) than the Canon 1300D. Moreover, the D5600 is slightly lighter (4 percent) than the 1300D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 1300D nor the D5600 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Yet, since both cameras are based around an APS-C sensor, their respective lenses will tend to have similar dimensions and heft. You can find an overview of optics for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1300D) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D5600).

Concerning battery life, the 1300D gets 500 shots out of its LP-E10 battery, while the D5600 can take 970 images on a single charge of its EN-EL14a power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 1300D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 36 percent) than the D5600, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D5600 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (1300D) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the D5600 offers a higher resolution than the 1300D (17.9MP), but the D5600 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 4.31μm for the 1300D). Yet, the D5600 is a somewhat more recent model (by 8 months) than the 1300D, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D5600 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the D5600 provides a faster frame rate than the 1300D. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 1300D and the D5600 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 1300D, the Nikon D5600, and comparable cameras. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

The D5600 is a current model that online retailers, such as amazon, will have in stock. In contrast, the 1300D has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 1300D was succeeded by the Canon 2000D.

Summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 1300D better than the Nikon D5600 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 1300D:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (36 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in March 2016).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D5600:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p vs 1080/30p).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (970 versus 500) out of a single battery charge.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (8 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D5600 is the clear winner of the contest (10 : 3 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1300D or the D5600. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites. The detailed reviews can be accessed, respectively, on the websites of cameralabs.com, dpreview.com, ephotozine.com, imaging-resource.com, and photographyblog.com.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other comparisons

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