Canon 1D C vs Nikon D5600

The Canon EOS-1D C and the Nikon D5600 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2012 and November 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (1DC) and an APS-C (D5600) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 1D C		Nikon D5600
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
17.9 MP, Full Frame Sensor		24 MP, APS-C Sensor
4K/24p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)		ISO 100-25,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.2 LCD, 1040k dots		3.2 LCD, 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
14 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1120 shots per battery charge		970 shots per battery charge
158 x 164 x 83 mm, 1545 g		124 x 97 x 70 mm, 465 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-1D C and the Nikon D5600? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 1D C and the Nikon D5600 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The D5600 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the 1DC is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D5600 is considerably smaller (54 percent) than the Canon 1D C. Moreover, the D5600 is substantially lighter (70 percent) than the 1DC. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 1DC is splash and dust resistant, while the D5600 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1DC) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D5600).

Concerning battery life, the 1DC gets 1120 shots out of its LP-E4N battery, while the D5600 can take 970 images on a single charge of its EN-EL14a power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1DC has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the D5600, there are third party battery grips available as optional accessories (see here on eBay).

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D C	158 mm	164 mm	83 mm	1545 g	1120	Y	Apr 2012	14,999
2.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1440 g	2850	Y	Jan 2020	6,499
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499
6.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099
7.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	150 mm	160 mm	80 mm	1385 g	1800	Y	Aug 2007	7,999
10.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1215 g	1200	Y	Sep 2004	7,999
11.		Canon 1Ds	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1265 g	600	Y	Sep 2002	8,999
12.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	499
13.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	420 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899
14.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	799
15.		Nikon D4	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1340 g	2600	Y	Jan 2012	5,999
16.		Nikon D3200	125 mm	96 mm	77 mm	505 g	540	n	Apr 2012	599
17.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	749
Notes: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D5600 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 95 percent) than the 1DC, 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.

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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D C features a full frame sensor and the Nikon D5600 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the D5600 is 58 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the D5600 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the 1DC. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 6.95μm for the 1DC). However, it should be noted that the D5600 is much more recent (by 4 years and 7 months) than the 1DC, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. 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.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D5600 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D5600 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 1D C are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-1D C has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D5600 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 1D C	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	4K/24p	..	..	..	..
2.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.2	14.5	3248	91
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
6.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
7.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	none	24.0	12.0	1663	80
10.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Full Frame	16.6	4992	3328	none	23.3	11.3	1480	74
11.		Canon 1Ds	Full Frame	11.0	4064	2704	none	21.8	11.0	954	63
12.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
13.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
14.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
15.		Nikon D4	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/30p	24.7	13.1	2965	89
16.		Nikon D3200	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/30p	24.1	13.2	1131	81
17.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the 1DC provides a higher video resolution than the D5600. It can shoot video footage at 4K/24p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 1DC 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 viewfinder in the 1DC offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D5600 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 1DC has a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.57x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 1D C and Nikon D5600 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Mech Shutter Speed	Shutter Flaps (1/sec)	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 1D C	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0	n	n
2.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	20.0	n	n
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0	n	n
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0	n	n
6.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5	n	n
7.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0	n	n
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9	n	n
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0	n	n
10.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	optical	Y	2.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0	n	n
11.		Canon 1Ds	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0	n	n
12.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
13.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
14.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n
15.		Nikon D4	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0	n	n
16.		Nikon D3200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0	Y	n
17.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0	Y	n

One feature that is present on the 1DC, but is missing on the D5600 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The Nikon D5600 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 1DC writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the D5600 uses SDXC cards. The 1DC features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D5600 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS-1D C and Nikon D5600 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 1D C	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	Y	mono / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 1Ds	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
13.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Nikon D4	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D3200	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 1DC has a headphone jack, which is not present on the D5600 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 1D C (unlike the D5600) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The D5600 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the 1DC has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on eBay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the 1DC from Canon. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Nikon websites.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 1D C or the Nikon D5600 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS-1D C:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/24p vs 1080/60p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.57x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1120 versus 970) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in April 2012).

Advantages 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.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (124x97mm vs 158x164mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 1080g or 70 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (95 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 7 months of technical progress since the 1DC launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (14 points each). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 1D C and the Nikon D5600 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 1DC or the D5600. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 1D C	..	..	..	..	..	..	Apr 2012	14,999
2.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699
3.		Canon 1D X Mark III	..	+ +	5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2020	6,499
4.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499
6.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099
7.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799
8.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	3,499
9.		Canon 1Ds Mark III	..	..	..	+ +	4.5/5	..	Aug 2007	7,999
10.		Canon 1Ds Mark II	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	7,999
11.		Canon 1Ds	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2002	8,999
12.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499
13.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899
14.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799
15.		Nikon D4	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	5,999
16.		Nikon D3200	5/5	+ +	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	599
17.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	749
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Specifications: Canon 1D C vs Nikon D5600

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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