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Nikon D5300 Comparison Review

The Nikon D5300 is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in October 2013 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 24 megapixel.

camera

Is the Nikon D5300 a good camera? The D5300 has a Camera Elo of 1994. This rating puts the D5300 among the top 40 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the D5300 ranks among the top 50 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3.5-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Nikon D5300
Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60p Video
ISO 100 - 12 800 (100 - 25 600)
Optical viewfinder
3.2 LCD, 1037k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second
600 shots per battery charge
125 x 98 x 76 mm, 480 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Nikon D5300 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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.

Nikon D5300 vs credit card front
D5300 versus credit card top view
D5300 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon D5300 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
#   Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D5300 125 mm 98 mm 76 mm 480 g 600 n Oct 2013 799ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D5600 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 465 g 970 n Nov 2016 699 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon D3400 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 445 g 1200 n Aug 2016 499ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D5500 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 470 g 820 n Jan 2015 899ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D3300 124 mm 98 mm 76 mm 430 g 700 n Jan 2014 499ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D7100 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 950 Y Feb 2013 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D3200 125 mm 96 mm 77 mm 505 g 540 n Apr 2012 599ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D5200 129 mm 98 mm 78 mm 555 g 500 n Nov 2012 749ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D5100 128 mm 97 mm 79 mm 560 g 660 n Apr 2011 749ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D5000 127 mm 104 mm 80 mm 590 g 510 n Apr 2009 749ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A3000 128 mm 91 mm 85 mm 411 g 470 n Aug 2013 329ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Nikon D5300 was launched in the US market at a price of $799. 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.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Nikon D5300 features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon D5300 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Nikon D5300 sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon D5300 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.9133883
2.
 
Nikon D5600 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0130684
3.
 
Nikon D3400 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.813.9119286
4.
 
Nikon D5500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0143884
5.
 
Nikon D3300 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.312.8138582
6.
 
Nikon D7100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.213.7125683
7.
 
Nikon D3200 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/30p24.113.2113181
8.
 
Nikon D5200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i24.213.9128484
9.
 
Nikon D5100 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/30p23.513.6118380
10.
 
Nikon D5000 APS-C 12.2 4288 2848720/24p22.712.586872
11.
 
Sony A3000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.712.8106878
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The D5300 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the D5300 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the D5300 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 95% and a magnification of 0.57x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D5300 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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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)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon D5300optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
2.
 
Nikon D5600optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
3.
 
Nikon D3400optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
4.
 
Nikon D5500optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
5.
 
Nikon D3300optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Nikon D7100optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D3200optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D5200optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Nikon D5100optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
10.
 
Nikon D5000optical n2.7 / 230 full-flex n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
11.
 
Sony A3000202 n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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The LCD screen on the Nikon D5300 is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD is hinged on the side and can be flipped out for odd-angle shots in both portrait and landscape orientation. Also, this fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment is often appreciated by videographers for its flexibility. Moreover, v-loggers like the design because the screen can be turned to be front-facing.

articulated screen
Flexible screen on the D5300

One convenient feature of the D5300 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

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Connection 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 Nikon D5300 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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.
 
Nikon D5300Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
2.
 
Nikon D5600Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
3.
 
Nikon D3400Ymono / mono--mini2.0--Y
4.
 
Nikon D5500Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
5.
 
Nikon D3300Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
6.
 
Nikon D7100Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0---
7.
 
Nikon D3200Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Nikon D5200Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Nikon D5100Ymono / monoY-mini2.0---
10.
 
Nikon D5000Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Sony A3000Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
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It is notable that the D5300 has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the D5300 can be found in the free online Nikon D5300 Manual or on the Nikon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D5300. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D53004/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 799ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D56004/5..4/579/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2016 699 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon D34004/5+4/576/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2016 499ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D55005/5+..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2015 899ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D33003/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2014 499ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D71005/5+ +..85/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 1,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D32005/5+ +..73/1004.5/54.5/5 Apr 2012 599ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D52004/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Nov 2012 749ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D51005/5+ +..76/1004.5/54.5/5 Apr 2011 749ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D5000..+ +..75/1004/54.5/5 Apr 2009 749ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A30003/5+....4/54/5 Aug 2013 329ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Nikon D5300 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the D5300.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Nikon D5300?

The camera features a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Nikon D5300 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Nikon equipped the D5300 with the EXPEED 4 image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Nikon D5300?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800.

Does the Nikon D5300 have a selfie-friendly screen?

Yes, the LCD-screen of the D5300 is flexible and can be turned to be front-facing for capturing selfies.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Nikon D5300?

Nikon mentions a shutter rating of 100 000 actuations for the D5300. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the D5300 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Nikon D5300?

Nikon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your D5300 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Nikon D5300?

No, the Nikon D5300 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Does the Nikon D5300 feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Nikon D5300 for flash photography?

The D5300's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.

Does the Nikon D5300 support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Nikon D5300 use?

The camera gets its power from the EN-EL14a (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Nikon D5300?

Nikon does not offer an optional battery grip, but third party suppliers do (see here on ebay).

Does the Nikon D5300 support geotagging?

The D5300 has a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) module and can embed location information in the EXIF data of the captured image.

Where can I find the best deals for the Nikon D5300?

Grey imports from Asia, as found on ebay, are often very attractively priced. However, these cameras come without a warranty from Nikon.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Nikon D5300
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date October 2013
    Launch Price USD 799
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 367 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 000 x 4 000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.91 μm
    Pixel Density 6.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 12 800 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED 4
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 83
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 24.0
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.9
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1338
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.57x
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.2 inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen
    V-logging Friendliness Front-flip possible
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in
    Geotagging GPS built-in
    Body Specs
    Battery Type EN-EL14a power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)600 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 125 x 98 x 76 mm
    (4.9 x 3.9 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 480 g (16.9 oz)

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