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Nikon D610 Comparison Review

The Nikon D610 is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was announced in October 2013 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 24.2 megapixel.

camera

Is the Nikon D610 a good camera? The D610 has a Camera Elo of 1961. This rating puts the D610 among the top 40 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the D610 ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 3-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Nikon D610
Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses
24.2 MP, Full Frame Sensor
1080/30p Video
ISO 100 - 6 400 (50 - 25 600)
Optical viewfinder
3.2 LCD, 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body
900 shots per battery charge
141 x 113 x 82 mm, 850 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 D610 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Nikon D610 vs credit card front
D610 versus credit card top view
D610 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon D610 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 D610 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 Y Oct 2013 1,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark II 144 mm 111 mm 75 mm 765 g 1200 Y Jun 2017 1,999 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 6D 145 mm 111 mm 71 mm 770 g 1090 Y Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D780 144 mm 116 mm 76 mm 840 g 2260 Y Jan 2020 2,299 amazon.com
5.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 Y Jan 2016 1,999 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon D750 141 mm 113 mm 78 mm 750 g 1230 Y Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D810 146 mm 123 mm 82 mm 980 g 1200 Y Jun 2014 3,299ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon Df 144 mm 110 mm 67 mm 760 g 1400 Y Nov 2013 2,749ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D600 141 mm 113 mm 82 mm 850 g 900 Y Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D800 146 mm 123 mm 82 mm 1000 g 900 Y Feb 2012 2,999ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D800E 146 mm 123 mm 82 mm 1000 g 900 Y Feb 2012 3,299ebay.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 D610 was launched in the US market at a price of $1,999. 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 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 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. 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Nikon D610 features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon D610 among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

Nikon D610 sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 D610 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.4292594
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark II Full Frame 26.0 6240 41601080/60p24.411.9286285
3.
 
Canon 6D Full Frame 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.812.1234082
4.
 
Nikon D780 Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/30p25.314.3287795
5.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
6.
 
Nikon D750 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/60p24.814.5295693
7.
 
Nikon D810 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60p25.714.8285397
8.
 
Nikon Df Full Frame 16.2 4928 3280none24.613.1327989
9.
 
Nikon D600 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.2298094
10.
 
Nikon D800 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/30p25.314.4285395
11.
 
Nikon D800E Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/30p25.614.3297996
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The D610 indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the D610 can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the D610 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.70x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D610 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 D610optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.5/s n n
3.
 
Canon 6Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 4.5/s n n
4.
 
Nikon D780optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n n
5.
 
Nikon D500optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
6.
 
Nikon D750optical Y3.2 / 1229 tilting n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
7.
 
Nikon D810optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon Dfoptical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s n n
9.
 
Nikon D600optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s Y n
10.
 
Nikon D800optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s Y n
11.
 
Nikon D800Eoptical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One convenient feature of the D610 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 D610 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 D610Ymono / monoYYmini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
3.
 
Canon 6DYmono / monoY-mini2.0Y--
4.
 
Nikon D780Ystereo / monoYYmini3.1Y-Y
5.
 
Nikon D500Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
6.
 
Nikon D750Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
7.
 
Nikon D810Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0Y--
8.
 
Nikon DfY- / ---mini2.0---
9.
 
Nikon D600Ymono / monoYYmini2.0---
10.
 
Nikon D800Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
11.
 
Nikon D800EYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
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It is notable that the D610 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 D610 can be found in the free online Nikon D610 Manual or on the Nikon support site.

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Expert reviews

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 handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D610. 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 expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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 D6104/5+ +..87/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 1,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 6D Mark II4/5+4/580/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2017 1,999 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon 6D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D7805/5..5/587/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2020 2,299 amazon.com
5.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 1,999 amazon.com
6.
 
Nikon D7505/5+ +4/590/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2014 2,299ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D8105/5..5/586/1005/54.5/5 Jun 2014 3,299ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon Df4/5....81/1004/54/5 Nov 2013 2,749ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D6004/5+ +..87/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 2,099ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D8005/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Feb 2012 2,999ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D800E......84/1005/55/5 Feb 2012 3,299ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Nikon D610 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the D610.

What type of imaging sensor is used in the Nikon D610?

The camera is build around a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor.

Which image processing chip is used in the Nikon D610 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Nikon equipped the D610 with the EXPEED 3 image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Nikon D610?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 50-25600.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Nikon D610?

Nikon mentions a shutter rating of 150 000 actuations for the D610. 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 D610 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 150 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Nikon D610?

Nikon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your D610 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 D610?

No, the Nikon D610 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 D610 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 D610 for flash photography?

The D610's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.

Does the Nikon D610 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 D610 use?

The camera gets its power from the EN-EL15 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Nikon D610?

Yes, Nikon offers the MB-D14 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Where can I find the best deals for the Nikon D610?

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 are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Nikon D610
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date October 2013
    Launch Price USD 1 999
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.9 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 862 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 24.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 016 x 4 016 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.97 μm
    Pixel Density 2.80 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 6 400 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED 3
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 94
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 25.1
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.4
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 2925
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.2 inch
    LCD Resolution 921k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 6 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy150 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 Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type EN-EL15 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)900 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 141 x 113 x 82 mm
    (5.6 x 4.4 x 3.2 in)
    Camera Weight 850 g (30.0 oz)

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