Is a Nikon D600 / 610 still ok for use today?

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Hi All,

I am looking at a Nikon D600 (which had the shutter upgraded by Nikon to the D610 version to fix the oil/dust issue) for a decent price locally. It includes what was the kit lens at the time (AFS Nikkor 24 - 85 f 3.5-4.5 GD VR) and it has fewer than 10k shutter actuations.

My budget is quite limited, so this is the reason I am considering the D600 / 610 instead of an D810 / 850 or D750.

It would be my first full-frame camera, hence why I am liking that it comes with what seems a decent kit lens.

Mostly I would use it as an EDC camera for stills, portraits, landscrape etc (no sports photography). I really like how Nikons work. Having tried Canon in the past and being not that impressed, but that is just me, and the Canons are simply more expensive compared to the equivalent Nikon locally.

I have seen a lot of videos on Youtube about using a D600 / 610 in 2020, where most people say it's still good. But then again, Fro's review from 10 years ago at a football pitch says the autofocus is not so great for sports even back then (not that I care for sports photography). However, as Youtube is filled with quite a few fanboys, shills or some people with bad advice in regard to many topics, I was wondering if anyone here could shed some light on the D600 / 610, and if this would be a good investment, or if I should hold out a few more years for an D810 or D850 to come down in price (I am not 100% convinced they will as all the manufacturers have moved away from DLSRs recently) ?

Thanks for your help!
FB
 
It would have to be very attractively-priced and knowingly bought to shoot till it breaks. BTW, you're not making an investment! Unsure whether Nikon still warrantees these transplant patients should the shutter pack in. I was once tempted but went DX and bought a new D7200--a purchase I've never regretted. I do doubt Nikon's late-great FX DSLRs will be appreciating in value since the company is dropping F-mount glass and pushing ahead with its MILC bodies and lenses. No shame in buying trailing edge gear; indeed, it's a smart move especially with Nikon DSLRs since many are solid value especially if they've not been shot to death. The 800 series Nikons sold well, which means many should be hitting the used market as the Z-mount system gains traction. Be patient.
 
Thanks. It is very well priced and includes the glass (which locally is rare). Ideally I would be paying €400 and the glass could be used on a future D810/850 purchase (almost all Nikon DXXX cameras sold here locally are sold without the glass).

The shutter has already been replaced on this D600 with the new one from the D610 (under warranty by Nikon). It also has fewer than 10k actuations, so it is barely worn in in terms of the 150k that is considered a normal lifespan of a Nikon DSLR shutter.

I am pragmatic and not so much a fan of MILC at this point as they are extremely expensive and the battery life leaves something to be desired compared to a DSLR and I do not shoot much video at all. I am also not an early adopter and like to see how long new tech lasts before investing. I am only looking at the 610 now as my funds are short at the moment.

Frankly, I think that for what I do with my DSLRs the 24MP of the D610 should be more than sufficient for the coming few years, so am thinking of buying it now and using it until an 850 comes more into my price range.
 
It would have to be very attractively-priced and knowingly bought to shoot till it breaks. BTW, you're not making an investment! Unsure whether Nikon still warrantees these transplant patients should the shutter pack in. I was once tempted but went DX and bought a new D7200--a purchase I've never regretted. I do doubt Nikon's late-great FX DSLRs will be appreciating in value since the company is dropping F-mount glass and pushing ahead with its MILC bodies and lenses. No shame in buying trailing edge gear; indeed, it's a smart move especially with Nikon DSLRs since many are solid value especially if they've not been shot to death. The 800 series Nikons sold well, which means many should be hitting the used market as the Z-mount system gains traction. Be patient.

Locally there is a lot of resistance to the MILC from Nikon, so the more recent DXXX are keeping very high prices on the used market (I don't blame people, if you have an 810 or 850 and don't shoot video, you are taking a MP hit unless you go for the Z7 or Z9) so the pros are keeping their 850s and wringing as much as they can out of them before jumping to Nikon's MILC..
 
I can't answer at all about the price and reliability of the body you will be getting. You'll have to make that decision.
However, as far as capability of the camera goes, I'm seriously not sure what is wrong with the modern world and what sort of gear they think they need to take a decent photo. It is my belief you can probably get one if you try really, really hard with the D600 so personally, I would not hold back based on the camera's potential lack of ability.

The internet also once said you can not use anything other than the very best professional glass with a 24 megapixel camera. To clarify, they said not just any pro glass, it had to be one of the very best select lenses or the pictures would be no good.
I believe the internet doesn't know how to take photos.
 
If $$ is an issue you need to consider glass. Glass almost always ends up costing more than the camera body. You might want to look at a DX body like the D7200. It's about the same price used at the D600 looking at KEH.com. It's 3 years newer (2015 compared to 2012) with excellent image quality, a 24 mp sensor, a little better processor and a little better AF system. You'll find a lot of used good quality DX glass out there.

I've got a D850 and Z9, but still use my D7200 when I want to travel light. My favorite lens is the Nikon 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6, but love my Tamron 18-400mm f/3.5-6.3 for it's versatility. You can find fast DX primes used for around $100.
 
I too am looking at a D610 as an EDC "throw it in the bag and not care if it gets dented / beater" (well, not really) sort of camera, but also as my first foray into Full Frame.

I already have a D7500 but I like to keep that one for more professional work and not bang it around too much (I do shoot some portraits from time to time).

On top of that, I do want to move to a D850 eventually when they become more affordable, so the investment now in a 610 that includes some full frame glass would not be wasted money imo, even if the D610 gives up the ghost in only a year or two (not likely, the one I am looking at has a shutter count of 10k and was very well kept by the owner, it looks brand new in the photos).
 
I'm a long-time Nikon shooter. I used to have the D600, have the D800 (plus a D4 and a D500). Here is my take.

1. That's a great price for a D600 with that lens (I have that lens and actually use it a lot for a variety of reasons--it's one of the better kit lens out there). The D600 will be a little smaller and lighter than the D800. I like that both slots are SD cards (right now my 3 bodies use a mix of 3 different types of cards--argh!). The D600 is what I'd call a great "compromise" camera--it does nothing great but does everything pretty good.

2. You didn't say what you primarily shoot. Unless it's something that is a lot of low light or fast moving, the D600 will do a good job. You mentioned others you were coveting but thought were out of your price range....

3. I own a D800. I bought it primarily for architecture work or assignments where I need to blow something up to poster size. It is definitely not my "walking around camera." I'm not wild about its performance in low-light (I'd take the D750 or D600 over it). Additionally, unless you reduce the quality of the photos (don't shoot RAW, don't shoot "fine" with Jpegs), you'll run in to buffer issues. So this is not a good camera to go out and shoot fast moving stuff (sports, wildlife in flight, "action"). I think of the D800 as a "speciality" camera--really superb quality in-studio or for static subjects and gives you the pixel count to make great posters or large prints. Now if that's exactly what you shoot, go grab a D800. But if you want an all-purpose camera for a range of different genres, get the D600 and then with your savings buy some additional glass. I haven't used the D810.

4. D750--I haven't owned one but have shot with it. I think it's going to be way above your budget unless you get one that has had a lot of hard use. It's a fine camera and more versatile/multi-purpose than the D800. It's a better camera than the D600 but some of the stuff that makes it better (more advanced sensor, wireless, tilt screen) may not be worth paying extra on your part.

Final thoughts: the only reason I traded in my D600 was to get money to afford a new D500 (which I use to shoot wildlife and sports), I need the D800 for special shoots and my D4 (300,000+ shutter activations) is too used to get a good price. Otherwise I'd have kept the D600 as my "walk around camera." With an almost new shutter on it, I think that is what you should go with. As for the lens, it's a decent portrait lens (I always found it sharp), good range for street photography, very versatile. Combined with that body it's a very nice package. And if you're sure you're not going to go mirrorless in the next 5 years, than you get this D600 and in 3-4 years add a second full frame body you can swap lens with. Then when you shoot weddings or go to Africa, you've got two bodies that use the same lens.
 
I'm a long-time Nikon shooter. I used to have the D600, have the D800 (plus a D4 and a D500). Here is my take.

1. That's a great price for a D600 with that lens (I have that lens and actually use it a lot for a variety of reasons--it's one of the better kit lens out there). The D600 will be a little smaller and lighter than the D800. I like that both slots are SD cards (right now my 3 bodies use a mix of 3 different types of cards--argh!). The D600 is what I'd call a great "compromise" camera--it does nothing great but does everything pretty good.

2. You didn't say what you primarily shoot. Unless it's something that is a lot of low light or fast moving, the D600 will do a good job. You mentioned others you were coveting but thought were out of your price range....

3. I own a D800. I bought it primarily for architecture work or assignments where I need to blow something up to poster size. It is definitely not my "walking around camera." I'm not wild about its performance in low-light (I'd take the D750 or D600 over it). Additionally, unless you reduce the quality of the photos (don't shoot RAW, don't shoot "fine" with Jpegs), you'll run in to buffer issues. So this is not a good camera to go out and shoot fast moving stuff (sports, wildlife in flight, "action"). I think of the D800 as a "speciality" camera--really superb quality in-studio or for static subjects and gives you the pixel count to make great posters or large prints. Now if that's exactly what you shoot, go grab a D800. But if you want an all-purpose camera for a range of different genres, get the D600 and then with your savings buy some additional glass. I haven't used the D810.

4. D750--I haven't owned one but have shot with it. I think it's going to be way above your budget unless you get one that has had a lot of hard use. It's a fine camera and more versatile/multi-purpose than the D800. It's a better camera than the D600 but some of the stuff that makes it better (more advanced sensor, wireless, tilt screen) may not be worth paying extra on your part.

Final thoughts: the only reason I traded in my D600 was to get money to afford a new D500 (which I use to shoot wildlife and sports), I need the D800 for special shoots and my D4 (300,000+ shutter activations) is too used to get a good price. Otherwise I'd have kept the D600 as my "walk around camera." With an almost new shutter on it, I think that is what you should go with. As for the lens, it's a decent portrait lens (I always found it sharp), good range for street photography, very versatile. Combined with that body it's a very nice package. And if you're sure you're not going to go mirrorless in the next 5 years, than you get this D600 and in 3-4 years add a second full frame body you can swap lens with. Then when you shoot weddings or go to Africa, you've got two bodies that use the same lens.

Thank you for your long a detailed reply !

Mostly I will be using it for portraits, street, landscape / nature photography, as well as just an EDC camera to carry around in my Crumpler messenger bag...

I am going to resist going mirrorless as long as I can, not out of spite, but rather out of practicality of cost and battery longevity. Plus, if a D810 or 850 comes my way in a couple of years, I think the 36MP sensor will serve my needs for likely the rest of my life as a photographer as I am not looking to make videos and just how many MP does and amateur / semi-pro photographer actually need to take a good photo?
 
Hi All,

I am looking at a Nikon D600 (which had the shutter upgraded by Nikon to the D610 version to fix the oil/dust issue) for a decent price locally. It includes what was the kit lens at the time (AFS Nikkor 24 - 85 f 3.5-4.5 GD VR) and it has fewer than 10k shutter actuations.

My budget is quite limited, so this is the reason I am considering the D600 / 610 instead of an D810 / 850 or D750.

It would be my first full-frame camera, hence why I am liking that it comes with what seems a decent kit lens.

Mostly I would use it as an EDC camera for stills, portraits, landscrape etc (no sports photography). I really like how Nikons work. Having tried Canon in the past and being not that impressed, but that is just me, and the Canons are simply more expensive compared to the equivalent Nikon locally.

I have seen a lot of videos on Youtube about using a D600 / 610 in 2020, where most people say it's still good. But then again, Fro's review from 10 years ago at a football pitch says the autofocus is not so great for sports even back then (not that I care for sports photography). However, as Youtube is filled with quite a few fanboys, shills or some people with bad advice in regard to many topics, I was wondering if anyone here could shed some light on the D600 / 610, and if this would be a good investment, or if I should hold out a few more years for an D810 or D850 to come down in price (I am not 100% convinced they will as all the manufacturers have moved away from DLSRs recently) ?

Thanks for your help!
FB
Read the specifications - if they meet your needs, go for it. As far as I know, problems with the replacement shutters have been quite rare. My cousin reports that his D600 has over 230,000 actuations, still going strong.
Since you're on a budget, a big positive is lens compatibility - it will accommodate every Ai, AiS, AF, AF-I and AF-S Nikkor made in the last 45 years, most of which are readily available at very attractive prices.
If you buy it, you may very well find yourself unconcerned with D810 or D850 prices! Good luck - keep us up to date.
 
Thank you for your long a detailed reply !

Mostly I will be using it for portraits, street, landscape / nature photography, as well as just an EDC camera to carry around in my Crumpler messenger bag...

I am going to resist going mirrorless as long as I can, not out of spite, but rather out of practicality of cost and battery longevity. Plus, if a D810 or 850 comes my way in a couple of years, I think the 36MP sensor will serve my needs for likely the rest of my life as a photographer as I am not looking to make videos and just how many MP does and amateur / semi-pro photographer actually need to take a good photo?
I will warn you: as a D600 owner, just about every more recent DSLR will do something specific better than the D600. That is why I call it a good "compromise camera." It doesn't do anything brilliantly (like having huge megapixel capability like the D800 or D850 or a great ISO performance like the D5). But it does everything well. And for the list of stuff that you just gave as to what you like to shoot, it will do quite well, especially with the right lens. And because it's not as big as the D810/D850/D4/D5/D750 it's a great second body to have. So you buy it now and upgrade later to a second more capable DSLR (which prices will come down on as mirrorless assume a larger share of the market).

And given it's a shutter with only 10,000 activations, you're effectively getting a new camera. It sounds like a great fit for you.
 
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I will warn you: as a D600 owner, just about every more recent DSLR will do something specific better than the D600. That is why I call it a good "compromise camera." It doesn't do anything brilliantly (like having huge megapixel capability like the D800 or D850 or a great ISO performance like the D5). But it does everything well. And for the list of stuff that you just gave as to what you like to shoot, it will do quite well, especially with the right lens. And because it's not as big as the D810/D850/D4/D5/D750 it's a great second body to have. So you buy it now and upgrade later to a second more capable DSLR (which prices will come down on as mirrorless assume a larger share of the market).

And given it's a shutter with only 10,000 activations, you're effectively getting a new camera. It sounds like a great fit for you.

Thanks, I appreciate your input and look forward to using the D600 when I receive it as what you described is exactly what I am looking for: a good "all-arounder" instead of a specifically precise tool for doing X, Y or Z.

Personally, I have huge hands (I am able to pick up an American basketball with one hand), so the size does not bother me too much (my D3300 is quite cramped), so I am hoping D600 will be a more comfortable camera for me to hold. This is something I am dreading about MILC cameras, that what I would be able to afford in the coming years will be too cramped. Why camera manufacturers insist on "bigger is reserved for the professional with a lot of money" is beyond me :dispirited:. It's not like only smaller handed people are budding photographers with a smaller budget. Hence why I am forced to "bottom feed" on older tech that fits my hands.
 
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Thanks, I appreciate your input and look forward to using the D600 when I receive it as what you described is exactly what I am looking for: a good "all-arounder" instead of a specifically precise tool for doing X, Y or Z.

Personally, I have huge hands (I am able to pick up an American basketball with one hand), so the size does not bother me too much (my D3300 is quite cramped), so I am hoping D600 will be a more comfortable camera for me to hold. This is something I am dreading about MILC cameras, that what I would be able to afford in the coming years will be too cramped. Why camera manufacturers insist on "bigger is reserved for the professional with a lot of money" is beyond me :dispirited:. It's not like only smaller handed people are budding photographers with a smaller budget. Hence why I am forced to "bottom feed" on older tech that fits my hands.
The D600 will be bigger than the D3300. So that should help. I get your point about the smaller cameras and the grip--that's an issue for me too.
 

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