Nikon D5300 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II Auto Focus-S DX NIKKOR Zoom Lens (Red)

I bought this to replaced my 8 years old D80. Im a very picky person, and I am impressed by this camera. Ive been considering SONY A6000, D5500, D7100, D7200. And finally decided to go with this camera. This is not a perfect camera. But budget wise, this is for sure a camera that have superior performance-to-price ratio. I use it with my one year old Nikon 18-200mm VR II lens. For the price of $496, I cant find another camera can compete with it. The A6000, its a very nice mirrorless camera. I pay serious attention to it. And I went to Bestbuy to test it out. What I like A6000 is its light weight and size. What I dont like much is when its length changes, it take like 1/4 second to show up in the OLED view finder. And A6000 doesnt have articular screen which equipped with D5300 that makes family portrait a lot easier. D5500, I dont see much different to D5300. The touch screen on D5500 is a nice but not must have. The higher ISO up to 25600 is technically nicer than the 12800 in D5300, but I doubt if I would shoot at such a high ISO. Other than that, I dont see much difference, and I know I aint paying $200 more for touch screen and higher ISO. D7100, it has Expeed 3 processor while D5300 has Expeed 4 processor. Yes it has better manual control and functions. But after having D80 (which has top screen and dual dial and better manual control than D5300) for 8 years, I have to admit that Im not a professional photographer but an enthusiast that enjoys the possibility to take photos thats better than a point and shoot camera. D7200, well, it has the same Expeed 4 processor while it comes with better manual control. But with $600 price difference, Id give up those extra manual control and get a all around D5300 for the ease of my pocket. Bottom line, D5300 is a decent camera for the price that no one can deny, yet its been announced for 2 years already but still maintains a 24MP clear and sharp production and relatively light and with functions that can make entry-level to enthusiast happy. The only thing I dont appreciate much is its GPS function, I wish it had a faster and more accurate lock up performance that doesnt require a A-GPS file to be updated very 14 days.

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For those who like video go here for a quick look - https://youtu.be/AsyukB3j4zk For more details keep reading! Now Im coming from the Nikon D3100 which I used for all my YouTube videos up until now so Ill be comparing to that. Ill also be coming from a YouTuber point of view. If you need a professional review for your pro film or photography work please find a better review. Its amazing how much more you get with this camera considering it feels just as light as the D3100. Some of the extra features you get from this upgrade: Higher ISO Range Better ISO scaling (instead of jumping up 100 to 400+ ISO with every knob turn. You can go from 100 to 125 for example) 24MP sensor over 14MP (if you want to take pics that big) MIC port Better built-in mic(if you use that) Wifi More auto focus points(39 from 11) Movie Live View Mode Flip-out Viewfinder (and that viewfinder is slightly bigger as well) Cleaner Software Interface 1080p @ 30fps or 60fps ..too name a few Alright, so how have these upgrades helped my YouTube videos? The Flip-Out viewfinder not only helps me to find focus easier but it also helps me see when Im properly in the frame or not (like when Im telling people to check the description or cards above) without having to stop the video and play it back on the camera or check on my PC. With my D3100, I needed to use PC monitor as a viewfinder to make sure everything was in focus and center frame while showing a product or speaking. However, please note that the viewfinder on any DSLR camera will always be too small to guarantee focus in many situations. Focus on the viewfinder then shoot a few seconds of video then check on your PC to make sure youre actually in focus if you find yourself constantly slightly out of focus. Of course, you can always just buy a separate monitor thats made specifically to replace the DSLR viewfinder and show you the colors and focus properly which usually cost a couple hundred dollars or more but if youre happy with your current DSLR and just want a better viewfinder, I recommend going that route. The MIC port now gives me the option to record audio straight to the camcorder if I wanted to with quality mics. I do have other people in my home that shoot videos as well on other channels and they stay very close to the camcorder as they record cause they dont like using external mics. Now they can get better audio on their videos by plugging in a shotgun mic. Im personally a fan of the external audio I capture with my Zoom H1 and Giant Squid Lab lavaliere. Better ISO scaling and higher ISO range helps me get the lighting for my videos just right without creating noise in my shot. Lighting doesnt only depend on the actual physical lights but also on the DSLR capabilities. The D5300 allows for more minute changes to the ISO so I can go up by 25 ISO for a subtle bump in brightness to get my picture just right without having to jump up over 100 ISO than go fiddling with my F-stop, exposure, etc. like you have to with the D3100. This combined with the better sensor also helps when taking product shots outside in low light or anytime I dont feel like setting up the studio lights just for a few good pics. 1080p @ 30fps or 60fps is awesome. On my D3100 I was limited to 23fps which is not a bad thing considering most movies you see nowadays are shot in 24fps but I kinda like how motion looks on my videos in 30fps compared to 23fps. Combined that with the previous points on ISO and my videos are looking loads better. On another YouTube channel with my bro where we talk about local and world news, I shoot in 60fps cause theres a ton of motion from laughing to hand and head movements as were talking about each story so I shoot in 60fps. The user will actually see a bump in overall video quality from it as opposed to when its just me talking on my personal channel and 60fps doesnt matter as much. Movie Live View Mode is a god send for many but for me its just another nice option and I dont use it often. Youre limited to F1/30 or higher in this mode but you can now see immediate changes to your shot as you make them like when you change you ISO or change your F-Stop without having to come out of Live View and go back in. It can save me a little to a lot of time in some situations like when shooting outside and the lighting suddenly changes. The 39 auto focus points ensures that the camera focuses fast and the D5300 is noticeably quieter when taking a picture which improves the photography experience a lot. Alright, so no problems at all? Oh, there are a few problems. The MIC Port placement couldve been a little better. Due to the big flap over the port, if you plug-in anything to them, youre going to be blocking the viewfinder partially when its flipped out. Theres something strange going with one of the lighting settings (exposure, f-stop, iso) but I dont know which one cause as Im filming video the lighting suddenly changes very subtly every now and again and this is while Im on Manual mode indoors with studio lighting so Im not sure how thats possible. The button placement is quite different on the D5300 than the D3100 as well. The Function (Fn) button (which is set to be your ISO button by default), the "i" button, and every button that was on the side of the viewfinder on the D3100 has a new placement obviously due to the viewfinder flipping out and Im not exactly a fan of the new placement. The ISO button is slightly higher and closer to the flash button so I accidentally pop up the flash when trying to change ISO on the fly. I kinda did that already with the D3100 but it was not a big problem cause the button wasnt that close but its actually closer on the D5300 which is quite frustrating. The different shooting modes used to have a lever you slide back and forwards to switch between them (continues, single, timed, quiet shutter). Now you have an awkwardly placed button way down between the Lens release button thats difficult to reach without looking. At least, you have a remote mode now which I dont think the D3100 had at all. Alright, thats it. Thank you reading this and I hope it helped you a little in your buying decision.

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For an entry level DSLR its pretty good. It can take some amazing detail with a good lens and time. This is my First DSLR. At the time it was a choice between this and the Sony A7ii which was onsale at the time but 400 dollars more and I had no idea about crop vs full frame at the time. It can output wonderful detailed quality. I took a picture of my friend and you could see every wrinkle and dimple in his face I was quite amazed. If I was to buy a camera again I would get a Sony A7 series model simply for the EVF(electronic viewfinder) so I could see exposure differences when changing settings. You can see that on this NIkon if you turn on Live View, but its painfully slow to use.

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So, heres the scoop. This camera arrived broken. Some of the features did not work. So from that standpoint I should give this only one star. However I contacted Amazon and they had the vendor contact me, which they did very quickly. The vendor paid to have me ship it back and reimbursed me the full price. So, no harm, no foul. I am giving the vendor the 4 stars, not the camera itself. I did purchase the camera again from a local photo store, same price, and this one works great! So I can also say that this D5300 camera is wonderful and gives me the photos I expect. I sold my Nikon D60 to buy this one. Although the D60 was a wonderful camera, this new camera lets me take videos with sound and the screen on the back can be folded in many directions. I had this kind of screen on my Nikon Coolpix800 and loved it. I do a lot of nature pictures and it is sometimes helpful to put the camera on the ground to take a picture and with this screen I can still see what Im taking a picture of without laying on the ground. Same thing when I need to hold it overhead.

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I got a refurbished unit from a reputable vendor at a great price. It is a rather light camera and smaller than I thought but has such a nice rubberized grip. I bought it with the 18-55 mm VR kit lens since Im just starting out and I graduated from a mirrorless Sony NEX-3N. I then bought the 55-200 mm zoom lens, and the 35 mm 1.8 prime lens. After a week of figuring things out (it really did take that long to get a decent shot), I am won over by its amazing sensor, the lovely articulating screen, solid yet light construction, peer-to-peer wifi, fast autofocus, and many more adjustment features that were lacking in my Sony NEX-3N. I took pictures from my old camera and new and there is a significant difference in quality in low lighting situations especially. Also, the additional 8 megapixels to 24 from 16 clarifies the images considerably and a reasonable post processing cropping does not degrade the image. Ive taken some pretty amazing images and with the right settings and lenses you can get professional quality photos. I was not wowed by the camera initially, but once I got the hang of using it, I am very happy with it. I feel it has enough headroom in which I can grow as a photographer. This is not a professional camera by the lack of more refined adjustments (like front and back autofocus adjustments), one control dial and only one SD card slot-but its not a basic model. I would hazard to say it has enough for an intermediate level photographer, but it might be too complicated for a beginner. In short here are my likes and observed weaknesses with this camera: Pros Its the right size and weight to fit in my bag so its always with me. "The best camera is the one thats with you." Chase Jarvis It feels great in my hand A view finder with a diopter adjustment and accessories shoe (totally lacking in a lot of mirrorless cameras). An articulating display thats pretty detailed and bright. An advanced 24 megapixel APS-C 1.5 crop sensor Phase-detection autofocus and contrast in live-view with up to 39 points The removal of the optical low-pass filter for a higher level of detail (that wont be realized until I get some optically superior lenses that can fully resolve the 24 megapixel detail). 2016 pixel RGB TTL exposure meter sensor Peer-to-peer wifi to transfer photos to my tablet and smartphone, and also remotely fire the camera. Availability of lenses at relatively dirt-cheap prices that are pretty sharp and autofocus quickly Battery lasts pretty long when using viewfinder An actual wall charger for the battery (it was in-camera charging with the Sony) Cons No touch screen so toggling feels a little dated with everything being touch screen now Dial function operates shutter speed and you need to depress other buttons at the same time to adjust aperture and ISO Some strange locations for certain buttons like shutter release settings and programmable function button. Poor documentation about more advanced features No built in motor so many legacy f mount lenses are manual focus only The viewfinder is a little small and has 95% coverage Live-view is slower than molasses GPS function is junk You cant make adjustments to the camera settings while controlling it from your tablet or smartphone A little on the high side if you pay full price Battery drains quickly when using wifi and in Live-view mode. Some iffy focus issues with the Nikon 35 mm 1.8 prime lens at the widest apertures in low light. Some have complained online about this combination presenting minor problems. My advice for beginners is to buy the d3300. Its considerably cheaper, has the same sensor, removal of the optical low-pass filter, and has a built in lens motor. Granted it only has 11 auto-focus points, a 420 pixel RGB light meter sensor, a smaller fixed screen, and no wifi or crappy GPS. You can buy the wifi module separately but it does protrude from the side of the camera body.

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