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Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600 Comparison

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Nikon S6100

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Nikon S6100
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Nikon D600

24 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D600
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Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Nikon cameras cameras with different body types: Nikon S6100, which was introduced in February 2011 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Nikon D600, which was introduced in November 2012 is a Advanced DSLR camera with a 24.0MP Full frame sensor. There is 21 months difference between S6100 and D600 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger D600, especially in sensor tech.

Comparing a DSLR camera to a Fixed Lens camera is not an easy task but we will do our best to make this a fair comparison.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon S6100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-02-09
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 28-196 mm F3.7-5.6 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 175g. 98 x 58 x 27 mm

Nikon D600 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-11-13
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 50-25600)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.2" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 5.5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 850g. 141 x 113 x 82 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D300S Compare

Nikon D600 was replaced by Nikon D610. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D610 vs Nikon D600
Nikon D610 vs Nikon Coolpix S6100

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix S6100 over Nikon D600
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Weight
175 g vs 850 g 675 g lighter


Reasons to choose Nikon D600 over Nikon Coolpix S6100
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Optical vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 16 MP 50% more pixels
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
39 vs 9 30 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3.2" vs 3" 0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 460k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
5.5fps vs 1.0fps 4.5 fps faster
Battery Life
900 shots vs 210 shots 690 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Flash Coverage
12.0m vs 4.5m 7.5m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
35.66µm2 vs 1.76µm2 1926% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
Top LCD
Yes vs No Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
7 points vs none Autofocus with teleconverters

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix S6100 and Nikon D600
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 3.2" Large display
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix S6100 and Nikon D600
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
New4
Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon S6100 has external dimensions of 98 x 58 x 27 mm (3.86 x 2.28 x 1.06″) and weighs 175 g (0.39 lb / 6.17 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D600 has external dimensions of 141 x 113 x 82 mm (5.55 x 4.45 x 3.23″) and weighs 850 g (1.87 lb / 29.98 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600. Nikon S6100 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 43mm narrower, 55mm shorter and 55mm thinner than Nikon D600. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Nikon S6100 has a built-in lens but Nikon D600 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D600, its thickness will increase significantly.

Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600.

Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600.
Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon S6100 is significantly lighter (675g ) than the Nikon D600 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D600, the total kit will weigh much higher.

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of D600, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to S6100.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D600's 3.2" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon S6100's 3" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600: Sensor Comparison

Nikon S6100 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Nikon D600 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 3 processor.

Nikon D600's sensor provides 8MP more than Nikon S6100's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the S6100 and D600 sensor size comparison.

Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon D600 has a 30.7x Larger sensor area than Nikon S6100. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

What types of Photography are Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon S6100 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Nikon D600 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon D600 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Slow Lens at Wide: f3.70
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon D600 for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
196 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 210 shots
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
9 Cross Type Focus sensors
39 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 900 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.5fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D600 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
175g
7.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
850g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details

Nikon S6100 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D600 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Nikon S6100 vs Nikon D600: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon S6100 and Nikon D600 scores compare:

Nikon S6100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #184 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #749 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Nikon D600
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #21 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #76 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon D600 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon S6100 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon S6100. Otherwise, Nikon D600 is the better camera overall.

Nikon S6100
Nikon S6100
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Nikon D600
Nikon D600
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Nikon D600 vs Nikon S6100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix S6100 Nikon D600
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2011-02-09 2012-11-13
Body Type Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch Full frame
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 28.07mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 6016 x 4016
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 50 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 39
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens Nikon F
Lens Focal Range 28-196 mm (7×) no lens
Max Aperture F3.7-5.6 no lens
Macro Focus Range 3cm no lens
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3.2"
Resolution 460k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 4.50 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps 5.5 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Optional
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 175g 850g
Dimensions 98 x 58 x 27mm 141 x 113 x 82mm
Battery Life 210 shots 900 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 94
DxO Color Depth not tested 25.1
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 14.2
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2980
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