Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600 Comparison

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Sony A6300

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Nikon D5600

24 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Sony A6300, which was introduced in February 2016 is a Advanced Mirrorless camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor whereas Nikon D5600, which was introduced in November 2016 is a Entry-Level DSLR camera with a 24.0MP APS-C sensor. There is only 9 months difference between A6300 and D5600 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Despite some fundamental differences of these two body types, Mirrorless cameras are becoming serious alternatives to DSLR cameras thanks to their size/weight advantages and recent improvements in their focus speeds , which makes this comparison even more interesting.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony A6300 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2016-02-03

24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600 ( expands to 51200)

Sony E Mount

3 Tilting Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

11.0 fps continuous shooting

4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution

120fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

404g. 120 x 67 x 49 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Sony Alpha a6000 Compare

Nikon D5600 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2016-11-10

24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter

ISO 100 - 25600

Nikon F Mount

3.2" Fully Articulated Screen

Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder

5.0 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

465g. 124 x 97 x 70 mm

Replaced Nikon D5500 Compare

Sony A6300 was replaced by Sony Alpha a6500. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha a6500 vs Sony Alpha a6300
Sony Alpha a6500 vs Nikon D5600

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha a6300 over Nikon D5600

Viewfinder Magnification	0.7x vs 0.55x	Larger Viewfinder
Number of Focus Points	425 vs 39	386 more focus points
Viewfinder Coverage	100% vs 95%	More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting	11.0fps vs 5.0fps	6 fps faster
Weight	404 g vs 465 g	61 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Color Depth	24.4 vs 24.1	higher color depth
Low Light ISO	1437 vs 1306	better High ISO performance
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080	Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range	±5 EV vs ±2 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Webcam Function	Yes vs No	Use your camera as a Webcam
Eye Tracking Focus	Yes vs No	Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject

Reasons to choose Nikon D5600 over Sony Alpha a6300

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
LCD Screen Size	3.2" vs 3	0.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	1.037k dots vs 922k dots	12% higher resolution screen
Battery Life	820 shots vs 400 shots	420 more frames with a single charge
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs With optional app	creative shooting
Flash Coverage	12.0m vs 6.0m	6m longer range
Dynamic Range	14.0 vs 13.7	higher dynamic range
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Bluetooth	Yes vs No	Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
UHS Card Support	UHS-1 vs none	Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds

Common Strengths of Sony Alpha a6300 and Nikon D5600

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Adjustable LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fully Articulated	Flexible shooting positions
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	24 MP vs 24 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Size	3 vs 3.2"	Large display
LCD Screen Resolution	922k dots vs 1.037k dots	High resolution screens
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection	Yes vs Yes	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Weaknesses of Sony Alpha a6300 and Nikon D5600

In-body Image Stabilization	No vs No	No Built-in stabilization

Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600: 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 Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Sony A6300 has external dimensions of 120 x 67 x 49 mm (4.72 x 2.64 x 1.93″) and weighs 404 g (0.89 lb / 14.25 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D5600 has external dimensions of 124 x 97 x 70 mm (4.88 x 3.82 x 2.76″) and weighs 465 g (1.03 lb / 16.40 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600. Sony A6300 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 4mm narrower, 30mm shorter and 21mm thinner than Nikon D5600.

Comparison image of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600.

Comparison image of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600.

Top View Comparison image of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony A6300 is 61g lighter than the Nikon D5600 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 have the same APS-C sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A6300

D5600

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

A6300

D5600

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

With its weather sealed body, we believe that A6300 has a big advantage over D5600 which doesn't provide any kind of environmental sealing.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D5600's 3.2" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony A6300's 3 screen.

Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 have APS-C sized 24.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Nikon D5600's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the A6300 and D5600 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 Cameras

Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, A6300 has scored 85, 1 points higher than D5600.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Sony A6300	85	24.4 bits	13.7 Evs	1437 ISO
Nikon D5600	84	24.1 bits	14.0 Evs	1306 ISO

Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600 Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Nikon D5600 has an advantage over Sony A6300 There are 309 lenses for Nikon D5600's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 142 lenses for Sony A6300's Sony E lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 32 lenses for Sony E mount and 106 lenses for Nikon F mount with IS.

Lens Type	# of Sony A6300 Lenses	# of Nikon D5600 Lenses
Standard Zoom	13	33
Standard Prime	23	21
Wideangle Zoom	8	33
Wideangle Prime	46	48
Telephoto Zoom	10	53
Telephoto Prime	19	45
SuperZoom	9	30
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	2	8
Macro Prime	8	26
Perspective Control Prime	2	11
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	1
TOTAL	142	309

Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G	24 - 82.5mm	494gr	898gr	100mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF	25.5 - 82.5mm	755gr	1220gr	111mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sony E 55-210mm F4.5-6.3 OSS	82.5 - 315mm	345gr	749gr	108mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM	75 - 225mm	1350gr	1815gr	198mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sony E 35mm F1.8 OSS	52.5mm	155gr	559gr	45mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon 35mm f1.8G	52.5mm	210gr	675gr	53mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS	15 - 27mm	225gr	629gr	64mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon 10-24mm f3-5-4.5G ED	15 - 36mm	460gr	925gr	87mm	Amazon B&H Photo

24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sony E 16-70mm F4 ZA OSS	24 - 105mm	308gr	712gr	75mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon DX 16-80mm F2.8-4E ED VR	24 - 120mm	480gr	945gr	86mm	Amazon B&H Photo

Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses

Model		FF Equiv.	Weight	Weight w/ Cam	Length	Street Price
	Sony E 70-350mm F4.5-6.3 G OSS	105 - 525mm	625gr	1029gr	142mm	Amazon B&H Photo
	Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR	80 - 400mm	1570gr	2035gr	203mm	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 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.

Sony A6300 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D5600 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Sony A6300 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon D5600 for Street Photography

GOOD

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Sony A6300 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon D5600 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
425 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
9 Cross Type Focus sensors
39 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 820 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A6300 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Nikon D5600 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
404g
Body Thickness 49mm
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Large Body
465g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Sony A6300 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D5600 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600: 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 Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600, 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 Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 scores compare:

Sony A6300

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #16 out of 128 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #111 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Nikon D5600

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #5 out of 79 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #110 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Nikon D5600 vs Sony A6300 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sony Alpha a6300	Nikon D5600
Brand	Sony	Nikon
Announced	2016-02-03	2016-11-10
Body Type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless	Compact SLR
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	APS-C	APS-C
Dimensions	23.5 x 15.6 mm	23.5 x 15.6 mm
Area	366.60mm²	366.60mm²
Megapixels	24 megapixels	24 megapixels
Max Resolution	6000 x 4000	6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity	25,600 ISO	25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	51200 ISO	-
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 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	425	39
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Sony E	Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses	142	309
Screen
Type	Tilting	Fully Articulated
Size	3	3.2"
Resolution	922k dots	1,037k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Resolution	2,359k dots	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	95%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.7x	0.55x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m (at ISO 100)	12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync	n/a	1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	11.0 fps	5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S, H.264	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	404g	465g
Dimensions	120 x 67 x 49mm	124 x 97 x 70mm
Battery Life	400 shots	820 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording	With Downloadable App
GPS	None	Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	85	84
DxO Color Depth	24.4	24.1
DxO Dynamic Range	13.7	14.0
DxO Low Light ISO	1437	1306
	Report a correction	Report a correction