CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
    • All Cameras
    • Cameras by Brand
      • Sony Cameras
      • Canon Cameras
      • Nikon Cameras
      • Pentax Cameras
      • Fujifilm Cameras
      • Olympus Cameras
      • Panasonic Cameras
      • Leica Cameras
      • Samsung Cameras
    • Cameras by Body Type
      • Mirrorless Cameras
      • DSLR Cameras
      • Compact Cameras
      • Bridge Cameras
      • Waterproof Cameras
  • LENSES
    • All Lenses
    • Lenses by Mount
      • Sony E Mount Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF M Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF S Mount Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Lenses
      • Pentax KAF Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm G Mount Lenses
      • Sigma SA Mount Lenses
      • Sony Alpha Mount Lenses
    • Teleconverters
  • TOOLS
    • Cameras
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Lenses
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
  • BLOG

Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600 Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Sony A6300

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

Sony A6300
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Nikon D5600

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

Nikon D5600
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
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
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 2359k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 11.0fps 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

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
  • 3.20" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder
  • 5.0fps 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 a6400. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Alpha a6400 vs Sony Alpha a6300
Sony Alpha a6400 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.


Related Blog Posts

Sony FE 100-400 E vs Canon 100-500 RF vs Nikon Z 100-400 vs Canon RF 100-400 Lens Size Comparison
Tamron 17-70 F2.8 vs Fujifilm 16-55 F2.8 vs Fujifilm 16-80 F4 vs Fujifilm 18-55 F2.8-4 Lens Size and Specs Comparison
Sony A1 Firmware Update Brings 8K 4:2:2 10-bit Video and Lossless Compressed Raw Stills
Todays Deals: Samyang 12mm F2 for $399, Bolt Flashes for $49 and more
Cameras with Stacked Sensors and No Blackout Viewfinders in 2022
Todays Deals: Tripod, Microphone and more
New Sony APS-C Lenses Available for Pre-Order
New Sony E 10-20mm F4 PZ G vs Sony 16-35mm F4 PZ G Power Zoom Lens Comparison: APS-C is alive!


**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Sony Alpha a6300 over Nikon D5600
Tiltable Flash
Yes vs No Bounce built-in flash off the ceiling
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
CHECK A6300 PRICE


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 High Speeds
CHECK D5600 PRICE

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
3.20" vs 3.20" 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.

Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
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.

Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
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.
Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5600 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
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 3.20" 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 24.0 MP resolution sensors but Sony A6300's sensor is APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ) and Nikon D5600's sensor is APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm ).

Since Nikon D5600's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Sony A6300.

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.

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


Sony A6300 and Nikon D5600 have the same 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 316 lenses for Nikon D5600's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 182 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 36 lenses for Sony E mount and 107 lenses for Nikon F mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Sony A6300 Lenses # of Nikon D5600 Lenses
Standard Zoom 18 33
Standard Prime 32 22
Wideangle Zoom 12 33
Wideangle Prime 55 50
Telephoto Zoom 15 54
Telephoto Prime 26 46
SuperZoom 10 30
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 2 8
Macro Prime 9 26
Perspective Control Prime 2 11
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1
TOTAL 182 316


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 Lens Sony E 16-55mm F2.8 G
24 - 82.5mm 494gr 898gr 100mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF Lens 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 Lens 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 Lens 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 Lens Sony E 35mm F1.8 OSS
52.5mm 155gr 559gr 45mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 35mm f1.8G Lens Nikon 35mm f1.8G
52.5mm 200gr 665gr 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 Lens Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS
15 - 27mm 225gr 629gr 64mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 10-24mm f3-5-4.5G ED Lens 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 Lens 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 Lens 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 Lens 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 Lens 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

GOOD
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 69 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 #22 out of 130 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #161 out of 1243 in all Cameras
Nikon D5600
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #6 out of 79 in Compact SLR cameras
Ranked #134 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Nikon D5600 has a higher Overall Score than the Sony A6300 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony A6300
Sony A6300
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Nikon D5600
Nikon D5600
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

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 182 316
Screen
Type Tilting Fully Articulated
Size 3.00" 3.20"
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
Built-in 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 Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
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


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Sony A7 IV
33 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7R IV
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Canon M50 II
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon EF-M Mount
Nikon Z9
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Canon R3
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Fujifilm GFX 100
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Fujifilm X-T30 II
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Nikon Z5
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Top Rated Mirrorless Cameras
Top Mirrorless Cameras Under $500
Top Mirrorless Cameras Under $750
Top Mirrorless Cameras Under $1000
Top Mirrorless Cameras Under $1500
Top Rated DSLR Cameras
Top DSLR Cameras Under $500
Top DSLR Cameras Under $750
Top DSLR Cameras Under $1000
Top DSLR Cameras Under $1500
Latest Cameras
Fujifilm X-H2S
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R7
33 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Canon R10
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Ricoh WG-80
16 MP | 1/2.3 Sensor | 28-140 mm
Panasonic GH6
25 MP | Four Thirds Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Mount
OM System OM-1
20 MP | Four Thirds Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Mount
Canon R5 C
45 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Sony HX99
18 MP | 1/2.3-inch Sensor | 24-720 mm
Copyright © 2022 by CameraDecision
Privacy About Contact Us SpeakerDecision

Report a Correction