Autofocus on

Hello Readers,

The admin think now is a good time to review the different camera models from the different manufacturers namely Nikon and Canon. Canon has released its EOS 700D, successor to the 650D while Nikon has released its successor's to the D5100, the D5200 and the D7000, the D7100(review will be up within a week). We will focus on Nikon first as there are more comparisons to be made here.

Differences in specs highlights in red.

Nikon Models:
D5100--->D5200
D7000--->D7100

Headline specs
D5100- 16MP sensor from D7000. 11 point AF system with single cross type point in the middle. Vari-angle LCD. 4fps shooting speed. 1080p video. Mono mic. No focus motor to focus non AF-S lenses. Expeed 2
D5200- 24MP sensor. 39 point AF system with 9 cross type points. Vari Angle LCD. 5fps shooting speed. 1080p video. Stereo mics. Expeed 3

As you can see, the D5200 is a much better camera than the D5100. Despite having a 24MP sensor tests have shown it has the same noise performance as the D5100 which is no small feat. Also the D5200 comes with Nikon's latest generation image processor, the Expeed 3 while the D5100 comes with the Expeed 2. However, what you are getting in specs you lose in price. The D5200 is almost 900 USD new with kit lens while the D5100 can be had for close to 600 USD with kit lens. Thus, we conclude that if you want the best value, get the D5100. If all you are taking is still images the D5100 provides the same IQ as the newer D5200. However the D5200 is better for action and video due to its superior autofocus performance and also stereo mics.

D7000- 16MP sensor. 39 pt AF system with 9 cross type points. Fixed 921,000 dot LCD. 6fps shooting speed. Dual SD card slots, Focus motor to focus non AF-S lenses and aperture feeler to meter with old AIS lenses. Mono Mic. 1080p at 24fps only.

D7100- 24MP sensor. 51 pt AF system with 15 cross type points and F8 capable center focus point. Approximate 1,300,000 point LCD. 6fps shooting speed and 7fps in the 1.3x crop mode. Dual SD card slots. Focus motor to focus non AF-S lenses and aperture feeler to meter with old AIS lenses. Stereo Mic. 1080p at many different frame rates.

In almost every way the newer D7100 beats the older D7000. However that is not saying that the D7000 is by any means a bad camera. In fact since used prices of D7000's are less than new prices of D5200's we would recommend getting the D7000 due to its superior frame rate, dual SD card slots and focus motor to focus older AF-D lenses. The D7100 is a better choice for people who want a camera to satisfy their needs for years to come. The D7000 is more of a stop gap camera in this scenario due to its lesser specs and cheaper price. However we say again that the D7000 is by no means a bad camera and still compared well in terms of IQ to the D7100.

Summary(Nikon)
Best Value: D7000
Cheapest: D5100
Best Camera: D7100
"New" factor: D5200

Canon Models
650D--->700D
600D--->650D

650D- 9pt all cross type AF. Stereo Mics. 1,040 million dot vari-angle LCD. 5fps shooting speed.
600D- 9pt 1 center cross type. Mono mic. 1040 million dot vari angle LCD. 4fps shooting speed.
There is so little difference between the 700D and 650D that we are not even going to talk about it. The only inclusion worth mentioning is the 1080 at 60p option which no other Canon(or Nikon) DSLR has. We will focus on the 600D vs the 650D or the 700D. The 600D features the same video stuff as the 650D. However the 650D has greatly enhanced photographic features namely the 9 pt all cross type focus system from the 60D. The sensor on these 3 cameras are essentially the same with the 700D's likely being the best due to it being newer. However they are the same basic sensor so dont expect anything vastly different. The 650D is touted if having on sensor Phase detect sensors to aid in video focus with Canon's STM lenses. However, this feature does not work too well and you are better off manual focusing like previously. Hence, if you are on a budget, 600D will not mean you are losing much compared to the 650D.

Thanks for reading. We hope this helps you decide on your next camera. P