There are a number of digital cameras in the $700 to $1000 range, but we’re going to look at two that have garnered a lot of attention and both are around the $800 price tag. The Nikon D5200 and the Sony Alpha NEX 6. Which is the best buy? Let’s have a look.
Nikon D5200
The Nikon D5200 takes excellent photos and videos. In fact, it’s thought to be one of the best in its class. It has an excellent set of features and is nicely designed. You get good value for your money for the home user who wants a little more out of their camera.
The sluggishness in performance in the D5100 is gone in the D5200. It now has some of the features of the D600 such as metering systems and a new autofocus. The D5200 does a good job for optimizing JPEGs. Raw gives you more adjustments than JPEG but there aren’t a lot of benefits for noise reduction or sharpness unless you are at ISO 1600 and remain usable right up to ISO 6400.
Sony Alpha NEX-6
The Sony Alpha NEX-6 has an excellent design and offers decent video quality too. It has some of the best performance ratings in its class. What the Sony Alpha NEX-6 lacks is the ability for the user to save custom settings, which is rather annoying. The implementation of the wireless component is rather awkward and their app system is extremely annoying. The Sony Alpha NEX-6 definitely offers performance, design, and image quality that is unbeatable, even though it’s a little more expensive.
The ISO 400 is excellent – nice and clean. It can go up to ISO 6400 and if it’s scaled down ISO 12800. Shooting raw is still a good option if you need to make exposure corrections above ISO 800.
Comparison
It’s easy to see that there two cameras give each other a run for their money. Which one is best for you, will depend on the finer details of the two cameras, although the Nikon D5200 tends to come out just a little ahead of the Sony. What’s more important than the manufacturer is ensuring you buy the digital camera that has the features you desire. It’s also a good idea to examine the finer details such as how long the warranty is and how warranties are handled, or what the life expectancy is on average, all important factors in making your final decision.
