All Nikon DSLR models at a glance

A few years ago, Nikon itself divided its range into two segments:

• Models with fully automatic mode (”consumer“), they got a number of scene modes on top and also had the four advanced camera modes P, S, A, M.
• Models without fully automatic (”professional“), they only have the four modes P, S, A, M. No ”I-don't-want-to-worry-about-anything“ automatic mode.

In both groups, the next distinction is according to handling. The image quality is not really suitable, neighbouring smaller and larger models are the same.

• In the segment with full automatic mode, the number of buttons and knob on the body increases with the larger models, at the same time as the number of setting options via menus.
• On the one hand, the line of the D3x00. If you want to shoot in good quality, but without a lot of fumbling through camera settings, this is a good choice and the most important settings are still all available.
• On the other side are the D7x00, which not only offers a much wider range of settings, but – more importantly – has them more quickly accessible via buttons on the body. Even those who only actively use the most important camera settings will prefer to shoot with it, as everything is more easily accessible, the camera simply obeys much better. And, equally important for me: it can be adapted to personal preferences, it becomes a very individual tool.
• In between, the D5x00, which is between the other two in all the differences I mentioned.
• In the group without full auto mode, all models have a comparable number of setting options and buttons+switches on the body. There is only the step up from a normal camera body to the larger professional body, which has a second shutter release button to be able to hold the camera upright in the same way as the others in landscape format. This goes hand in hand with more robustness and, on detail level, even higher performance, e.g. in continuous shooting.

These are Nikon's terms for sensor size,

• FX for full-frame, with sensors as large as standard 35mm film (24×36 mm sensor size).
• DX for the smaller format (just under 16×24 mm, as ²⁄₃ in height and width, less than half the area).

In the group with full auto mode, the smaller DX sensors dominate and there is only one model series D7x0 with a large FX sensor. Oppositely, in the group without full auto mode, the large FX sensors dominate and there is only one series with a smaller DX sensor. Until 2006 it was different, until then Nikon had brought models with smaller DX sensors only onto the market.