Nikon D5300 Hands-On Preview

The new Nikon D5300 Digital SLR is an update to the Nikon D5200, with a 24 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, with no OLPF (Optical Low Pass Filter) / AA (Anti-aliasing) filter designed to give the sharpest image quality possible. It features full HD video recording with stereo sound, a new 3.2 inch tilting LCD screen, and a new, more compact body, when compared to the predecessor, the Nikon D5200. Built in Wi-Fi enables quick sharing to social media websites (via the Nikon app), and the built in GPS/A-GPS enables GPS log data to be inserted into the JPEG's EXIF information.

Nikon D5300 Key Features:

• 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• No OLPF (Optical Low Pass Filter)
• Optical viewfinder,with increased magnification (approx. 0.82x)
• 3.2 inch tilting vari-angle screen, 1037k dots 
• Wi-Fi connectivity
• GPS / A-GPS built in
• ISO100 - ISO12800, extends to 25600
• EXPEED 4 image procesor
• 39-point AF, 9-cross type AF
• 5fps continuous shooting
• 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor with Nikon’s Scene Recognition System
• Full HD movies at 1080/50/60p
• HDMI output supported
• Built-in stereo microphone and compatibility with Nikon’s ME-1 Stereo Microphone
• HDR and Active D-Lighting
• Special effects for still images and movies
• 16 Scene Modes
• Small, lightweight body: Approx. 125×98.0×76.0 mm.
• Weighs just 480g (without battery and memory card)
• Stable grip for secure handling
• Improved graphical user interface for clearer menus

Nikon D5300 Handling

The Nikon D5300 has an impressively clear and bright 3.2inch screen with very good viewing angles, and despite the reduction in body size, Nikon has still managed to include a larger screen than the previous model. The screen can be tilted for viewing from in front of the camera, or for shooting at awkward angles, and live view will help here.

With a smaller body than the D5200, Nikon say that the camera has an improved grip, however we found the space between the grip and the lens quite tight (even when using the standard 18-55mm VR kit lens), meaning that anyone with quite large hands may find it a little small. 



The body is said to be made from a monocoque design, which enables the camera to be smaller, and while Nikon wouldn't disclose what the body was made from, it felt solid and well built, with a number of premium touches such as a stylish finish on the mode dial. The top of the camera also features a stereo microphone, and video recording has been improved.



Wi-Fi and GPS is built in so you can embed GPS data into the EXIF information, as well as share to social media websites, using the new and updated Nikon mobile app, available for Android and iOS devices. The app also allows remote operation of the camera. The camera uses a 39-point AF system, with 9 cross-type sensors, giving the D5300 class leading AF features. In our testing we found the camera responsive in use, and look forward to full testing the camera when production versions become available.

Nikon D5300 Hands-On Photos of Equipment

Nikon D5300 Specifications

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