DSLRBodies

It's too late for XMAS 2025 buying, but as I was working on this site for 2026 I decided that a statement about still viable Nikon DSLR bodies, both new and used, was needed. 

Nice

• D6 — (still available new) The best low-light, autofocusing DSLR Nikon ever made. No reasons whatsoever to avoid this camera. Some of my pro friends are still using and enjoying it.
• D5 — The primary difference between this and the D6 is the focusing system. The D5 has more restrictions and less performance in focus. It's still really good at focus if you take the time to learn the system, though.
• D4/D4s — The image quality was superb for its time, but only good now. Likewise, the autofocus performance was outdone by the D5 generation cameras. Still, a reliable camera capable of great results.
• Df — You buy this for the image sensor and the legacy interface, basically. But be aware that this is really SLR-looks bolted onto a DSLR base. Unlike the Zf (mirrorless), the Df has two very distinct personalities, depending upon what you're doing.
• D3x — You're probably wondering why this old beast is here. It's simple: it still has current state-of-the-art 24mp performance (though at slower frame rates) coupled with a body that can take anything you can throw at it.
• D850 — (still available new) The best all-around DSLR ever made, by anyone. Probably the best choice of camera for anyone wanting to stay with DSLRs.
• D810 — Like the D4/D4s, superb image quality for its time, but only very good now. Autofocus performance is a notch below later cameras, but as a casual, mostly static scene camera, it's still great.
• D780 — (still available new) Essentially a Z6II in DSLR skin. Which means its a very good all-around camera. And if you ever prefer composing on the Rear LCD, the D780 is quite good at that.
• D500 — The best of the crop-sensor DSLRs ever made, by anyone. This camera is still viable today if all you need is 20mp.
• D7500 — (still available new) Despite the function reductions from the D7200, it is much of what the D500 is otherwise, and still an excellent crop sensor choice.
• D7200 — It's amazing how long this 24mp crop sensor camera has kept relatively even with image quality. There's really no reason to avoid this camera.
• D3400 — If all you want is minimal, then the D3400 is Nikon's best statement of that in DSLRs. Great image quality, but autofocus really only works well with the central focus sensor, and extended functions and customizations are minimal.

Naughty

• D800/D800E — You avoid this camera for two reasons on the used market: (1) the early factory focus misadjustments; and (2) the weak frame that is easy to break internally without knowing. When you buy used, you don't know if either of things are present. #1 will cost you money to have Nikon "fix" (the fix isn't really a fix, it's a workaround), and #2 isn't fixable if the frame is broken.
• D750 — Like the D800, you likely won't know if a used version of this camera had either (or both) of its early factory recall fixes, and thus might have impaired image quality in certain situations. It's unclear if Nikon still makes these fixes, as parts are required for them, and the D750 is now out of its official repair window.
• D600 — These cameras simply had a flakey shutter. Literally flakey, as in "sheds flakes onto the image sensor." As with the other two cameras in the naughty list, the D600 is out of its official repair window and it's unclear whether or not one that wasn't repaired or replaced can be fixed.

What about the other Nikon DSLRs? Well, if it's not on the above Nice list that means that I believe that there's a better choice available if you're looking for a camera on the used market. For instance, I'd opt for a D4/D4s/D5 over a D3/D3s these days. Too many advantages, and not nearly enough price differential to make the older cameras all that interesting, particularly given their 12mp image sensor. 

Since I mentioned "out of its official repair window" several times, I should explain what that means. NikonUSA follows California warranty and repair guidelines, meaning that NikonUSA only stocks parts and makes repairs for seven years after a camera was last manufactured. We're past that point with all but the D5, D6, D780, D850, and D7500 (which is why they're "green" in my headings, above. Nikon still seems to repair D500's, and depending upon what needs fixing, a few of the other most recent retirees ("orange"), but given used market prices, with many models it's often simply cheaper to replace them with another used camera than repair them.

In this folder you’ll find the several hundred news and commentary articles about Nikon and DSLR cameras that appeared on this site in 2013:

In this folder you’ll find the news and commentary articles about Nikon and DSLR cameras that appeared on this site in 2023:

In this folder you’ll find the news and commentary articles about Nikon and DSLR cameras that appeared on this site in 2021: