Sony a7 II vs Nikon D5600

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7 II and Nikon D5600. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a7 II is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D5600 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a7 II were released 2014 and Nikon D5600 was released 2016. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a7 II 2014
Nikon D5600 2016

Type of camera

Sony a7 II is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D5600 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a7 II has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Nikon D5600 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a7 II 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Nikon D5600 75 mm
Nikon DX sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Both these cameras have the exact same resolution. Sony a7 II has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D5600 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a7 II 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000
Nikon D5600 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000

ISO range

Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 25600.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a7 II 100-25600
Nikon D5600 100-25600

Autofocus and lens compatibility

There is a big difference between these two cameras. Sony a7 II has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D5600 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D5600 there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a7 II
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D5600

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7 II can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D5600 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a7 II 5
Nikon D5600 5

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a7 II and Nikon D5600 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a7 II weighs 599 gr (equal to 1.32 lb) which is 29% heavier than Nikon D5600 and its 465 gr (or 1.03 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a7 II 599 gr
1.32 lb
Nikon D5600 465 gr
1.03 lb

Sony a7 II vs Nikon D5600 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7 II and Nikon D5600, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Name Sony a7 II Nikon D5600
Manufacturer Sony Nikon
Release Date and Price
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Release Year 2014 2016
Release Date 2014-11-20 2016-11-10
MSRP 1699 USD 700 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Camera Type Mirrorless DSLR
Sensor
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Sensor Size Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm)
Also known as "DX"
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
Megapixels 24 MP 24 MP
Image Processor Bionz X EXPEED 4
Image
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
ISO Range 100 - 25600 100 - 25600
White Balance Presets 10 12
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 4.5 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Autofocus Motor Yes No
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 117 39
Lens Mount Sony E

See Compatible Lenses
Nikon F

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier Full frame
No multiplier
Example:
24 mm remains 24 mm
50 mm remains 50 mm
100 mm remains 100 mm
200 mm remains 200 mm
DX / APS-C (1.5x)
1.5x multiplier
Example:
24 mm becomes 36 mm
50 mm becomes 75 mm
100 mm becomes 150 mm
200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Articulated LCD Tilting Fully articulated
Screen size 3” 3,2”
Screen dots 1230000 1037000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type Xtra Fine LCD TFT LCD monitor
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x 0.82× (0.55× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 0
Photography features
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Frames per second 5 fps 5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash No Yes
Built-in Flash Range N/A 12 meters
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No Yes
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
XAVC-S
AVCHD
MPEG4
H.264
Video resolution 1440 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers Yes Yes
Storage
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port Yes Yes
Headphone Port Yes No
Wireless Yes
Built-in (with NFC and wireless control via PlayMemories Mobile app)
Yes
Built-in 802.11b/g/n with Bluetooth 4.1 LE and NFC
Remote Control Yes (wired) Yes (MC-DC2 (wired), WR-1/WR-R10 (wireless))
GPS No Yes
Optional through GP-1/GP-1A
Body & Dimensions
Sony a7 II
Nikon D5600
Enviromentally sealed No No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger
EN-EL14a lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 350 shots 970 shots
Width 127 mm 124 mm
Height 96 mm 97 mm
Depth 60 mm 70 mm
Weight 599 gram 465 gram