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 |