Adam Trahan: Nikon D610

Nikon D610

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This is not a review. It’s notes about why I chose the D610 and how I use it.

Released in 2013, the D610 was the progression from the D600. I understand that the D600 had issues of the sensor being contaminated by internal lubricants from the shutter. Nikon addressed this with offers for owners to send their D600 in for a free shutter replacement. This was part of the reason for the progression to D610 and why I did not choose the D600.

I use this camera as a back up, second body to my D780. I typically pair my lenses when hunting petroglyphs. This body will have a AF VR Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5 - 5.6 D on it for long range searching and acquisition of photos while I use the D780 with a AF Nikkor 20-35mm f2.8 D for detailed wide zoom duties.

I really like this camera. It’s just what I need, not much more.

The D610 was a cost effective possibility before I purchased my D780. It has dual SD card slots and a 24 MP FX sensor, the same as the D780. It will do 4k video but this camera is purely a second camera, a sort of back up. I will probably keep the 80-400 on it or use it for a specific second lens. It’s not my primary camera but there is no loss in quality of images. The D610’s weakness is low light photography. Here in the Arizona, this camera will be used in nuking bright desert light.

The live view screen is fixed, I rarely tilt it on the D780. The lack of a detached screen is not an issue for me. I use the viewfinder almost all of the time on D780.

This isn’t a D780 vs. D610 comparison, nothing like that. The D610 is a second body and the article here is just why I chose it for second camera duties. I really like the D610 and it could easily be used for primarily for what I typically shoot.

For file transfer, the D610 does not utilize SnapBridge, Bluetooth or WiFi. There is an adapter. The Nikon WU-1b plugs into a micro port that can wirelessly send the image files through the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility App to your phone or tablet. I use an Apple SD card dongle to import the images straight from the SD card out of the camera. I use an iPad and iPhone to make my blog. The SD card reader that plugs into the USB-C port on my iPad is simple, super quick and easy.

There is a pop up flash which I like. My D780 does not have one so that’s refreshing as it can serve as fill flash duties however it will be a rare event as I have stated above.

I bought the camera through an auction site, sourced in North America with less than 10,000 pictures taken. It literally looks new as the owner used a rubber cover which I promptly took off.

I purchased the battery grip, the MB-D14. You can place a second Nikon battery or seamlessly use AA batteries. The claim is about 1,400 pictures, certainly a lot less than the battery efficient D780.

I chose two 128gb UHS 1 cards capable of up to 200mb transfer speeds. That’s plenty of storage. I set up the cards for overflow. Card slot #1 fills first. If I am at a must secure picture assignment while traveling, I use the back-up mode where both cards record the same images.

It’s a great camera, not complicated, easy to use, I would even say I should have listened to the advice of my experienced friends, I should have bought it first...