Nikon’s announcement of the D800 in February 2012 was followed by the unveiling of the D600 a short seven months later, in September 2012. Then, a little over a year later, in October 2013, a minor upgrade to the D600 resulted in the release of the new Nikon D610. The upgraded D610 has three main improvements: a new shutter assembly, resulting in a faster picture-taking rate of 6 frames per second (fps) versus 5.5 fps; improved Auto white balance; and a new 3 fps Quiet continuous (Qc) shutter-release mode.
The new D610 is not a D800, nor is it a DX sensor-equipped D7100. It is more like an upgraded combination of the two, making it a very clever merger of a semipro and enthusiast camera with features that surpass some recent professional models.
Imagine the dilemma faced by the author of the past eight Mastering the Nikon® DSLR series books. Nikonian Darrell Young—known to us as Digital Darrell—had just written the Nikon D7100 book, which was preceded by his book on the Nikon D800/800E. Many of the features from both the D7100 and D800 were combined into the amazing Nikon D610. How could Darrell describe this new, powerful, hybrid digital single-lens reflex in a way that would most benefit his readers?
Working with the camera, Darrell’s first step is the same as the one he recommends to all new Nikon users. He reads the user’s manual as many times as it takes to understand important concepts. Once he grasps the concepts and the basic directions available through the user’s manual, he takes those concepts and directions into the field. He makes sure he understands how each feature works in basic photography and how it can be applied to specialty applications such as landscapes, weddings, events, and portraits. Once satisfied that he has mastered each new feature, he then translates his experience in a simple-to-understand sequence of profusely illustrated steps, and goes on to recommend the best initial settings and shooting techniques to match.
Fortunately, Darrell’s extensive knowledge and hands-on experience gained while writing Mastering the Nikon D800 and Mastering the Nikon D7100 put him in the enviable position to draw comparisons and highlight the remarkable advancements in Nikon’s D610. In the simplest terms, he instinctively knew what was “under the hood.”
Darrell spotted the best attributes almost immediately. The Nikon D610 is the perfect FX entry-level model. The camera’s cost is more than reasonable when one considers inflation and devaluation, its well-sealed and robust body, and the 24 MP sensor that provides better image quality and dynamic range than the more expensive Nikon D3X. The D610 is designed for those who have wanted to enter the FX world but have been waiting for an affordable option, making it an ideal choice for a serious or enthusiast photographer on a budget, or as a second body for the working professional. It also features a high-speed continuous shooting rate of approximately 6 frames per second, compared to the 4 frames per second of the D800—providing the perfect balance between resolution and speed for those who shoot both nature and sports.
Recognizing these attributes and helping owners of this camera was a natural progression for Darrell. He went back to square one with the skills he has developed in the last eight books in this series and addressed his readers with his singular point of view. He wants to help the owner of this particular camera.
In this book, Darrell has applied his time-tested and reader commended skills to the D610. The ultimate reward of much deeper knowledge of your new camera goes to you, the owner of this book. As you read the pages to follow, you will be the beneficiary of Darrell’s diligence and painstaking attention to detail. By reading this book, with camera in hand, your photography is bound to improve.
This joint venture between nikonians.org and Rocky Nook has developed a strong following in the “camera instruction” genre, and Darrell’s easy-to-understand writing has been a key ingredient in that trend. We are proud to include his impressive credentials and body of work in our ever growing and never-ending resources for our community, which include articles, forums, The Nikonian eZine, Nikonians Academy Workshops, the Nikonians News Blog, Nikonians podcasts, our Wiki, and eBooks. Our community now has three language versions (English, German, and French) and we continue to grow as we surpass 400,000 members on record.
Nikonians, now in its 14th year, has earned a reputation as a friendly, reliable, informative, and passionate Nikon user’s community thanks in great measure to members like our own Digital Darrell, who have taken the time to share the results of their experiences with Nikon imaging equipment.
It is a pleasure to present you with this book. Enjoy it, the Nikonians community, and your Nikons.
J. Ramón Palacios (jrp) and Bo Stahlbrandt (bgs)
Nikonians Founders