I think older DSLR models are excellent choices for beginner photographers on a budget, and Nikon certainly has some of the best, especially as it practically dominated the entry-level end of the market for years.
In fact, the Nikon D600, with its 24MP sensor, continuous shooting of up to 5.5 frames per second and Full HD (1080p) recording is seemingly a solid choice, even more so now that you can find the 2012 camera for as low as around $300 /£275 (approximately AU$430) on sites like MPB.
However, if you’re eyeing up a Nikon D600, you should know that this camera has a history of oil spots building up on the sensor, causing unwanted marks in images.
Essentially, during operation, the shutter blades and their internal components would release micro-droplets of lubricant (oil) onto the sensor. This is a well-documented issue in the D600 and one that's tricky to sort as the oil tends to smear when wiped with a sensor cleaning kit.
I’m not saying that the D600 you may buy will definitely be affected by this, especially as Nikon addressed the issue in many cameras with service advisories offering free shutter system replacements.
This came following a class action lawsuit filed collectively by users in 2014 who had faced ongoing issues, despite, in some cases, having already sent their cameras in to Nikon for cleaning multiple times.
Some users also reported the leaking oil problem to seemingly fix itself after using the camera for some time. Nikon says the D600 was tested for up to 150,000 shutter cycles or actuations, so my educated guess is that picking up a camera with a low five-figure count may reduce the chances of an issue.
But, basically, what I’m saying is, be aware of this particular issue and investigate if the camera you’re keen on has been affected by it before deciding whether or not to buy. It could be that your contender has had absolutely no issues whatsoever, or it could be that the camera has a history of leaking oil onto the sensor.
Do your due diligence, and you’ll increase the chances of picking up a good Nikon D600 at a decent price, or you’ll know to opt for another camera altogether. In fact, my first camera was a Nikon D3500. This is a model I highly rate and one that’s never faced serious manufacturing defects like the D600.
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