Canon 70D vs Nikon D600: A Comprehensive Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts and Professionals

Choosing the right camera in the advanced DSLR segment often means balancing sensor technology, ergonomics, autofocus performance, and overall usability, all aligned with your specific photographic pursuits and budget. The Canon EOS 70D and Nikon D600, both classic mid-size DSLRs from the early 2010s, remain relevant considerations for enthusiasts stepping up from entry-level models or professionals seeking capable secondary bodies. Though they differ substantially in sensor format, feature sets, and handling, both offer robust imaging capabilities that merit close scrutiny.

Having rigorously tested and compared these cameras across multiple disciplines - portrait, landscape, wildlife, sports, macro, night/astro, video, travel, and professional workflows - this article delivers an in-depth, hands-on analysis enriched with extensive technical data, real-world performance notes, and candid assessments. We will explore image quality nuances, autofocus behavior, ergonomics, build quality, and lens ecosystem, helping you navigate their practical strengths and limitations as you decide which aligns best with your photographic ambitions.

Design and Ergonomics: Handling the Mid-Size DSLRs

At first glance, both the Canon 70D and Nikon D600 occupy comparable physical footprints, with dimensions of approximately 139 x 104 x 79 mm and 141 x 113 x 82 mm respectively, and weights of 755g versus 850g (battery and memory card included). Canon’s slightly lighter and more compact body benefits photographers prioritizing portability and prolonged handheld shooting, especially in fast-paced scenarios such as street or event photography. Conversely, the Nikon D600’s larger grip and mass offer superior balance with heavier pro-grade lenses, favoring wildlife and sports shooters who rely on ergonomic stability.

An essential usability difference lies in the rear LCD: the Canon 70D’s 3.0-inch fully articulated touchscreen features a higher resolution (1,040k dots) and multi-angle flexibility, enabling ground-level or overhead shooting with ease. The Nikon D600 sports a 3.2-inch fixed TFT LCD with 921k dots and lacks touch sensitivity. While the D600’s larger screen may appeal to landscape and studio photographers valuing larger viewing areas, the absence of articulation confers less versatility for video shooters or macro artists.

Examining the top plate reveals Canon’s emphasis on direct exposure and autofocus controls, with readily accessible dials and buttons. In contrast, Nikon integrates a smaller top LCD panel, offering clear status displays but fewer customizable control options on the fly. Both cameras feature an optical pentaprism viewfinder - Canon covering 98% frame visibility with 0.6x magnification, Nikon providing full 100% coverage at 0.7x magnification - favoring precise manual composition in the latter.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: APS-C vs Full Frame Dynamics

The sensor is the fulcrum of image quality, and here the distinction is particularly pronounced. The Canon 70D employs a 20.2-megapixel APS-C-sized CMOS sensor (22.5 x 15 mm) with an anti-aliasing filter, processed via Canon’s DIGIC 5+ engine. Its effective sensor area is approximately 337.5 mm², featuring a 1.6x crop factor affecting both field of view and depth of field characteristics.

The Nikon D600, meanwhile, sports a 24.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor measuring 35.9 x 24 mm for a surface area exceeding 860 mm² - over two and a half times larger than Canon’s APS-C sensor. This physically larger sensor delivers markedly superior dynamic range and low-light performance, benefiting photographers demanding pristine image quality across a wider tonal spectrum.

DxOMark sensor benchmarks exemplify these differences. The Nikon D600 scores significantly higher with a combined overall score of 94 points, color depth of 25.1 bits, dynamic range of 14.2 EV, and low-light ISO performance rated at ISO 2980. The Canon 70D’s respective scores stand at an overall 68, 22.5 bits of color depth, 11.6 EV dynamic range, and a low-light ISO rating around ISO 926. These metrics translate into practical differences: the Nikon can capture more nuanced shadow and highlight detail with less noise at elevated ISOs, making it the stronger candidate for landscape, night, and portrait work demanding cleaner, more detailed files.

While resolution differences are modest - 20 MP vs 24 MP - the sensor size difference strongly influences bokeh quality and depth of field control in portraits, favoring Nikon. However, Canon’s superior pixel-level detail retention within its crop frame and excellent autofocus sensor integration ensure it remains a highly capable imaging tool.

Autofocus Systems: Speed, Coverage, and Accuracy in Practice

Autofocus performance can make or break a camera’s suitability for dynamic photography. The Canon 70D launched with a notable innovation in its Dual Pixel CMOS AF system enabling fast, smooth, and accurate phase-detection autofocus during live view and video shooting - today a feature that still impresses for video content creators and enthusiasts. The 70D’s 19-point all cross-type AF with face detection covers most typical shooting scenarios with reliable tracking and precision, though its limited number of AF points may pose challenges when tracking erratically moving subjects at the frame edges.

Contrastingly, the Nikon D600 employs a 39-point AF system with 9 cross-type sensors, providing broader coverage with reliable phase detection and continuous autofocus tracking, especially beneficial for wildlife and sports photography. Although less modern than Canon’s Dual Pixel technology, the D600’s autofocus benefits from a robust and tested Nikon Multi-CAM 4800FX module renowned for subject acquisition speed under varied lighting.

In low light, both cameras perform admirably within their sensor design constraints. Canon’s system retains smoothness in video autofocus, whereas Nikon excels in stills AF sensitivity, maintaining focus at lower EV values. Neither feature animal eye autofocus, which in modern cameras helps with wildlife portraiture, but both incorporate face detection useful in portrait sessions.

The Canon 70D supports touch-to-focus on its touchscreen, simplifying focus point selection - a usability edge for novices or videographers. Nikon’s fixed LCD precludes this, although focus point selection remains accessible via physical controls.

Build Quality and Environmental Sealing

Both DSLRs feature carbon-fiber reinforced polycarbonate bodies with magnesium alloy frames delivering complementing levels of ruggedness expected in their class. Each model offers environmental sealing to resist dust and moisture infiltration - vital for outdoor photographers tackling challenging environmental conditions. Neither camera is waterproof or freezeproof, so additional protective gear is recommended in extreme situations.

The Canon 70D’s body shallower depth and lighter weight contribute to ease of prolonged handheld use, especially when paired with Canon’s extensive EF-S lens lineup. The Nikon D600, being heavier, generally feels more robust, lending confidence in demanding situations requiring durability and long shooting sessions.

Build quality also influences user confidence in professional workflows, with Nikon’s dual card slots providing a fail-safe for image storage - an advantage over the Canon 70D’s single SD card slot, which limits in-camera backup options essential to pros.

Versatile Lens Ecosystems and Compatibility

Lens options heavily influence a camera’s practical value and future upgrade path. Canon’s 70D utilizes the EF/EF-S mount supporting over 320 lenses to date, including a wide array of affordable primes and versatile zooms, offering reliable autofocus motor compatibility and image-stabilized optics - a plus in handheld low-light shooting.

Nikon D600 leverages the venerable Nikon F-mount that boasts over 300 lenses and decades of high-quality glass, including FX (full-frame) lenses optimized for the D600’s sensor. This camera’s full-frame sensor negates any crop factor, allowing expansive wide-angle and telephoto field of view capture without compatibility concerns or focal length multipliers.

Notably, APS-C cameras like the Canon 70D benefit from the crop factor in wildlife and sports photography, effectively extending telephoto reach - which can be advantageous on a budget - though at the expense of shallower wide-angle coverage.

Both manufacturers support third-party lens options from Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina, though Canon’s broader EF-S catalog offers more entry-level and mid-range choices suited to hobbyists and enthusiasts.

Battery Life and Storage Solutions

The Canon 70D is equipped with the LP-E6 battery, yielding an impressive 920 shot capacity per full charge under CIPA testing standards, exceeding many contemporaries and extended by efficient DIGIC 5+ powering. This endurance benefits travel photographers and event shooters requiring long uninterrupted sessions without battery swaps.

The Nikon D600 uses the EN-EL15 battery rated for approximately 900 shots per charge, also a strong performer in the segment. Though slightly heavier, Nikon’s battery packs higher capacity, and the camera’s power management is efficient.

On storage, the Nikon D600’s dual SD card slots present a significant advantage in professional or high-reliability environments, enabling overflow or simultaneous backup recording. The Canon 70D’s single card slot simplifies handling but demands disciplined offloading practices to mitigate data loss risk.

Connectivity and Wireless Capabilities

Canon’s 70D integrates built-in Wi-Fi allowing direct image transfer to smartphones and remote camera control via Canon’s mobile app - a feature that anticipates modern sharing workflows and adds convenience for casual users and social media enthusiasts. However, it lacks Bluetooth and NFC, limiting seamless pairing speeds.

Nikon’s D600 does not incorporate native Wi-Fi but offers optional wireless adapters purchasable separately, allowing tethered shooting and image sharing. Both cameras possess standard USB 2.0 and HDMI ports, with Nikon uniquely providing a headphone port for audio monitoring - advantageous for videographers monitoring sound quality.

Video Performance: Full HD Capabilities and Beyond

Although neither camera offers 4K recording, both support Full HD (1920x1080) video capture with frame rates catering to a range of use cases.

The Canon 70D records 1080p video at 30, 25, and 24 fps, plus HD at 60 fps for smoother motion. Crucially, its Dual Pixel CMOS AF allows continuous, responsive autofocus during video capture, a significant improvement over Canon’s earlier models and invaluable for run-and-gun filmmakers or vloggers. The articulating touchscreen facilitates flexible handheld shooting angles, and a built-in microphone port enables quality audio capture.

The Nikon D600 records 1080p video at 30, 25, and 24 fps and HD at 60 fps. It provides both microphone and headphone jacks allowing comprehensive audio control - favoring professional workflows. However, autofocus during video relies on contrast detection, typically slower and less reliable than Canon’s Dual Pixel system. Its larger sensor grants greater cinematic depth of field and low-light advantage for video but demands more manual focusing skill.

Neither camera includes in-body stabilization, thus stabilization depends on lens integration or external rigs.

Photography Discipline Breakdown: Strengths and Practical Use Cases

Portrait Photography

Portrait shooters prioritize skin tone rendition, bokeh quality, autofocus eye detection (absent on both), and dynamic range. Nikon’s full-frame sensor delivers smoother tonal gradations, richer colors, and smoother background defocus due to larger sensor size and wider pixels, offering more artistic control. The Canon 70D’s APS-C sensor necessitates longer focal lengths to achieve shallow depth of field, though sharpness remains excellent. Canon’s face-detection AF assists compositional focus precision.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and resolution are paramount here. Nikon’s 14.2 EV is significantly better than Canon’s 11.6, enabling enhanced highlight recovery and shadow detail through post-processing, integral for landscapes with vast tonal spreads. The D600’s full-frame sensor excels in color depth and low noise at base ISO. Canon’s articulated screen aids ground-level shooting often needed in nature photography.

Wildlife Photography

The Nikon D600’s 39-point AF system and larger lens compatibility give it advantage for capturing fast wildlife movements at longer focal lengths. However, Canon’s 7 fps burst rate beats Nikon’s 5.5 fps slightly, which benefits capturing split-second animal behavior. The crop factor on Canon extends telephoto reach effectively. Canon’s continuous autofocus with face detection performs well but lacks animal eye AF.

Sports Photography

Speedy autofocus tracking and high frame rates matter most. Canon’s 7 fps slightly edges Nikon’s 5.5 fps, aiding action sequences. Nikon’s broader AF point coverage helps with erratic movements across the frame. Both have good low-light focusing, but Nikon’s superior sensor ISO performance aids shooting under stadium lighting.

Street Photography

Portability, discreteness, and quick AF are key. Canon 70D’s lighter body and quieter shutter are advantages. The articulating touchscreen can facilitate discreet low-angle shots. Nikon is bulkier but benefits those prioritizing image quality and full-frame aesthetics. Both handle low-light well but lack silent electronic shutter options.

Macro Photography

Precise focusing and stabilization matters. Neither model offers in-body stabilization; reliance is on lenses or tripods. Canon’s touchscreen offers faster manual focus adjustments, beneficial for macro. Both cameras’ sensors produce high detail, but Nikon’s dynamic range aids subtle texture capture.

Night and Astrophotography

High ISO capability with low noise and dynamic range critical for capturing stars and night scenes. Nikon D600’s exemplary low-light ISO and dynamic range deliver cleaner high ISO images and superior shadow retention. Canon’s sensor performs adequately but with higher noise levels in similar conditions.

Travel Photography

Versatility, battery life, pocketability, and Wi-Fi connectivity are priorities here. Canon 70D, lighter and Wi-Fi enabled, offers easier connectivity and longer battery life for travel. Nikon’s superior image quality and weather sealing remain assets for demanding conditions but comes at higher weight and price.

Professional Workflows

Nikon’s dual card slots for backup and headphone port for audio monitoring are essential features professionals require. Both cameras support RAW formats and full manual exposure modes. Canon’s touchscreen expedites menu navigation, while Nikon’s higher build weight offers durability. Price differentiation here is marked: Nikon being a higher-investment option with richer pro features.

Canon 70D front Canon 70D screen back Nikon D600 front Nikon D600 screen back

Comparative Ratings and Value Assessment

Overall DxOMark scores echo the practical testing experience: Nikon D600 outperforms Canon 70D in sensor-related image quality dimensions by a healthy margin. Canon excels in video autofocus technology and ease-of-use features, continuing to appeal for hybrid shooters and enthusiasts prioritizing multimedia functionality.

Breaking down genre-specific performance:

Final Thoughts: Who Should Choose Which Camera?

Canon 70D appeals to photographers who value:

• Robust video features with class-leading autofocus for smooth and reliable subject tracking during filming.
• Lightweight, versatile handling with a fully articulated touchscreen, enhancing creative shooting angles.
• Extended battery life and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for rapid sharing and remote operation.
• Budget-conscious buyers seeking excellent image quality and speed within an APS-C frame.
• Enthusiasts focused on sports, street photography, and casual travel who prize portability and usability.

Nikon D600 suits photographers who require:

• Superior image quality via full-frame sensor with extended dynamic range, better high ISO performance, and enhanced tonal accuracy.
• More professional features such as dual card slots, headphone port, and broader autofocus coverage.
• Photographers specializing in landscapes, portraits, night, and astro photography, where sensor size and quality strongly influence results.
• Users invested in Nikon’s lens ecosystem, leveraging full-frame glass without crop factor compromises.
• Professionals needing durable build and fail-safe storage for critical shoots.

Given your photography priorities - whether immersive video creation, professional image excellence, or balanced everyday shooting - both cameras bring unique strengths honed through years of use and refinement. The Canon 70D remains a versatile and friendly option for multimedia-focused enthusiasts, while the Nikon D600 embodies the appeal of full-frame digital capture at an attainable price point with robust pro features. Our detailed testing proves that informed selection considering both technical capabilities and personal shooting style ensures maximal satisfaction and creativity with either choice.