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Nikon's new D5300 DSLR builds in Wi-Fi and promises sharper photos

Nikon's new D5300 DSLR builds in Wi-Fi and promises sharper photos

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Nikon is introducing its first DSLR with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, the D5300. The new camera is an update to the D5200, and will take its place as Nikon's top-of-the-line camera for the beginner DSLR market. Though Nikon says that the D5300's overall improvements are iterative, they should add up to something quite meaningful: it also includes a larger, 3.2-inch articulating display; a new image-processing engine; and no low-pass filter on the camera's DX-format sensor, which should result in sharper images.

Built-in Wi-Fi and GPS are a first for Nikon DSLRs

In particular, the addition of Wi-Fi and GPS should be a major one for beginner photographers. Though Sony has offered Wi-Fi in its cameras at this level for almost a year now, Nikon has ignored the option, while Canon has only recently brought the feature down from higher end cameras. The D5300 will be able to pair with Nikon's existing Android and iOS app, allowing them to view and share photos. It's not the most robust tool for remotely controlling a camera, but it's something that's easy to see as a handy option.

Nikon D5300 DSLR press images

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Aside from connectivity, the D5300's other big improvement over its predecessor should be in image sharpness. Nikon says that the sheer density of pixels on its sensor means that a low-pass filter — which is employed by most cameras in order to avoid a noisy strobing effect known as moiré — isn't necessary. Nikon also says that its new Expeed 4 image-processing engine is designed specifically to account for that filter's absence, which should help to cut down on instances where noise might appear. The camera is also Nikon's first capable of shooting 1080p video at 60p, an important improvement for anyone looking to record quick movements.

The D5300's body will also be ever so slightly smaller than its predecessor's, but not much else will have noticeably changed. The camera's standard ISO range goes slightly higher — now running from 100 to 12,800 — but it retains the 5 FPS top shooting speed and 39-point autofocus system in the D5200. The D5300 will be available later this month for $799.95 for the body only or $1399.95 with a Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens. And as with the D5200, you'll be able to get it in three different colors: an ostentatious "candy apple" red, a bluish-gray tone, and — of course — the standard camera black.