# Nikon D3200 Vs. Nikon D5200



## Kortney

Hi,

I am looking into purchasing a new DSLR camera, I have been checking out two Nikon models (3200 & 5200). I have been told by a store that there is no difference between these two models except video capabilities. I am looking for recommendations or reviews on both or either model. 

I am looking to do stop motion, scenery, portrait, digital zoom and something that is not hard to focus and has anti-shake.

Anyone?


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## Braineack

if there's no difference, then why would i rather have the d5100 over my d3100?


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## goodguy

D3200 is indeed a very good camera and if you want in a way "best bang for your buck" then the D3200 is a very good buy.
Saying that the D5200 is better, its not a world a part in performance but it is better.
Better low light performance and better IQ are the main reasons why I would go with the D5200.


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## jaomul

Kortney said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am looking into purchasing a new DSLR camera, I have been checking out two Nikon models (3200 & 5200). I have been told by a store that there is no difference between these two models except video capabilities. I am looking for recommendations or reviews on both or either model.
> 
> I am looking to do stop motion, scenery, portrait, digital zoom and something that is not hard to focus and has anti-shake.
> 
> Anyone?


Digital zoom is crap and usually on lesser than dslr cameras. Nikon anti shake is lens based so it depends on the lens you use. The d5200 is a higher spec camera. To find the exact difference type d3200 vs d5200 and you will get a detailed list. For in body stabilisation that works wiyh all lenses you could look at the similarly specced Sony a57 or a58. They are slightly different tech but have good sensors and good image quality


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## MKins

I don''t think you should be comparing the D3200 to the D5200 and thinking they are very similar.  The D5200 is a step above the D3200.  If want to be on a level playing field then you should be comparing the D3200 to the D5100.  They are more similar and if I had to pick between the 2 I would go for the the D5100.  I actually did a comparison D5100 vs D3200.  In my opinion the D5100 lets you advance more as a beginner without haveing to purchase another camera.


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## raventepes

Honestly, I'd go for the D5200. It'll give you room to grow as a photographer and not be too limiting. Also, its image quality is close enough to the D7100 to where no one would be able to tell the difference.


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## DreamBanger

That's an easy choice. I would take the d5200 but the d3200 isn't bad either. You can see what the D3200 can do here at www.thehonestreviews.com/video/nikon-d3200-digital-slr-beginners-d-slr-camera-review/


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## ThomGrinberg

Hi,
In my Blog below i have covered this VS debate 
hope you'll find it useful :
Nikon D3200 Vs D5200 : Nikon D3200 vs Nikon D5200 | Nikon D3200
Thom.


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## snowbear

Compares any two (modern) cameras - have at it!

Side-by-side camera comparison: Digital Photography Review


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## mikeyidaho

I currently use the d5200, had the d3200 before and sold it to my sister after I had it a month or two so I upgraded. After having had both? The d3200 is the better value, but the d5200 will let you grow and do more as a photographer. Just depends how casual you want things or if you plan on growing upward and needing more functionality. 

Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 2


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## CaptainNapalm

3200, because if you're like most, and get the itch to upgrade your camera in 6-12 months, you'll have some more money in your pocket.


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## sophi.loren

Well I had Nikon D3200 and After releasing of Nikon D5200 I shifted in Nikon D5200 and I must say Nikon D5200 is Awesome with its great performacne. Nikon D5200 Produce low noise at high ISO and I love this awesome feature. Nikon D5200 has more focus point (39) where nikon D3200 has 11 and more important advantage which is not ignorable is Nikon D5200 shoots fast than Nikon D3200. Nikon D5200 Shoots 5 frame per second (FPS). Recently My bro wrote a review about Nikon D5200 best buy and another about Nikon D7100 price . You may get some help from this to decide the best DSLR  ENJOY !


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## robbins.photo

Kortney said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am looking into purchasing a new DSLR camera, I have been checking out two Nikon models (3200 & 5200). I have been told by a store that there is no difference between these two models except video capabilities. I am looking for recommendations or reviews on both or either model.
> 
> I am looking to do stop motion, scenery, portrait, digital zoom and something that is not hard to focus and has anti-shake.
> 
> Anyone?



Well actually what you were told isn't exactly accurate.  The D5200 has in camera HDR for one, which is nice for landscapes and such.  It shoots a little faster (5 fps as opposed to 4), has the articulating screen (not a feature I use but for shooting video or lining up a still shot on a tripod it can be very handy), it has a better autofocus system and a little bit better image quality thanks to an improved dynamic range.  It's also a bit better in low light but not by a huge margin.

The D3200 really is designed for beginners and I generally recommend it for people who are wanting a DSLR but it's not something they are going to use often.  The D5200 is something I recommend for folks that may be new to photography or who have some experience but are really looking to go to the next level - it's a camera you can grow into rather than something you'll grow out of if that makes any sense.


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## TheLost

This should be a sticky...

"How to pick a Nikon DSLR..."

1) Take how much money you have to spend
2) Reduce that amount down to how much money you are comfortable spending without any remorse.
3) Buy the most expensive camera you can get with that money that does not come with any extra crap (no bundles!)
4) Enjoy new camera.

Done!


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## CaptainNapalm

Go for the cheaper of the two because this way you'll have more money in your pocket for when you want to upgrade to a D7100.


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## PaulWog

robbins.photo said:


> Kortney said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I am looking into purchasing a new DSLR camera, I have been checking out two Nikon models (3200 & 5200). I have been told by a store that there is no difference between these two models except video capabilities. I am looking for recommendations or reviews on both or either model.
> 
> I am looking to do stop motion, scenery, portrait, digital zoom and something that is not hard to focus and has anti-shake.
> 
> Anyone?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well actually what you were told isn't exactly accurate.  The D5200 has in camera HDR for one, which is nice for landscapes and such.  It shoots a little faster (5 fps as opposed to 4), has the articulating screen (not a feature I use but for shooting video or lining up a still shot on a tripod it can be very handy), it has a better autofocus system and a little bit better image quality thanks to an improved dynamic range.  It's also a bit better in low light but not by a huge margin.
> 
> The D3200 really is designed for beginners and I generally recommend it for people who are wanting a DSLR but it's not something they are going to use often.  The D5200 is something I recommend for folks that may be new to photography or who have some experience but are really looking to go to the next level - it's a camera you can grow into rather than something you'll grow out of if that makes any sense.
Click to expand...


The in-camera HDR on the D5200 is Jpeg only. I find it to be a useless feature  

With that said, the only reason I think anyone should get a D3200 over a D5200 is if money is a major factor. The swivel screen on the D5200 alone has been huge for me -- it has allowed me to get shots that I couldn't otherwise have gotten.


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## hamlet

Get the cheapest body and invest the remaining cash into a good lens.


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## PaulWog

hamlet said:


> Get the cheapest body and invest the remaining cash into a good lens.



*facepalm*


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## robbins.photo

PaulWog said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kortney said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I am looking into purchasing a new DSLR camera, I have been checking out two Nikon models (3200 & 5200). I have been told by a store that there is no difference between these two models except video capabilities. I am looking for recommendations or reviews on both or either model.
> 
> I am looking to do stop motion, scenery, portrait, digital zoom and something that is not hard to focus and has anti-shake.
> 
> Anyone?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well actually what you were told isn't exactly accurate.  The D5200 has in camera HDR for one, which is nice for landscapes and such.  It shoots a little faster (5 fps as opposed to 4), has the articulating screen (not a feature I use but for shooting video or lining up a still shot on a tripod it can be very handy), it has a better autofocus system and a little bit better image quality thanks to an improved dynamic range.  It's also a bit better in low light but not by a huge margin.
> 
> The D3200 really is designed for beginners and I generally recommend it for people who are wanting a DSLR but it's not something they are going to use often.  The D5200 is something I recommend for folks that may be new to photography or who have some experience but are really looking to go to the next level - it's a camera you can grow into rather than something you'll grow out of if that makes any sense.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> The in-camera HDR on the D5200 is Jpeg only. I find it to be a useless feature
> 
> With that said, the only reason I think anyone should get a D3200 over a D5200 is if money is a major factor. The swivel screen on the D5200 alone has been huge for me -- it has allowed me to get shots that I couldn't otherwise have gotten.
Click to expand...


Interesting - HDR is one of those features I don't use myself because I'm just not much on landscapes, wasn't aware that the 5200 only did that with JPG.  Have to make note of it.  I do shoot jpg on occasion but I guess I could see particularly with a landscape how you would prefer to have a RAW file of the shot.


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## Braineack

I don't like the idea of automatic in-camera HDR processing anyways.  The D5x00 series bodies do auto bracketing, I'd much prefer that and process the HDR myself.


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## PaulWog

Braineack said:


> I don't like the idea of automatic in-camera HDR processing anyways.  The D5x00 series bodies do auto bracketing, I'd much prefer that and process the HDR myself.



It's what I've been doing. Although it's a pain when I realize I forgot to turn autobracketing off, get into some shots, and wonder why my exposure is all over the place. >_<; Happened the other night.


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## robbins.photo

Lol well I haven't really used either myself but some folks just love the hdr thing.  It's like the articulating screen, it's a feature that many love but not one I personally us

Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk


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## robbins.photo

robbins.photo said:


> Lol well I haven't really used either myself but some folks just love the hdr thing.  It's like the articulating screen, it's a feature that many love but not one I personally use
> 
> Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk





Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk


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## Braineack

robbins.photo said:


> Lol well I haven't really used either myself but some folks just love the hdr thing.  It's like the articulating screen, it's a feature that many love but not one I personally use



It's nice to have when you have a reason to use it 

although, considering the menu system of the D3x00 and D5x00, im wondering if it's actually easier to take a -1, 0, +1 shot manually, as opposed to going into the menu and selecting bracketing then taking the three shots...


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## robbins.photo

Braineack said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> 
> Lol well I haven't really used either myself but some folks just love the hdr thing.  It's like the articulating screen, it's a feature that many love but not one I personally use
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's nice to have when you have a reason to use it
> 
> although, considering the menu system of the D3x00 and D5x00, im wondering if it's actually easier to take a -1, 0, +1 shot manually, as opposed to going into the menu and selecting bracketing then taking the three shots...
Click to expand...


I'm thinking manual would be easier.  As i recall the bracketing thing is a bit buried in the menu

Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk


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## Coasty

CaptainNapalm said:


> Go for the cheaper of the two because this way you'll have more money in your pocket for when you want to upgrade to a D7100.



From what I&#8217;ve heard, anything short of FF is not an upgrade.


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## SCraig

Coasty said:


> From what I&#8217;ve heard, anything short of FF is not an upgrade.


I would say that this depends on what you want to do with the camera.  Personally I would consider going to a full-frame body a downgrade.


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## robbins.photo

SCraig said:


> Coasty said:
> 
> 
> 
> From what I&#8217;ve heard, anything short of FF is not an upgrade.
> 
> 
> 
> I would say that this depends on what you want to do with the camera. Personally I would consider going to a full-frame body a downgrade.
Click to expand...


Not really that interested in switching to full frame myself - the low light would be nice but not so nice that it would be worth the cost of the upgrade.  And since most of what I do involves telephoto the loss of the crop factor would be a bit of a bummer.  So when the time comes to replace my trusty D5100 I'll be going the D7100 route.


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## SCraig

robbins.photo said:


> Not really that interested in switching to full frame myself - the low light would be nice but not so nice that it would be worth the cost of the upgrade.  And since most of what I do involves telephoto the loss of the crop factor would be a bit of a bummer.  So when the time comes to replace my trusty D5100 I'll be going the D7100 route.


Yep.  I personally like having all 24mp in an APS-C sized frame.  Gives me a lot more resolution where I need it when I crop images significantly.


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## amolitor

The 24mp APS-C sensors are actually the highest density sensors in common usage these days. They're significantly more tightly packed than the much-vaunted D800 sensor, which has the same pixel pitch as the previous generation of APS-C sensors.

The D3200, D5200, and D7100 all have more or less similar sensors. That's not a reason to upgrade, unless you're right on the edge of some performance window -- if the ISO3200 is almost but not quite good enough for you, an upgrade might -- might -- push you over to being able to use it. The differences are small.

Other than that it's ergonomics and AF system.

D3200: 11 point AF
D5300: 39 point AF
D7100: 51 point AF

These are the lousy, medium, and excellent AF modules, respectively. If your photography is mainly about AF performance, the ability to do 3D tracking, and so on, than the D7100 is a clear winner. If you pretty much leave it on single-point AF, then the main reasons to not just buy the D3200 and be done with it are ergonomics and (maybe) physical robustness of the body.

I assume there's more flexibility using legacy lenses as you go up the chain as well, but that's often a somewhat minor point for many people.


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## PaulWog

robbins.photo said:


> I'm thinking manual would be easier.  As i recall the bracketing thing is a bit buried in the menu
> 
> Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk



Nope, not at all. The fast menu is always up so long as you're not in live view. Click the "i" button, and you can select items in that menu. Just select "bracketing" and set it to the bracketing you want (or set it to off), and you're good to go. It's a lot quicker than manually getting the exposures down. Once you've done your three-shot cycle, it resets and continues until you set it to off (just to clarify that the D5200 does it that way).


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## robbins.photo

PaulWog said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm thinking manual would be easier. As i recall the bracketing thing is a bit buried in the menu
> 
> Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nope, not at all. The fast menu is always up so long as you're not in live view. Click the "i" button, and you can select items in that menu. Just select "bracketing" and set it to the bracketing you want (or set it to off), and you're good to go. It's a lot quicker than manually getting the exposures down. Once you've done your three-shot cycle, it resets and continues until you set it to off (just to clarify that the D5200 does it that way).
Click to expand...


Not a feature I ever use to be honest.  Strangely enough I never use the articulating screen either - I changed the orientation once when I put the plastic screen protector on it and flipped the screen out so it was visible, hasn't moved since, lol.


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## Braineack

that's like the best feature of the D5x00 series!


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## robbins.photo

Braineack said:


> that's like the best feature of the D5x00 series!



Lol.. I know.. and I still haven't found a single use for it.  I'm a viewfinder guy I guess.  I don't really use a tripod and I never shoot video.


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## sifelaver

Braineack said:


> that's like the best feature of the D5x00 series!



Agreed. To me that's the reason to have (or not have) a D5x00 camera.


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## greybeard

D5200........................................................................................D3200

Lower frame rate movies*1080p @ 60fps*vs*1080p @ 30fps*




Both shoot Full HD (1080p) video, but D3200 does so at a lower frame rate



Lower noise at high ISO*1,284 ISO*vs*1,131 ISO*



The D5200 has a slight edge (0.2 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance



Has in-camera HDR*Yes*vs*No*



Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range



Many more focus points*39*vs*11*



Set focus accurately within the frame



Has a flip-out screen*Yes*vs*No*



Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies



Significantly more cross-type focus points*9*vs*1*



Grab focus in difficult situations



Better image quality*84.0*vs*81.0*



Almost the same



Larger sensor*APS-C 23.5x15.6mm*vs*APS-C 23.2x15.4mm*



Almost the same



More dynamic range*13.9 EV*vs*13.2 EV*



0.7 f-stops more dynamic range



Shoots faster*5 fps*vs*4 fps*



Around 30% faster continuous shooting



Better boost ISO*25,600 ISO*vs*12,800 ISO*


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## Tailgunner

This thread is about 8 months old, I'm sure the OP has made their division by now


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