- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How it compares
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Nikon D3200
- 24.1 MP
- APS-C CMOS
- 3" LCD
Released April, 2012
Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Jun, 2012)At the highest resolution setting, the camera can record movies at cine standard 24fps, while at 1280x720 pixels you can choose from 24, 25 or 30 frames per second.
Conclusion Check out the Nikon D3200
First reviewed April, 2012
Features Key features of the Nikon D3200
24.1 MP
APS-C
Rated 73% by by DPReview (Jul, 2012)The camera captures good quality movie footage, with smooth motion, no visible artifacts and comparatively low image noise levels when shooting in low light.
megapixels
| 0 MP | 12.2 MP    | 30 MP |
D3200 by Photography Blog (Jun, 2012)With its huge 24 megapixel sensor, the entry-level D3200 instantly becomes the highest-resolution APS-C DX format Nikon DSLR, and it offers more pixels than any competing manufacturer too.
D3200 by c|net (Jun, 2012)The Nikon D3200 has a lot of the same or similar components to the D3100, including the same autofocus system (bolstered by Nikon's newer scene-recognition technology) and viewfinder, it's got a newer, higher resolution sensor coupled with Nikon's updated Expeed 3 imaging engine, a higher-resolution LCD, and 1080/30p video with a supporting microphone jack and HDMI connector.
sensor size
D3200 by TrustedReviews (Jun, 2012)While that ticks most of the boxes of what can be expected from an entry-level DSLR, the headline-grabbing feature of the D3200 is undoubtedly its 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor.
D3200 by DPReview (Jul, 2012)The viewfinder of the D3200 is basically the same as its predecessor, and offers coverage of 95% and a magnification of 0.8X. These numbers might not mean much, but in normal shooting, the D3200 offers a reasonably large, bright finder which compares well to its entry-level APS-C format peers.
viewfinder size
D3200 by DPReview (Jul, 2012)One figure hidden away in every SLR's spec is the size of the viewfinder (often in a format that makes comparison between competing models impossible).
D3200 by DPReview (Jul, 2012)The size of the viewfinder is a key factor in usability - the bigger it is, the easier it is to frame and focus your shots, and the more enjoyable and involving process it is.
body size
125 x 96 x 77 mm
145 x 106 x 79 mm
126 x 94 x 64 mm
D3200 by Photography Blog (Jun, 2012)The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens that Nikon supplied feels fairly well-balanced - if a tad front-heavy - on the Nikon D3200 and it fits into place with a reassuring mechanical click.
D3200 by Waikiki (May, 2012)The excellent f1.8 35mm DX Nikon on this camera makes a super-light weight compact package you can carry all day long, producing super images.
focus points
| 0 | 15   | 40 |
D3200 by c|net (Jun, 2012)But I also hate the tiny focus points which only illuminate (and briefly) when you half-press the shutter.
D3200 by Photography Blog (Jun, 2012)Focus accuracy left a bit to be desired, especially when using one of the off-centre focus points (AF point selection is done by way of the four-way pad, a simple and intuitive solution).
Performance Real world tests of Nikon D3200
DxOMark image quality
D3200 by CKE (Jul, 2012)Image Quality - Absolutely top-notch - the Nikon D3200 takes super crisp photos with excellent color representation.
D3200 by DPReview (Jul, 2012)Resolution and detail aside the Nikon D3200 offers good image quality, with reliable focusing and metering.
DxOMark low light performance
D3200 by Gablud (Oct, 2012)I have been using this camera for over 2 weeks now and I am more than satisfied with the quality of the images even in low light condition.
D3200 by Juan-P.-Trivino-Salamanca--Juanpats (Jul, 2012)great quality images, in the low light it works very good.
shutter lag
| 0 ms | 253 ms | 200 ms |
D3200 by Dolly (Feb, 2013)One thing that has frustrated me in the past with other cameras has been the slow response time between pushing the shutter button to the picture actually being taken.
D3200 by Photography Blog (Jun, 2012)The Nikon D3200 lets you dial in shutter speeds of up to 30 seconds and has a Bulb mode as well for exposure times of practically any length, which is very good news if you are seriously interested in night photography.
continuous shooting
D3200 by DPReview (Jul, 2012)If you switch to continuous shooting mode you can even get 1800 shots out of it, measured using Nikon's own standard procedures.
battery life
540 photos
1,100 photos
800 photos
D3200 by Deborah-Roslan--pyrola (Dec, 2012)Good battery life,light weight are the pros, camera clock is somewhat inaccurate and the memory card was a little hot to remove after I shot a 300+ images at a wedding are the cons.
Our analysis How does it stack up against its top 10 competitors
pros
-
Contrast detection focusing system -
HD video -
Generic -
81.0 -
Gives you more flexibility when framing your shot -
24.1 MP -
Opaque -
400 ms -
1,131 ISO -
13.2 ev -
For that film look -
505 g
cons
-
12,800 ISO -
4 fps -
None -
1 -
The screen is fixed in place -
No automatic HDR -
95% -
HD video -
0.5x -
Use buttons to access features and menus -
No automatic 3D -
You'll have to protect your camera from the elements -
276 ms -
80.97% -
No automatic stitching -
1/4000 s
Reviews Word on the street
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 | Rated by 308 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by killahca-h (May, 2012) Rated 100% by by Gene-B (Jun, 2012) |
Lens
Nikon D3200 | Rated 100% by by L.-Milligan (Jul, 2012)Detail and resolution with a decent lens is fantastic and gives you many more options for cropping, printing, etc..
Nikon D3200 | Rated 100% by by StephanThe camera bag is really nice and pretty spacious if you're only taking two lenses.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 80% by by Becky-HitchcockI love the extra lenses and am having a great experimenting with them.
Sensor
Nikon D3200 | Rated 80% by by S.-Vogt (Jun, 2012)If you are an everyday, casual shooter and not shooting much at ISO1600 and above (and not blowing your images up to huge sizes or doing heavy cropping) you will be perfectly happy with the picture quality from this camera.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 73% by by DPReview (Jul, 2012)Here, we provide you with a selection of raw files of 'real world' scenes, and if you want to take a closer look at the NikonD3200's studio scene shots, you can download original raw files from our compared to (raw) page.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 73% by by DPReview (Jul, 2012)Chroma noise is well under control up to very high ISOs but gets pretty intrusive at the two highest settings, which should be reserved for smaller output sizes.
Image quality
Nikon D3200 | Rated 73% by by DPReview (Jul, 2012)Color rendition, tonality sharpness and detail are as good as identical.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 80% by by jnx7--jnx7 (May, 2012)One other thing I noticed with my D3200 is that the VR on the kit lens can introduce blurring of images.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 100% by by scs_13 (May, 2012)We found the image quality obtained to be absolutely stunning, the sharpness of the images was "picture perfect.
Focus
Nikon D3200 | Rated 80% by by Kenneth-R.-ShapiroThe AutoFocus on the D3200, like every other Nikon DSLR I have ever used, is very quick and accurate under all lighting conditions.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 100% by by martb40 (Mar, 2013)It takes great photos and the auto-focus option makes it really simple to get really good shots, even for the novice.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 80% by by Charles-Heckel (Sep, 2012)Older lenses won't autofocus with the D3200-you need the newer AF-S models-but you can focus manually with any lens using a built-in rangefinder function which is buried in the menu system.
Photography
Nikon D3200 | Rated 100% by by logic-fan (Dec, 2012)I'm not a pro or even an avid amateur, but I wanted a good camera to take pictures of my artwork as well as the usual family and friends pictures.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 100% by by don-hall (Oct, 2012)Yes, You will love the 24.2 mp especially for cropping those big Blow Up pics of mountains and sports.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 100% by by Melissa-Steiner (Jun, 2012);).While I wouldn't recommend this product to a person just getting started in photography (an $800 price tag is a big much-stick to point-and-shoots until you get the basics down), I would highly recommend it to those wanting to take a step into the DSLR world who want to increase their photography capabilities by more than they can even imagine!
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Nikon D5100 4-way tie: Highest ISO D5100 vs D3200 |
 | 2 | Canon EOS 60D Is weather sealed Canon EOS 60D vs Nikon D3200 |
 | 3 | Sony SLT-A37 Most detailed video recording mode Sony SLT-A37 vs Nikon D3200 |
 | 4 | Nikon D5200 Best image quality as rated by DXOMark D5200 vs D3200 |
 | 5 | Canon Rebel T4i Has a touch screen Canon Rebel T4i vs Nikon D3200 |
 | 6 | Canon EOS 600D 3-way tie: Highest resolution screen Canon EOS 600D vs Nikon D3200 |
 | 7 | Canon EOS 1100D Fastest to start up Canon EOS 1100D vs Nikon D3200 |
 | 8 | Nikon D60 Largest sensor D60 vs D3200 |
New duel?
Let the battle continue or dare to compare.
Popular Questions
July 25, 2012
Food photography
Looking to buy my first DSLR for primarily food blogging but also will be using it while traveling. Trying to decide between Canon T2i, T3i and Nikon D3200. Most of the food bloggers I follow...
Visitor
17
Answers June 21, 2012
I need help deciding! Nikon D3200 vs. Sony NEX-5N
I'm a beginner but a lot of my friends have DSLR's and I have played around with theirs a lot of times. I was planning on buying the D3200 but when I went to the store to actually try it, I I...
Visitor
15
Answers August 14, 2012
Camera for HD video D3200, D5100, T3i, A57
I'm looking to film skiing primarily and already have a couple Nikon lenses. Im really happy with the Nikon ED AF-S VR-NIKKOR 70-200mm 1:2.8G Nikon ED AF NIKKOR 80-200mm 1:2.8 D I plan I...
Visitor
9
Answers Latest Questions
July 28, 2012
Nikon D5100 versus D3200 . . . or D7100?
I'm an amatuer photographer preparing to go on an African photo safari. I'm ready to invest in an DSLR camera for the trip. I had decided on the Nikon D5100 with the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR ED VR ...
Visitor
2
Answers July 26, 2012
Nikon D3200 movie settings: Why is it only in 25fps instead of 60fps?
I own a D3200 for a month now and it is great. I have some problems with my MOVIE SETTINGS though. It only gives me the option of 1920X1080; 25p as the maximum. I thought it was 30fps and 50p? I...
Visitor
1
Answers January 12, 2013
Needing a Lens for sports activities.
I just purchaced the D3200 and so far I love the camera. However, I want a better, up close shot of my kids. I'm a mom in the stands, at best I can sit 1st level of a college gym watching my son...
Visitor
1
Answers Unanswered Questions
- 80 discussions
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April 22, 2013
Which DSLR for intermediate user; for travel, landscape, low light, et
Hi cuurently I'm currently using Panasonic Lumix GX1 camera. It's compact and light. I'm looking to upgrade it to DSLR. I'll use it primarily for travel photography, landscape, low light, family,...
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0
Answers January 21, 2013
Birding, Scenery, Sunsets, far distances, Animals, detail, flying bird
I enjoy birding and taking photos of more natural aspects of life (Such as outdoors scenery, animals, insects, plants, sunsets ect.) I like detail and colour range.
0
Answers January 20, 2013
Low light video, low light images, fast paced movies
Me and a few of my friends are going to attempt to make a horror movie this summer o i need a camera that takes great video in low lighting. i have been looking at this camera compared to the t3i...
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0
Answers Community Find out what the Sortable community is saying about the Nikon D3200
76
people have recommended the
Nikon D3200Top Nikon D3200 experts at Sortable
Nikon D5100
- 16.1 MP
- APS-C CMOS
- 3" LCD
36 more Sortable users recommended the D5100 over the D3200.
View all discussions | View comparison 
Intermediate I
2
votes Take the D3200, why ? Because the sensor is developed by Sony and these are the best sensors out there at the moment. I think the sensor is very similar to the Sony NEX-7 sensor and no 24MP on an...
- 0 comments
- August 17, 2012
- Reply to: First dSLR, big decision: Nikon (D3200 or D5100) or Canon (EOS 650D).
Beginner I
2
votes For beginners it's great!! and very easy to use. D5100 is more complicated.
- 0 comments
- July 8, 2012
- Reply to: First Dslr Nikon d3200 or d5100? Help
Beginner II
0
votes Nikon d3200 is new and I think that Nikon d3200 is good for a beginner I bought for my self 2 weeks ago as I was a beginner and now I am starting to learn how to take great photos
- 0 comments
- June 27, 2012
- Reply to: I am a beginner!! so plz help me!! want to be serious in photography!!
Canon EOS 550D
- 17.9 MP
- APS-C CMOS
- 3" LCD
11 more Sortable users recommended the Nikon D3200 over the Canon EOS 550D.
View all discussions | View comparison 
Intermediate II
3
votes Optical zoom is a function of the lens, which can be enhanced by ISO capability. If you are looking at taking fast action in low light then you will need a fast zoom (f/2.8). There is no "do it...
- 0 comments
- June 14, 2012
- Reply to: The optical zoom between the two? which is better?
Beginner II
2
votes Nikon d3200 is the best consumer dslr esp for entry level user, also 18-105 is quite ok for newbie
- 0 comments
- August 17, 2012
- Reply to: CANON 550d or Nikon 3200
Intermediate II
2
votes Lens selection is critical for low light photography. Both Canon and Nikon have great lenses for your listed applications. The standard kit lens for these is an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, which is fine...
- 0 comments
- June 14, 2012
- Reply to: Taking photos in low light , wide view
Sony NEX-5N
- 16 MP
- APS-C CMOS
- 3" LCD
5 more Sortable users recommended the Sony NEX-5N over the Nikon D3200.
View all discussions | View comparison 
Beginner I
3
votes Depends on what you want to do with the camera. The NEX-5N is a great mirrorless camera, takes beautiful pictures and decent video and has some nice in-camera functions. The Nikon D3200 is a...
- 0 comments
- June 21, 2012
- Reply to: I need help deciding! Nikon D3200 vs. Sony NEX-5N
