- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How they compare
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Compare with...
- Nikon D5100
- Sony DSLR-A580
- Canon EOS 7D
- Canon EOS 60D
- Nikon D7100
Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Nov, 2010)The D7000 produces noise-free JPEG images at ISO 100-1600, with ISO 3200 also looking pretty good.
Rated 73% by by DPReview (Jul, 2012)Color rendition, tonality sharpness and detail are as good as identical.
Conclusion Which is better for you?
Features Key features of the Nikon D7000 compared to the D3200
MP16.1
APS-C
Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)We're at ISO400 and still we're getting a clean, clear and crisp image.
24.1 MP
APS-C
Rated 90% by 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.
megapixels
| 0 MP | 24.1 MP   | 30 MP |
D7000 by R.-Wandrei--social_bunny (Nov, 2010)RAW format uses full 16.2 megapixels so files are huge (would be nice to see an option that allows you to choose how many megapixels you want to use when shooting RAW).
D3200 by mad-G.I. (Mar, 2013)Even older camera's, in the single digit mega pixel range, take equally good photos, when you print to normal size frames, so don't get excited about the megapixels, because in the end, they just eat up hard drive space, with no real gain.
sensor size
D7000 by DPReview (Nov, 2010)With its APS-C sensor the Nikon D7000 cannot quite produce the very shallow depth-of-field footage that the Nikon D3s or other full-format DSLRs offer but it still gives you much more control in this respect than most consumer video or digital compact cameras.
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.
viewfinder size
D7000 by J.-Carrow (May, 2012)Even 6400 can give nice shots, and the HI-2 (equivalent of 25,600) can give very usable shots if you don't mind heavily post processing them and only using them reduced to web sizes.-The metering is noticeably better, so I have to adjust the exposure less, and have fewer blown highlights.-The viewfinder is larger, so its easier to see what you're doing.-The auto white balance has a much wider range of correction, and is more accurate.
D3200 by DPReview (Jul, 2012)In some ways it is a fairly 'old-fashioned' DSLR, but it is a solid performer in almost all areas and a good entry-level choice for those who prefer to frame their images through an optical viewfinder.
body size
132 x 105 x 77 mm
125 x 96 x 77 mm
D7000 by B.-Fuller (Oct, 2010)Smaller weight and size is becoming much more important to me and this camera is a very good trade off of features for size and weight.
D3200 by pamelaneeley (May, 2013)Even with sport pictures I am still getting some blur... As far as handling yes it does and a great weight.
focus points
| 0 | 39 | 40 |
D7000 by val (Sep, 2011)I loved the feel, the speed, the metering, especially for flash photography, the ease of use, the focus points (and accuracy) and the controls.
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.
Performance Real world tests of Nikon D7000 vs D3200
DxOMark image quality
D7000 by Emil--EmilImage quality (wealth of details, sharpness, color rendition), performance, design, ergonomics, usability, fill-n flash - it's a pleasure to shoot with this camera.
D3200 by CKE (Jul, 2012)Image Quality - Absolutely top-notch - the Nikon D3200 takes super crisp photos with excellent color representation.
DxOMark low light performance
D7000 by Alastair-G.-Stell (Jan, 2011)On the other hand, it is perfect for night-time or low light conditions.
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.
shutter lag
| 0 ms | 238 ms | 300 ms |
D7000 by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)So from the off we were expecting response times from the camera that were almost instantaneous.
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.
continuous shooting
D7000 by Mark-Fitzpatrick--Math-Teacher (May, 2012)Even when set to highest file size and optimal quality, I click off rapid fire shots of say a receiver as he is catching the ball.
battery life
1,050 photos
540 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.
Differences What are the advantages of each
Advantages compared to the D3200
| Many more photos per charge | 1,050 | vs | 540 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 510 more shots; Longer battery life | |||
| Is weather sealed | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Keep shooting in rain or snow | |||
| Many more phase-detection focus points | 39 | vs | 11 |
| 28 more phase detection focus points; Faster autofocus in reasonably lit settings | |||
| Many more cross-type focus points | 9 | vs | 1 |
| 8 more cross type focus points; Easier and faster focusing in low light | |||
| Much larger viewfinder coverage | 100% | vs | 95% |
| More than 5% larger coverage | |||
| Significantly higher light sensitivity | 25,600 ISO | vs | 12,800 ISO |
| 2x higher light sensitivity; Avoid blur in low light situations | |||
| Larger sensor | APS-C | vs | APS-C |
| Around 5% larger sensor; higher quality photos | |||
| Faster rapid fire | 6 fps | vs | 4 fps |
| 50% faster continuous shooting; Take photos in rapid succession to capture motion | |||
| Significantly bigger viewfinder | 0.62x | vs | 0.5x |
| Around 25% bigger viewfinder size | |||
| Larger dynamic range | 13.9 ev | vs | 13.2 ev |
| More than 5% larger dynamic range | |||
| Significantly more highly reviewed by consumers | 86.62% | vs | 80.95% |
| More than 5% more highly reviewed by consumers | |||
| Less delay taking photos | 238 ms | vs | 276 ms |
| Around 15% less focus lag; Avoid missing spontaneous moments | |||
| Much faster max shutter speed | 1/8000 s | vs | 1/4000 s |
| 2x faster max shutter speed; capture fast action | |||
Advantages compared to the D7000
| Much higher resolution | 24.1 MP | vs | 16.1 MP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around 50% higher resolution; Capture more detail, good for large prints | |||
| Marginally more recently announced | Apr, 2012 | vs | Sep, 2010 |
| Announced date over 1 years later | |||
| More color depth | 24.1 bits | vs | 23.5 bits |
| Around 5% more color depth | |||
| Higher definition video | HD video | vs | HD video |
| Great video; great for displaying on a large flat panel TV | |||
| Much lighter | 505 g | vs | 780 g |
| More than 35% lighter | |||
| Smaller | 125 x 96 x 77 mm | vs | 132 x 105 x 77 mm |
| Around 15% smaller | |||
Reviews Word on the street
Nikon D7000 | Nikon D3200 | ||
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 | Rated by 575 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by C.-Michael--C.S.-Michael (Mar, 2011) Rated 80% by by mdifanis (Oct, 2011) Rated 100% by by Stephen (Apr, 2012) | Rated by 324 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by killahca-h (May, 2012) Rated 100% by by Norman-L.-Hente (Sep, 2012) | |
viewfinder
Nikon D7000 | Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Nov, 2011)As the D7000's optical viewfinder is large, clear and offers 100 per cent frame coverage we otherwise didn't actually find ourselves utilising the 3-inch LCD for Live View that much.
Nikon D7000 | Rated 80% by by DPReview (Nov, 2010)The D7000 has an excellent viewfinder for its class - offering 100% coverage and a magnification of 0.94x. The D90 offers the same magnification but a lower coverage, of 96.
Nikon D3200 | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Jun, 2012)Should you want to use the D3200 at eye level then the viewfinder offers 95% coverage of the full scene with 0.8x magnification.
video
Nikon D7000 | Rated 100% by by R.-Warrick--CameraFan (May, 2011)The D7000 will shoot in auto-focusing HD and in stereo ... very nice quality for the average user... I've videod weddings with it and am quite pleased with the results, but don't take my word for it, here's my YouTube link.
Nikon D7000 | Rated 100% by by Ripple (Jan, 2011)Which brings me to a second slight weakness - while the HD video is excellent on the D7000 my unit had a few dead pixels (only apparent in video) but there is now a Firmware update that has reduced this, not totally, but certainly to more than acceptable levels on my unit.
Nikon D7000 | Rated 100% by by N-PatelThe Nikon D7000 can shoot the amazing Full HD videos to top it all off, I wish it did 60fps or more too.
sensor
Nikon D7000 | Rated 80% by by Govis (Dec, 2011)The D7000 is a revelation in High ISO performance compared to my D200; even with pixel peeping, well exposed ISO 3200 pictures take minimal chroma noise reduction to look extremely clean.
Nikon D7000 | Rated 100% by by J.-Evans--jenb1972If you know something about ISO, Shutter, Aperture, AF-S, AF-C, Metering and plan on growing that knowledge and want to rely on your ability instead of the camera, the d7000 is a gem at a great price.
Nikon D7000 | Rated 80% by by AP (Feb, 2011)I was very comfortable using the D80 and got the colors dialed in right and knew how it reacted to different lighting conditions and its limitations, with the D7000, I am having problems with custom white balance + High Iso + changing Aperture.
screen
Nikon D7000 | Rated 20% by by Frank-Hebert--Daddy-O (Nov, 2011)I LOVED the D7000 compared to my D80 in ergonomics, weight, and screen size.
Nikon D7000 | Rated 80% by by I.-Bilynsky--Info-Center (Feb, 2012)The EVF in the GH2 has a higher resolution than the its own LCD screen as well as the LCD screen on the D7000, so it is very accurate and sharp...plus you gain the ability to see realtime info such as a histogram and exposure settings displayed while looking through the viewfinder.
Nikon D7000 | Rated 100% by by L.-Pamula--ldp (Jun, 2012)Few plus points for D5100 over D7000 are the in camera HDR & easy to use flip out screen + being thinner & lighter.
focus
Nikon D7000 | Rated 80% by by DPReview (Nov, 2010)Unlike the D90, the D7000 can also maintain AF during live view and movie shooting, thanks to its AF-F ('full time') AF mode.
Nikon D7000 | Rated 80% by by DPReview (Nov, 2010)In terms of Auto Focus the D7000's movie mode offers all the options you also get in live view: you can choose between single and continuous AF and pick one of the focus area modes: normal area, wide area, face detection or subject tracking (AF-F).
Nikon D7000 | Rated 100% by by D.-Bowers--Kestrel-Hawk (Jun, 2011)The focus on the D7000 was amazing, the rate of in focus shots much higher than I expected, very, very few frames were out of focus (most of the out of focus shots was user error).
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Nikon D5100 2-way tie: Largest sensor |
 | 2 | Sony DSLR-A580 Image stabilization |
 | 3 | Canon EOS 7D Fastest rapid fire mode |
 | 4 | Canon EOS 60D Most shots per battery charge |
 | 5 | Nikon D7100 Largest screen |
 | 6 | Nikon D5200 Best image quality as rated by DXOMark |
 | 7 | Canon EOS 650D Has a touch screen |
 | 8 | Canon EOS 600D 6-way tie: Has a flip out screen |
Popular Questions
September 3, 2012
Which one to pick... the D3200 or the D7000..?
I am a beginner and this will be my first dslr camera, I've done lots of research and it has come down to these two cameras, BUT i am not sure which one to pick. My objectives is to use the for...
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Answers August 22, 2012
Lenses and resolution
OK At present I have a Lumix which has an articulated viewfinder screen. Is it true that the D3200 has this but the D7000 doesn't? Also I have older film camera Nikon lenses . Are these for...
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1
Answers May 22, 2012
Taking photos and videos on the go ,also quality freak
Im advanced amateur.i shoot with canon 5dmark 3.im no hater that is why i want to also get Nikon as my back up buddy .i travel a lot and need to take some videos on the go with out manual .so...
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Answers Unanswered Questions
- 3 discussions
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September 8, 2012
Just a question
Whick one take the best pictures for a profesional photographer??why D3200 has more pixels than D7000???is it means that is better???
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0
Answers May 26, 2012
Taking family/ childrens portraits
I am new to Nikon. I have a cannon rebel, but it is 7years old. I am wanting a camera that take better quality pictures and is affordable. I am still learning how to use all of the manual on my I...
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0
Answers May 26, 2012
Good resolution, distant subjects, low light,
I am semi-pro, love to take photos of birds and flowers, some fast actions
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0
Answers Nikon D7000
J-Jaime-Sifontes1 
Beginner I
The D3200 is an excellent choice,but if you really like photography you will soon be looking for a D7000. View J-Jaime-Sifontes1's recommendation
- 0 comments
- September 22, 2012
- Reply to: Which one to pick... the D3200 or the D7000..?
Bruce-Larweth1 
Beginner II
Canons do better on movies tho, where the d7000 best the mark III on photos in every test, so, if your really getting movies then the canons seem to do a tad better, I think the canons give you I... View Bruce-Larweth1's recommendation
- 0 comments
- August 26, 2012
- Reply to: Taking photos and videos on the go ,also quality freak
Bruce-Larweth1
Beginner II
Yes, you are correct, the d7000 screen does not articulate like some of the other camera's, like the 5200 and others. The good thing about Nikkor lenses is they can be used on any camera made in... View Bruce-Larweth1's recommendation
- 0 comments
- August 26, 2012
- Reply to: Lenses and resolution
