Nikon D3200 vs D5200

The Nikon D3200 and the Nikon D5200 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in April 2012 and November 2012. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The D3200 has a resolution of 24.1 megapixels, whereas the D5200 provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon D3200		Nikon D5200
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
24.1 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
4 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
540 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
125 x 96 x 77 mm, 505 g		129 x 98 x 78 mm, 555 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D3200 and the Nikon D5200? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D3200 and the Nikon D5200 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (black, red).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D5200 is notably larger (5 percent) than the Nikon D3200. Moreover, the D5200 is markedly heavier (10 percent) than the D3200. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D3200 nor the D5200 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D3200	125 mm	96 mm	77 mm	505 g	540	n	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	749	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	amazon.com
4.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5100	128 mm	97 mm	79 mm	560 g	660	n	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D3200 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 20 percent) than the D5200, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D5200 is 3 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Nikon D3200 offers a higher resolution of 24.1 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the Nikon D5200. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.85μm versus 3.91μm for the D5200). Moreover, it should be noted that the D5200 is a somewhat more recent model (by 6 months) than the D3200, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Nikon D3200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D5200 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D3200	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/30p	24.1	13.2	1131	81
2.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84
3.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
4.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
5.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
6.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
7.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
8.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
9.		Nikon D5100	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.5	13.6	1183	80
10.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
11.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the D5200 provides a faster frame rate than the D3200. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the D3200 is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D3200 and the D5200 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the D3200 has a higher magnification than the one of the D5200 (0.53x vs 0.51x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D3200 and Nikon D5200 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon D3200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5100	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Nikon D5200 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D3200 and the D5200 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D3200 and Nikon D5200 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon D3200	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
5.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon D5100	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the D3200 and the D5200 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D3200 was replaced by the Nikon D3300, while the D5200 was followed by the Nikon D5300. Further information on the features and operation of the D3200 and D5200 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D3200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D5200 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Nikon D3200 better than the Nikon D5200 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Nikon D3200:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.53x vs 0.51x).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (20 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2012).

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D5200:

• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.7 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (6 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D5200 is the clear winner of the contest (7 : 3 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D3200 and the Nikon D5200 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D3200 or the D5200. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D3200	5/5	+ +	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	749	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	amazon.com
4.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5100	5/5	+ +	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2011	749	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	599	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	2,799	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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