2011 was a banner year for Nikon, as seen by the company’s dominance atop the sales rankings for DSLR and compact cameras. The former was made possible by the Nikon D3100, the company’s entry-level product, and features a sensor with 14.2 million pixels. As a result, this camera is an excellent choice for anyone interested in becoming more serious about their photography.
As a result of the introduction of the Nikon D3300 and D3400, the D3200 is becoming increasingly difficult to locate.
Nikon D3200 Features
The Nikon D3200 has a relatively compact body, yet it still manages to put a lot of fascinating technology inside. These technologies have been trickling down from Nikon’s more costly cameras.
These include features such as the Expeed 3 processing engine, which gives speedier processing, less noise, and a choice of frame rates for recording Full HD video. Other features include recording Full HD video at various frame rates.
But the 24.2 MP will almost certainly only be the feature that gets the most attention, especially considering that this announcement comes only a few short weeks after Nikon unveiled its other high-resolution camera, the Nikon D800 (with 36 million pixels).
Nikon D3200 Build Quality
The Nikon D3200 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Nikon D3100, but features several ergonomic enhancements that benefit the average photographer.
On the Nikon D3200, there are a limited number of direct control buttons; nevertheless, to access frequently used features (such as the sensitivity settings), users may press the I quick menu button, which is located on the back of the camera.
Even though it is a relatively small camera, the deep grip offers a reasonable degree of purchase. The Nikon D3200 has a look and feel of a high-quality piece of equipment due to the substantial amount of weight contributed by both the camera and the standard 18-55mm kit lens.
Nikon D3200 Autofocus
You can let the camera select an autofocus point for you from among its 11 available points, or you may change it so that you choose the AF point manually instead. Unfortunately, this choice is slightly tucked away in the menu because this is a somewhat more complicated procedure, which may be aggravating.
However, when it has been chosen, the focusing point can be moved using the buttons that are typically used for navigation.
The autofocus acquisition time is often very swift. However, it does slow down slightly in low-light conditions. Other than that, the system handles itself rather capably. Even while the autofocus speed of the Nikon D3200 is slower than that of some other DSLRs, the camera should still be easy enough for the ordinary photographer to operate in everyday day-to-day shooting situations.
When using Live View, quick phase detection is replaced with a slower contrast detection technique. Therefore the focus will be noticeably slower as a result. This is something that should be kept in mind. Some photographers, especially those accustomed to the rapid shooting rates of tiny cameras, can find this frustrating.
Nikon D3200 Performance
The initial reactions regarding the performance of the Nikon D3200 have been positive, and we believe that the beginning photographer will find this camera very appealing. Moreover, they won’t have to upgrade as rapidly as they acquire expertise because it offers a few features that fans will also see in the product.
The automated white balance function of the camera seems to perform an excellent job of assessing the scene, and it delivers mainly correct results.
If you believe that this could be an issue, you always have the option to adjust the white balance settings inside the camera itself. However, there are some daytime scenarios in which the camera produces slightly colder photographs than ideal.
Nikon D3200 Image Quality
When the number of pixels on the sensor increases, there is a more significant possibility of a rise in picture noise. According to Nikon, the noise levels are approximately the same as those from the 14.3-megapixel Nikon D3100. However, the performance may be somewhat worse in some highly uncommon circumstances.
Thankfully, the results of our tests have shown that the Nikon D3200 is a significant improvement in terms of performance over its predecessor.
Noise is often effectively managed even when shooting at high sensitivities, such as ISO 1600. When viewing photographs at 100%, you may see some smoothness in areas where noise control has been applied in JPEG files. This is because of the implementation of noise control.
Again, it is essential to consider the target demographic and the possibility (or impossibility) of huge printing, even though any cropping would amplify the existing background noise levels.
Nikon D3200 Specs
| Body type | Compact SLR |
|---|---|
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 6016 x 4000 |
| Other resolutions | 4512 x 3000, 3008 x 2000 |
| Image ratio w h | 3:2 |
| Effective pixels | 24 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 25 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (23.2 x 15.4 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | Expeed 3 |
| Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 (12800 with boost) |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 12800 |
| White balance presets | 12 |
| Custom white balance | Yes (1) |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, Normal, Basic |
| File format | NEF (RAW): 12 bitJPEG |
| Optics & Focus | |
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-area selective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousFace DetectionLive view. |
| Digital zoom | No |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 11 |
| Lens mount | Nikon F |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.5× |
| Screen/viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fixed |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 921,000 |
| Touch screen | No |
| Screen type | TFT LCD with 160° viewing angle |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Optical (pentamirror) |
| Viewfinder coverage | 95% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.) |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/4000 sec |
| Exposure modes | Programmed auto with flexible program (P)Shutter-priority (S)Aperture priority (A)Manual (M) |
| Scene modes | PortraitLandscapeChildSportsClose-UpNight portrait |
| Built-in flash | Yes (Pop-up) |
| Flash Range | 12.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| External flash | Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless plus sync connector) |
| Flash modes | Auto, Red-Eye, Slow, Red-Eye Slow, Rear-curtain |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/200 sec |
| Drive modes | Single frameContinuousSelf-timer2s Delayed remoteQuick-response remote, quiet shutter release |
| Continuous drive | 4.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes |
| Metering modes | MultiCenter-weighted spot AF-area |
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | No |
| Videography features | |
| Resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (30,25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps), 640 x 424 (30, 25 fps) |
| Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Videography notes | Frame rates of 30p (actual frame rate 29.97 fps) and 60p (actual frame rate 59.94 fps) are available when NTSC is selected for video mode; 25p and 50p are available when PAL is selected for video mode; Actual frame rate when 24p is selected is 23.976 fps |
| Microphone | Mono |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-I compliant |
| Storage included | None |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes (Mini Type C) |
| Wireless | Optional |
| Wireless notes | WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter |
| Remote control | Yes (Optional) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | No |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | Lithium-Ion EN-EL14 rechargeable battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 540 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 505 g (1.11 lb / 17.81 oz) |
| Dimensions | 125 x 96 x 77 mm (4.92 x 3.78 x 3.03″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| GPS | Optional |
| GPS notes | GP-1 |
Nikon D3200 Final verdict
The revolutionary Nikon Guide Mode was carried over from the D3100 and is a beautiful advantage for novices trying to get more creative with their photography. In addition, the Nikon D3200 has alternatives for those who wish to explore manual and semi-manual exposure settings further down the road.
The D3300 and the D3400 have now superseded it, so unless you can locate the D3200 for a truly unbeatable price, your best chance is to select any of these two models instead. Or, if you have a bit more room in your budget, you might want to consider either the D5300 or the D5500; these models include displays that can be angled in different directions.
