View single post by Robert
 Posted: Thu Jun 6th, 2013 03:47
Robert



Joined: Sun Apr 1st, 2012
Location: South Lakeland, UK
Posts: 4066
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Well I have a D3100 which I find OK I don't think there is much real difference between the two except if the D5200 still has the swivel rear screen which was on the D5100 which I have used and for some things can be very handy. It allows you to jam the camera on a bean bag and then using live view to compose the image without using the viewfinder. Saves carrying a tripod, and for some stuff is better like photographing small plants and fungi.

Apart from that I don't think there are any compelling differences, although I haven't studied the spec's for the D5200 in detail.

OK, I just went to the Nikon site and did a comparison between the D3200 and the D5200. The three main differences seem to be the swivel viewfinder, scenes mode where the camera applies 'special effects', (not for me!) and perhaps most important if you want to explore photography in greater depth, auto bracketing, which for anything serious I consider almost essential. Especially if you are trying to push the boundaries on the exposure front. I would go to the Nikon site, select both cameras and click on the 'compare' button which took me an age to find but on my screen was at the bottom.

The D5200 also had an intervalometer built in which rather surprised me. This allows you to create time lapse movies or photograph the sky at regular intervals if you are wanting to capture meteorites or watch the sun rise (or set!) I don't use the intervalometer a lot, but when I do it's very useful.

I have the 18-105 VR lens on the D3100 and find it very good indeed.

I think the current 70-300mm zoom is pretty good too if the light is reasonable. Or, perhaps consider the 300mm f4 telephoto which is a cracking lens and outperforms most zooms.

Hope this helps you make a choice.



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Robert.