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Nikon d5200 or d3200considering

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Posted by photoheron: Wed Jun 5th, 2013 22:14

1^st Post

I'm going to be buying a DSLR soon. I have been a previous D40 owner. I shoot a great deal nature especially birds,I also shoot buildings. I use a camera to shot stills and not video. I want a camera that I will have some room to both improve my photo skills and to have some creativity.

Any input would be helpful thank you.

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

2^nd Post

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.

Posted by jk: Thu Jun 6th, 2013 04:46

3^rd Post

I think that the D5200 has some extra features compared to the D3200 but if you dont need those features then of course the extras are just a waste of money that is better spent on lenses.

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Posted by photoheron: Thu Jun 6th, 2013 11:23

4^th Post

Thanks for the help and the answers. Good point not paying for extras when you do not need them.

I deleted the duplicate posts. Robert.

Posted by blackfox: Thu Jun 6th, 2013 12:19

5^th Post

personally i wouldn't go for either ,i nearly bought a d5200 last week and handling it made me change my mind very fast indeed ,its toy like in build quality and i personally couldn't see it being a birding camera .you are also limited to lens choice with these bodies ,for a few extra bucks go for either a d7000 or the new 7100 preferably .which puts you firmly on the pro-sumer level .then get some decent glass to go with it .

Posted by photoheron: Thu Jun 6th, 2013 15:50

6^th Post

Due to budget constraints those two models is what I can afford, thank you your honest input.

Posted by blackfox: Fri Jun 7th, 2013 01:15

7^th Post

in that case brad ,would it not be sensible to consider getting a higher grade secondhand model ,i have the d7000 which is a great camera and when i bought it new it cost me close to a grand ,its high spec and takes some cracking pics ,but last year i bought a D300s which although less megapixels is a better camera to use and is my choice of weapon constantly now ,it cost me a third of what i paid for the newer model .
you have to take into account what your going to use the camera for and you put birding on your list ,in that case you need a camera with a fast a/f ,and fairly large buffer ,and good frame rate .
so read up on it a bit as whatever you get will be limited by your finances .if it was my money i would go for a used D300 or D300s coupled with something like a used sigma 150-500mm.os ,that combo would give you speed ,and range and durability .

Posted by photoheron: Fri Jun 7th, 2013 17:23

8^th Post

Camera purchasing is a difficult decision. One must weigh all the factors, features, specs, to make a wise decision. I thank everyone for their input.

Posted by Eric: Sun Jun 9th, 2013 14:01

9^th Post

photoheron wrote:
Camera purchasing is a difficult decision. One must weigh all the factors, features, specs, to make a wise decision. I thank everyone for their input.
Missed your hello post Brad....stuck up an Austrian mountain avoiding floods!!! So first... welcome.

Both of the cameras you mention I'll take quality pictures under normal conditions and with good glass.

Where it starts to be more questionable is when your needs step outside the normal.

For example... faster focusing, weatherproof for outdoor use, taking lots of shts of moving subjects in a burst.

All of these extra functionalities come at a price. You either pay up and get a higher spec body, buy a second user model with higher performance rating or stick with your choice.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is body size. Both these models are small in the hand. If you have big hands you MAY find holding them a bit awkward. So try the ergonomics before you buy.

The bottom line is that we all tend to buy what we can afford and only when we 'grow out' of the body do we have to upgrade.

What I would be more careful about is the choice of lens that comes with the camera. There are some excellent and some not so good bundled lenses which can make the difference between satisfaction and disappointment.

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Eric

Posted by Graham Whistler: Tue Jun 18th, 2013 06:16

10^th Post

Agree with Eric. I would look at a good 2nd hand D7000 from a good photo dealer who would back up the camera with a modest guarantee.

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Graham Whistler

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