The Nikon D3200 is a 24.2-megapixel[3] DX format DSLR Nikon F-mount camera officially launched by Nikon on April 19, 2012. It is marketed as an entry-level DSLR camera for beginners and experienced DSLR hobbyists who are ready for more advanced specs and performance.

Nikon D3200
Overview
TypeDigital single-lens reflex
Lens
LensInterchangeable, Nikon F-mount
Sensor/medium
Sensor23.2 mm × 15.4 mm Nikon DX format RGB CMOS sensor, 1.5 × FOV crop, 3.85 µm pixel size
Sensor makerNikon[1]
Maximum resolution6,016 × 4,000 (24.2 effective megapixels)
Film speed100–6400 in 1 EV steps, up to 12800 as boost
Storage mediaSecure Digital, SDHC and SDXC compatible, UHS-I bus
Focusing
Focus modesInstant single-servo (AF-S); full time-servo (AF-F); auto AF-S/AF-F selection (AF-A); manual (M)
Focus areas11-area AF system, Multi-CAM 1000 AF Sensor Module
Exposure/metering
Exposure modesAuto modes (auto, auto [flash off]), Guide Mode, Advanced Scene Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Close-up, Night Portrait), programmed auto with flexible program (P), shutter-priority auto (S), aperture-priority auto (A), manual (M), (Q) quiet mode.
Exposure meteringTTL 3D Color Matrix Metering II metering with a 420-pixel RGB sensor
Metering modes3D Color Matrix Metering II, Center-weighted and Spot
Flash
FlashBuilt in Pop-up, Guide number 13 m at ISO 100, Standard ISO hotshoe, Compatible with the Nikon Creative Lighting System
Flash bracketing2 or 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 or 2 EV
Shutter
ShutterElectronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Shutter speed range30 s to 1/4000 s in 1/2 or 1/3 stops and Bulb, 1/200 s X-sync
Continuous shooting4 fps
Viewfinder
ViewfinderOptical 0.80x, 95% Pentamirror
Image processing
White balanceAuto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Kelvin temperature, Preset
General
LCD screen3.0-inch TFT-LCD, 640 × 480 pixel (307,200 pixels), 267 ppi[2]
BatteryNikon EN-EL14 rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery
WeightApprox. 455 g (1.003 lb) without battery, memory card or body cap
Made in Thailand
Chronology
PredecessorNikon D3100
SuccessorNikon D3300

The guide mode, with integrated tutorials, is especially useful for beginners.[4] The D3200 replaces the D3100 as Nikon's entry level DSLR, but its improved image quality has been compared to that of pro DSLRs.[5] Based on DxOMark, the Nikon D3200 entry-level crop DSLR surpassed the DxOMark Overall Sensor Score of the fullframe Canon EOS 5D Mark II, although 5D Mark II was state-of-the-art when it was launched four years before.[6]

Its successor is the Nikon D3300 announced in January 2014 with new Nikon Expeed 4 image processor, without optical low pass filter (OLPF), 5 fps and the Nikon's first DSLR camera with Easy (sweep) Panorama. As in the Nikon D5300, the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer body and also the new retractable kit lens makes it smaller and lighter.[7]

Features edit

  • 24.2 (total 24.7) megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor with 12 bit resolution, made by Nikon[8]
  • 1080p Full HD movie mode
  • Nikon Expeed 3 image/video processor
  • Active D-Lighting
  • Automatic chromatic aberration correction
  • Image Sensor Cleaning function by vibrations and Airflow Control System
  • Image area Pixels is the DX Format which can be adjusted to (Large) 6,016 × 4,000 (Medium) 4,512 × 3,000 (Small) 3,008 × 2,000
  • Storage media is either SD, SDHC or SDXC, UHS-I bus mode, and Eye-Fi Wireless LAN
  • GPS interface for direct geotagging supported by Nikon GP-1

Wide dynamic range versus automatic exposure bracketing edit

The dynamic range of the Nikon D3200 (Expeed 3 named Expeed 2 type, 14 bits reduced to 12 bits) exceeds even full-frame DSLRs like Nikon D3S (Expeed 2 named Expeed (1) type, 14 bits) or Canon 5D MK3 (DIGIC 5+, 14 bits) at low film speeds (ISO 100 and ISO 200) due to reduced effective resolution of the analog-to-digital converters.[9]

The D3200 does not have automatic exposure bracketing. The very high dynamic range of the Nikon D3200 makes it possible to shoot high dynamic range images (HDR, mostly created by combining multiple images with different exposures) with one shot, especially when using raw image format. The one-shot HDR method also avoids disadvantages like blurring, ghost images or other errors when merging multiple images.

Reception edit

DxO Labs awarded its sensor an overall score of 81, partly due to a very wide dynamic range.[10] At time of testing the second-highest result of all APS-C DSLRs in the DxO Labs/DxOMark sensor rating was achieved, above that of much more expensive competitors. Digital Photography Review awarded the camera a score of 73% earning it a "silver award", praising the versatility and value while also noting its "slow AF" and lack of in-camera filter effects.[11] TechRadar gave it a score of 4/5, citing the camera's guide mode and sensor as its strong points and its "odd colours" on the LCD screen as its weakest.[12] T3 magazine called the D3200 "one of the best beginner DSLRs around", stating that while "slightly pricey" and with some LCD screen problems, the guide mode and "excellent picture quality" make it "great if you're a DSLR beginner looking for a friendly camera".[13]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Full Frame DSLR Cameras Part I – Nikon vs Sony Archived 2019-05-21 at the Wayback Machine Chipworks
  2. ^ Nikon (among other manufacturers) counts the sub-pixels of each pixel, i.e. the red, green, and blue channel of each pixel, and therefore specifies the rear display to have 307,200 [pixels] × 3 [colors] = 921,600 or ca. 921,000 dots.
  3. ^ "Nikon D3200 Review". DPReview.
  4. ^ "Become a master of the Nikon D3200 – a DX-format digital SLR camera". The Daily Telegraph. 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  5. ^ "Nikon D3200 Competitors". Snapsort. Archived from the original on 2013-04-05. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  6. ^ "A noise benchmark of 187 digital cameras by Peter van den Hamer". January 11, 2013. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  7. ^ "Nikon D3300 DSLR Camera Announced Price, Specs". 2014-01-07. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  8. ^ "Nikon NIK-NC81369R". Chipworks. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  9. ^ "Compare cameras side by side – Nikon D3200, Canon EOS 5D Mark III & Nikon D3s". DxOMark. Archived from the original on 2013-08-01. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  10. ^ "Sensor performance". DxOMark. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  11. ^ Rehm, Lars (July 2012). "Nikon D3200 Review". Digital Photography Review. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  12. ^ Davies, Amy (2012-06-28). "Nikon D3200 review | Digital SLRs/hybrids Reviews". TechRadar. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  13. ^ Plummer, Libby (2012-07-11). "Nikon D3200 review". T3. Retrieved 2013-03-27.

External links edit