Nikon D3200 vs Nikon D5100

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D3200 compared with D5100

	NikonD3200	NikonD5100
Overview
Released
Released	May 2012	April 2011
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor format
Sensor format	APS-C	APS-C
Sensor type
Sensor type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	23.2 × 15.4 mm	23.6 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	24.2 MP	16.2 MP
Largest image
Largest image	6016 × 4000	4928 × 3264
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	100–6400	100–6400
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	Japan specifies 24.16 million effective and 24.72 million total pixels, rounded to 24.2 and 24.7 million; Nikon DX format with approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; sensor cleaning, Airflow Control System and Image Dust Off reference data	Nikon DX CMOS with 16.2 million effective and 16.9 million total pixels; approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; sensor cleaning, Airflow Control System and Image Dust Off reference data
Image formats
Image formats	12-bit compressed NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape Picture Controls; in-camera RAW processing and retouching	Compressed 14-bit NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; maximum 4928 × 3264 pixels; customisable Picture Controls and in-camera RAW processing
ISO detail
ISO detail	ISO 100–6400 in one-stop steps; expanded ISO 12800 equivalent; Auto ISO. Movie sensitivity ISO 200–6400, expandable to 12800	ISO 100–6400 in one-third stops, expandable up to ISO 25600 equivalent; Auto ISO; Night Vision is a separate monochrome special effect
Image processor
Image processor	EXPEED 3	EXPEED 2
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Nikon F mount	Nikon F mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	4 fps	4 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	Autofocus with AF-S and AF-I NIKKOR lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses. Other compatible AF lenses require manual focus. Non-CPU lenses work in manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported; electronic rangefinder requires maximum aperture f/5.6 or faster	Autofocus with AF-S and AF-I lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses. Non-CPU lenses require manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported
Autofocus
Autofocus	Multi-CAM 1000; 11 phase-detection points including one cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A, single-point, dynamic, auto-area and 11-point 3D tracking; AF-assist lamp. Live view uses contrast-detection AF-S/AF-F with face-priority, wide, normal and subject-tracking areas	Multi-CAM 1000; 11 phase-detection points including one cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A, single-point, dynamic, auto-area and 11-point 3D tracking. Contrast-detection live view supports face, wide, normal and subject-tracking areas
Shutter
Shutter	1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third stops and Bulb; Time requires optional ML-L3 remote; flash sync 1/200 second	1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third or half stops, Bulb and Time with optional ML-L3 remote; flash sync 1/200 second
Burst detail
Burst detail	Approximately 4 fps under Nikon's manual-focus, S/M, 1/250-second-or-faster test conditions; Japanese specification lists up to 18 RAW, ten RAW plus Fine JPEG or 80 Large/Fine JPEG frames with its specified 8 GB SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-I SDHC card	Approximately 4 fps with manual focus, S/M exposure, 1/250 second or faster and remaining settings at defaults; quiet release and interval-timer shooting
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation	Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation
Flash
Flash	Built-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 12 m at ISO 100, 20°C, or 13 at manual full output; hot shoe; optional AS-15 adapter for PC sync	Built-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 12 m at ISO 100, 20°C, or 13 at manual full output; accessory shoe
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	P/S/A/M, Auto, flash-off Auto and scene modes; beginner Guide mode with illustrative assist images. 420-pixel RGB metering with Colour Matrix Metering II, centre-weighted and spot modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting on/off	P/S/A/M, Auto, scene and special-effects modes; 420-pixel RGB matrix, centre-weighted and spot metering; ±5 EV compensation; three-frame exposure/white-balance bracketing, two-frame Active D-Lighting bracketing and two-exposure HDR
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	1920 × 1080 at 30 fps	1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Video detail
Video detail	H.264 MOV at Full HD 30p/25p/24p, 720p 60p/50p or 640 × 424 at 30p/25p; actual NTSC rates 59.94/29.97/23.976. Maximum clip approximately 20 minutes; continuous contrast-detection autofocus available. Photography Blog's 24p-only Full HD description and Photo Review's 640 × 480 table differ from Nikon's technical sheet	H.264 MOV at Full HD 30p/25p/24p, 720p 30p/25p/24p or 640 × 424 at 30p/25p; actual NTSC rates 29.97/23.976; maximum approximately 20 minutes or three minutes with Miniature Effect. Photography Blog's 1920 × 1280, Motion JPEG AVI and five-minute passages differ from Nikon's technical sheet
Audio
Audio	Built-in mono microphone, external stereo microphone supported through 3.5 mm input; adjustable sensitivity and linear PCM recording. Photography Blog's description of a built-in stereo microphone differs from Nikon's mono specification	Built-in mono microphone with adjustable sensitivity; external stereo microphone through 3.5 mm input; linear PCM audio
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Optical
Screen size
Screen size	3″	3″
Screen dots
Screen dots	921,000	921,000
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	–	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed 3-inch TFT, approximately 921000 dots globally, rounded to 920000 in Japan; 160° viewing angle and approximately 100% coverage; dots count subpixels	Side-hinged 3-inch vari-angle TFT, approximately 921000 dots globally, rounded to 920000 in Japan; 170° viewing angle and 100% coverage; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Pentamirror; approximately 95% frame coverage, 0.8× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 18 mm eyepoint	Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage, 0.78× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 17.9 mm eyepoint
Connections and design
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	540 photographs	660 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	455 g (better)	510 g
Release detail
Release detail	Nikon Japan records sale on 24 May 2012; the US announcement planned late-April kit availability, without confirming an actual retail day. Main date is the confirmed Japanese retail date. Nikon's global announcement explicitly calls D3200 the successor to D3100	Nikon Japan records first sale on 21 April 2011; global announcement on 5 April 2011
Recording media
Recording media	One SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, with UHS-I support for SDHC/SDXC; MMC unsupported	One SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot; MMC unsupported
Ports
Ports	Hi-Speed USB, mini-HDMI Type C, NTSC/PAL analogue video output, 3.5 mm stereo microphone input and accessory terminal for optional MC-DC2 remote or GP-1 GPS; optional ML-L3 infrared remote	Hi-Speed USB, HDMI Type C, NTSC/PAL analogue video output, 3.5 mm external microphone input and accessory terminal for optional MC-DC2 remote or GP-1 GPS; optional ML-L3 infrared remote
Wireless connections
Wireless connections	No integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS; optional WU-1a wireless mobile adapter transfers images and supports remote shooting; optional GP-1 GPS	No integrated wireless networking; optional GP-1 GPS unit
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	EN-EL14; approximately 540 CIPA single-frame photographs or 1800 continuous photographs under Nikon's different test. Original manual CIPA test uses 23°C, AF-S DX 18–55mm VR and alternate-shot flash, without live view	EN-EL14 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; approximately 660 CIPA photographs per charge
Charging
Charging	External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5A power connector	External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5A power connector
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 125 × 96 × 76.5 mm	Approximately 128 × 97 × 79 mm
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 455 g body only or 505 g with battery and SD card, excluding body cap	Approximately 510 g body only or 560 g including battery and SD card, excluding body cap
Colours
Colours	Black or red	–
In the box
In the box	EN-EL14 battery, MH-24 charger, UC-E17 USB cable, EG-CP14 audio-video cable, AN-DC3 strap, BF-1B body cap, BS-1 shoe cover, DK-5 eyepiece cap, DK-20 eyecup and ViewNX 2 CD-ROM	EN-EL14 battery, MH-24 charger, AN-DC3 strap, EG-CP14 audio-video cable, UC-E6 USB cable, DK-5 eyepiece cap, BS-1 shoe cover, DK-20 eyecup, BF-1B body cap and ViewNX 2 CD-ROM