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Nikon D3200 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A560

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

NikonD3200SonyAlpha DSLR-A560
Overview
ReleasedMay 2012January 2011
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRDSLR
Sensor formatAPS-CAPS-C
Sensor typeCMOSExmor APS HD CMOS
Sensor dimensions23.2 × 15.4 mm23.4 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution24.2 MP14.2 MP
Largest image6016 × 40004592 × 3056
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range100–6400100–12800
Sensor detailJapan 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 dataApproximately 14.6 million total pixels; current Sony UK and original Hong Kong table specify 23.4 × 15.6 mm for A560; the shared Sony Asia sheet prints 23.5 × 15.6 mm without distinguishing the two bodies
Image formats12-bit compressed NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape Picture Controls; in-camera RAW processing and retouchingJPEG, RAW and RAW+JPEG; Sony ARW 2.2; sRGB and Adobe RGB
ISO detailISO 100–6400 in one-stop steps; expanded ISO 12800 equivalent; Auto ISO. Movie sensitivity ISO 200–6400, expandable to 12800Standard single-frame ISO 100–12800; six-frame Multi Frame NR reaches ISO 25600 and requires a sufficiently static scene; Auto ISO 200–1600
Image processorEXPEED 3BIONZ
Lens and shooting
Lens mountNikon F mountSony A-mount
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationSensor shift
Maximum continuous burst4 fps7 fps
Lens detailAutofocus 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–
AutofocusMulti-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 areasTTL phase detection, 15 points including three cross-type points in live view, 11 in optical-viewfinder mode; current Sony UK states EV −1 to 18 at ISO 100; contrast AF selectable in Focus Check Live View
Shutter1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third stops and Bulb; Time requires optional ML-L3 remote; flash sync 1/200 secondElectronically controlled focal-plane shutter; 30 seconds to 1/4000 second and Bulb; flash sync 1/160 second; two-second self-timer mirror-up function
Burst detailApproximately 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 cardMaximum approximately 7 fps in Speed Priority with focus and exposure locked at the first frame; normal continuous approximately 5 fps with optical viewfinder or 3 fps in live view. Maker buffer approximately 27 Fine JPEG, seven RAW or seven RAW+JPEG images, depending on card and conditions
Stabilisation detailOptical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisationSteadyShot INSIDE sensor shift; Sony claims approximately 2.5–4 shutter-speed steps depending on lens and conditions
FlashBuilt-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 syncAutomatic pop-up flash, guide number 12 m at ISO 100; ADI and pre-flash TTL; proprietary Alpha accessory shoe and compatible wireless flash control
Exposure controlsP/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/offP/A/S/M and scene modes; 40-segment optical metering and 1,200-zone live-view metering; ±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps; three-exposure Auto HDR, 2D/3D Sweep Panorama and Hand-held Twilight
Video
Highest video resolution1920 × 1080 at 30 fps1920 × 1080 at 25 fps
Video detailH.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 sheetPAL AVCHD 1920 × 1080 encoded at 50i from 25 fps sensor output, approximately 17 Mbps; MP4 1440 × 1080 or VGA at 25 fps. NTSC versions use 59.94i from 29.97 fps output. No recording autofocus; movie shutter, aperture and ISO remain automatic (Imaging Resource and Reviewed)
AudioBuilt-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 specificationBuilt-in stereo microphone, external stereo microphone connection and mono playback speaker
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderOpticalOptical
Screen size3″3″
Screen dots921,000921,600
Tilting screen–Yes
Display detailFixed 3-inch TFT, approximately 921000 dots globally, rounded to 920000 in Japan; 160° viewing angle and approximately 100% coverage; dots count subpixelsXtra Fine LCD tilts approximately 90° up and down; dots count colour subpixels. Dedicated-sensor Quick AF Live View covers approximately 90%; main-sensor Focus Check Live View covers 100% with 7×/14× magnification
Viewfinder detailPentamirror; approximately 95% frame coverage, 0.8× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 18 mm eyepointPentamirror optical viewfinder; approximately 95% coverage and 0.80× magnification with a 50 mm lens at infinity
Connections and design
Battery life (maker's claim)540 photographs1050 photographs
Body weight455 g599 g
Release detailNikon 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 D3100Sony Hong Kong specified early 2011 and European launch coverage first quarter 2011; PConline's 26 January 2011 Guangzhou retail report confirms the camera already on sale, giving the January month used here. Sony UK's original newsroom page promised October 2010 for both models; Imaging Resource reports the delayed US launch and March availability, so that original promise is not treated as actual first sale
Recording mediaOne SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot, with UHS-I support for SDHC/SDXC; MMC unsupportedSeparate Memory Stick PRO Duo/PRO-HG Duo and SD/SDHC/SDXC slots, with a manual card selector
PortsHi-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 remoteUSB 2.0 Hi-Speed, mini HDMI Type C, remote-release terminal and stereo microphone input
Wireless connectionsNo integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS; optional WU-1a wireless mobile adapter transfers images and supports remote shooting; optional GP-1 GPS–
Battery life detailEN-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 viewNP-FM500H; maker CIPA claim approximately 1,050 shots with optical viewfinder or 560 in live view; BC-VM10 charger supplied
ChargingExternal MH-24 charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5A power connector–
DimensionsApproximately 125 × 96 × 76.5 mmApproximately 137 × 104 × 84 mm (width × height × depth, excluding protrusions)
Weight detailApproximately 455 g body only or 505 g with battery and SD card, excluding body capApproximately 599 g body only; 679 g with battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo (original Sony Hong Kong table)
ColoursBlack or red–
In the boxEN-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–

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