Nikon D3200 vs Nikon D5100

Its time to take a closer look at the Nikon D3200 and Nikon D5100, both Entry-Level DSLR cameras and both of them are built by Nikon. There exists a huge gap among the image resolutions of the D3200 (24MP) and D5100 (16MP) but both cameras posses the same sensor size (APS-C).

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The D3200 was launched 16 months after the D5100 which makes them a generation away from one another. The two cameras have the same body design (Compact SLR).

Before getting straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a short view of how the D3200 matches up versus the D5100 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon D3200 and Nikon D5100. The complete galleries are viewable at Nikon D3200 Gallery and Nikon D5100 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Nikon D3200 has got physical dimensions of 125mm x 96mm x 77mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 3.0") having a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) while the Nikon D5100 has dimensions of 128mm x 97mm x 79mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.1") with a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs).

Check the Nikon D3200 and Nikon D5100 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use during that time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the D3200 against the D5100.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the D3200 and D5100 is 67 and 66 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to see the difference in sensor dimensions just by going through specifications. The picture below will help give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the D3200 and D5100.

To sum up, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You should expect the Nikon D3200 to produce more detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop photographs more aggressively. The fresher D3200 is going to have an edge in sensor innovation.