Nikon D3200 with 18-55mm lens £340 / $475
An SLR that’s a lot of camera for the money
he Nikon D3200 looks chunky compared with all the compact system cameras on test and, at 505g, is the heaviest body in the group. The plus side is that handling is wonderfully natural, and the build quality feels more solid than in Canon’s competing SLR, the 1200D. The Nikon also beats the Canon in
TThere’s a sensible balance in the layout terms of pixel count, with a 24.2MP image sensor. Despite this, it also has a faster maximum burst rate of 4fps compared with the 1200D’s 3fps.
The ‘Guide’ shooting mode is particularly beginner-friendly, serving up an interactive guide to photography and how to get the best out of the camera. The Canon 1200D has a supporting app for smartphones and tablets, but Nikon’s in-camera guide is more convenient.
Shooting parameters are close at hand, thanks to a well-designed menu screen on the LCD, which works in conjunction with the ‘i’ button at the bottom rear left of the camera. The screen itself has a high resolution of 921k pixels but lacks any pivot or touchscreen functions. As with the 1200D, the image processor isn’t the latest generation, this time featuring Nikon’s Expeed 3. Both cameras deliver a sensitivity range of ISO 100-6,400, rising to ISO 12,800 in expanded mode.
A neat upgrade is that the D3200 is now widely available with the redesigned Mk II edition of the AF-S DX 18-55mm VR as its kit lens. It’s naturally rather larger than the kit lens for the Nikon 1 S2 but features the same retractable design.
Performance
Controls and functions enable good overall performance. The D3200’s autofocus is faster and quieter than with the Canon 1200D and its kit lens. Image quality is very good overall, but outdoor shots on very sunny days benefit from a little negative exposure compensation.