Please Help the 3200 or the 5100!!

I have researched til my head hurt's but I'm getting ready to buy the 3200 or the 5100..I'm not a professional but I love to take pictures of everything..From portraits, to my nephews playing sports..to birds and pictures of my dogs..I want to be able to get those great shots of the boys on the field but at the same time a simple picture of my grand daughter..I don't want to make the wrong choice in a camera and after I have bought it wish I had gotten the other one..could someone please help me

That's tough, the 3200 has a newer and larger sensor but the 5100 has more capabilities built in to it. It really depends upon how you see yourself using it. If you're considering taking on photography as a hobby then I think the 5100 would offer you a wider range of possibilities but if you're thinking more on the lines of documentary photography meant to capture your grandkids growing up, maybe the 3200 might be the answer.

Not to confuse things any more for you but have you considered the D7000? It's selling now at rock bottom prices and has more than enough room for a novice to grow into a dedicated enthusiast/semi-professional. In addition, the D7000 opens up a wider array of lenses compared to either the 3200 or the 5100. If a couple hundred dollars more is not a big issue then I would suggest the D7000. It's a perfect camera for everyday use but it also has enough room to grow if your photography turns into more than just a weekend thing.

I have had a 5100 for about 18 months, and it is my first dslr camera. I used point and shoots before that, and have always enjoyed taking pictures. This dlsr "hobby" is expensive. You will want more of everything soon. Lens. Software. Accessories. NAS is used to describe what all the members of this forum "suffer" with. (Nikon Acquisition Syndrome) Some are in the later stages, some in the early stages, a few are in denial. Those of you in Egypt, you know who you are...

If I had the choice today of either a 3200 or a 5100, I would buy a 3200. (If I couldn't wait for the 5200) I like new rather than used for the warranty.

Why 3200? Simple. The sensor. (24.2 vs 16.2) and a little faster processor.

I have heard it said that the size of the sensor does not matter, and that 12 MP is plenty. I also note that these photographers are shooting the newest mega pixel sensors, mostly. Size matters.

Ability to shoot bracketed photos (5100) is nice, but not a necessity. If you think you will want to shoot using HDR for post processing, then the 5100 would be the choice. Photomatix will do a pretty good imitation HDR with only one shot. (Probably not the way to describe that...) Post Processing (PP) will play a big role in your hobby...

Yes, there are other differences. For instance, I have never used my 5100 for video. Never used the swivel LCD, other than to play with it. I use the viewfinder. If I wanted a video camera, I would go get one.

Again, I will state that I am very new to this hobby, and perhaps future experience will cause me to change my mind about things. This is only my *opinion* at this point.

Whichever you choose, you are getting a very good piece of equipment. As will be pointed out, the lens you use will make a huge difference, and, of course, this is where NAS starts getting worse...

Good luck, and good shooting!

Carroll

If you're into people /pets/sports and plan to stick to basic photography the D3200 is a good choice. If you are into landscapes, HDR, the D5100 is a better choice.

Also see this comparison: http://nikonites.com/d3200/5672-nikon-d3200-vs-d5100.html

To make things more confusing, the D5200 will be out in the US in a month or so. Honestly though, you probably won't need the extra features. I would keep it simple.

Ozarkite said:

.........
Ability to shoot bracketed photos (5100) is nice, but not a necessity. If you think you will want to shoot using HDR for post processing, then the 5100 would be the choice. Photomatix will do a pretty good imitation HDR with only one shot. (Probably not the way to describe that...) Post Processing (PP) will play a big role in your hobby...


Carroll

Click to expand...

I have used my D3200 to do HDR photos. I do it manually on a tripod and take the over and under exposure shots by using the exposure compensation feature. Way easy to do albeit a tripod is needed.

I am very happy with my D3200 and besides some of the features of the D5100 the size of the sensor and faster processor is what sold me on the D3200.