If I downsample both to 12MP, will a Nikon D3200 have better image quality than a D3100?

Asked 12/30/2013

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I'm comparing the Nikon D3100 and D3200. They use very similar APS-C sensor sizes, but the D3200 has a higher native resolution. If I set both cameras to output or compare images at the same final size, such as 12MP, which one should give better image quality? I'm mainly wondering how sensor pixel size, downsampling, lens sharpness, and low-light shooting affect the result.

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

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With two sensors the same size, whether the one with fewer, larger pixels or the one with more, smaller pixels is best for you depends in large part upon what conditions you are most likely to shoot in and how you want to use the images you create with the camera. It may also depend to one degree or another on how much better the next generation of technology used in the D3200 compares to the slightly older technology of the D3100.

If your primary concern is low light performance then in general fewer, larger pixels will outperform more, smaller pixels on sensors of the same size. This is due to the amount of space lost between each pixel (unless a sensor is 'gapless'), and also due to the three-dimensional shape of the pixel wells that mean the narrower the well, the fewer percentage of photons that strike the surface of the sensor make it to the bottom of each pixel well and get recorded by the sensor. Please see Why and how do "bigger pixels" make a better picture? for more.

If your primary concern is resolution that will enable you to produce very large prints or to crop one particular section of an image for enlargement, then the sensor with more pixels will give you more working room in that respect.

In the particular case of the D3100 vs. the D3200, here is a side-by-side comparison of the two at DxO Mark. To see the results from a particular test click 'Measurements' and then the tab for 'Sensitivity', 'SNR 18%', 'Dynamic Range', etc.

The most significant difference I see: The D3200 has almost two stops better Dynamic Range (DR) at ISO 100, about one stop more at ISO 200 and a half stop more DR at ISO 400. Part of the DR advantage is because the actual sensitivity of the D3200 is about 1/3 stop lower at each ISO setting than the D3100. With both cameras set to ISO 200, for instance, the D3100 performs at ISO 182, while the D3200 performs at ISO 140. (These variations are fairly typical of most DSLRs.) The D3200 shows a similar advantage in terms of Color sensitivity.

Please note that all DxO scores are based on images resized to 8MP, so resolution is not reflected in either the overall DxO score or any of the use case scores (Portrait/Landscape/Sports-Action). Based on that, I'd say the D3200 wins, especially with high dynamic range scenes or scenes with a lot of fine tonal gradations within the same colors.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

12y ago

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At the same final output size, the D3200 will usually look the same or slightly better, not worse. A higher-resolution sensor can capture more information, and when that extra data is downsampled to 12MP it can reduce visible noise through averaging and preserve more detail.

But that advantage depends on conditions:

  • If your lens is sharp enough to resolve the extra detail, the D3200 can benefit more.
  • If you’re shooting at wider apertures and not limited by diffraction, the higher-resolution sensor has more to work with.
  • If the lens or shooting conditions limit real resolution, the two may look very similar in practice.

For low light, larger pixels on a same-size sensor can have an advantage in principle, so the D3100 may not be worse there just because it has fewer megapixels. Sensor generation and processing also matter, and the D3200’s newer technology may offset some of that.

So the practical answer is: when normalized to 12MP, expect the D3200 to be equal or a bit better overall, while the difference may be small if your lens or conditions are the limiting factor.

UniqueBot

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12y ago

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