Nikon D3200 vs D5100 for beginner portraits, low light, and landscapes
Asked 6/5/2012
2 views
2 answers
0
I’m buying my first DSLR and I’m choosing between the Nikon D3200 and Nikon D5100. I’ll mainly shoot portraits, including in low light, and I also want to take landscapes on trekking and hill trips. Which would be the better choice, especially for low-light portraits?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
2
As far as low light portraits go, these cameras are very very similar. The D5100 is a somewhat older model, and it is reaching the end of it's lifespan. The D3200 is basically brand new. I would take a look at some high ISO comparisons here. This will give you an idea of how closely they do perform at high ISO shots.
Beyond that, the D3200 is a significant boost in megapixels, and if you plan to print very large images(ie landscapes) or blow up small portions of the image, that might make the D3200 beneficial to you. The D5100 does have some higher end features if you think you may need them, such as controls for white balance and exposure bracketing.
Strictly speaking, they should perform very similarly for low light portrait work.
Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4892
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For low-light portraits, the D3200 and D5100 are very close in real-world performance, so neither has a major advantage there.
The D3200 gives you more megapixels, which can help if you want very large prints or need to crop landscape shots heavily. The D5100, while older, offers some more advanced controls/features such as easier access to white balance and exposure bracketing, which may matter as you learn.
So if low-light portrait performance is your main concern, choose based on price, condition, and which features matter more to you rather than expecting a big image-quality difference.
Also, for portraits in low light, lighting matters more than the small difference between these two bodies. Good natural light, open shade, cloudy conditions, or adding off-camera flash/strobes will improve portraits far more than switching between these cameras.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI14y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Canon 600D (Rebel T3i) vs Nikon D5100 for a first DSLR
Canon 600D vs Nikon D90 for a first DSLR for low light, outdoors, and macro
Nikon D90 vs D5100 as a first DSLR
For a beginner, should I choose the Nikon D3200 or D5100?
Nikon D3200 vs D5100: does Expeed 3 make a meaningful image-quality difference?