The competition
Image: Sony Alpha 65
The next most affordable APS-C-format camera with a like-for-like pixel count is Sony’s Alpha 65. Both this and the D3200 have plastic bodies, and the handling is quite similar – both lack a top LCD screen and have no direct access on the body for many key controls. The main difference is that Alpha 65 is slightly more expensive, has a translucent mirror that enables faster frame rates and an electronic viewfinder in place of an optical type.
Image: D3100
Nikon insists that the D3200 does not replace the D3100, so this older and more affordable camera is an alternative. The build and handling of the two are very similar, with the big difference being the new sensor in the D3200, which is so impressive in terms of resolved detail, control of noise and dynamic range. It is a case of paying a little extra to get better quality images, but the resulting files take up much more space on the computer. Only time will tell as to what ‘beginners’ prefer.
