Nikon D3200

Nikon D3200

The 24.2MP Nikon D3200 was a ground breaking device when it was first launched in the first half of 2012. It offered many of the functions and photo quality of a professional DSLR but with a £500 price tag. Now, the camera is available for the even lower price of £350 to £400 with an additional lens and this makes it even better value for money. It is still difficult to find cameras with a better resolution of images and the user friendly menus and systems offered by the Nikon make it an ideal choice for any level of photographer.

First of all we should cover that thumping resolution. 24.2MP is more than most amateur photographers are ever going to need so unless you’re a keen hobbyist or you like big numbers from your gadgets it may not be necessary to purchase such a high spec. Where professional users may notice the difference in picture quality is in the size of the camera’s sensor. It doesn’t quite run to the full 35mm sensor size so quality can suffer with large photos but not to too crippling a degree.

The Nikon D3200 is likely to be purchased by those that are making the move up from a high end compact camera although the quality of the Nikon D3200 also means that it will prove popular as an inexpensive professional DSLR as well as a convenient and easy to use consumer model. However, for those that are making the move up, the Guide feature and handy images that represent the changes you are making to the camera settings will prove especially useful.

The Nikon D3200 has a 2 inch display that offers Live View and is also where beginners will be guided through the process of using even the more complex features. The Guide is an extremely beneficial addition to the D3200 as it uses plain English to enable users to get the most from their new DSLR camera. Choosing one of the photo modes, such as soften backgrounds will alter the various manual settings for you so that you are free to take pictures.

One of the more important features that you need to consider when buying this type of camera is the number of autofocus points. For every autofocus point, the camera will essentially pick out a particular object and then focus a section of the image on that point. The more focus points there are, the better the quality of the photo’s finish. High DSLRs may have 40 to 50 autofocus points or more. The Nikon D3200, on the other hand, packs in 11 to give it good quality without being exceptional.

None of the features and settings of the D3200 are particularly exceptional but they are all very good, and the Guide feature makes this a worthy choice if you are looking for a consumer level DSLR and don’t want to end up paying too much and getting a camera that you don’t really understand. Worse still is paying too little so that you may be better off sticking with a compact digital camera.

Choosing Cheap Cameras

There is a huge selection of cheap cameras on the market today and whether you are looking for a compact, a bridge, or a DSLR you should be able to find something that falls comfortably within your budget and that offers the functions and features that you require. There are a number of things you do need to consider whatever style of camera you look for and you should base your decision of the best model to choose on how you will use the camera.

Size and portability are important considerations especially when looking at cheap cameras. Compact digital cameras are the smallest standard cameras. These will slip into your jacket pocket or handbag when they’re not in use and they’re comfortable enough to be carried around all day while you wait for the perfect shot. In contrast, DSLR cameras are larger and you will not usually be able to fit them in your pocket unless you have a specially modified jacket. Bridge cameras fall somewhere in between but are usually closer to the bulky DSLR design.

Resolution is the one number and feature that most buyers will pore over first. In reality, any budget should stretch to an absolute minimum of 10MP and once you get above this number you’re unlikely to be able to tell the difference in image quality if this is the only difference in the camera that you choose. Camera phones tend to boast 8mp while the cheapest dedicated digital cameras can afford you as many as 16mp for considerably less than £50.

Regardless of the type of picture you are going to take, image stabilization should be considered an integral feature of all cheap cameras worth considering. This will correct shaky hands and it means that you won’t miss out on the perfect photo opportunity because you were out of breath or you just couldn’t get your hands to keep still. This is especially important when zoomed in because this is when you will notice blur from the zoom more easily.

On the point of zooms, optical zoom is generally considered better. This relies on a dedicated lens and it gives a much more accurate and better quality photo but it will usually cost more, takes up more room, and may result in you having to spend a little more on a better quality photo taker. Most cheap cameras include a digital zoom which can still produce good quality photos. If you take zoomed photos regularly, though, there is no substitute for the image clarity and quality afforded by the use of an optical zoom.

Another important consideration is the amount of storage offered. Most cheap cameras will not include a lot of built in memory but should offer the opportunity to expand this using a microSD card. Check storage capacity, compatibility, and remember that higher resolution photos can take up a lot of room even on some of the roomier memory cards that money can buy so be prepared to spend a little extra in this department.