With the entry-level market getting more and more saturated, manufacturers are leaving no stone unturned by dishing out newer and better products by the day for the consumers. Nikon has upgraded their successful, D3100, with a plethora of new options to come up with the new D3200, its latest offering for the entry level D-SLR market. What’s surprising is that it is a whopping 24.2 megapixels as compared to the 14.2 megapixels of the D3100, and also features the EXPEED 3 processor, as compared to the EXPEED 2 in the D3100.
From low light conditions to quick moving objects, the D3200 has something for the professionals as well as the point-and-shooters graduating to D-SLR’s. Available in maroon and black, it is expected to be lightweight, easy to carry and high on results, thanks to Nikon’s prowess in the field. While the other features in the camera like full HD (1080p) recording at 30 frames per second (compared to 24 fps in D3100), full time autofocus, a 4 frames per second high speed continuous shooting mode (3fps in D3100) etc. look promising, how well it performs off the paper remains to be seen in the days to come.
Nikon has also increased the ISO range to 100-3200, for higher productivity in low light situations. In cases of extremely low lighting, the ISO can also go upto 12800, which might result in photographs which were previously impossible to shoot with the D3100. Another trademark Nikon feature, Guide Mode, has also been incorporated into the camera, with added options. The Guide Mode walks beginning D-SLR users through the process of set-up, shooting, viewing and deleting images, and those who don’t need the Guide Mode anymore will still find it to be helpful, because of the Assist Images option, where the camera features images which serve as visual references and help towards illustrating the desired results. Another helpful feature in the D3200 is wireless support. Now one can upload the photographs on the camera to their phone wirelessly, with the help of Nikon’s optional Wireless Mobile Adapter, which Nikon has priced at $60.
We spoke to Hiroshi Takashina, M.D., Nikon India as to when the DSLR will be available for the Indian market, and this is what he said, “the camera will be available in the Indian market from the beginning of June, but the official price is yet to be decided”. But looking at the $700 price tag at which it has been launched internationally, it would be safe to assume that it will be somewhere between Rs. 35,000 – 40,000, which seems reasonable looking at what it has to offer. If you are looking forward to taking your first step towards the D-SLR world, or are looking for a decent, lightweight and easy to use alternative for your professional camera, then the Nikon D3200 might be just what you’re looking for.