Canon60d or Nikon d3200

[allenlennon]

I posted bout which one of canon range. But now I got 2 narrowed down. Either the canon 60d or Nikon d3200. Which ever one I'll be getting the twin lens kit with them. Which one? Kinda leaning to the Nikon but which one you think?

[dje]

Allen I'm not in a position to give a head to head comparison of features and performance but you can get this sort of thing at sites like dpreview.

However I would point out that the D3200 is Nikon's latest entry level DSLR so you would need to look closely at whether it is much of an upgrade from your 1000D which is also entry level. Because it is new it's performance has probably improved but often some of the more advanced features are left out of entry level cameras eg auto exposure bracketing.

Dave

[Manfred M]

When it gets down to the short strokes, my advice is to try shooting with both cameras and take the one that feels better in your hands. If you are a casual shooter like me - form, fit and function are extremely important, all other things being relatively equal.

That is what I did when I bought my first DSLR, and have not regretted the decision.

[nimitzbenedicto]

Check out these links.

http://www.bythom.com/nikond3200review.htm

http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d3200.htm

http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/Fea...ikon-D3200.htm

[Scott Stephen]

You probably can't go wrong. Both are good cameras, and both brands are in the top 2, so they are not going away any time soon.
Im my opinion, Nikons at that price point don't have as large or deep a grip as the Canons on the same level (just like that 3rd link above points out). But if you have smaller hands that could actually be preferable.
Also, the 60D is not actually on the same level as the 3200 at all. The 60D is the 2nd to the top level Canon below Full Frame (7D is the top), whereas the Nikon 3200 occupies a lower slot in the pecking order at Nikon, more equivalent to the Canon T3i, T4i.
As a higher-slot camera, the Canon 60D is beefier and just plain bigger and more solid.
The 60D is a few years old now, and will be due for a refresh soon.
Nikon is currently ahead of Canon in their top-end sensors, though it is not the case on the consumer models like these.
Lots of people say Canon has the better lenses overall, but Nikon has better sensors, but again this is probably only true at the upper end, DxO Mark opinions notwithstanding.

[Carl in Louisiana]

If you want a camera that has plenty of room to grow into then get the Canon 60D.

[Cantab]

I'm very happy with my Canon 60D.

[Andrew76]

Hi Allen, I think it's pretty difficult to give advice on those two options, you're not really comparing apples, and apples. As Scott points out - they occupy very different levels in their respective company's line-ups. If you're looking for something a little 'higher-end' (and I hate to use that term for fear of persecution), go with the 60D - you will enjoy a lot more features, and something that you can continue to grow with.

Hope that helps a little.

[AB26]

Hi Allen,
I think that is a no brainer. As much as I like my Nikon I'd go for the Canon in this case.

[rpcrowe]

I can do a better job in comparing the various Canon 1.6x cameras than comparing Canon with Nikon.

However here is a comparison:
http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon_EO...vs-Nikon-D3200

I don't agree always with the bells and whistles pointed out by snapshot or with some of the points neglected by that site. But, there are often some valid points made.

Three benefits of the 60D that are not mentioned but, which I strongly feel are big pluses are:

1. Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB)... Set the bracketing amount (up to several stops) and set burst mode and the camera will shoot three shots, one at below the meter reading, one at the meter reading and one above the meter reading. It will then stop shooting until the next time the shutter is tripped (either by the shutter button, self timer or a remote release). You can also combine this with + or - ev exposure compensation. I will often shoot night shots at -1 ev and at one stop bracketing. This will provide a three shot burst with exposures at what the meter reads, - 1 stop below the meter reading and -2 stops below the meter reaading. I will almost always get one of those three shots right in the ballpark and will sometimes use the three images for HDR imagery. NOTE: The higher grade Nikon cameras seem to have even a better AEB system than the 60D but come at a higher price...

2. Another bell (or is it a whistle) of the 60D which I consider very beneficial is the User Selected Mode. You can set a full sprectrum of shooting parameters in advance, register them to the user mode and select all these parameters at one fell swoop by a single twist of the mode dial! Unfortunately, Canon has reduced number of the User Selected Modes to a single one (40D has three, 50D has two and 7D reverts to three). But even one is a benefit. A photographer can pre select a group of parameters which are best for fast moving subjects and then activate all the necessary parameters with one dial twist.

3. I don't believe that the D3200 has wireless flash control capability. This may or may not be important to you. I seldom use the wireless flash capability of my 7D.

Finally... Canon places a numeric grade on their 1.6x cameras as follows:

Highest - a single digit such as 7D
Next in line - two digits such as 60D and 50D
Rebel line - three digits such as 600D
Entry level line - four digits such as 1100D

The entry level line is almost always missing some important bells and whistles but, will take decent pictures. However, if the reason for selecting an entry level camera is financial, I would opt for a refurbished or used camera one or two generations older or one or two grades higher. This would probably be around the same cost or less than the entry level model but would be more versatile. As an example, I would opt for a 40D or 50D above an new entry level Canon DSLR. However, I don't need or even want video.

Video throws some interesting new pieces in the puzzle. As an example, the Canon T4i has a better video focus system than the 7D or 60D.

I believe that Nikon also follows somewhat along this practice with the hghest (and most expensive) having the fewest digits and the more digits indicating lower grade models...

[21Limited]

I've had a D3200 in my hands ( friend bought one). It has some cool features. But I have a couple of issues with it. My friend has very small hands, one of the reasons she got it was for the small body which feels good in her hands, for me, it was a little cramped. The second issue is it's 24 Mp APS-c. According to some sites 16 Mp is the theoretical limit for APS-c, and when I blow my 16 Mp pictures up to 24 Mp in photoshop, I wasn't convinced I was getting anything for the extra 8 Mp, accept a slower computer and more hard drive usage. If I was going Nikon and wanted top of the line APS-c I'd be looking at the D7000.

If I was going Canon, I believe 16 Mp is about optimum for APS-c. I think the practical limit for APS-c resolution is somewhere around 8 Mp, with 15-16 MP being the most effective use of oversampling to increase image detail. So, Id' be looking at the Canon 50D or 60D with the 50D possibly being under what you need for effective oversampling and the 60D being maybe a bit more, but with the 60D being more likely to produce good optimum results.

Anyway, that's my two bits worth.

[Dev K Gupta]

If you decide to buy the canon 60d, you wud be paying a lot more than you would for a nikon d3200. So, if budget isn't an issue, you should certainly go for the canon 60d. You might also consider the Nikon D90 at the same price range. However, if budget is an issue, than i don't think you can possibly buy anything better than the Nikon D3200, and i'm not saying it bcos it has 24 mpix, cos that hardly matters, what matters is that, it does help you take great pictures..if you choose to pay just a little more, the Nikon D5200 would be a great buy too. But, coming down to your options, If you are ready to spend more money, go for the canon 60d, if you have a tight budget, and yet want your camera to work well, Nikon D3200 would be perfect for you. Ultimately, it all comes down to how good a photographer you really are..spending more money wont lead to great pictures.