Nikon D5200 Announced: A D7000 Soul in a Consumer-Level Body
Nikon has just officially announced its new D5200, a mid-range DSLR geared towards consumers. The successor of the D5100, the D5200 shares a lot of guts in common with its sibling the D7000. It’s difference is that it’s geared towards less advanced photographers and has a body that reflects that.
Compared to the Nikon D7000, the D5200 has the exact same autofocus system, metering sensor, and scene recognition system. The AF system features 39 points, 9 of which are cross-type sensors.
On the back of the camera is a 3-inch 921k-dot vari-angle LCD screen that flips, tilts, and turns, giving you flexibility in how you frame your shots.
Bring up the various screens on the LCD, and you’ll find a revamped user interface:
The D5200 can do wireless transmission to iOS and Android devices, but you’ll need an optional WU-1a wireless adapter. In addition to transferring data, you’ll also be able to control your camera remotely using the device. If you want a taste at what this feature is like, just check out what can be done with the Canon 6D and its built-in Wi-Fi.
On the video-recording side of things, the D5200 features Full HD 1080p recording (up to 60i/50i) with full-time servo autofocus that tracks subjects as you’re filming them. There’s also a built-in stereo mic and a built-in movie editor.
As with many entry-level DSLRs, the D5200 features a number of features geared toward casual shooters and consumers. There are a number of built-in effects modes (e.g. selective color, miniature, high/low key, night vision, silhouette), HDR mode, and 16 scene modes for getting your shots right without having to understand too much about photography.
The camera will be available in three different colors: black, red, and bronze:
So with so much shared with its older sibling, the Nikon D7000, what exactly does the lower-tiered D5200 miss out on? Well, the D5200 lacks weathersealing, has a smaller viewfinder (0.50x with 95% coverage instead of 0.62x and 100%), features 1 SD card slot instead of 2, is a bit slower in burst mode (5fps instead of 6fps), and has a slower maximum shutter speed (1/4000s instead of 1/8000s).
The D5200 will hit store shelves in December 2012 with price tags of £720 and €899 (~$1150) for the body only. Throw in an extra $150 or so and you’ll also receive a 18-55mm VR kit lens. The US price point hasn’t been revealed yet.
