Nikon D3200 vs Sony SLT Alpha 57 — Which Is Better?

The Nikon D3200 and the Sony SLT Alpha 57 are both 2012 DSLR bodies built around APS-C CMOS sensors, so neither enjoys a generational head start. The useful split is how you shoot: the D3200 leans on resolution for detail, while the Alpha 57 leans on speed and stabilisation for moving subjects.

Their native lens systems differ: the D3200 takes Nikon F DX lenses and the Alpha 57 takes Sony Alpha mount glass. The D3200 is also the lighter carry at 505 g against 618 g, a 113 g difference.

The D3200 is the stronger choice when detail matters, because its 24.2-megapixel sensor packs 8.1 more megapixels than the Alpha 57's 16.1. That gives more room to crop a distant bird or print a landscape large. Both cameras share the same 1/4000-second maximum shutter speed.

For fast subjects the Alpha 57 is the clear pick. It shoots at 12 frames per second against the D3200's 4, with 15 autofocus points instead of 11 for tracking. Its in-body stabilisation steadies handheld shooting with unstabilised lenses, and its 1,440,000-dot electronic viewfinder previews settings before the shot, where the D3200 offers a conventional optical pentamirror view.

The Alpha 57 is the better choice for video of motion, because its maximum frame rate of 60 fps doubles the D3200's 30 fps, giving smoother movement and room for slow-motion work. Full HD is the shared maximum recording resolution, so neither body goes beyond 1080.

The Alpha 57 also fits more editing setups, supporting AVCHD, MP4 and MPEG-4 AVC where the D3200 records only MOV. Neither camera offers a built-in timelapse mode.

The Alpha 57's flip-out screen is the standout control difference, letting you frame a flower at ground level or shoot over a crowd. The D3200's screen is fixed, though both share the same 3-inch, 921000-dot display.

Flash and framing options are shared: both cameras have a built-in flash, an external flash option and live view. Both skip touch control, Wi-Fi and GPS, so travel photographers wanting location tags need to add position data separately.

Battery ratings are effectively a tie: the D3200 is rated for 540 shots and the Alpha 57 for 550, only 10 shots apart. Card support differs: the D3200 accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards with UHS-I support, while the Alpha 57 also takes Memory Stick Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo media.

Both cameras use a single card slot, and neither charges over USB. The D3200 uses an EN-EL14 battery and the Alpha 57 an NP-FM500H, so spare batteries are specific to each system.