Fun with D3200 Images

[ustein]

We finally got a review copy of the D3200 from Nikon USA. Used with better lenses (we used the 60mm Macro and 24-120mm f/). This is from our first walks.

The 24-129mm nearly costs 2x the price of the camera . I think this is about the same sensor as the NEX-7 and that sensor can deliver at lower ISO.

More images at larger sizes can be found here:

http://outbackphoto.smugmug.com/DOPFieldTests/Nikon-D3200-Field-Test-Images/

 

[paulraphael]

I'd be curious about your impressions of the 18-70 3.5-4.5 dx lens. I was using that on my crop frame nikon, and the results were pretty astounding for a lens you can pick up for well under $200 used. I used it mostly at the wide end, where it's weakest, but it was still very good. Just sold it for a bit less than I paid a couple of years ago.

 

[ustein]

>I'd be curious about your impressions of the 18-70 3.5-4.5 dx lens.

Sorry, don't have that lens.

 

[paulraphael]

Is that sold as a kit lens? I got mine on ebay to replace a different kit lens. Can't speak to the bokeh ... used it on a project where everything was in focus. Wouldn't surprise me if you're right about it. Here's a review that first tempted me to try it. I bought two used ones and kept the better one (the differences were slight). The only issue I found was field curvature at the wide end ... just like with a lot of nikon lenses.

Uwe, do you have an impression of the 3200's dynamic range?

 

[Oren Grad]

Paul, I've been playing a bit with a D3200, mostly with the kit zoom (the inexpensive 18-55 VR - there's no other kit option). I haven't done controlled tests, but my impression of the DR relative to other recent models jibes pretty well with Bill Claff's big chart:

Photographic Dynamic Range versus ISO

The kit zoom actually isn't half bad, especially at the price, but on the whole it does run out of steam before the sensor does. But there's no reason one couldn't put a better lens on the camera, put in on a tripod, switch on the live view, and use it with meticulous technique to get an awful lot of image quality for not very much money.

 

[ustein]

>Uwe, do you have an impression of the 3200's dynamic range?

Actually I hardly talk about it because getting DR evaluation right is hard. I would go with DxOMark and get the ball park.

>Bill Claff's big chart

They also look very reasonable.

DR is only part of the picture and noise the other. Normally I am not too anal about noise but with aerial shots I want every detail possible.