Nikon D3200 vs Sony RX10 III

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Nikon D3200 vs Sony RX10 III

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APS-C 357.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D3200 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D3200.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 600.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10 III.
Compare Sony RX10 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D3300
Compare D3200 vs D3300

Succeeded by the Sony RX10 IV
Compare RX10 III vs RX10 IV

Compare NIKON D3300 vs SONY RX10 IV

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Differences

Nikon D3200 advantages over Sony RX10 III

Less expensive
$477 vs $1398*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.86 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 2.1 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
D3200 test data on DxO Mark RX10 III test data on DxO Mark

1,131 vs 472 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

540 vs 420 shots
Capture more photos
Thinner
76 mm vs 127 mm
Thinner
More pixels
24.2 vs 20.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
100 vs 44 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony RX10 III advantages over Nikon D3200

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Newer
9 years vs 13 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Less shutter lag
0.20 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.53x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
14.2 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.0 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
29 vs 12 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 12800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D3200 User Reviews

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Kit with 18-55mm Lens

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Sony RX10 III

All RX10 III Deals

Review Excerpt

High resolution allows cropping; Good performance in low light; Compact and comfortable, highly portable; Fast and responsive, just begs to take pictures; Quiet shutter is great for candids.
Mediocre kit lens; Might be too small for some; No bracketing; Narrow flash coverage; Matrix metering tends to overexpose.
Read our Nikon D3200 Review

Versatile all-in-one replacement for a DSLR or mirrorless camera; Great handling and build; Excellent image quality; Spectacular zoom reach; Swift performance with generous buffer depths; Extremely capable video capture; Comprehensive remote control; Quick-and-easy image sharing
Extremely expensive for a fixed-lens camera; Fairly heavy for fixed-lens camera; Somewhat soft in the corners at wide-angle or tele; Noise reduction intrudes at higher sensitivities; No built-in ND filter; Not as fast when shooting raws; Slow buffer clearing
Read our Sony RX10 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony A65

Nikon D3200

Sony A65

$477
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$798
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Nikon D3200 vs Sony A65

Sony RX10 III

Sony A65

$1398
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Fast startup

$798
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony A65

Compared to Nikon D5200

Nikon D3200

Nikon D5200

$477
APS-C

Bigger RAW buffer

$590
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Higher effective ISO

Compare Nikon D3200 vs Nikon D5200

Sony RX10 III

Nikon D5200

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$590
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Nikon D5200

Compared to Sony A58

Nikon D3200

Sony A58

$477
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D3200 vs Sony A58

Sony RX10 III

Sony A58

$1398
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Built-in Wi-Fi

$598
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony A58

Compared to Panasonic FZ2500

Nikon D3200

Panasonic FZ2500

$477
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$899
1 inch

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Nikon D3200 vs Panasonic FZ2500

Sony RX10 III

Panasonic FZ2500

$1398
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Larger lens aperture

$899
1 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Panasonic FZ2500

Compared to Sony RX10 IV

Nikon D3200

Sony RX10 IV

$477
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$1698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D3200 vs Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX10 III

Sony RX10 IV

$1398
1 inch

Less expensive

$1698
1 inch

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony RX10 IV

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