Nikon D5200 CMOS DSLR with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S NIKKOR Zoom Lens (Red) (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

Ive wanted a DSLR for about 8 years now and never quite bit the bullet on making the investment. A year before I bought this camera, I researched all my options (to death). I compared specs, reviews, prices, and tested each camera out at the store... twice. My uncle is a professional photographer. And by professional, I mean the big leagues. He swears by Nikon. Ive always been a Canon girl, personally. My first "real" camera was a Rebel SLR. The big pull for me with Nikon was: you get more features for the same amount of money as the competing Canon line and the lenses are slightly less expensive. Lenses are everything. When purchasing a DSLR for the first time, people tend to get really picky about the camera and its features. What they need to be looking at is what kind of lenses theyll want to purchase now and in the future. You can always upgrade the camera body. Youre not going to want to throw away all the money youve invested in lenses, though. As soon as I got my Nikon, I hit the ground running. My first test was at a wedding where I was the only photographer (yikes!). Although I used it mostly in automatic mode (I groan at mentioning this now), the photos turned out stunning. Ive since learned how to use it in manual and take photos at all kinds of events and with many different subjects. The D5200 performs the best outdoors, in all types of lighting. It performs decently indoors, too. But, I would recommend getting a better flash if that is where you plan on using it the most.

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Purchased as refurbished. Basically looks and functions as new. 1515 shutter clicks, barely used. The price difference from new makes this a huge bargain camera for the budget minded. I purchased this as a back up body. With limited use at this point, this is a wonderful camera. It has the major advantage of being very light weight and big enough to get a hand on it. If you are hauling around a DSLR all day this is an important consideration. Especially if you carry an extra lens or two. Really gets important if you are caring an additional body to eliminate lens changes in dirty environments or fast moving situations. I chose this body over its newer D5300 version because I have no need of GPS capabilities. If I need Wi Fi I can get that with an adaptor or a Wi Fi card. Both items cost far less than stepping up to the next model. Any other updates are not significant between the models (for my uses). The one thing I really find I use, and missed more than I would ever have guessed, is the articulated screen. High shots, low shots, shots using a smaller/lower/lightweight tripod, this adjustable screen is so incredibly convenient. Saves the back, keeps me out of the dirt for the most part, and helps visibility in bright lighting conditions. I really missed this when I upgraded to the D7100 from the D5100. The technical points of this camera are covered in multiple other reviews, so I will just say I am not disappointed in the images it captures, even when comparing to the D7100. I really wish the D5200 could use the older lenses, the ones that need the screw type AF system within the camera body (the D7100 can). This body uses only the AF-S lenses to auto focus. The older lenses will mount on this camera, but they will NOT autofocus. Nikon continues to develop nice AF-S lenses that work with this type camera, so this could be the only camera you will ever need. Edit: I would also like to add the list of accessories I always get to complete a camera purchase. If you are new to DSLR photography this is function and protection for your investment: 1.A good multicoated UV filter. It saves your lens glass from accidental bumps, that bit of grit you miss and rub around when cleaning a random fingerprint and other crud. It also helps reduce haze. They should be on the lens from day one to protect that front element from an unforgiving environment (and the Babys cake covered hands when you go in for the close-up first B-day!) I have twice been very thankful I took this advise myself. The lens survived, the filter did not. Was a cheap replacement (compared to a lost lens) and the photographic day was not ruined. 2. A good quality SD card. Or two. I like 32gb Sandisk Extreme 111. They are fast and I have not had one malfunction yet. 3.A spare battery. I have had good luck with fully decoded non-Nikon versions. 4. A case/bag for carrying and storage. 5. A screen saver for the LCD. 6. A proper lens cleaning kit. There are a million other things you can use for your new hobby, but these 6 are really important to the health and well-being of your fine camera.

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Ive had a camera in my hands since I was in the 5th grade. My first one was a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye - a 620 roll film camera - which gives you an idea of how many cameras have passed through my hands. I was verrry slow to accept digital as a replacement for film - but I finally sold all of my film cameras about two years ago. At first, I tried a very good "point and shoot" digital (while I still had my 3 Nikons and their 7 lenses). But I have a deeply ingrained habit of holding a camera to my eye for composition and just twisting a lens barrel to adjust focal length. I tried a Canon - with eye level viewfinder; a very good camera but the viewfinder was not "wysiwyg" - just approximate. And, I dont care how good the rest of the camera may be, taking pictures of whales by "zooming" with a lever operated by my trigger finger just will NOT cut it. For anything more serious than " snapshots", a DSLR is required (IMHO). My first, a Nikon D-80, was "OK" but not far enough along the way between "amateur" and "professional" - so I moved to the D5200 - keeping my VR 18-200 lens (and later adding a (70-300 - or something like that - which I picked up cheap). Theres NOTHING to not like about this camera - other than having to dip back in the manual to figure out features that I havent used (at all or for a long time). Unlike the CoolPix P510 I now use for "snapshots", the D5200 is ON as soon as I turn the lever and I can swing/zoom for a shot instantly - just what the doctor needs for capturing images of whales!! It will compensate for a wide variety of lighting situations and does an excellent job of managing light for dawn/evening pictures (for example). I even shoot the occasional "movie" and enjoy the results. The only feature I dont care for is that this camera (with lenses and spare battery) starts out weighing only a couple of pounds at the start of a long day and ends up weighing as much as a small car by the end of the day! SIGH!

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I am very pleased with this camera! This is my first DSLR and I literally agonized (as much as someone can over buying something) over the decision. I dont know enough about photography and advanced cameras which made it all the more difficult. Many of the reviews were super technical and I didnt know what most of the terms meant. All I wanted to know was:

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Ive had this camera for a little over a year and I can say hands down its one of the best cameras I have ever owned! Im a self-employed videographer that recently entered the world of professional photography. Being on a small budget as an aspiring photographer, I find that this camera perfectly meets my needs, earning me some good quality photos and income without costing me a fortune. Whats amazing is that Ive bought this Nikon D5200 and using this for the first time, I must say it made a great first impression on me. PERFORMANCE: 5/5 Nikon D5200 features great image quality with 14MP and a great ISO. It has a pretty fast shutter speed and it is great to be able to switch between manual and automatic controls. Image quality: 4/5 Overall, good image depending on the lighting environment. Photo quality is great under a well-lit atmosphere using the built-in flash but I recommend using an external flash. Images aren’t quite Paparazzi-worthy but the photos this camera takes will blow you away, nonetheless. It’s a great camera for a first-time photographer looking to get their start as a professional. I’d recommend you use more than just the stock included OEM camera lens. I recommend zoom lenses and fish-eye lenses for this camera to create more eye-catching stunning photos. This camera is great for the beginner and intermediate, alike. But if you want to go bigger, do so. If you’re a full-blown professional, more than likely, you’ll buy a more expensive camera. The average price of this camera currently at the time of writing this review is $300. Professionals usually invest $900+ in their camera. But cost isn’t everything. Each photographer must carefully consider a camera not just because its high price but consider image quality and other functionality. BATTERY LIFE: 5/5 Battery life is impressive, to my standards. But as with anything, battery life always depends how much a device is used and what settings are used. Usually, I use this camera for weddings and receptions. I take an average of 300-500 photos per event day so using the camera from 1PM until about 11PM, I’m able to use this camera the entire event day without charging the factory OEM battery. (*Note: I usually do not use the flash for about 100 photos, as they are outdoor daylight photos. The rest of the photos are indoor photos.) WHATS NOT SO GREAT: Small minor issue but I wish that DSLRs like these featured internal memory storage, instead of just relying on only external SD cards.

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I only wish I could have bought a 7100. I love this camera. I am coming over from an older Canon Rebel DSLR. I love this camera. I switched to Nikon, as it had more to offer for the money, and I was going to need to send my Canon gear in for a good cleaning, and its actually cheaper to upgrade and get the same starting lenses. I have shot for the college paper, and also had pictures published. I am getting this for personal use, both for us, and for the future baby. I chose to go with the 5200 over the 5300 for the sake of money. I do not need GPS, and this package comes with the wi-fi adaptor. I wanted the cost savings, so that I can invest into a nice Prime lenses, and other lenses to add to this. I would recommend this to anyone looking to step up from a point and shoot, and really learn the art of photography. I learned to shoot on a film SLR camera, and still love the look film can give in some shots. But the ease of a digital camera cant be beat, and I would shoot with it more often. I prefer to shoot in manual mode, so I can not comment on the shooting modes that has the presets covered. But, I do not see any of the modes being a negative. The menus are pretty easy to use. I know there is a learning curve, so I am sure it will get easier for me to get through them pretty quick. The two lenses that it comes with are nice. They will work for most, but the first purchase will be a prime lenses, and something with a lower f-stop.

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First I spent about 20 hours researching DSLRs from about $200 cheaper to about $400 more expensive because I wanted to upgrade from a Pentax 35mm and a pretty decent Fuji 16MP 15x RAW shooting, point and shoot. My major concern was noisy pictures because all of the digitals Ive used can shoot pretty well in sunlight but can really be poor in low light. Trying to stay reasonable and add accessories is a challenge however, so I was leaning towards the D3200 with the Nikkor 300mm, while wanting the D5200. Then I browsed the used offerings here and found many claiming to be new in the box starting at about $550 and spent a little more after investigating and because of the sellers higher positive rating. So this is what I purchased and it was new and unopened in the box with FedEx sign for delivery and a 14 day return. $585..Nikon D5200 with 18-55mm lens $144..Sigma 70-300mm Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro Lens with built in motor for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras $19....Polaroid 32GB UHS-1 card Polaroid 32GB High Speed SDHC CL10 UHS-1 Rated Flash Memory (P-SDH32U1-30-GEPOL) $20....AmazonBasics medium DSLR bag AmazonBasics Medium DSLR Gadget Bag (Orange interior) $53....AmazonBasics 70" pistol grip tripod AmazonBasics 70-inch Adjustable Pistol Grip Head Tripod $821..Total Im not trying to do your shopping for you but if you price the D3200 with the cheapest Nikkor 300mm lens youll see why Im happy. This is truly a fabulous setup and the camera I can not praise enough. Its only been about 40 hours of shooting but Ill tell you what...its no BS about low light shooting. Even at full telephoto the low light shooting is great! I figure another month and 80 hours of shooting I might be able to use the cameras potential but dont worry about using it right after the battery is charged because auto works awfully well. With all the good reviews here and across the web I just wanted to convey that you might be able to afford this once high priced camera setup (before the new model release and with Nikkor 300mm) cheaper than you thought. I recommend this camera however you purchase it and write this review because Im just trying to help.

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Free shipping was faster than expected. Camera arrived with packaging intact, no damage. I like that they had tested the camera before sending it, there was one photo on the memory card of the shipping room I guess (32GB no less - a list of what is in the package did not indicate an SD card was included). Happy with the price, service and camera. I bought this body to replace my decade old D40 that developed a memory card port problem. The quick fixes on YouTube and elsewhere didnt work and it would cost as much to repair it as replace it. All my lenses and most accessories work, only the old batteries are not compatible. This is an "international" model meaning the warranty is from the seller. My D40 is a US model originally covered by Nikon USA. I compared the D40 and new D5200 and could not find a single thing that would indicate any differences between the two. One very minor issue is the short version user manual refers to a larger, more complete "Reference" manual on the CD. Well, there are no documents on the CD including the file name listed in the small user manual. No biggie, it is available for download on the Nikon website just dont waste your time looking for it on the CD in the box.

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I bought this camera after weighing it against a D5300 and the D7000, and I think that I have made the right choice. The feature difference between this camera and the D5300 is not worth the price gap in my opinion, instead I spent that extra money on accessories and another lens. The camera itself is really easy to use and the learning curve of how to use all of its features is fairly steady. Ive owned my D5200 for 5 months now and will update my review as I continue to learn about more things I can do with the camera daily.

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Truth be told, I was looking to upgrade my Nikon D50 to an FX (full 35mm size image sensor) format camera when I began shopping for a new camera body. The price of those professional workhorses was unfortunately beyond my reach. I found this gem when I set my sights a little lower and I am very pleased with the outcome. The pixel count is extraordinary, yielding native 10x13 prints at 300dpi. The 11x17 prints I have made are beautiful, something I was unable to accomplish with the 6.1 megapixel D50. The camera is compact and lightweight almost to a fault. I know Ill appreciate this when traveling, but the "feel" of it is somewhat "cheaper" than Im used to from Nikon. The vari-angle LCD panel is large and bright and provides easy access to the vast majority of camera settings when not in Live View mode. In Live View, it allows framing pictures at otherwise impossible angles. (I find the shutter lag in Live View disturbing and therefore use this mode only when absolutely necessary). I like the fact that the settings and menus are navigated by using buttons, the joypad and the dial rather than a touchscreen interface. The viewfinder is kind of off-center on the camera body and it took a little getting used to before I was able to automatically center my eye on it. Once that happened I found the screen bright and the framing accurate. The toggle-able grid lines are a very useful feature. The cameras exposure settings are clearly visible. The 39 point autofocus system is fast, flexible and accurate. The various exposure setting paradigms are remarkably accurate. The embedded technology is simply amazing. Along with the numerous scene programs the 5200 offers Active D-Lighting and High Dynamic Range (HDR) modes. Each of these post-processes the image to give dramatically better results in backlit and high contrast situations. The HDR mode actually takes two images at different exposures and combines them so that both highlight and shadow detail are properly exposed in the final image. There is a calculated multiple exposure mode plus a host of special effects and in camera image editing features. All in all, an excellent addition to the Nikon line for serious amateur and light professional photography.

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