Upgrade Guide
Nikon D300→Nikon D5200
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the D300. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the D5200
-
Resolution24MP vs 12MP (+12MP)
-
Generation5 years newer (2012 vs 2007)
Unchanged or similar
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Weather sealingNot present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | D300 | D5200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.8 | ||
| Street | +1.3 | ||
| Travel | +0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.5 | ||
| Documentary | +0.1 | ||
| Sports & Action | -0.6 | ||
| Landscape | +0.4 | ||
| Wildlife | -0.4 | ||
| Casual | +1.0 | ||
| Food | +1.9 | ||
| Macro | +1.4 | ||
| Architecture | +1.5 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.9 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | D300 | D5200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £40 used | £73 used | |
| Released | 2007 | 2012 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 12.3MP APS-C CMOS | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 24MP | ↑ |
| Video | No video | Full HD 1080p/30 (1080/60i), 720p/60 | |
| Autofocus | 51-point phase-detect (15 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF in live view (tripod mode) | 39-point phase-detect (9 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 5fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~1000 shots (CIPA) | ~500 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 905g (with battery) | 555g (with battery) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.94x | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.78x | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots | 3.0" vari-angle LCD, 921k dots | |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (DX) | Nikon F-mount (DX) | |
| Memory Cards | Single CompactFlash slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the D5200 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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Camera family history