Upgrade Guide
Nikon D500→Nikon D3200
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the D500. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the D3200
-
Resolution24MP vs 21MP (+3MP)
Unchanged or similar
-
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 | D500 | D3200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.4 | ||
| Street | +0.6 | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | -2.4 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -1.5 | ||
| Sports & Action | -2.0 | ||
| Landscape | -0.9 | ||
| Wildlife | -1.2 | ||
| Casual | +0.5 | ||
| Food | -0.6 | ||
| Macro | -0.3 | ||
| Architecture | -0.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.2 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | D500 | D3200 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £484 | £80 | |
| Released | 2016 | 2012 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 21MP | 24MP | ↑ |
| Video | 4K UHD/30p (1.5× crop), 1080p/60 | Full HD 1080p/30, 720p/60 | |
| Autofocus | 153-point phase-detect (99 cross-type, 55 selectable) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | 11-point phase-detect (1 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 | 10fps | 4fps | ↓ |
| Battery Life | ~1240 shots (CIPA) | ~540 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 860g (with battery) | 505g (with battery) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.0x | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.8x | |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 921k dots | |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (DX) | Nikon F-mount (DX) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual slots: XQD + SD | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the D3200 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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