Upgrade Guide
Nikon D5200→Nikon D300S
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The D300S improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most D5200 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the D300S
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
Burst rate7fps vs 5fps
-
Battery life~950 shots (CIPA) vs ~500 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution12MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
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 | D5200 | D300S | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.6 | ||
| Street | -1.3 | ||
| Travel | -0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.6 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Documentary | +0.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.1 | ||
| Landscape | -0.4 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.6 | ||
| Casual | -1.0 | ||
| Food | -1.9 | ||
| Macro | -1.4 | ||
| Architecture | -1.5 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.9 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | D5200 | D300S | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £73 used | £79 used | |
| Released | 2012 | 2009 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | 12.3MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 12MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30 (1080/60i), 720p/60 | 720p/24 | |
| Autofocus | 39-point phase-detect (9 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | 51-point phase-detect (15 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF in live view (tripod mode) | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps | 7fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~500 shots (CIPA) | ~950 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 555g (with battery) | 920g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.78x | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.94x | |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle LCD, 921k dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots | |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (DX) | Nikon F-mount (DX) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Dual slots: CompactFlash + SD |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See D5200 and D300S next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the D300S against your specific genres — not just specs.
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