Reasons to choose D3200
Released in 2012, D3200 has about 357 mm² of sensor area, 24.2 MP effective resolution, and a 505 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Nikon D3200
vs Nikon D5000
VS
Sensor area
357 mm²
D3200373 mm²
D5000- Area ratio
- 1.04:1
- Absolute difference
- 16 mm²
- Relative difference
- 4.4%
The D5000 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 3 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
D3200MetricD5000
24.2 MPEffective pixels12.3 MP
23.2 × 15.4Sensor23.6 × 15.8
3.84 µmPixel pitch5.51 µm
14.76 µm²Pixel area30.32 µm²
6.77 MP/cm²Pixel density3.3 MP/cm²
1.55Crop factor1.52
1,920 × 1,080Maximum video—
505 gWeight590 g
SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-I compliantStorageSDHC, Secure Digital
Lithium-Ion EN-EL14 rechargeable battery Li-ion batteryBatteryNikon EN-EL9a Lithium-Ion battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The D5000 has the larger sensor area. The D3200 has the lighter body. The D3200 has the higher effective resolution. The D3200 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose D5000
Released in 2009, D5000 has about 373 mm² of sensor area, 12.3 MP effective resolution, and a 590 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.