Nikon D5200: Hands-On

Nikon has long been synonymous with top-notch cameras, and its well-deserved reputation for manufacturing some of the finest cameras available is still solid to this day. For a number of reasons, the Nikon D5200 is no exception to the company's long-standing record of excellence.
This entry-level DSLR camera is chock-full of the tools, features and capabilities that will let you unleash your creativity, try new approaches and keep progressing as a photographer.The Nikon D5200 provides fine resolution, an exceptional number of autofocus points, a healthy battery life and enough scene modes to let you free your inner artist.

This camera presents a wide ISO range – from a minimum of 100 to a maximum of 6,400 – and that is expandable to a welcome 25,600. With a range like this, you can capture clear, impressive images of fast-moving people, pets or wildlife, romantic candlelight dinners or your beautiful newborn asleep in a dimly lit room.

You get a remarkable 39 autofocus points with this camera, which is the same as certain high-end, professional cameras. The Nikon D5200 is fast: it zips along at a continuous shooting speed of 5 frames per second. You get a great selection of four different self-timer delay intervals, namely 2 seconds, 5 seconds, 10 seconds and 20 seconds. So you can set the camera controls as you wish and then pop into the picture, take time to make sure no one is pulling silly faces and – click! – this camera captures the image for you, with faces, backgrounds and memories neatly preserved. What’s more, you don't look out of breath since you didn't have to hustle to get into the picture.

You also can apply special effects to photos while you are shooting them, rather than later. Even if you are a whiz kid at Photoshop, this saves time and lets you get what you want at the moment you are taking the picture. You can really have fun with this. The Silhouette effect lets you outline silhouettes of whoever or whatever you are photographing against a brighter background, making quite a striking look. You also can experiment with monochrome look, deliberately under- or over-expose shots and do much more to see what effects you can create.

Another enjoyable feature is this camera's ability to shoot full HD video and capture clear audio using its built-in stereo microphone. You also can attach your camera to your HD television with an HDMI cable and watch from there.