Do you want to know what's better Nikon D5200 or Nikon D90? SpecsPRO has compared Nikon D5200 vs Nikon D90: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Nikon D5200 vs Nikon D90

  • Main

  • Model

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • launch

  • Announced

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

  • Max resolution

  • Sensor size

  • Sensor type

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

  • Other resolutions

  • Sensor photo detectors

  • Image

  • ISO

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • White balance presets

  • Custom white balance

  • Image stabilization

  • Uncompressed format

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed

  • Aperture priority

  • Shutter priority

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

  • Flash range

  • External flash

  • Flash modes

  • Continuous drive

  • Self-timer

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

  • Screen size

  • Screen dots

  • Touch screen

  • Screen type

  • Live view

  • Viewfinder type

  • Viewfinder coverage

  • Viewfinder magnification

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Videography notes

  • Microphone

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Number of focus points

  • Lens mount

  • Focal length multiplier

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

  • Dimensions

  • Environmentally sealed

  • Battery

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

  • HDMI

  • Wireless

  • Remote control

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • GPS notes

  • Samples

  • Videos

  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D5200

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 24 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 6000 x 4000

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 25 megapixels

    IMAGE ISO: Auto, 100 - 6400 (25600 with boost)

    IMAGE Boosted ISO (maximum): 25600

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Articulated LCD: Fully articulated

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 921,000

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Resolutions: 1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps), 640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Stereo

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 39

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 555 g (1.22 lb / 19.58 oz)

    Go to the Summary

Nikon D90
  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D90

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Sensor size: APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm)

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Flash range: 17.00 m (at ISO 100)

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 4.5 fps

    CONNECTIVITY Wireless: Eye-Fi Connected

    Go to the Summary

  • launch

  • Announced

    Nov 6, 2012

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Compact SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    24 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    6000 x 4000

  • Sensor size

    APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Expeed 3

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    4496 x 3000, 2992 x 2000

  • Sensor photo detectors

    25 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100 - 6400 (25600 with boost)

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    25600

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (5)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal, Basic

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/4000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    Yes

  • Built-in flash

    Yes (Pop-up)

  • Flash range

    12.00 m (at ISO 100)

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe)

  • Flash modes

    Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, Rear curtain

  • Continuous drive

    3.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±2 (3 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fully articulated

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    921,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD monitor

  • Live view

    Yes (With contrast-detect AF, face detection and subject tracking)

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentamirror)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    95%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.78×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps), 640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, H.264

  • Videography notes

    1920 x 1080, 60i (59.94 fields/s)/ 50i (50 fields/s), high/normal 1920 x 1080, 30 p (progressive)/25p/24p, high/normal

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    39

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1.5×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    555 g (1.22 lb / 19.58 oz)

  • Dimensions

    129 x 98 x 78 mm (5.08 x 3.86 x 3.07)

  • Environmentally sealed

    No

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion EN-EL14 rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC/SDXC

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (Mini Type C)

  • Wireless

    Optional

  • Remote control

    Yes (Optional ML-L3 or WR-R10)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    GP-1

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Aug 27, 2008

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Mid-size SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    12 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    4288 x 2848

  • Sensor size

    APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

    3:2

  • Other resolutions

    3216 x 2136, 2144 x 1424

  • Sensor photo detectors

    13 megapixels

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 200 - 3200 (plus 6400 with boost)

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    6400

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (5)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, Normal, Basic

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/4000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    Yes

  • Built-in flash

    Yes (pop-up)

  • Flash range

    17.00 m (at ISO 100)

  • External flash

    Yes (Hot-shoe, Wireless)

  • Flash modes

    Auto, On, Off, Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow Sync

  • Continuous drive

    4.5 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    (2, 3 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (2 or 3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis)

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3

  • Screen dots

    920,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    Super Density TFT color LCD with wide-viewing angle

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    96%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.96×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1280 x 720 (24 fps), 640 x 424 (24 fps), 320 x 216 (24 fps)

  • File Format

    Motion JPEG

  • Videography notes

  • Microphone

    Mono

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Selective single-point
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Number of focus points

    11

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1.5×

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    703 g (1.55 lb / 24.80 oz)

  • Dimensions

    132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.06 x 3.03)

  • Environmentally sealed

    No

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    850

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    SD/SDHC

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (Mini Type C)

  • Wireless

    Eye-Fi Connected

  • Remote control

    Yes (Optional ML-L3 or MC-DC2)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (by USB cable and PC)

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    GP-1

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The Nikon D5200 highest resolution of 6000 x 4000 pixels (24 megapixels) is better than the D90 maximum resolution of 4288 x 2848 pixels (12 megapixels). The D90 has bigger sensor compared to the Nikon D5200: APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) versus APS-C (23.5 x 15.6 mm). It is the most important specification of this camera as big sensor allows the camera owner to shoot photos of the more professional quality. The Nikon D5200 has a wider ISO range of 100-6400 in compare with 200-3200 ISO range of the D90. Such ISO numbers let the photographer to shoot good quality photos in dim light situations. The Nikon D5200 has more focus points in compare with the D90: 39 vs 11. More number of focus points means more convenience when attempting to focus on subjects which are not centred.

    The Nikon D5200 is equipped with articulated display which will let the camera owner to shoot amazing selfies. The Nikon D5200 screen is better as it offers more screen dots 921,000 in comparison to 920,000 dots of the D90 screen. The higher dot count screen is better for reviewing pictures on your camera.

    The Nikon D90 which will help the camera owner to transfer photos wirelessly from a digital camera to a laptop. The Nikon D5200 weighs 555g which is 148g lighter than the weight of the Nikon D90.

    Considering the above-mentioned differences the Nikon D5200 will become the best buy. Check the list of the best offers on Amazon.