Nikon D5200 vs Sony A7

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Nikon D5200 vs Sony A7

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D5200 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D5200.

35mm 855.6mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A7 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7.
Compare Sony A7 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D5300
Compare D5200 vs D5300

Succeeded by the Sony A7 II
Compare A7 vs A7 II

Compare NIKON D5300 vs SONY A7 II

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Differences

Nikon D5200 advantages over Sony A7

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$500 vs $819
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 2.1 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

500 vs 340 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
83 mm vs 70 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 50 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony A7 advantages over Nikon D5200

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.97 vs 3.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 test data on DxO Mark D5200 test data on DxO Mark

2,248 vs 1,284 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
48 mm vs 78 mm
Thinner
More viewfinder magnification
0.71x vs 0.52x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bigger RAW buffer
28 vs 7 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D5200 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7 User Reviews

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Buy the Nikon D5200

Kit with 18-55mm Lens

Kit with 18-55mm Lens
Body Only
Kit with 18-105mm Lens
Kit with 18-140mm Lens

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Buy the Sony A7

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 lens

Review Excerpt

Captures sharp, detailed photos with its new 24.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, even at higher ISOs; Features a familiar (D5100) but refined body design; Records Full HD video with full-time autofocus tracking; Packs a ton of advanced features into a consumer-friendly body at a great price.
Autofocuses a little slowly for its class and struggles at times in low light; Changing some basic settings takes more time and effort than it should; Mediocre kit lens.
Read our Nikon D5200 Review

Incredibly small body for a fully-featured, full-frame camera; Very high resolution; Hybrid autofocus is reasonably fast and confident; Significantly better burst-shooting performance than A7R; Excellent image quality even at very high sensitivities; Faster x-sync than A7R; Accepts existing Alpha-mount and E-mount lenses, and can optionally crop to APS-C image circle.
Grass-is-greener syndrome when compared to its higher-res sibling; Moderate performance; Loud shutter (but electronic first-curtain helps); Mediocre battery life when using electronic viewfinder; Weak low-light autofocus considering its price; Limited selection of native Sony FE lenses.
Read our Sony A7 Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony A7R

Nikon D5200

Sony A7R

$500
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$2149
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon D5200 vs Sony A7R

Sony A7

Sony A7R

$748
35mm

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

$2149
35mm

Higher effective ISO
More pixels

Compare Sony A7 vs Sony A7R

Compared to Sony A65

Nikon D5200

Sony A65

$500
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$798
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5200 vs Sony A65

Sony A7

Sony A65

$748
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$798
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A7 vs Sony A65

Compared to Nikon D3200

Nikon D5200

Nikon D3200

$500
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Higher effective ISO

$477
APS-C

Bigger RAW buffer

Compare Nikon D5200 vs Nikon D3200

Sony A7

Nikon D3200

$748
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$477
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7 vs Nikon D3200

Compared to Sony A58

Nikon D5200

Sony A58

$500
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5200 vs Sony A58

Sony A7

Sony A58

$748
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$598
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony A7 vs Sony A58

Compared to Sony A7 II

Nikon D5200

Sony A7 II

$500
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$1148
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon D5200 vs Sony A7 II

Sony A7

Sony A7 II

$748
35mm

Less expensive

$1148
35mm

In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A7 vs Sony A7 II

Compare Other Cameras?