Nikon D3200 - Price Drop? Is it right for me?

I don't want a point and shoot camera. I've had those before.

I'm considering a Nikon D3200, I plan to take photos at family events and when ever I go somewhere fun such as vacations or Disneyland… Stuff like that., With that being said, is a Nikon D3200 right for me?

Also, the price. Currently at Walmart and Best Buy its $499, I was told the Nikon D3300 came out in Feb, Is $499 the lowest its gonna be or can i expect a price drop in a few weeks/months?

Yes, if you want a fully adjustable camera and are willing to spend the time and effort learning how to use it, the D3200 is an exceptional entry level dSLR

I'd send you in the direction of the D5100… It's a great price and the specification gives you plenty of room to grow into… It's a practical camera, fun to use and the quality is superb.

The D3200 isn't a bad choice… I just think you get more for your money with the D5100… I actually have one and it's impressive.

There's always going to be a price drop "in a few months" - and along with the drop will come a new model which is just a little bit better. Realistically there's not a huge difference between the D3200 and the D3300 - or the D5100 for that matter.

Megapixels really don't matter and any of them will give you a great image that can be enlarged to a 20"x16" print or beyond. The moveable screen of the D5100 is great if you do a lot of macro (close-up) or overhead shots, but actually ANY DSLR camera will give similar image quality because the sensor sizes are all about the same and the lens quality doesn't vary much between brands.

It's really hard to go wrong - whichever camera you pick will give you high quality images - but you can wait forever for the price to come down on the next "better" model.

Arguably if you do have extra cash you would be better off with a cheaper body and a better lens. A D3200 or D5100 body with the 18-105mm VR lens would be far better than the D3300 with the standard 18-55mm VR any day of the week.

Don't get me wrong - the standard 18-55mm lens is very good for the money and capable of some great pictures - but a better lens on a cheaper body is almost always better than a cheaper lens on a better body.