Nikon's 2004 entry-level compact — 3.1MP 1/2.7" CCD, 38-115mm equiv 3x zoom, SD storage, AA power.
The Nikon Coolpix 3200 was an entry-level 3-megapixel digital compact announced in early 2004 alongside the 2-megapixel Coolpix 2200. It replaced the Coolpix 3100 at the bottom of Nikon's consumer range and marked the point where Nikon's budget compacts moved from CompactFlash to Secure Digital storage.
It uses a 3.1-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD behind a 3x Zoom-Nikkor covering a 38-115mm equivalent range at f/2.8-4.9. ISO runs from 50 to 200, metering is 256-segment matrix, and shutter speeds span 4 sec to 1/3000 sec. Framing is via a 1.6-inch 80,000-dot LCD or an optical tunnel viewfinder, images go to SD cards, and power comes from two AA batteries with NiMH rechargeables recommended.
This was a point-and-shoot for family snapshots, with scene modes doing the heavy lifting and no manual exposure control. The AA power supply makes it easy to keep running today, and the small CCD delivers the dense, contrasty colour typical of mid-2000s compacts, though resolution and high-ISO ability are modest by any later standard.
On the used market these sell cheaply and often untested. Check that the lens extends and retracts without grinding, that the 1.6-inch LCD is free of bleed and dead rows, and that the battery contacts are free of corrosion from cells left inside. SD compatibility is limited to smaller-capacity cards, so budget for an older low-capacity card; chargers are not an issue since it runs on standard AAs.