Отзывы о Цифровой Фотоаппарат Nikon D5

Absolutely wonderful camera. I have used Nikon and Canon SLRs. My job is to sell cameras of all sorts and for a long time I have been waiting to purchase this camera. For all of the features that these cameras offer and everything they do, this camera is worth every penny. The burst and sports modes are very fast and clear. The auto focus is quick and the change from shot to shot is minimal for a delay. As far as the camera is easy to use I'd give it an 8 if you've never used a SLR before. If you leave it in full auto or no-flash modes, the camera will do all of the work for you. Of course the brilliant quality of the SLR is there. If you want to use the manual modes changing the shutter speed and aperture is simple. The dial next to the right thumb will automatically change the shutter speed and to change the aperture simply hold down the +/- button next to the shutter while spinning the dial. The daunting task is to change the iso. My assumption for the design is that they assume if you are in manual mode that the scenario of shooting will not require frequent iso change. It's not difficult to change, but if you do not read the manual or purchase the user dvd it will take some searching for.If you compare this model to the D3100 and D3200, the one thing that this adds that the others don't is a variety of scene modes and effects. These scene modes are what you expect from a camera nowadays. However the effects are a really nice addition. This offers color selection so that you can highlight one color and make the rest of the picture black and white. Other features include night vision, color sketch, high key, low key, silhouette. My favorites being night vision, low key and silhouette. Night vision makes every picture look like something from a military game. If you've ever seen a video through a set of NVG's you know what I'm talking about. Low key provides intentional underexposure, a particular effect that I love. I use this regularly for my photography to give it a more striking impression. Lastly, the silhouette feature is perfect for taking pictures of people. This effect gives the picture a beautiful dramatic look.My last subject will be the viewfinder and the screen. The screen is wonderful, I love being able to turn it around so that the screen is not used at all. This saves so much battery. To use this effect, all I say is ensure that you know the picture will come out right. Without the screen there is no preview option for your photos. Otherwise the screen works beautifully with live view if you are going for a low or a high shot so you do not have to worry about the picture coming out wrong. You can always ensure you get the shot you are looking for. My only complaint about the camera is the diopter in the viewfinder. For a person with glasses, this may not adjust correctly to your vision. With the D3100 and D3200 as well as sever Canon Rebels I did not have such a problem. However, with the D5100 I cannot properly adjust the viewfinder to my eyes. So sadly if I want to do a shot that involves manual focusing, I will wear my glasses and adjust the picture that way. Otherwise I still put my eyes to the viewfinder.All in all, I would recommend this camera to anyone, of any level. If you are a novice photographer or a skilled photographer this camera is a wonderful tool to have. Always remember that your camera is only limited by two things. You and your lens!

I am a photography teacher in NYC and online. (See my Amazon profile for my website.) I teach beginner and intermediate photography students every week. I've also been a professional photographer for the last five years with images published in The New York Times, GQ, New York Magazine, Women's Wear Daily, The New York Observer, The Village Voice and Time Out New York.(This review is for beginner photographers.)If you're a beginner, you're most likely asking yourself: Nikon or Canon? Really, I feel confident in saying that you can't go wrong with either. I've used both brand's cameras extensively and find that they both offer amazing image quality with well-built, solid cameras that, if taken care of, will last decades. There are two differences between the cameras, though, that can be taken into consideration.The user-interface: If cameras were computers, Nikons would be PCs and Canons would be MACs. PCs are built for people not afraid of technology whereas Macs are built for people who want things super-easy. Nikons excel at customization options which means you'll see so many more options with the Advanced features of a Nikon than you will with a Canon. Canons, on the other hand, excel at ease-of-use for beginners. Canons offer less advanced options and can be easier to learn on. This can be frustrating down the line, though, once you've learned a lot about photography. At that point you may want all of the options that Nikon offers and be frustrated with your Canon. If you're someone who really likes to delve deep into your hobbies or if you're intent on becoming a professional photographer, I'd say a Nikon would be your best bet. If you're someone who wants to learn the basics of photography and only imagine yourself being a hobbyist, Canon would be a better option for you.Where Nikon excels: Flash photography. I often find myself in situations where I'm shooting event photography (weddings, movie premiers, benefits and galas) where I need to use a lot of flash. For this kind of photography, I'll always prefer to be shooting with a Nikon. Nikon's flash metering (how the camera magically decides how much light to fire out of the flash) is much more consistent than Canon's. You can take a Canon and shoot the same scene three times in a row with flash and all three images will be at different brightness levels. You can do the same thing with a Nikon and all three images will be wonderfully the same. If you're somebody who plans on shooting a lot with flash (indoor photography, event photography, etc.) you'll want to consider going with Nikon.Where Canon excels: Richness of colors. I've been in numerous situations where I've been on the red carpet taking the exact same picture as the photographer next to me. I'll have a Canon and the person next to me will have a Nikon. This has provided quite a few opportunities to compare the images side-by-side. What I've found is that the colors on the Canon's images look richer and make the image pop more. If I'm doing fine art photography (anything I'd like to someday hang in a gallery), I'll always want to be shooting with a Canon for this reason.If you're set on Nikon, there are three cameras you should be considering and it all comes down to what your budget is:D7000 $1,400 without lensD5100 $750 without lensD3100 $600 only available with lens(current prices as of 2/19/11)Here's what you get for spending extra money (each camera compared to the one below it):D3100 vs. D5100:The D3100 is an EXCELLENT camera so if you only have $550 to spend total on camera and lens then go out and buy this camera. You won't regret it. If you're considering spending more money, here's what you'll get from the D5100 in comparison:-Better performance in low light situations.-A higher resolution screen on the back of the camera so you can see your images more clearly and make out if they actually turned out well.-An external mic jack. (If you're planning on shooting video with an external mic, you'll want the D5100 over the D3100.)-A flip out screen (handy if you want to put your camera anywhere but at your eye level and be able to see what your camera is about to capture before you shoot it)-Faster continuous shooting. If you're often shooting sports or any fast moving subject, continuous shooting allows you to capture multiple images in a single second. The D3100 shoots at three frames per second whereas the D5100 shoots at four frames per second.-Higher ISO options. The D5100 offers one more stop of ISO than the D3100 does. If you don't know what ISO means (or what a stop is) just know that this allows you to more easily shoot images in low-light situations.-Longer battery life. The D5100's battery will last 20% longer than the D3100The two advantages of the D3100 over the D5100 are: less expensive and less weight. Whenever a camera is less expensive, it means you'll have more in your budget for the lens. The D3100 weighs 10% lighter and is 10% smaller than the D5100.D5100 vs. D7000

I spent decades using SLR film cameras - first a Pentax K-1000 and then a Canon AE-1. A few years ago I found myself using those cameras less and less as digital cameras became affordable. For several years though I didn't have an SLR, instead I used mainly small point and shoot cameras. Though handy, they just don't give you much control over more than zoom and flash, and the image quality was, um, often marginal.A couple of months ago my wife (bless her heart) gave me a Nikon D5100 with 18-55mm adnd 55-300mm lenses. I followed the quick start guide and I was up and shooting photos in a matter of only few minutes. Yeah!This is the first DSLR I have ever owned, and I'm here to tell you that in my experience this camera is a joy to use, and it gives fantastic results. I have been using this camera now, heavily, for the past two months, and I've taken at least 2000 photos so far. I have had chances to use it during all times of the day from dawn-dusk, and into the night. It performs amazingly in all light levels.This camera gives me LOTS of useful pre-set options as well as the capability to manually control shutter speed, aperture settings, ISO (=ASA or film speed), or to go fully automatic.The camera body feels solid and comfortable in my hand. The rubberized grip and thumb pad are great. The 3" digital screen is also a nice feature. It can be flipped out, flipped over, adjusted to any angle to accommodate holding the camera high or low, wherever.I was a little confused about one of the automatic settings. The green one on the dial on the top of the camera. If you have the camera set there, whenever the camera thinks there is not enough light the flash will automatically pop up. I find this annoying during daylight shooting, but luckily there is a second fully automatic setting where the flash is disabled. This is my automatic setting of choice.I love some of the optional settings - like sports mode where you have single point focusing and the camera will shoot up to 4 frames per second if you hold the shutter button down. There are just too many features to describe here, but there are great options for night portraits, night shots, low light, high light, etc., etc.Oh, this camera also gives you the option to do some image editing right in the camera. That's nice. The camera can also be attached to a computer for easy downloading of images, and there's a cable for attaching the camera to a TV so you can show photos to a larger group, as desired.Down sides? I already mentioned the auto setting flash popping up thing. One other down side is that when you use the camera in video mode the built in microphone is only adequate. You can adjust the microphone sensitivity from high to low, but that's it. If you plan to use this camera for video purposes extensively I recommend getting an external stereo microphone that is designed to be seated on the hotshoe flash point on top of the camera.I find that the battery is reasonably good. One of the first things I did after I decided that this was the camera for me was to pick up a reserve battery. So now I always have a battery in the camera and a second charged battery in my bag. I also bought a 32GB SD card, and I have a 4GB SD card in reserve. I've never filled either of these cards up though, since I download my photos to a computer after each shoot. But it's nice to know that you have the card space if you need it.Another thing you might want to invest in is a remote control unit for taking group photos that you want to be in.So after two months and 1000s of photos I have tons of praise for this camera and lens - oh, the anti-vibration technology in the lens is also great!With only minor shortcomings here and there, this camera IMO deserves a solid 5-star rating.5 stars!

Coming from a D40 (which is the smallest "real" DSLR Nikon ever made, and verges on perfection if you work within its limits), I expected to hate the 5100.I knew the image quality would be better (it is, by an astounding margin). I knew the video would be a great feature (it's great!). I knew it would represent the best value in Nikon's DSLRs in a very long time (the D7000's legendary sensor crammed into a smaller, friendlier body with a flippable screen at half the price!).What I didn't expect is how much I'd love the tactile feel of the buttons, the humongous screen, the smartly-designed and readable menus. I didn't expect that I could let it run free on Aperture Priority with no corrections and it would get exceptional shots every time. And I sure didn't expect that it could auto-correct distortion!The 5100 is a fantastic camera. It's absolutely everything you need to take great photos. It's lighter than a D7000, shoots better pictures than anything in its class, and is blazing-fast to start up, to focus, to bracket, and to save. It automatically corrects for distortion (NO Canon camera does this, to my knowledge). It has an incredible Auto-ISO feature (and can take usable photos at ISO 6400!). And its Raw files have so much latitude, it's like you've bracketed every shot.So what are the downsides?- You should already know that it doesn't autofocus with lenses that don't have their own motors. It doesn't have a focus motor, like the D3100 and D40 before it. (For people who are only going to buy 1 or 2 lenses, this is no big deal)- The battery life isn't great: about 620 shots. I know that sounds like a lot, but it's really not. My D40 (and all pro-level cameras) tend to last for a few thousand shots, and that's putting it lightly. During a 3-month term at college I charged my D40 ONCE. So, to mitigate the problem with the 5100, I bought a second battery: expensive but necessary. Just factor that into the cost.-The color is true to life and fairly accurate, but I miss the warm, glowy tone of the D40. The 5100 tends to render greens too "neon" and struggles with purples.-The "ADL" (adaptive dynamic lighting) feature will make your shots look spectacular, but it IS ONLY MEANT FOR JPEG. If you use it on a Raw file, the resulting file will come out much too dark because only Nikon's proprietary software can "read" the ADL instructions, and no one uses Nikon's software because it's terrible. Don't use this feature if you shoot Raw.-It is often not useful to have this many megapixels. The resulting files are bigger than they need to be and more cumbersome to fling around. This is hardly a real concern, but it does bear mentioning. Especially in Raw, you should be prepared to use 32-64 GB of storage space a month, minimum. Some of you may need a faster computer, or at least more RAM, to step up to images this big.- The screen tends to get coated with moisture and grime because it is pushed very far off of the camera body to accomodate the swivel mechanism. This means that with your eye to the viewfinder, you will undoubtedly cause a hazy buildup of sweat/heat/rubbing, which you'll need to wipe off pretty frequently.- The camera has absolutely no idea how much battery is left when using Live View. It often says the battery is about to die, and then lasts for a hundred more shots.- The "record" button is mounted in a ridiculous place and is often not triggered when you need it to. It would have been better to have a switch so you knew by feel if it was on or off (most of Nikon's other cameras do this).- OK, OK, it doesn't feel as light or effortlessly designed as the D40. It also doesn't have that icy-crisp shutter sound. I've started to realize that nothing ever will.All in all, there's hardly any reason not to get the D5100. If you're still reading this, just go ahead and grab it!

I take thousands of close up macro pictures always using a 35 inch high copy stand. It was challenging for decades using SLR cameras because I had to gaze down into a viewfinder with one eye. Focusing was difficult. I've used Nikon Nikon D100 6MP Digital SLR Camera, Nikon D70S 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera, Fujis, Sonys, Panasonic, and others going back to the 1980's. Because of uncertainty of exposure caused by back lighting, I've made three sets of triple bracketed photos for each item.Recently some photos were needed using the copy stand where the camera needed to be over 3 feet high above the table of the copy stand. I had reached my limit as I used a ladder to be able to gaze down on the subject. There had to be a better way. My Panasonic DMC-FZ150K 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom (Black) just does not cut it for back-lit photos, but it has an LCD screen which swivels out and I would not have to climb the ladder. But the FZ150 does not work well with back lighting.Then I saw the reviews here of the D5100. It had the articulating LCD screen and was a Nikon SLR! But did it have bracketing of exposure? It does! With such a screen maybe I would not have to use one eye looking down on a ladder. I could not order the D5100 fast enough. While waiting a day for my D5100 to arrive I watched a video Blue Crane Digital zBC141 Introduction to the Nikon D5100 : Basic Controls several times to learn about the camera.Now for my experience with the D5100: It is much better than expected! The spot focusing actually works, even with back lit objects. I never could auto focus before for these photos. The AF-S stock lens is constantly focusing in auto focus mode, so I don't have to press the shutter button half way every time I want to focus. That method did not work well for macro close up shots with the older Nikons. With the D5100 use spot metering/focusing option, and move the little box around the screen for the exact spot to focus on. The auto exposure on aperture priority actually works too. I bracket anyway, but only have to take one set of 3 pictures for each item rather than three.The articulating screen is highly functional, and with the convenient position of the "live view" lever it's fast to go into that mode. The AE+- functions works in live view, so I can adjust the exposure while seeing the results on the LCD screen instantly before the picture is taken. The included 18-55mm lens does work for close-up work, and I can still use my old beloved Micro Nikor 60mm AF but without auto focus. Same with my Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro, also without auto focus. The exposure functions work perfectly though. But it's just a matter of time that I get more an AF-S micro lens such as Nikon 85mm f/3.5G AF-S DX ED VR Micro Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras for this camera.The battery life is so long I'm not using an AC adapter, which is a first for me.In summation, for production macro close up work using a copy stand:Great swivel LCD screen with Live ViewAuto Exposure Control that works in difficult conditionsAuto Focusing on close up objects that works well in real time using spot focusingBattery life that goes on and onConvenient buttonsReal time exposure control in LCD screenUltra sharp photosTakes old lenses (no auto-focus)Accurate white balance (after calibrating preset, see pdf manual)Brackets 3 photos quickly, no shutter lagProbably a great point and shoot too, but I prefer to not change all my macro settings for that such as white balance, bracketing, exposure, so I use my Panasonic DMC-FZ150K 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom (Black) with the Leica Lens for that...

Let's be honest...you want a camera that responds to you and captures the pixels the first time around. As long as you get those pixels, you can get the image you want out of the digital negative.There are few things you get better with more expensive models, including more rapid focus and metering...and if you're in that kind of situation, far be it from me to criticize, you're making use of that kind of equipment.But this is a really good camera. Even factory refurbished, it's a great piece of hardware (though a refurb is better for the entry-level hobbyist). First of all, it shoots in a raw format (for the noobs, that means whatever the sensor sees, it stores...no compression or loss). Nikon produces very consistent optics, so I'd recommend getting Photoshop or at least Photoshop elements (or any Adobe product which gives you Bridge and Adobe Camera Raw) so you can apply the optical compensation.I sold my video camera to buy this model because it handles video in hi-def for casual shooting. You'll need to shoot in ten minutes at a time (that's how the file system works) or plug into a computer for long-duration capture, but you will get what you want.This is also a model with a long history, and replacement parts are still easy to find, so repairs are not impossible. I'm a DIY guy with the right tools and measuring devices, so when my warranty runs out, I can fix this.If you're a noob looking for a starter camera, or a pro looking for a camera that you can take into hazardous conditions (there are off-the-shelf diving shells for this sucker) then this is a great piece of hardware. It's on par with the Canon Eos Rebel T3i...but costs less.One quirk...it knows more about the optics than you do, but has a hard time giving you information. Sometimes it'll cycle past sharp focus if you're too close to an object for your lens. It's a conflict in the software. Just back up, adjust the zoom in a bit, and try again.

This review is aimed at people who are new to photography, as I am in the same boat. There are much more thorough reviews on Amazon for people who are already serious photographers.General Impression:Wonderful camera - gives you control of parameters (such as f/stop, ISO, shutter speed) when you want to play with them or get creative and will auto-select them when you just want to take pictures. This was important to me as I am still learning to adjust them to my liking but don't want to miss out on pictures because I'm fumbling around with buttons.Construction/Feel:After going to Best Buy to physically hold the Canon T3i and Nikon d5100, I immediately decided on the Nikon. It felt much better in my hands and just looked better in general. Both were fairly light which is nice but also means they are made from quite a bit of plastic - not a problem though as this keeps the price down and I don't drop things.Controls:I have been pleased with the placement of the physical buttons on the camera as well as the menus. I mainly shoot in the A, S, and M modes and the little wheel you turn to adjust the shutter speed/aperture is right where your thumb falls. If you're in M mode, there is an aperture button to hold down just behind the shutter button which is also easy to reach with the camera up to your eye. Lastly, the Fn button can be programmed to control the ISO level so you can hold it down while spinning the wheel to change that without putting the camera down. I have heard people complain that the Live View switch is annoying to get to but have found it intuitive.There are a few controls that I wish were changeable without having to dig through a menu though. For instance, to change the focus mode from area to single point requires you to have the LCD screen turned around, then press the I button, then scroll around to change it. This is the case for a few other things like metering, shutter mode, etc. I can't really complain, though, because those are features that go on a serious photographer's camera that costs about twice as much as this model.Auto Focus:The 11-point AF on this camera has been a dream to use. I almost always keep the camera set to single point servo autofocus so I can select the point I want it to focus to. As long as you have some contrast, it is very quick and accurate to focus. This camera does not have a build in focus motor which means the lens must have it built in. As a result, older lenses or those build for the professional Nikons may not allow for autofocus. This hasn't been a big issues as most of the lenses I would want already have the motor built in, and if they don't, people survived for a long time manually focusing - it probably builds character. I was torn between getting the Nikon 10-24mm Wide-Angle Zoom Lensand Tokina 11-16mm Ultra-wide Angle Lensand ended up sticking with the Tokina even though it would not autofocus on this camera. I haven't had any issues with focusing manually with it as the ultra-wide angles are easy to focus anyway.Noise:A lot of the reviews I read before purchasing this camera talked about how well it shot in low light - I would have to agree. Looking at pictures from my old point and shoot at ISO 800 have horrible noise while I can shoot this at 1600 without any, and can go up to 3200 with only minimal touch ups in Lightroom needed. This has to be the single biggest advantage of digital over film - being able to change ISO on the fly and still being able to get great pictures at ISO 3200 is wonderful.Image Quality:I won't offer too many opinions in this section, but I have not seen anything but great quality in the RAW pictures I've taken. Basically I understand that if a picture doesn't come out right, the fault lies with me and not the camera. The camera is capable of much better pictures than I am capable of taking. When I do everything right (which is becoming a little more frequent) I am amazed of the result. Great colors, great contrast, low noise, etc.Battery Life:I purchased an extra battery before I went on a few business trips just in case, but ended up never being close to needing it. The battery just lasts and lasts and never seems to drain. For instance, last weekend I took 381 shots (some using live view) and the battery meter was still at 75%. No complaints in this department.Flash:The built in flash is pretty puny, which seems to be par for the course. It does provide some nice fill lighting if you're outside taking pictures where there are some shadows on your subject, but for shooting inside it's marginal at best. I bought the very reasonably priced Nikon SB-400 AF Speedlight Flash and have been very pleased with the combo. The external flash adds the ability to bounce light off the ceiling and not waste the camera battery while doing so. This camera does not have the Nikon flash commander ability, but I don't think that should be expected in a camera at this price point. If I ever start buying

This review is aimed at people who are new to photography, as I am in the same boat. There are much more thorough reviews on Amazon for people who are already serious photographers.General Impression:Wonderful camera - gives you control of parameters (such as f/stop, ISO, shutter speed) when you want to play with them or get creative and will auto-select them when you just want to take pictures. This was important to me as I am still learning to adjust them to my liking but don't want to miss out on pictures because I'm fumbling around with buttons.Construction/Feel:After going to Best Buy to physically hold the Canon T3i and Nikon d5100, I immediately decided on the Nikon. It felt much better in my hands and just looked better in general. Both were fairly light which is nice but also means they are made from quite a bit of plastic - not a problem though as this keeps the price down and I don't drop things.Controls:I have been pleased with the placement of the physical buttons on the camera as well as the menus. I mainly shoot in the A, S, and M modes and the little wheel you turn to adjust the shutter speed/aperture is right where your thumb falls. If you're in M mode, there is an aperture button to hold down just behind the shutter button which is also easy to reach with the camera up to your eye. Lastly, the Fn button can be programmed to control the ISO level so you can hold it down while spinning the wheel to change that without putting the camera down. I have heard people complain that the Live View switch is annoying to get to but have found it intuitive.There are a few controls that I wish were changeable without having to dig through a menu though. For instance, to change the focus mode from area to single point requires you to have the LCD screen turned around, then press the I button, then scroll around to change it. This is the case for a few other things like metering, shutter mode, etc. I can't really complain, though, because those are features that go on a serious photographer's camera that costs about twice as much as this model.Auto Focus:The 11-point AF on this camera has been a dream to use. I almost always keep the camera set to single point servo autofocus so I can select the point I want it to focus to. As long as you have some contrast, it is very quick and accurate to focus. This camera does not have a build in focus motor which means the lens must have it built in. As a result, older lenses or those build for the professional Nikons may not allow for autofocus. This hasn't been a big issues as most of the lenses I would want already have the motor built in, and if they don't, people survived for a long time manually focusing - it probably builds character. I was torn between getting the Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S DX Nikkor Wide-Angle Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Camerasand Tokina AT-X116PRDXN AT-X PRO DX 11-16mm Ultra-wide Angle Lens for Nikonand ended up sticking with the Tokina even though it would not autofocus on this camera. I haven't had any issues with focusing manually with it as the ultra-wide angles are easy to focus anyway.Noise:A lot of the reviews I read before purchasing this camera talked about how well it shot in low light - I would have to agree. Looking at pictures from my old point and shoot at ISO 800 have horrible noise while I can shoot this at 1600 without any, and can go up to 3200 with only minimal touch ups in Lightroom needed. This has to be the single biggest advantage of digital over film - being able to change ISO on the fly and still being able to get great pictures at ISO 3200 is wonderful.Image Quality:I won't offer too many opinions in this section, but I have not seen anything but great quality in the RAW pictures I've taken. Basically I understand that if a picture doesn't come out right, the fault lies with me and not the camera. The camera is capable of much better pictures than I am capable of taking. When I do everything right (which is becoming a little more frequent) I am amazed of the result. Great colors, great contrast, low noise, etc.Battery Life:I purchased an extra battery before I went on a few business trips just in case, but ended up never being close to needing it. The battery just lasts and lasts and never seems to drain. For instance, last weekend I took 381 shots (some using live view) and the battery meter was still at 75%. No complaints in this department.Flash:The built in flash is pretty puny, which seems to be par for the course. It does provide some nice fill lighting if you're outside taking pictures where there are some shadows on your subject, but for shooting inside it's marginal at best. I bought the very reasonably priced Nikon SB-400 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras and have been very pleased with the combo. The external flash adds the ability to bounce light off the ceiling and not waste the camera battery while doing so. This camera does not have the Nikon f

I bought this to replace my D40x after the flash quit working (though I still have it as a backup). I had a few issues with the D40x, but I am extremely pleased with the D5100. There are only a few minor complaints I have, which I will detail below. I have only had it for about a week now but I think I made a great choice. I would consider myself a moderately skilled amateur but have absolutely no desire for anything bigger and better!Pros:- The colors captured on this camera are leaps and bounds better than my D40x. I put them on the same tripod and took the same picture using full auto mode. Everything on my D40x had a reddish tint and the colors were not quite true. The colors from the D5100 were simply stunning and were considerably more accurate.- There are 23 different levels of ISO sensitivity (my D40x had 6), and the pictures are considerably less noisy, even at higher ISOs. I used the same lens/shutter speed/aperture/tripod for both cameras and shot each one at 200, 400, 800, 1600, and 3200 using my remote. The picture from the D5100 seems less noisy at 3200 than what the D40x produced at 800. Anything higher than 3200 seems to produce some fairly considerable noise however, especially if cropped.- Continuous mode is finally continuous! Using the same SD card in both cameras (16GB class 10) I attempted continuous mode. The D40x will take 3 frames per second, but only for the first second. By then the buffer is full and the speed is drastically reduced. The D5100 shoots 4 frames per second and takes at least 17 photos before any buffering is required. In theory this means that you have 4 full seconds of shooting before any buffering occurs but I have never once filled the buffer (though I never tried to deliberately do so either).- I didn't purchase this with the intention of taking many videos, but after viewing a test video on my computer I was extremely pleased with the quality. The video is very sharp and the file size is very reasonable (was about 30MB for a ~30 second clip...or roughly 1MB/second at 1920x1080 and 30FPS). Note that the audio is monaural however. If you want to use this for more professional videos then you'll probably need to purchase the external mic for stereo sound (which is quite expensive in my opinion). This may eventually replace my dedicated video camera, though further testing and a telephoto lens will almost certainly be required.- Live mode finally works, if you prefer using that (note: live mode *must* be enabled to shoot video).- 11 auto focus points instead of only 3. This is great if you're using a tripod and can't really recompose shots.Cons:- The biggest annoyance I have with this camera is that it does not show up as a USB drive when plugged into a computer. It will still show up as an import source in some photography software (Aperture, iPhoto, etc.) though I have found the easiest thing to do is to insert the SD card into my SD to USB converter. Using my converter it will show up just like a mass storage drive and I can browse the files and pull the pictures and movies directly. Otherwise one must install Nikon's software just to import the files (which seems like a pain, plus I'll soon be running nothing but Linux which isn't supported).- Aperture 2.0 does not recognize the movies files so it cannot import them. I don't have Aperture 3.0 so I can't speak for that, and I have no experience with Lightroom or Bibble 5.- Aperture 2.0 cannot read the new 14-bit RAW files that this camera generates (though it would read the 12-bit RAW files from my D40x). I ultimately decided not to shoot in RAW anyway, but it's sort of a bummer that it doesn't support it as Aperture offers more editing options for RAW files. Again, I cannot comment on how well any other software handles these files.Other thoughts:- I haven't had any issues with image sharpness. Whether I use the 18-55mm VR lens or my 35mm f/1.8 lens (which I HIGHLY recommend), my pictures come out perfectly crisp and sharp.- It has not suddenly stopped taking pictures, though I did purchase an extended warranty (parts and labor) for it. I now have 4 years of protection instead of just 1.- There is no auto-focus motor on the body of this camera so make sure to purchase a AF-I or AF-S lenses. The older AF lenses will still work with this camera but you will have to manually focus every shot.- My 16GB card will hold roughly 1600 photos using JPEG (Fine) format.

For once I really researched a camera purchase. I will begin with the end: the D5100 is a superb offering that will do as much as almost all non-professional users will ever need it to do, and has more useful features than most users will ever use. There are many competing cameras at or near this price point. I cannot claim to have researched them all, but the D5100 really does seem to be the leader. This camera is basically a feature-laden prosumer camera -- a camera for the enthusiastic amateur who wants a camera that will do most (but not all) things that a professional camera will do, with as little fuss as possible, and in a smaller package.The most important attribute of this camera is its ability to produce superb images right out of the camera. And great images start with great exposure. This camera can produce outstanding images that really do not require post-processing. I have been using Nikon digital SLR cameras since the D100 was announced, through the D80 and D200. All have been superb cameras for their days and still are. However, most Nikon DSLRs really benefited (needed, really) a bit of post-processing in order for the images to reach their full potential. In particular, many users have noticed that the auto-contrast settings in Nikon or third-party software programs really brightened up images, giving them better contrast and zip. This camera pretty much does away with that. The D-lighting feature of this camera, combined with an all-around better sensor, exposure algorithm, and exposure system, really do make it possible to produce images right out of the camera that look like they have already been post-processed on the computer. And to make matters even better, the camera allows in-camera editing and post-processing! So if you are on a trip and want to email a few pictures you will not need your computer; the camera will do the post-editing job for you in most cases. And in most cases this is not needed at all. Put simply, the D5100 has about achieved the ideal for digital cameras, whereby it produces a final image right out of the camera that is about perfectly exposed, with contrast and lighting the way you want it.The camera allows for matrix, center-weighted, and spot metering, just like the pro cameras. All are useful at times. I can remember when only professional cameras had all three. We have come a long way.The D5100 continues the Nikon trend of better and better ISO performance, as light amplification technology keeps getting better. ISO roughly corresponds to the exposure ratings of film in days of yore, and basically better ISO performance means that the camera will perform better in low light conditions, making it possible to take clear non-noisy images in dimmer light. My D200, which was one of the very best Nikons in its day, degrades quickly after about ISO 640. This camera will do many multiples of this satisfactorily. For early morning photography, or taking pictures indoors, this is a decisive, tremendous advantage.Great images also require fast and accurate focusing. The auto-focusing system on this camera is very well thought out for its market niche. While professional photographers will probably not use this camera to photograph NFL games and the like, this camera features an excellent focusing system that will exceed the expectations of most users. It is an 11 point system that intelligently focuses on a subject in the foreground or tracks a moving subject or, if you wish to exercise complete control, it will allow a single point (selectable) focus which can be useful for portraits of individuals and other types of still photography. It also has continuous focusing as an option which can be great for sports or wildlife. While pros and certain amateur photographers may need (or at least want) the more elaborate focusing systems available on Nikon's higher end cameras, for all but the most demanding users the D5100 is more than up to the job. Its focusing system is better than the pro systems of a few camera generations ago. If you want to photograph your kids playing sports, this camera will do the job, and likely do it brilliantly. This excellent focusing system, combined with its available 4 frames-per-second capability, make this camera quite capable of producing quality images of difficult fast-moving subjects.Ergonomics. I bought this camera for two main reasons: less size and less weight. The higher-end Nikon cameras sport metal bodies, while this unit is made out of high-impact plastic. Given the fact that even rifles and pistols are mostly made of plastic nowadays, I consider plastic to be a virtue, not a vice. The D5100 features excellent build quality and has every bit of that quality "Nikon feel" that we have all come to expect. While some pros and a few amateurs really may need a weather-sealed metal bodied camera, most of us do not. And every single user will appreciate the very low weight of the D5100. I carried mine

What led me to this awesome camera:----------------------------------------------- 2 years back I started out as someone who simply wanted to take pictures. I didn't care about the quality that much, though I did want a decent amount of megapixels and video capability. So I bought myself a Samsung SL620 point-and-shoot with 12 megapixels and SD video capability. That camera died on me 6 months later. Christmas that year, I got a new Samsung SL820, which was like the 1st only with 720p video capability. That one also quit on me, but this time after 2 months. May 2010, I got the same camera and it only lasted 3 months, but I've taken over 1,000 pics with it. By then, I was starting to get an interest in photography and taking quality shots. Last fall, I borrowed my dad's Sony F717, which was a 5 megapixel bridge camera that he's now had for 8 years. I figured out that camera in just a few days. Unlike my cameras, the Sony had manual settings and manual focus. I was impressed by the blurred backgrounds, the color not so much. I had to fix the washed out colors in Photoshop. A couple weeks after Christmas, I had made enough money to get another point-and-shoot (Bad choice). This one was a Samsung TL240, which had 14 megapixels and a touchscreen. I got some decent shots with it, but they could've been better. A couple months later, one of my friends at school accidently knocked that camera off a table and the lens got stuck. After that, I decided I was gonna save up the extra cash and get an SLR so I could get better quality shots. I looked at several different cameras on this website. Some bridge and some SLRs. I wanted one that took decent HD video (with a reasonable amount of recording time per video), had a decent resolution, and had decent low-light. By the 1st week of April, I was gonna stick with a Samsung NX10, then I saw the Nikon D5100 on Amazon, although it wasn't actually available yet. It had everything I wanted and more.Review:---------------------------------------------Photos:This camera takes very awesome pictures and I rarely need to use the flash. This camera stomps my deceased cameras and my dad's Sony into the ground. The focusing is very fast, except in live view. The articulating display is very helpful when I want to take self-portraits. I bought a remote so I could take self-portraits that were focused right. It totally beats the self-timer. The HDR feature is awesome, although it's only meant for still scenes and not action or anything with movement. I've used the 30-second shutter speed for shots after sunset and they come out quite nice. I only wish there were some longer shutter speeds. Holding down the shutter for a minute or 2 can be very annoying when using the bulb feature because I usually get some motion blur, even when I'm using a tripod. The effects are pretty awesome too. I used the sketch feature to sketch a picture of an Ingles store and I put it on Facebook saying that I drew it myself. My parents are in love with that feature. I can honestly say I haven't had any softness issues with my pictures, after I turned the sharpening up a notch. I also haven't had any problems with the reds being exaggerated. The colors are just great and this is the first camera I've had that took pictures that I didn't need to enhance in Photoshop before I upload them to Facebook.Video:The HD video on this camera is very clear, unlike the "HD" video on my older cameras. I bought the expensive external microphone and the sound is great and you don't hear as much of the autofocus noise. The video is a little bit wobbly when I move the camera kinda fast, but I'm pretty sure the older Nikon D5000 is much worse. Video is not my goal in life (If it were, I would've gotten a camcorder). I shoot random videos every now and then. I also have a show on Youtube that I do every once in a while.Camera in general:This camera is awesome. It may not be perfect, but no camera is or ever will be unless God makes one himself. I have absolutely no desire to return or trash this camera. It was money well-spent. Unlike the Nikon D40 (which I had borrowed from my photography teacher one time), it doesn't feel so awkward trying to get a self-portrait with just one hand. I plan on using this camera in college this fall and for a long time. Eventually, when I get rich, I'll step up to a full-frame camera. I'm not in any rush to do that though. Right now, I'm just using the kit lens included with this camera and the pictures are pretty good. I plan on getting more lens, such as the 18-200mm (for video), the 55-300mm lens, and a portrait lens.(Edit: I just realized that I can use my remote for the bulb feature.)----------------------------------------------------------------------12/7/2011 Update:I've had this camera for 6 months now and it stopped working. Just kidding. This awesome camera is still working as great as it did when I first got it out of its package on June 7th. I've dropped it a few times, being the clum

This is my second Nikon DSLR (I had a D50 for almost 8 years), and I'm writing this review after about two months of playing around with the camera. I'm a fairly fluent photographer (I had my own darkroom for a while), but I wouldn't say I'm an expert. Like most people, I take 80% of my pics in Auto mode, but I like to sometimes work in manual mode and compose some good shots.Here's my initial impression:Things I like:- Having HD video with sound feels like a miracle. The image quality is excellent, the sound not so much. I bought an external mic, but it really didn't help much. Advice here welcome!- The kit lens and new sensor technology create very crisp, clean and bright images with a lot of depth. I'd say the images are notably cleaner (less noise) and brighter (better contrast control and metering) than my old D50. But the difference isn't massive, and remember the D50 had only a 6MP sensor- Color and overall balance is excellent- The controls and swivel screen are much, much better than I'm used to. They really help make you a better photographerThings I'm getting used to:- The auto focus settings are confusing and often seem to track to the wrong object in a frame. It's hard to compose a shot and establish strong depth of field without going into manual mode (but this could be user error)- The pre-programmed settings for different shooting conditions haven't made a big impression so far. Easier to create your own shot- The in-camera HDR setting has a subtle but good effect, especially useful in bringing out skies in landscapes- The form factor of the camera is great.So far, so good. One other comment - I'm expecting this will be the last DSLR I will ever buy, and not because this is the camera that will meet all my future needs. The D5100 is pretty bulky - too bulky really - and the next-generation of mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses and much smaller form-factors will be the way to go.

Let me state that I am an average Joe, and had no delusions that this would make me a pro photographer or make good pictures.Brief background: my friend wanted to convince me on getting Nikons, and gave me his D7000 to try out. After enjoying playing around with it, I initially was ready to fork the big bucks for it. But when I went to the store, I saw the D5100, and started handling with it, and was pretty impressed by it. Reading the specs, most are similar to the D7000 in terms of sensors, and it had a flip screen. After a little soul searching (i.e. "Am I really going to do semi-pro work?", "How much will I lug around?"), I decided to save some money and go with the D5100. After having it for 3 months, I am pretty satisfied.Weight/handling: very light when compared to the D7000; I can hold it in one hand if need be (but will usually use 2) without straining the wrists. This was one of the big sells.18-55mm lens: perfect for most pics I will take with it. I don't plan on zooming in too much, and gives me time to compose my photographs well.Modes: I mostly stick with Auto and P modes, and they get my pics well.Flash: This is the weak spot of this camera or any SLR. It will give good direct lighting, but like most flashes, it will be rather harsh. I would highly recommend the Nikon SB-400 Nikon SB-400 AF Speedlight Flash for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras as a companion flash; it is lightweight and gives good bounce capability in landscape mode to diffuse the harshness of the flash--you can even make a DIY light box out of paper for portrait views (see Ken Rockwell's site for review of this flash to see how it is done).Screen: Flip screen is best for most of us average Joes; you will not get that in the D7000. Also, if you get confused about using aperture, it will show you the f setting with a picture of the iris. Image viewing is also pretty efficient in it.Movies: I would stick with either a dedicated camcorder, phone, or point and shoot for these. Too much focusing on auto focus mode, and you will not have the time to continuously focus with it. I had no plans to use it as a video camera anyways.Images: I have been pretty impressed by the images taken by this camera. Again, I am looking for overall quality, and it has not disappointed me. One note: if shooting with the low burst on, be sure to watch how much you press the button; you may automatically shoot 2-3 burst when you wanted to shoot one. Also, the low burst is pretty decent at capturing most action shots you will need for children or mobile activities.Conclusion: The D5100 has more than enough features to satisfy 95% of the public. While the D7000 is a solid camera, I would reserve it for the serious amateur. You will also save about $500-700 with this kit over the D7000 kit, which you can always use for fixed or telephoto lenses. Most average Joes will find that this camera has everything they need.

i have been shooting with slr's for 37 years owning several. the 5100 is a typical nikon which is good. even the kit lens if quite good. excellent picture quality producing vivid, crystal clear, sharp pics. way more pixels than you will ever need even for aggressive cropping. color and exposure are easily set. this camera does very well in low light even with the relatively slow kit lenses. i have the 55-200mm as well as the 18-55.my only complaint is with the auto focus, it is not very fast and has trouble shooting through windows and screens, hunts in many situations. i called nikon and the woman told me it sometimes takes "a few tries" to focus correctly which is unacceptable. it is better if i don't try to shoot at 18 or 55mm, each end of the zoom. it doesn't compare with the AF snappiness of my minolta 5d which has never had a problem with AF. the nikon also has no focus motor in the body so you have to pay a premium for the afs lenses, each one having it's own motor. it also lacks the in body anti shake but instead the anti shake is in the lens, so you pay for it in each lens. i haven't shot enough video to even comment. all in all a great camera but i have had to use it in manual mode because the AF issues. it can be faster to just switch to manual rather than wait for the camera to figure out what to focus on. i have had way more useable photos with this camera than my minolta and i think the photo quality is a little better. the nikon feels plasticy though, kind of cheaply built.i can't figure out the prices though, the two lens kit is $45 less than the one lens kit and my kit was $270 less than the current price around christmas.

i have been shooting with slr's for 37 years owning several. the 5100 is a typical nikon which is good. even the kit lens if quite good. excellent picture quality producing vivid, crystal clear, sharp pics. way more pixels than you will ever need even for aggressive cropping. color and exposure are easily set. this camera does very well in low light even with the relatively slow kit lenses. i have the 55-200mm as well as the 18-55.my only complaint is with the auto focus, it is not very fast and has trouble shooting through windows and screens, hunts in many situations. i called nikon and the woman told me it sometimes takes "a few tries" to focus correctly which is unacceptable. it is better if i don't try to shoot at 18 or 55mm, each end of the zoom. it doesn't compare with the AF snappiness of my minolta 5d which has never had a problem with AF. the nikon also has no focus motor in the body so you have to pay a premium for the afs lenses, each one having it's own motor. it also lacks the in body anti shake but instead the anti shake is in the lens, so you pay for it in each lens. i haven't shot enough video to even comment. all in all a great camera but i have had to use it in manual mode because the AF issues. it can be faster to just switch to manual rather than wait for the camera to figure out what to focus on. i have had way more useable photos with this camera than my minolta and i think the photo quality is a little better. the nikon feels plasticy though, kind of cheaply built.i can't figure out the prices though, the two lens kit is $45 less than the one lens kit and my kit was $270 less than the current price around christmas.

In terms of sensor and picture quality, I have nothing to complain. An excellent camera from that point of view. As people have spoken enough about the good side, I would like to mention some thing that I do not like.Following the market trend, the D5100 is trying to load a lot of things into the camera. The manufacturer is focusing too much on marketing strategies and forgot that simplicity is also important and welcome. A classic example: the aperture priority and speed priority. These are actually the same thing, and one of them is redundant. But now even more unnecessary options are packed into a small machine and only few of them are truly needed. The pixel size racing is also becoming ridiculous. For that type of camera, 10MP is good enough. More is not positive anymore. If people do want to make huge prints, they should go with full-frame or medium format cameras. Many of the in-camera photo treatment options are also unnecessary or even childish. Serious photo editing should be taken care of by computer software as the small camera screen will make the job rough anyway. I wish more efforts are made for dynamic range improvement (D5100 did well in this aspect) and cost reduction (this can be improved). It does not make much sense to spend $900 (current street price) for something plastic that will become obsolete in 2 to 3 years.The D5100 is supposed to be a premier entry level camera. "Premier entry level" is actually a bad idea (it is almost an oxymoron in reality). For those who do not know how to take good pictures, the extra cost will not help them improve picture quality much, as they may not even fully utilize the capacity of the lower entry level cameras while they are less expensive. For those who are serious about photography, a lot of features are either trivial (e.g., scene selection, live view, in-camera editing, etc.), or not good enough (e.g., movie). If they are serious, even if they are not good now, they will be determined to learn how to manipulate exposures instead of relying on things like scene selections. For some people, the D5100 offers high ISO for dark objects, but it will be wiser to spend the extra money on a good lens, e.g., the 50mm/f1.8D, 50mm/f1.8G, or 35mm/f1.8G. These fast lens will help in low lighting situations and produce better pictures, and they will not become obsolete in 20 years. In addition, filters also help in many ways to expand the capabilities of the camera. In my opinion, the D5100 should be modified in one of the following two directions:1. For those who are serious about photography and do not have the budget for D7000, the D5100 could offer them a less expensive model with same sensor quality but even lower price (by minimizing the unimportant features), or the current price but more functions/features for professionals instead of those for populace.2. For those who do not intend to learn photography, the D3100 is good enough as it also has the live view, video option, and improved high ISO. They do not need the D5100 (except they have no other place to spend the additional $200). If they do need an upgrade, then auto HDR and high resolution screen in D5100 can be good additions, but these should be enough. The price difference could be within $50-100, not $200 (by dropping other "improvements").Here comes a question of how to segment customers. The current popular categories of 'beginners' and 'enthusiasts" are misleading. A more useful segmentation should be enthusiasts or not, i.e., those who want to learn photography and those who do not, and all the features and functions should be designed and packaged in these two directions. But today, things are mixed in one direction (for entry level cameras), the distinctions are mostly a matter of degrees, i.e., more or less features, not different types of features.By the way, I also would like to talk about the appearance design. The D5100 is elegant, but not as good as D40 and D3000 (in appearance). Nikon made one of the D5100 body's corners round (lower-right side viewing from front). That part does not match the the overall sleek looking. The childish treatment makes that part look silly and the entire body fatty. Another design issue: Viewing from the right side, the gap between the display panel and the camera body is unnecessarily too wide. I think a tight fit will make it look more robust and elegant. Forgive me for being fastidious, but appearance is as important to me as functions and quality. And appearance promotes sale (think about Apple's gracious designs).Overall, the D5100 is a good camera, but it is not the best in combination of features and price: both enthusiast and non-enthusiasts will pay for many features they do not need, in different ways. The problem is camera manufacturers are trying to blend different needs instead of separating them in the entry level DSLR section.

I feel kind of weird giving such a low grade to a camera that seems to be so well regarded. Nevertheless, this is an honest review from a "vacation/street photographer, as I believe most of you are. Here is the explanation:For more than three years I have been using a refurbished Sony W-150 that I broke the very same day I received it from Amazon. You can find the story in my review of that purchase. However, I am an avid reader of users reviews here, and I enjoy taking casual photos, as well. On May 22, this year (2012) I saw this Nikon camera on sale at my Costco store as part of a kit including a bag and two lens (a 18-55 mm and a 55-300mm) and few more smaller stuff. The total price, tax included, was a little above $1000. I rushed home, searched the internet for prices and reviews and decided that it was my opportunity to buy a "real" camera. So I did. I took a few casual pictures, they came out good, but I did not see much of a difference from the ones I took with the old point and shoot. I little frustrated I decide to take some pictures side by side, with the two cameras. Well, in all my attempts the pictures, for regular printing, did not show much of a difference and in some cases the point and shoot even gave better results. I don't want to be hated by the hordes of this camera devotees, so I will refrain from saying much more. I will limit myself to add a few of the pictures I took so you can judge by yourself. You may be able to download and see them with your viewer software and see the parameters (F number, ISO, shutter speed).I want to tell in advance that I did not take any "specially difficult conditions" photo. I am sure that in special situations like sports with fast action or low light the Nikon would crush the Sony. However, those special conditions are not were I take the vast majority of my pictures. I take pictures when I go out with friends, parties or any interesting thing I see on the street. I take more time enjoying the events than trying to make an "astonishing photo". For that purpose, I did not see any clear advantage between the old point and shoot and this semi-pro camera. Considering the load I had to carry - bag, camera, two lenses and more, in addition to the $1K + price I paid, it definitely made me feel unhappy with my purchase. I don't have the opportunity to test other SLR cameras in the same league, like the Canon 3ti or the Sony Alpha. However, unless they are really much better than this Nikon, for the regular/casual use, they will give similar results.Therefore, if you are just a casual photographer, do yourself a favor, buy a more modern point and shoot that will cost you a few hundred bucks and you can easily carry with you everywhere. No matter what people say, my reason is in the pictures. I attached some of them to this review. I have seen the wonderful photos posted by others in this camera review. The vast majority were worked with photo shop or are not what regular vacationers would take. My photos were takes in JPG mode, direct out of the camera.Finally, please understand I am not so dumb to directly compare an expensive, modern SLR with an old point and shoot. All I am saying is that it does not bring any noticeable advantage to the casual photographer. My pictures prove that. I will some taken outside soon. Now, if what you want is to enter a photo contest, the D5100 and the others in its league is the way to go.

This is my first SLR camera and also my first Nikon. I know nothing about photography beyond what I read in tutorials and guides. Of course, reading about photography won't make anyone good at it. I shot some good pictures in the past using a Panasonic point and shoot, but I gave the camera away as it was just sitting around. Recently, I received a gift card and I thought I should buy a decent SLR, and take up this hobby again.I am a little concerned by people reporting problems with the shutter, resulting into black images. But because I bought a reconditioned camera, Nikon may have actually fixed the problem before selling this piece again. At least that's the hope! I bought it despite the concern, but overly concerned people should just go with the brand new version that comes with 1 year warranty. Reconditioned ones come with a 90-day warranty from Nikon. OneCall, my seller on Amazon gives a 30 day return warranty. I took one star off for this very reason, which is not necessarily a problem as of now, but the concern will hang over my head all the time.The camera is quite small in size as compared to some DSLR cameras we see. It's actually just as big as my previous mega zoom point and shoot Lumix DMC-FZ35. I am sure people with smaller palms will absolutely love this fact. People with big-to-humongous palm sizes may find the grip a little too small, though.Right away, after recording a few pictures, I noticed how much better the photos looked than a point-and-shoot I owned. Even though we already know this, it was satisfying to actually discover it myself to justify the upgrade. I also tried the manual modes (PSAM), and I was happy with what I saw. The Nikon on-screen menus can be and will be overwhelming for starters like me, but I hope to not give up. The body's construction, neck strap, the eye piece, the screen, and the 18-55 VR lens supplied seem to be of pretty high quality for $500. But of course, some people will quickly outgrow this lens, and since I heard the lenses make up for most of the DSLR experience, more money will eventually be spent in this department.One tip for beginners. Please make sure you do not buy a low-speed memory card. Always shoot for at least a class 10 SDHC card which is at least 8GB. It makes all the difference in the world when working with a DSLR camera that records big sized raw images. And if you care about the product, please buy a well-protective camera bag. Zeikos has a bag on sale on Amazon under $10 that's got good reviews. I bought the same.Lastly, please use great care, and refer the manual when fitting the lens for the first time. You don't want it to break or fall on the floor accidentally. Also please handle the battery cover with care. No it is not flimsy, but I found the opening mechanism prone to be put unnecessary pressure on until you figure it out.Enjoy the toy! Please comment if you like the review and find it helpful. Thanks.

I've always been interested in photography as a hobby but I've never had more than a compact point-n-shoot and usually resorted to using my iPhone 4s, which only produces decent images up close and in good lighting. I primarily enjoy landscape photography, especially sunrises and sunsets, as well as photographing nature in general (storms, animals, plants), all of which the iPhone is awful for.So I decided to get a DSLR and I knew that Nikons were pretty good. After much research I decided on this one and so far I love it.The D5100 has incredible value and bang for your buck. It's somewhere in between the D3100 and D7100 in terms of quality, but it's only a little bit more expensive than the D3100 (while offering a lot more, including significantly higher picture quality) and MUCH less expensive than the D7100, which is only slightly better. If you're looking for a high quality, non-professional camera at a reasonable price, this is the one to get. Canons are great as well, but a Nikon of equal quality tends to be a bit less pricey.I really have no complaints about this camera. The grip is nice, the design is intuitive, and it feels very sturdy and of high quality. The interface is fairly easy to pickup, with the question mark button available to anyone who isn't sure what something means (though it's not always the greatest description). My pictures almost always turn out sharp and colorful and if they don't it's usually because of user error (i.e. I didn't use the best settings for the occasion). The battery lasts surprisingly long if you turn it off when you're not using it (I've been on 5-6 hour hikes and taken over 1500 pictures with the battery still going at 2/3 bars, though I am not using the flash).A few suggestions to someone who was new to DSLR. First, the manual is your friend. I suggest learning to use M/A/S modes, as the auto modes on this can be pretty awful (e.g. the sunset one, which tends to mess up the colors). I also suggest buying a few accessories if you don't have them - obviously a memory card, a lens cleaner and cloth (really a must), a lens hood if you photograph outdoors, and possibly an inexpensive UV filter to protect the lens.In conclusion, I've had a lot of fun with this camera and it takes fantastic pictures. It's even more amazing with a higher quality lens (I suggest trying a 55-200 or 55-300 to complement the lens that the camera came with).

COMPARISON TO CANON:The Canon T2i was finicky and would stop recording if I didn't use the right brand and speed of SD card. I sold it and replaced it with a Nikon D5100. The first thing I noticed is the Nikon works well with nearly any SD card.My Canon had the upgraded 18-135mm kit lens. The Nikon arrived with the 18-55mm kit lens, which, apart from less telephoto range, is actually a much sharper lens with less chromatic aberration in the corners of the frame than the Canon 18-135.PHOTOS:The Nikon takes sharper photos than the T2i (comparing the two lenses I had), despite having 16 megapixels vs 18 for the Canon. The Nikon also has a one F-Stop advantage in low light, getting great pictures even at ASA 6400. The T2i was good in low light. The Nikon is great. It just looks cleaner in low light.In the default standard setting mode, the color saturation and the contrast is a little bit less in the Nikon, but the image is more realistic. The automatic white balance seems to be more accurate in the Nikon, getting truer whites in more types of lighting conditions without having to resort to manually setting white balance all the time. Of course, both cameras have tons of control over the color and contrast. The Nikon has infinitely more manual control over white balance, allowing you to dial in the perfect setting by hand with an X-Y color grid. The Canon has the usual half dozen presets.VIDEO:As with still photos, all the color and contrast characteristics are similar from the photo mode to the video mode. It's here where the Canon wins out with it's more filmic saturation and contrast. The Nikon wins out in sharpness, which may not make it look as pretty for films, but it is a more natural looking image for general video use.Both cameras max out at 1920x1080 resolution at 30 frames per second, and both have 24 frame film modes. What's missing on the D5100 is the 720-60 frame mode found on the T2i. In the 720-60 frame mode, video motion is silky smooth. In 30 frame mode, it has a filmic looking stutter in the motion. Some users prefer this effect. But the Nikon, even though having only 30 or 24 frame modes, allows you to select high video quality or normal video quality. Using the normal mode doubles your capture time on the SD card at the expense of barely more digital artifacting.The Canon allows you to control the ASA, the iris and the shutter speed manually in the video mode. When set to fully automatic, the iris is very smooth when transitioning from light to dark subjects.The Nikon does not allow you full manual control over the iris in video mode, and the iris sort of steps through many ranges from light to dark. It isn't a smooth transition in manual or automatic mode. Since you can't lock down the exposure in video mode, the camera is not suited for advanced film makers who need total image control. Too bad, because the Nikon doesn't cease up during the video shoot if you put class 6 or even class 4 SD cards in it. The Canon will simply stop recording on it's own if it doesn't like the brand or speed of card you use.SOUND:Both cameras have an external mike jack and no headphone jack. The Nikon has a few presets to eliminate or lower the AGC function and control the audio level. The Canon has no control over audio levels and you can not defeat the AGC unless you buy special software that can re-program the camera's firmware (some users have frozen up their cameras doing this the wrong way).CONTROLS:I found the Canon easier to program than the Nikon, especially in video mode. The Nikon takes some experimenting (or reading the dreaded instructions) to discover the extra layers of image control it possesses. Once you delve in and learn the menu, there's far more intricate image control with the Nikon.With the Canon, you set it to video mode, turn it on and press the red button to begin recording video. The Nikon requires the extra step of setting the live view mode each time you power it up, while the Canon can be left in the video mode all the time.The image stabilizer in the Canon is better for walk-around hand held shooting than the Nikon, providing much smoother shots in the steady hands of a seasoned user.SUMMARY:I liked the Canon better for it's filmic look and ease of use, but I value the Nikon for it's better low light performance, sharper image and most of all, it's total reliability and not being dependent upon the choice of SD card.

As with any review, a lot is dependent on the reviewer's taste, expectations and understanding of the product. So let me make it clear where I fit in there and then how this camera performed.I have a lot of photography and video experience but I am not a professional. What I EXPECT is a camera that is easy to use but powerful in features. I like seeing new technology even when it is sometimes inferior to older technology (I know some of you can relate to that). I expect good build quality and I expect that a camera does what it is advertised to do. This camera basically did not disappoint. But I will say honestly that I was comparing this to the D7000 even though the latter is a good $400 more expensive. But the D5100 was newer and it had some things the D7000 does not have that I thought were important to me:1. A swivel screen (I've never had a still camera with that). I am upgrading from a D70.2. Capable of HDR pictures with in-camera processing.3. Cheaper and lighter weight.Many of you may choose the D5100 for other reasons but these were mine. In the end, I returned it and bought the D7000 (that review is coming soon). Here is why:I like the idea of HDR photography and the D5100 can do it right in the camera! To explain why I gravitated towards this particular feature, I need to step back and mention an in-camera feature I had once on a point-and-shoot. I used to have an HP camera and it helped you frame a panoramic picture. When you were done, it stitched it together. Voila! You had a panoramic picture ready to go. When I upgraded to the next model, it also had a panoramic feature to help you frame it, but it did not do in-camera stitching (as most all cameras do not these days). Instead, you are supposed to stitch it with the software the camera comes with. So guess what happened? Nothing....I stopped doing panoramic pictures, because I was too lazy to take the time to find the right pictures, import them into the software, stitch and then export it back to the right folder - too much hassle.Well, the idea with in-camera HDR was a real selling point for me on the D5100. As of this writing, I am not aware of any other camera that does this (I'm sure someone will correct me?). So this may be the #1 reason I ended up getting the D5100 and it is the #1 I returned it. If you look at Nikon's website they advertise this feature and show an example of a lighthouse - the result is stunning, just as you would expect from HDR. Let me just say flat-out: this will not be the result you see in the real-world. I took about 100 different high-contrast shots and most of them looked better with the HDR processing but most of them only looked *marginally* better. The shadows had more detail and the bright areas were less blown out. So it works. But I then bracketed +2,0,-2 images and plugged them into Photomatrix and BAM! Now that's HDR! No comparison whatsoever. It turns out, the Nikon D5100's version of HDR is to take just two shots (-3,+3 , or some variation on the stops) and then it combines it into one image. If the (+3) shot was a little blurry, because over-exposed shots tend to be this way, then the final HDR image is blurry too. Now when this happens on a bracketed set, that is OK, because you still have the normal (0) exposure to take back with you at the end of your vacation. But if the D5100 made a bunch of blurry shots, you are hosed. There is no way to recover from that. You would have to analyze every shot closely on that little 3" screen to verify you got the shot or you would need to take duplicates with normal exposure just to make sure. Also, the HDR feature is not even written in the instruction manual - go ahead and look...no where to be found! I had to look it up in the longer online pdf manual to see how to use the feature, and it turns out you have to press about 6 buttons pretty deep in the menu just to get the camera to take an HDR. Once you depress the shutter, you have to go back through the whole menu again. Ridiculous! Finally, I figured out you can assign the "Fn" button to handle this, which was really a very good workaround. So all in all, I was really excited about in-camera HDR and in reality, it was a big disappointment. Now on to the other stuff:The swivel screen: You either love it or hate it. I hated it, but that has nothing to do with the actual camera, just the concept. Basically I think it's mechanically the weakest point of the camera. That little swivel is just asking to snap off the next time I chase my son around the house and back into a corner or cabinet. I can guess it would cost a fortune to have Nikon fix that. Also, I am not into swiveling the screen closed so the screen faces the camera when I am done shooting. I am simply not that meticulous. I want to have a spontaneous camera that I can pick up and shoot whenever I want. So what's the point if I have to un-swivel the screen every time I want to use it and then swivel it closed when I am done. Also, think of all th

As a long-time owner of the Nikon D5000, and former owner of the Nikon D60, I was eager to purchase the D5100 after seeing the announcements and pre-reviews. Being one of the lucky ones to buy the D5100 with 18-55VR kit earlier this week, I've had a few days to play with this camera and can honestly say it's a solid upgrade to the D5000 I'm replacing, and should be on the short list of consideration for any "prosumer" looking to purchase a D-SLR with outstanding image quality, performance, and low-light capability in a lightweight, compact (for an SLR) body. And, unlike the D5000, this D-SLR finally has a usable Live View and HD video capabilities both with continuous autofocus.First of all, it's important to understand where the D5100 fits in Nikon's capabilities. It is considered a "high-end enthusiast" D-SLR which means that it shares the same image sensor as the high-end D7000 without some of the higher-end features. If you're like me, very few of the D7000's features justify its extra cost and weight. The D5100 offers nearly the same image quality as its bigger brother in a less-expensive, smaller package, while adding a few tricks the D7000 doesn't have including an articulating display that helps you frame hard-to-reach spots.Compared to its lesser-priced but still excellent brother the D3100, the D5100 offers improved image quality, speed, and resolution, along with a higher-resolution articulating display. For me, this is the sweet spot in Nikon's consumer D-SLR offerings.The 18-55VR (3x) f3.5-f5.6 kit lens provides surprisingly good performance and image quality, although you'll likely outgrow it quickly. I have uploaded a few sample images taken with the D5100 and 18-55VR to show its performance and surprisingly good bokeh (pattern of blurred background) in large-aperture and macro shots.For lens upgrades that include an AF-S autofocus motor, if you don't mind changing lenses, the Nikon 55-200VR is an outstanding value with excellent image quality, or consider the Nikon 18-105VR (5.8x) lens included with the D7000. If you don't mind some distortion and image softness, the 18-200 VRII (18x) lens may be your perfect "walkabout" lens. For me, I bought the pricey but outstanding Nikon 16-85mm VRII. Don't forget the Nikon AF-S 35mm f1.8 (if you can find it).Low-light performance is outstanding with this camera, and the level of detail captured by the D5100 is excellent, even at higher ISOs. You're best capturing in RAW or RAW+JPEG mode (three different JPEG compression levels are offered) if you need to go back and fine-tune exposure or other settings after the shot. Nikon also offers "Active D-Lighting" which is a highly effective method for improving dynamic range of a photo to equalize the difference between high and low-light areas of a photo.Interestingly, the improvement in image quality compared to my D5000 isn't dramatic. Given the incredible improvement I saw when upgrading from my Nikon D60 to the D5000 perhaps I had unrealistic expectations for this new sensor. But in most image settings, even low light, the improvement is noticeable but subtle. That speaks more for the outstanding quality and low-light sensitivity of the D5000 sensor (which is shared with the D90) than it speaks against the D5100. With the D5100 you get higher resolution for improved cropping, and the 14-bit RAW images offer greater dynamic range for more flexibility after the shot is taken.Speaking of RAW format, as with any new camera, there is a bit of a wait until updates are available for your favorite camera software. As of May 18th, Adobe, Apple, and Nikon have added support for the D5100 RAW files, so you can use Aperture, iPhoto, Nikon View NX2 (v2.1.1 and later), Nikon Capture NX2 (v2.2.7 and later), Lightroom 3 or Photoshop CS5 (via Adobe Camera RAW 6.4 or later). If you use other photo software or another platform, you may want to verify RAW support for the D5100.Compared to my D5000, Nikon has gone back and addressed most of my concerns on ergonomics and performance:- camera body is roughly 10% smaller and 10% lighter- 16.2 megapixel CMOS DX-format image sensor (shared with D7000) captures 14-bit RAW images and offers +1fs greater low-light sensitivity- ISO 100-6400 range with expansion to 25,600 ISO (D5000 minimum is 200 and expansion to 12,300)- high resolution (920k pixel) display for greater detail in image previews (although I had to bump up the default brightness one notch for accuracy)- side-mounted articulating display no longer interferes with tripod (the D5000 display is inconveniently hinged at the bottom)- dramatically improved (now usable!) LiveView mode with continuous autofocus even in HD video mode (more on that later)- full HD 1080p movie capture without the "jelly effect" (unless you move VERY quickly from side-to-side), in more standard H.264 mode up to 22 min (D5000 is AVI format 720p up to 5min)- slightly better control position (LiveView is now a rocker switch on the mode dial, Video Rec

The Nikon D5100 brings the high quality 16.2 megapixel sensor, great low-light performance, and full HD video capability with all the frame rate options from the popular pro-sumer D7000 to the enthusiast level model - and then includes a fully adjustable side-mounted rotating screen to boot. The D5100 should prove to be an excellent option for new dSLR users plus those experienced enthusiasts wishing to upgrade their D50, D60, or even their D3000 to gain additional megapixels, shooting and processing speed, video, and an improved rear LCD screen. The variety of features and functions offered on the various Nikon dSLR cameras might make it difficult to choose between them, but there are some important differences.The new Nikon D5100 sits just above the D3100, a bit below the aging D90, and several steps below the fully-featured and highly customizable Nikon D7000. The D5100 boasts a 16 megapixel image sensor (just like the D7000), shoots 4 frames per second in continuous mode, has HD video capability at 24, 25, and 30 fps, and includes the fully rotating rear LCD screen improved in flexibility from the screen of the D5000.Generally as the cameras increase in price and capability from the entry level model to the enthusiast pro-sumer model they gain more sophisticated autofocus and exposure metering systems, shoot faster (more frames per second) in continuous shooting mode, have more controls and buttons for changing settings on the camera body, and offer more menu and custom function options.Sensor and Image Quality: The sensors of the D5100 and D7000 are greatly improved over the older D90 in a couple of ways. The D5100 and D7000 have 16.2 megapixel sensors, where the D90 has 12.3 megapixels. The relatively new D3100 has a 14.2 MP sensor. This increase in resolution allows for more intrusive editing of the files in Photoshop, the ability to crop a picture and still obtain an image with high enough resolution for printing or display, and allows for larger prints. In addition, the improved sensor results in better performance at high ISO settings and in low light, better dynamic range, tonal range, and color sensitivity. Have a look at the dxomark website to compare the sensors.Exposure Metering: The D5100, while sharing a similar sensor to the D7000, does not have the same advanced metering system. It shares the less sophisticated 420 pixel RGB metering sensor of the D3100 and offers matrix metering, non-adjustable center-weighted, and spot metering modes. This system may be more than sufficient for many users, especially those not intending to adjust their exposure settings and dig into their menus in reaction to complex lighting situations. But if your shooting demands require more precise exposure metering and control over the size of the areas being metered, you need to consider the D7000 or D90. The 2016 pixel RGB metering sensor of the D7000 is also improved compared to the D90, and will result in more accurate metering performance of straightforward and complex lighting scenes and situations. Both these cameras offer matrix metering, center-weighted, and spot metering modes. With center-weighted metering on the D90, you can select the size of the center-weighted area to be a 6, 8, or 10mm center circle, and the D7000 adds a 13mm circle option.Autofocus: The autofocus systems of the D3100, D5100, and D90 all have 11 autofocus (AF) points with the center one being a more accurate cross-type. These AF systems may be more than sufficient for most users, and they can successfully track moving objects in the frame such as athletes, performers, or animals. However, if you specialize in sports, action, wildlife, or bird photography, you are going to want to consider the much more sophisticated, accurate, and customizable AF system of the D7000. The D7000 boasts a significantly improved AF system of 39 AF points with 9 of them being cross type. The AF system of the D7000 allows for you to use these points in various ways including automatic AF point selection, single point AF, and dynamic area AF using your choice of 9 points, 21 points, all points, or all points with 3D-tracking. It is important to note that the D5100 and D3100 do not have an autofocusing motor built into the body so you have to be sure to purchase lenses with built-in AF motors. For example, the Nikon "Nifty 50" 50mm f/1.8 will not autofocus with these cameras. The D7000 and D90 have the built-in motor.Body, Construction and Size/ Weight: The D5100 is just slightly larger and a tiny bit heavier than the D3100, both weighing just over one pound. Both have plastic bodies and more limited buttons and controls that the higher end models. Many users should find its size and weight great for using and carrying around, though some prefer the ergonomics of a larger body. The D90 and D7000 appear very similar at first glance, but the plastic body of the D90 has been upgraded to the partially magnesium alloy body (top and rear) of the D7000. This

So this camera is just amazing at giving you great resolution and dynamic range. The 18-55mm lens that comes with it is sharper than the 18-70mm and 18-200mm. Pictures are usable up to 1600 ISO. The controls are fairly decent though in some modes not all options are available, such as shooting in HDR requires you to choose certain configurations that I can't even remember what they are. I tried looking up on google to see why HDR was greyed out but their suggestions didn't help. Not that I care about HDR that much but it's frustrating when you can't choose it when you need it. The white balance is another issue. You cannot always choose customized white balance. Again it depends on the settings you choose and this too is something I have no idea what settings would make it work. I never had this problem with Canon DSLR's. I'll say that for everything else the D5100 is miles beyond anything Canon has in the same price range. In fact this camera is superior to the D90 that I used to covet so much. This model is the real sweet spot between all of the models from D3000-D5300. I mean 16mp is enough of a hassle without going to 24mp. This megapixel race is ridiculous. If only there were options for 6-8mp NEFs. This is a superior camera than the two successors and can be had very inexpensive. If you need a longer lens I'd suggest the 18-105mm instead of buying the 55-200mm as an add on. Even with the 18-55mm you can simply crop to zoom in as it'll be as sharp as anything. If all you care about is image quality choose your DSLR in this order: D5100, D3000, D3100, and ignore the rest.