Отзывы о Цифровой Фотоаппарат Nikon D5

This camera is small but packs a punch!! I am a professional photographer and I use this camera as a remote and a backup!! I got the 50mm F1.8G for it and it is a beauty!! This would be a great camera for Mom or kid. I am also a photojournalism teacher/ Instructor and I would recommend this setup for any of my students/ adults/ kids wanting to learn photography. I would always recommend to people to by the lens and the camera body separately you will be happier in the long run with this camera if you stay away from the kit that comes with a lens or lenses... The F1.8 aperture on the 50mm is so AWESOME it will change your religion!! Just kidding But it is really great and will open so many shooting environments for you.

This review is not going to cover the specs and advanced features of this camera because others have done that with far greater finesse than I could ever manage. If that is what you need or want, then please move on to the next review. I am going to focus on the advantages for someone moving from a point and shoot to this DSLR camera. I have seen comments posted on the web from serious photographers who question why a rank amateur would want anything more than a point and shoot and would like to address those concerns. First of all, this is a teaching camera. You can learn from it and your skills will advance, no matter how humble the skills are in the beginning. In the process of learning, the camera is idiot proof so you will still get great pictures in spite of your lack of sophistication. Secondly, if you have a home with poor lighting, this camera will do far better than any point and shoot that I have ever used. Thirdly, if you don't want to win photography awards but it is still important to you to accurately capture the beauty of whatever it is that you love, this is a great camera. I love to take pictures of my cats, dogs and wildlife on my rural property. This camera, in very bad lighting, accurately takes pictures of my cats' beautiful eyes. I don't need fancy filters, lenses, flashes or lighting. The color is not off and you don't get red eye, blue eye or no eye. I don't really have to do a whole lot of advanced adjusting to accomplish this. Also, the kit lens is much, much better than I expected for my needs. My cats' coats with subtle but beautiful color markings are accurately captured with this camera and kit lens. I have cats that I have taken pictures of for years and never got a good shot of until I got this camera. I got my first great picture of one of my black cats in poor lighting. I have shown that picture to many friends and posted it on Facebook and no one can believe that the photo was taken in such lousy lighting. The thing about pets is they do their cutest stuff in the darkest corners of the room. I have loved that feature the most about this camera. It is an easy camera to use. It is well made and idiot proof when it comes to removing the battery, sliding the SD card in and out, changing from photo to video. Nothing is awkward. My last point and shoot had a lot of "quirks" when putting in batteries and the SD card. No such quirks here. No hard to close hinges. Everything works as it should. For a beginner, this is not something to be taken lightly. Some of us get frustrated rather easily. You can concentrate on learning how to take better pictures rather than how to make the camera work. The menu is idiot proof. No quirks there. Very common sense and intuitive. The camera display is very, very sharp. Very easy to view pictures. You can do some editing of the photos before you load them onto your computer which is sometimes very, very helpful. You will become a better photographer for having this camera. In the process, you will have a lot of fun and get great photos--all without any frustration.One thing I forgot to add, the battery life is wonderful. It was 2 months before I had to recharge. I took about 600 photos at my leisure during that time. That alone is worth the price of the camera.I have to add that I love the colors that this camera picks up. I have ten years of pictures of my gersman shepherd lab who is a reddish gold color. I just went over all the pictures I have of her. Those taken with point and shoots, cell phones, even on two "professional" photographer's photos and the pictures taken by the Nikon D5100 are washed out and dull. Only the the Nikon D5100 captures the deep red/gold hue accurately. I hold a picture next to her, the Nikon pictures are so much like her that I cannot tell any difference whatsoever. I really love this camera.

After years of using the basic "point and shot" and then that earlier this year bought a Kodak Z990 (mostly to get used to the size of the device, although obviously the D5100 is much larger and heavier lol) I decided to buy it model after months of what I thought was an endless and insatiable search and comparison of equipment on the web pages that I think about photography pioneers such as DxOMark, DPReview, Snapsort, Sortable and KenRockwell.The toughest battles were fought mainly between brands Nikon and Sony, I also did important considerations for Pentax and Canon. The only Canon camera that I loved was the 60D but is very expensive for me ($ 1000), I believe that Canon is more to a professional level, that is, to dare to buy any of the 5D Mark but at a lower level other brands Nikon, Sony and Pentax are better. I liked the Pentax K-5 and K-30 mainly because they are practically immune to water, dust and extreme conditions (which gives them great advantage over other brands), but I fall on the same theme money are cameras over $ 900, and are therefore out of reach.So stay in the range of Nikon and Sony whose excellent performance at a lower price level of professionalism and superior to all other brands. I have to note that by Nikon took into account the D3200 and D5100 and by Sony A580 only (this because of information supplied by people DxOMark about the "low noise at high ISO"). The Sony A580 was out of competition due to increased price of $ 850 to over $ 900 while for example the D5100 down to $ 650, almost $ 300 less. I must report that I began to consider Sony's NEX series, especially the new NEX-F3 (the characteristic "bounce flash" and a folding screen to take you forward your own pictures was what I liked), but , also I gave up because I said to myself, for just $ 50 more would take a more serious and professional equipment like the Nikon D5100!.Anyway, I was the fight between the D5100 and D3200, this was the final battle (the hardest and most difficult of all) by the side of the D3200 had a new processor Xpeed 3, a 24MP sensor and a menu of friendly options for beginners like me. On the side of the D5100 had a 360 ° rotatable screen, a device a step up professionally and special effects systems like HDR. All this fight for a little difference of $ 50!. I finally ended up deciding for the D5100 compared to D3200 for two reasons: The screen can be rotated (helps me sometimes to take pictures of my little daughter just months old) and $ 50 less than I paid for it that were used to purchase an accessory , the SB-400 (do not forget to buy it, is very good and help a thousand times the flash with the camera by default).I hope my experience captured here will help them do.

I've used a Nikon D5000 for a few years and loved it but I took notice of this one when it first came out and thought I would upgrade, mostly for things like in-camera HDR and, esp., the higher resolution LCD. Thought about it for a year and a couple of weeks ago decided to go for it. (Something about impending holidays triggers the camera buying urge.) Since I had all the lenses I needed I bought the body only, saving about $100 over the kit price.As expected, it was a great upgrade. What I wasn't expecting was the improvement in full auto mode. I'm able to take decent photos now under conditions the D5000 complained about or didn't do well in. Since I take more photos in full auto mode than not, this is a nice bonus. (I'm not adverse to fussing with shutter speed, aperture, etc., and you can certainly do that all you want with this camera, but I take a lot of casual photos.)If I were buying this as my first Nikon I'd probably buy the body and pay a couple of hundred extra for the 18-105 mm zoom rather than get the kit with the 18-55 zoom. It's a better walking around lens in my opinion. I might also buy the 35mm f1.8 prime lens for low light/indoor shots (or extra crispy shots of any kind). Those were the two lenses I bought when I got my D5000 and I use them the most. (Another useful lens that's reasonably priced is the Tokina 12-24 f4 zoom.)The only (minor) complaint I have is that my non-Nikon TTL flash unit doesn't work properly with the D5100. I get badly overexposed shots with anything other than straight-up, off the ceiling bounce. Probably time to look at getting a real Nikon flash unit.Update on the flash unit problem. My Polaroid brand TTL flash and the D5100's full auto setting don't get along. It works fine in Program mode, though. On the D5000 it worked in either mode, but apparently there is a subtle difference in the D5100 interface. The flash tracks the zoom and aperture, but either the flash is firing at full power or the camera's auto mode is not aware the flash is going to fire and sets up for available light. Newer Polaroid flash units than mine might work better with the D5100.

Been shooting Nikon SLRs for 10 years. I started with the legendary Nikon FM2n film camera in B&W photography class. It was almost a purely mechanical camera, except there was a small lithium ion battery to power the meter. Back in the days of mechanical cameras, you had to stick in the film, pull out the tab and line it up with the notches, then use the level to roll it to the first shot. After every shot, you had to pull another lever to advance it. There were times when I didn't notch the film correctly and I'd end up taking all my pictures on one shot of the film; never knowing it until I got it developed. You also had to adjust the aperture and shutting speed manual with the two dials, while looking through your viewfinder trying to spot the +,0,- signs. But taking pictures with mechanical cameras wasn't the hard part. It was all the time spent in complete darkness in a closet to unroll the film canister and dropping it in container to develop your film; all in the dark. If your solution wasn't mixed properly, your film would be overexposed or completely useless. Those were the times.Fast forward to the Nikon D5100 modern DSLR. It's not only a digital camera, it's also a digital camcorder, and a limited digital dark room that allows you to do some tuning on your photos in the camera itself. This camera starts up and gets shots off fast. If you don't like to think, put it in auto and it'll think for you. If you like to think 'a little', put it in Aperture mode and it'll calculate the shutter speed for you. I've had the D50 previously and I thought I would miss the ISO button, top LCD, and various other buttons. Once I get it started, I've concluded there were way too many bonuses that outweighed the cons of upgrading. The settings panel activted by the "i" button allows you to change frequently used settings very quickly. In the D50 you had to drill down to these menu items. I only miss the ISO button but you can assign that to the terribly placed 'fn' button next to the flash. The 'record' button is also terribly placed btw. I'm fine with all the other placements of the buttons and the screen is just incredible on this. The 16MP sensor is outstanding in detail and low light shooting. The movie mode does not allow you to change F-stops or shutter speeds in the middle of recording. You must stop if you want to change those settings when shooting video. I find the auto focus picks up a lot of lens noise, best if you manual focus and the beautifully sharp screen makes it easy to MF indoors and in the shade. As for the software View NX2, it's not bad for developing RAW. It brings out good detail and shows you the picture it was meant to be seen. It does not have any noise removal features or sensor dust masking. It has most of the basic controls like exposure compensation, white balance, and cropping. It has no history feature. You can export the RAW as a loseless TIFF, where you can continue your editing in say Photoshop or Lightroom should you need advanced tools.Flash is limited to 1/200s and there is no high speed flash synchronization. There is also no remote command of flashes (flashes not attached to the hot shoe).The pictures out of the camera were a bit oversaturated for my tastes, resulting in images that looked over processed and dark areas losing detail. I experimented quite a while trying to figure out how to tune the JPG pictures you get out of the camera. My setting below will give you more natural pictures with a slight hint of color saturation and slight warmth in tone.Standard picture setting+6 sharpening-1 contrast-1 saturationOverall, a superbly designed camera.

...Seriously. If you're reading reviews here, you're most likely thinking about purchasing the D5100. I'm not yet a professional photographer, but I am a serious enthusiast with the intent of eventually taking my photography to the next level. I am the (proud) owner of a Nikon D60, and I can say that the D5100 is a very strong upgrade from the D60. Improvements in image quality were immediately noticed with the D5100, and low light shooting is awesome with this camera. When I bought my D60, I had high hopes for the low light shooting capabilities, however it ended up falling short of my expectations. The D5100 definitely meets the expectations I originally had for the D60 in regards to low light shooting, and possibly even exceeds them a bit. That being said, the D60 is still a great camera which takes great photos, and I would highly recommend it to anyone starting out in SLR photography. The manual for the D60 is definitely a bit better than the D5100's, and explains things in greater detail. The way the buttons feel on the D5100 when pressed seem cheaper than that of the D60, but that's just an observation of mine from owning both cameras, and someone purchasing the D5100 probably wouldn't even notice this unless they had another camera to compare it to. The D5100 still feels solid and of good quality, and you get professional looking image results, even using the kit 18-55mm lens. With the 35mm f1.8 Nikon prime lens, you get even sharper results, and it is definitely a recommended accessory for anyone who purchases this camera. I purchased this camera in February because I wanted to have it for a vacation I was taking. Needless to say it did not disappoint!For those interested in HDR photography, this camera does have an auto bracketing feature which can be used in conjunction with the self timer, allowing for hands free operation (granted you have a tripod.) However, you can only do one image over and one image under exposed using this option, and the timer (or auto bracketing) have to be reset after each series of images due to the assign button only having the capability of one feature being assigned to it at a time. This is something that I didn't happen to notice in anyone's review here, (maybe I just missed it?) but would have liked to have known ahead of time. Certainly not a deal breaker though, and no reason to give it less than 5 stars. I could go on and on, but there's not much here with everyone's reviews that hasn't already been said. Basically, almost all of the positive comments here are most likely true, and buying this camera should be a purchase that you won't regret. Especially when it's on sale! It's essentially a less professional version of the D7000 with the same image quality for half the price. I originally wanted the D7000, but couldn't justify the price. I can say with confidence that I made the right choice by saving my money and going for the D5100. Invest in some good lenses, because that's going to make the biggest difference!

I looked at all of the entry to mid-level dslrs and the D5100 best fit my needs as an "experienced beginner". Initially, I was a bit hesitant, because I was afraid I'd outgrow it rather quickly, so I also bought a D7000 intending to return one of them (I know, this is sometimes frowned upon, but Amazon's excellent return privileges are there for a reason).They're both great cameras and you can't go wrong with either. But I've decided to keep the D5100 for a number of reasons, including:- To my eyes, image quality is virtually indistinguishable between the 2 cameras, and I engaged in some serious pixel-peeping while reaching this conclusion. Both use the same Sony sensor. Where the D7k probably has an edge is with sports and capturing moving subjects in low light (neither of which I had the chance to shoot).- Both of the D7000's I tried had backfocusing problems due to faulty bodies. What are the odds of that?- The D7000 overexposes in bright/high contrast scenes, requiring -ev adjustment to prevent loss of detail from highlight clipping. Some may not mind this, but I think that, in its default state, the camera shouldn't overexpose to the point of losing detail, unless you're shooting in full manual mode and have chosen the wrong settings. Sometimes you don't have time to set ev comp to take advantage of a great photo op.- My trusty D5100 has had no problems whatsoever. Focus is tack sharp. Everything works and it's been an absolute pleasure to use. I also don't recall reading reports of any known problems or design flaws with the D5100, unlike the D7000.- The small form factor and light weight of the 5100 make it great for traveling. The articulating screen can also come in handy. It's well-made and the mostly-plastic build isn't a problem. Besides, the D7000 uses magnesium alloy only on the back and top (as if it was used more for show than for real ruggedness). The rest of the body shell is plastic, which is fine for most of us amateurs. If you want real ruggedness, you need to step up to a pro model.- The 5100 is often referred to as a beginner's camera, but it's actually capable of most of the things even an advanced user would need. Some of the secondary essentials (WB, release mode, bracketing) are in menus, but they're quick to access. All of the key functions, however (aperture, shutter speed, exposure comp, flash mode, AE/AF lock, ISO) are controllable via buttons (ISO can be assigned to the function button) and once you get used to the layout, it becomes second nature. There's a plethora of settings, and it *is* a camera one can grow with and hold onto for awhile. The D7000, otoh, has lots of features that I (and perhaps many other amateurs) would rarely or never use.- Being my first dslr, I didn't have any old Nikkor AFS lenses and I don't plan to buy many more lenses beyond the three that I already have. So the internal focus motor of the D7000 wasn't of any value to me. The D7000's larger, brighter, 100% coverage viewfinder is missed, but I can live without it. The D7000's glass prism adds a fair amount of weight.- Cost wasn't an issue, but I don't exactly mind saving $400 especially when I'm getting the same image quality. To me, the 5100 was a better value. The money is better spent on lenses. Furthermore, given the short life cycle of electronic products, it doesn't make sense to invest in a more expensive body with extra non-essential (to me) features, since there will be interesting developments in the next couple of years (e.g. advancement in mirrorless cam technology and lens selection), tempting me to upgrade.I'd recommend buying the D5100 body only, passing on the 18-55 kit lens in favor of the 35mm 1.8. Then add a 16-85VR and 70-300VR as budget permits. These lenses are all super sharp and should cover almost any shot that comes up. The 18-105 is a good, cheaper alternative to the 16-85.

I'm brand new to photography. I've been wanting to learn for years rather than to keep shelling out money for someone else to take mediocre pictures of my children. I did a lot of research and spoke with a lot of people before deciding on this. My total budget was $1000 for camera, lenses, case, cards, and software. I picked Nikon over Canon after trying them out in the store solely based on how it felt in my hand. The menu on the Nikon felt more intuitive as did the button placement. I also tend to think of Nikon as "The" camera people. The package I put together was this camera body with the 55-200mm kit lens, the Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX lens, 1 Transcend 16 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card, BUILT Cargo Camera Bag- Fiery Orange, Medium, and photoshop CS5 free trial then CS6 free trial then monthly. I also spend a lot of time online learning how to use my camera and how to edit my photos. What I love about this camera: It's easy to use, all the lenses I have hold their value and can be resold or move with me to my next camera. This camera takes beautiful photos and is fairly forgiving as I play around with the settings. I've been taking it everywhere and have loved the pictures I have been able to take. My oldest graduated from high school this year and there was a photographer hired to get photos of the kids crossing the stage. The one taken of my son was awful. I had my camera with the 55-200mm lens on and got great shots of him and his friends from across the stadium. I've even had people ask me to take pictures of events for my kids school! That's more likely because I alwasy have my camera but nonetheless, I'm finding this camera an excellent camera to learn on. I can see using this for years before I would feel the need to upgrade. There is so much to learn and enough manual settings to really be able to play around and figure out what I like. If I had a larger budget, I would have gone for the D7000 just because that seems to be a level I could stay with indefinitely but on my budget, I'm very happy with my purchase! It also takes very nice video which is fun to play around with although, I'm primarily using this for photography.

After weeks of product and spec research the great nikon vs cannon debate...I felt like I was being spun around and confused which camera to buy! First off the fans of each camera will try to sway you their way, it truely is just a personal preference! Both take great pictures! (I was lucky enough and found out that I had 2 had coworkers bring one of each camera into work and I was able to walk around and take some quick pictures to see how I liked cannon or nikon.)The reason I ended up with the Nikon was I had owned a Nikon point and shoot some years ago and the controls were similar and the thought that if I do upgrade the body later, my lenses were more of an investment since I could keep any lenses I purchased.I by no means have any photography knowledge this is my first "fancy" camera and I was not let down. I found it easy to use right out of the box on the auto settings, but fun to explore after reading the manual and I also purchased a book on my kindle app that I can send you the name upon request(didn't want to favor any books in this review) But needless to say at first all the lingo was a bit foreign to me, but after some time(about 2 weeks) I started to comprehend it. I do not claim to know much but I can at least put together some stuff on the manual settings which once you get into the details you will love those manual settings that you can change yourself!I am a mom of a 10 year old and a golden retriever dog so I wanted to capture everything in great quality, with this camera I feel I have done that and I'm only just learning how to use it. The sports setting works amazing I will post some sports pictures of my son, with 4 frames per second I catch every movement of his peewee football games I love it! The images are vivid and crisp.I'm only starting to learn photography but trying my best to comprehend stuff and learn the settings on the camera, If you are like me and don't plan to be a professional photography but want crisp beautiful pictures of your family and friends then I would recommend this camera I don't think you would be disappointed. Its very easy to use at first and has such room for growth esp with the lenses that you can add on. I only have the 18-55mm I bought with the kit but already planning to buy more lenses!For the price and being an entry level camera I'm sure you wont be disappointed as well! Good luck!

- same sensor as higher model D7000- good in low light- display is not usable as you would want to use viewfinder to compose your shots, viewfinder is dark.- display has a great chance of breaking/damaging- interface is not user friendly, menu functions not readily accessible,- not enough dedicated buttons on body- no AF motor for older lenses- AF assist is really good in low light, locks focus in all situations- DX format, not many lens available- no MF/AF switch on body- no in-body image stabilization- lightweight and compact- only 1 SD card slot- great battery life- video AF is poor- turns out doesn't work with Nikon flash system as a commander- sync speed is only 1/200 sec

For the price, it's not an awful camera. This was my first dslr & it lasted me a long while. Great starter camera. It however does like to freeze when flipping through screens but that's not that terrible. The auto focus is mediocre. The flip out screen is handy for a LOT of reasons and i will miss that when i upgrade. Overall, worth the buy. You probably won't get a nicer one for the price

Let me begin by saying I'm a published photographer. I learned how to take pictures, luckily by hanging out on Hollywood studio sets. I'm a longtime Nikon camera buff who also loves different film stocks. But the problem with film is even here in Los Angeles it's hard to get film developed quickly. So after years of not wanting to go to digital, I decided to buy me a decent DSLR.Like many old guys who loved their built like a tank Nikons, there was much to hate about the new Nikons. Too much plastic, cheap build, blah, blah, blah.Yes, the latest DSLR cameras are fragile, but that's still my only complaint. In every way, the capabilities of these new cameras will win you over. If I could have owned a camera twenty years ago that could shot 4 pics a second, lets me see the pictures instantly, lets me crop and color correct on the spot, lets me show my client what I already have shot, was completely silent when focusing, battery life that lasts, brackets automatically and shots high def video, all for less than $600 I would have laughed. $600 was for just one lens, let alone the camera body.But this D5100 does alot right. The picture quality is astounding. In the great Nikon tradition, the pictures are sharp and the contrast of each image is wonderful. The flexibility of this camera is amazing. I can still put my old AF lenses on the camera, courtesy of a lens mount created in 1959. The only thing is you have to focus those old lenses manually. No big deal there. I even wanted to hate the new lens cover designs and lens hoods, but they all do the job and while plastic, it's pretty darn good plastic.The 18-55mm lens is awesome for a variety of shooting situations, much better than the standard, and pretty useless 50mm they used to give you with most camera body purchases.As a result of this camera, I'm getting back into photography with a good deal of excitement. It's nice that Nikon has allowed me to use some of my old equipment with all the new technology.I didn't want to be impressed, but the stuff is pretty cool.

Looking through reviews for this camera, I occasionally see it described as a good "entry level" camera. This is such an elitist thing to say. It's essentially saying, "My camera is more advanced, so since you're buying this, you're a beginner." If the D5100 is a good entry level camera, then the D4 is a spectacular entry level camera. This camera is more advanced than Nikon's flagship professional model ten years ago.The D5100 has virtually every feature that today's enthusiast could hope for. There are plenty of lists out there, and I won't repeat the myriad of features.One thing that I like in particular is the layout of the data on the LCD screen while shooting. All of the common things that you want access to on a regular basis is right there and easy to change. No wandering through hierarchies of menus to change picture size, iso or white balance. And even though I need glasses for everything else, I don't need them for this.If I could change one thing, it would be the grip. Previous Nikons I've owned have had a fuller hand grip. This one seems much smaller. I'm not talking about the height. I like to feel like I've got a firm hold on the camera. With this small grip, I feel like I'm just holding onto the edge of something.But aside from that, I couldn't be happier. Best entry level camera I've purchased since that used Pentax Spotmatic I bought in 1970.

I bought this camera from a different retailer with an extra AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED lens because I wanted to have it in my hands instantly.First off, let me say that I love this thing! I don't think i've left the house without is since I bought it a week and a half ago. This was really my first foray into serious photography. I skipped right over the point and shoot stage and got one of these. I consulted a friend of mine who teaches art and photography courses at the university where I work and eventually landed on the 5100. I looked hard at the D7000, but didn't want to forfeit the extra coin. Now I kind of wish that I had.As I said before, I love the camera, BUT...As my friend told me, there are lots of functions buried in menus rather than being available directly on the camera body. I didn't think it would bother me since this was really my first d-slr. I am a quick learner though and i'm now shooting in manual mode pretty confidently. That being said there are some things that I wish weren't in menus such as ISO, focus mode, metering, shutter release mode, picture control, bracketing, etc... There are a few features like ISO and shutter release mode that can be mapped to the self timer button (one or the other) but then you lose the functionality of the immediate access to the self timer. The fact that shutter speed and aperture are controlled with the same command dial (shutter by turning the command dial alone and aperture by holding the exposure compensation/aperture button and then turning the command dial) isn't too much of a burden, but when you have to hold 2 buttons AND turn the command dial to adjust flash compensation it gets a bit tedious.I would have liked to have the 2 SD card slots that the 7000 has to store raw and jpg on separate cards, but oh well - not that big of a deal. Although the camera is made of some sort of plastic composite material (what isn't these days?), it feels substantial and well-made in your hands.All in all, you will not be disappointed with this camera. It takes amazing images and the effects mode will have some nice surprises for you. You can do some basic editing directly on the camera as well. Live view is very nice with the variable angle display but you can't see the light/ISO meter on it. the body of the camera is compact and light so you don't feel like you have a laptop hanging from your neck. I've found the battery life to be marvelous when you don't use the flash or live view extensively. I was glad that spare/replacement batteries aren't too expensive for this baby either.There is a learning curve to using the menus, but they are surprisingly more intuitive than I expected. If you can read and make use of the help button, you will be able to figure out a lot without even looking at the manual! I do recommend reading the manual that lives on the CD that comes with your camera. I have copied that to my hard drive and my smart phone for quick reference. It goes into much more detail than the paper manual that comes with the camera.If this is your first experience with a d-slr, you aren't a stickler about having functions istantly available or you need a very good, lightweight backup d-slr because you don't want to carry your full-bodied model, stop searching through reviews and get yourself one of these! You WILL NOT be disappointed.Once you take the plunge, there's no looking back though! You will be scouring the internet for deals on lenses, filters and everything d-slr related! As my friend told me, it's like an infection or being in a cult - but not in a bad way; whatever that means! ;)I'm in love with this camera, but when she get's old i'm going after her big sister, who has more functions on her body!!Have fun with your new D5100!

I really enjoy this camera. It is a nice all around camera for my needs. I like the flexibility of the adjustable LCD, and having the option of the good quality video, although I don't use it much. I'm also someone who prefers using a viewfinder, and this has a fairly good quality one, although not quite as good as my D-80 had. It is just a tad smaller than my D-80, though and I like that. I'm still needing to practice with the menu, but think the options are plentiful and overall easy to use. A wonderful companion to this camera, for me, has been, "Nikon D5100; From Snapshots to Great Shots" by Rob Sylvan. It is like having a photography teacher at my side giving great advice and tips on this specific camera, as I am exploring it.

i have a canon t3 and this product blows it away, better color better lcd, better live view, many special effects, easy to use, i bought this used because i already have several ol nikon lenses and to keep the price down. even though used it came in an original box- with cd rom etc, it actually cannot be told from new, works just great, just got it yesterday and have shoot 200 pictures- thanks amazon warehouse deals

I have been a retired SLR photographer for several years so the D5100 is my re-entry into DSLR. Previously, I had an N90s and one of the first digital Nikons; the D20. I have been shooting a Canon G10 for several years even doing some HDR with it. I've had the D5100 about a week and have shot a 100 photos on a variety of subjects - family, landscape, sunset, and macro - all with the 18-55 kit lens.It shoots great! Detail is way better than I expected for a "consumer" model. Actually, I chose the D5100 because the quality of the pics was my foremost goal. It comes with the same 16mp chip as the D7000 for $400 less. I wanted to spend that money on glass. I've had almost no trouble figuring out how to set the manual controls and have had good luck with the SCENES modes for most shooting. (I haven't tried the EFFECTS and I'm not sure that I will - more of a Photoshop processing kind of guy). My biggest challenge has been getting correct focus as the camera tries to do way more than I'm used to and, if I have it in the wrong SCENE mode, there's no telling what might happen. The dancing yellow squares on the face recognition function is a little disconcerting. I have also had to learn patience as the VR function is nice but a little slow when handheld. I have learned to leave it off until I really need it.I think that most of the professional reviewers overstate the weaknesses of many of the products out there and the D5100 is no exception, maybe because it's hard to difference a crowded competitive product line. At any rate, here is my take on some of the deficiencies. First, the location of the LiveView button work great for me. Because it is a lever rather than a button it is easy to locate and use without moving my hand on the grip. Another complaint has been the lack of an ISO button. I do prefer buttons over menus but there are too many functions which I would like to have on a button that there wouldn't be room for all of them. I programmed the fn button (which is done easily in the menus) to allow me to control the ISO. It works well both when I'm working through the viewer or the display screen. I will agree with complaints that the fn button is too close to the flash button. I've inadvertently mixed them up and it cost me a pic or two. However, I only need to make that kind of mistake a couple of times before learn to avoid the problem.The rear screen is great...very high resolution. The zooming function works well and I have been able to check image focus easily. The side tilt is very elegant and I like that if flips to protect the screen when not in use.I'm not much of a videographer but I did shoot some video and the image quality if fantastic. I put it on my TV and the quality was great. The focus works pretty well although you can see it occasionally get behind for a few seconds for quick moving subjects - like cars and kids. The microphone isn't worth much so it may be worth investing in the add-on microphone for more serious video projects.All in all, the quality and fit of the camera is very good in spite of being made from plastic. i wouldn't want to drop it or the lens for that matter - they are not made like my old N90s or my 70-200 f2.8 but, on the other hand, I won't won't miss the extra 5 lbs. of weight because this camera is LIGHT! It is small but fits the hand well and is joy to carry around.To summarize: As you would expect from a Nikon, great photos; as good as the D7000 (according to dpreview) and $400 less. Easy to use, light, good manual control, and good assisted control through scenes. The D5100 is a good choice if you are looking for high quality images without all the bells and whistles of the D7000.No "cons" except don't drop it...probably won't survive! Battery life isn't great either (I tend to use the display and LiveView a lot) so I've already invested in a backup battery.

Let me first say that this is my first DSLR. I take about 10,000 pictures a year and I figured it's time for me to upgrade to a decent SLR.I always cringed at SLRs since I never want the burden of carrying it around. I figured that a camera wouldn't do me any good if didn't want to take it anywhere. That being said, although I still use a very nice point-and-shoot for many quick trips with my kids, for birthday parties and other big events, I want the crispest, most colorful, pictures I can take. Here's why I love this camera:-PICTURES-Since it uses the same sensor as the Nikon D7000, which costs significantly more, the pictures are incredible for its class. You literally cannot buy a camera that takes better pictures at this price point. Compared with the Canon T3i, which is a direct competitor, I believe these pictures are better indoors and in low light. Also, a quick tip: for most pics, JPEG basic setting (~400kb) is fine for 4x6 and JPEG normal setting (~1mb) is fine for 8x10.-VIDEO-I don't use this for video often but it captures HD video. I prefer to use an HD camcorder for video but from time to time when I only have this, I'll take a few short vids and they look great.-SIZE/FORM-The Nikon D5100's body is slightly smaller than the Canon T3i's. Although my hands are on the larger side, I prefer the smaller body and it fits well. I use Opteka Professional Wrist Grip Strap for Digital & Film SLR Cameras with the camera and it feels like it's an extension of my hand. A side note: If you choose that hand strap, you'll need to cut a notch off the bottom to allow you to swing the screen out (I have a review there that details how I got that hand strap to work for me).-SPECIAL FEATURES (HARDWARE)-A 3" swing out screen! That's what initially led me to choose the D5100 over the D3100. This is great to capture different angles and ideal for self-shots that I take with my kids. As a bonus, you can also "close" the screen to protect it if you're going to use the viewfinder. Of course, now that I have this model, I'm thrilled that I have better pictures.-SPECIAL FEATURES (SOFTWARE)-Lots of special effects on here! My kids love the Selective Color (B&W pic with a color highlight) and Color Sketch (cartoonish look) options. Personally, I use High Key a lot for dark situations when I don't want to use the flash. After the shot, I also occasionally crop the pics right on the camera.-USER-FRIENDLINESS-I consider myself slightly more knowledgeable than a beginner but I can even set it up for my wife to use. Simply use as many or as few of the features as you need. If you're ready to learn, the Nikon D5100 is an amazing, somewhat intuitive tool.-RECOMMENDATION-If you can afford it, the Nikon D5100 is a great high-end starter camera. You will grow into it and for the majority of us (non-pros), this will be more than adequate for our needs for the long term so you won't need to upgrade to another SLR. My only regret is that I didn't have this when each of my kids were born!

Having my 4 year old Canon XSi and lenses stolen, I was faced with a dilemma in picking a replacement. I've always used Canon equipment since my high school days MANY moons ago, starting with the Canon A1. I read through the reviews of the latest Canon Rebel T3i and the Nikon D5100. With a tight budget, and wanting to check "the other side", I decided on a refurbished D5100 package with the 18-55 and 55-200mm Nikkor lens kit.The other reviews here go into a great deal of detail, so I won't repeat. They are mostly accurate. As a Canon owner and devotee, my short summary is this:1. The Canon T3i is built a bit better a bit less flimsy and feels more "Pro", but the Nikon D5100 is lighter and a little easier to carry around. The Nikon Quality is good, but a little more "Consumer" feeling.2. There is no extended grip/battery attachment from Nikon. Some third party grips are available, but they require an external cable to link the grip to the camera, in order to use the optional release button on the grip. Not a show stopper, but a bit annoying if you want to put a more "Pro" package together.3. As many of the reviews point out, their is no dedicated ISO selector, you have to go into the menus. However, you can assign ISO functions to a customizable function button on the front of the camera near the left grip. I did not find this to be a big deal.4. I found the menus and options, along with the large bright LCD display to be very user friendly. There is built in help for just about every option, and the graphic display is informative and helpful.5. The end result, the photos, I found to be extremely nice. It is subjective, but I feel the resulting images are a tick above the Canon, especially at low ISO settings. I have a Schnauzer with a very dark coat, and had a terrible time getting good shots of her indoors with the Canon. The Nikon gave me great photos of her out of the box in full auto mode. I was impressed.Conclusion:I really like the Nikon, and believe that for the average hobbyist photographer it will take great photos. I personally like the resulting images a little better then those of my Canon, and I found the camera a little easier to use out of the box. I like the fact that it is lighter and more compact then the Canon. On the other hand, the Canon is built a bit better, has easier access to more advanced settings, and is a little more professional when expanding with an battery/grip and remote flash control. The Nikon can be had for $100 to $250 less for an equivalent package to the Canon T3i. I would say for your average hobbyist/non-Pro user the Nikon is an overall great value and will get you better photos with less effort. The Canon is no slouch, but is aimed at a user that wants to tweak things more on a more regular basis and for those that may require a slightly more durable piece of hardware.

First off, I'd say that you need to try out a real camera with your actual phenomenological self before making any decisions on purchasing one. Terms like sturdier, lighter, heaver, more solid, easier to use, more comfortable, etc., have NO meaning generically. If you wouldn't buy a $75 pair of shoes without trying them on, why on earth would you buy a camera that way? With that in mind, for me the D5100 is perfect. I handled the D7000 and the D5100, and I felt a lot surer with the D5100. Maybe it has to do with my wrists or fingers or whatever, but in the end, it doesn't matter. And when I bought a $30 sleeve that 'gloves' the entire apparatus, psychologically at least, I made up for any 'heft' a heavier camera might offer. Prior to my purchasing this camera, I had a heavier, "sturdier" Nikon model, and walking around with it for five hours did not make praise its virtues. More like it tempted me to throw it off a bridge. There's some talk of the puny number of focal points on this camera. I think there quite enough. I've done theatrical photography with this camera, and you can imagine focusing is a delicate matter in low light, multiple points of focus imagery, and I had no problem. Which brings me to the 'pro' vs 'consumer' issue. As far as I'm concerned, there's just one major difference between the needs of a 'professional' photographer and an 'am-pro-sum-teur' or whatever dumb appellation people come up with: and that's durability under a wide range of conditions. If photography is your bread and butter, and your shooting 1,000 frames a day -- covering SWAT team assaults or civil wars or photographing mountain goats in the Himalayas on a regular basis, I'd say you need a D800, or even slum it with a D7000. But otherwise, if you could use the (minimally) $500 you save with the D5100 to take a trip to your favorite secluded island, get it. You might end up with shots you'd never have a chance on taking since you'd never get there geographically in the first place.If your the Benjamin Franklin type, and need to list the pros and cons of everything prior to making a decision, my way of thinking might not work for you. But then again Benjamin Franklin wasn't known for his aesthetic genius; it was for his engineering and diplomatic skills.Last, consider this: on the off chance you LOSE or get your $1,500 to $3,000 camera and all its gear STOLEN, you could be F_____d. You lose a D5100, just go out and buy another one. I've exhibited my work in galleries, done photojournalism, travel journalism, art nudes, etc., and the captions have never read "Taken with a XYZD camera."

Thanks to a bad crash against pavement in the church parking lot last summer, the casing on my D3100 cracked just above the circular button used to adjust the manual settings (I am a newbie at photography and can't recall the name of that part of the camera). Since I am a storm chaser and love to photograph lightning, I have to be able to use the manual functions. I debated as to whether to get another 3100 or a 7000 series. I thought the former would soon be obsolete, and the latter was beyond what I can afford at the moment, given I just bought a $1000 lens and am still not sure if photography is my thing. So I opted for the 5100.When i bought my 3100, the 5100 was also on the market and I read mixed reviews. I cannot really appreciate any bonuses this camera has over the 3100. Actually, I am trying to imagine how the 5100's image display is going to work out on the Plains. I am not sure I like the fact that it sticks out, away from the body of the camera, and that so many of the camera's functions are located there. I am afraid if I leave it on the tripod (which you must do for lightning shots), it will be more susceptible to gusts of wind and breakage.On the other hand, it has a few cool features buried in its "effects" that the 3100 did not have. Overall though, i am not convinced it's a better deal.

I've felt it many times. The frustration you feel when you mess around with all the settings on manual, take a picture hoping it will look mind-blowing and it ends up looking like it was taken with a crappy phone. A DSLR is not a point-and-shoot.You need to learn how to use it. Once you start getting the hang of it, your pictures will start looking better, leaving even the best camera phones far behind.Also, automatic mode works wonders in a LOT of situations. Don't feel pressured to use manual settings every time. You can still get great pictures with auto mode!Take lots of pictures, take if everywhere and you'll love it!This was also my first camera, I'm still learning how to use it, but I'm loving every second of the process!Note: I use a Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 lens.

I am a first time buyer from Amazon and had a-lot of reservations buying a "used" camera from anyone, especially someone I could not get my hands on. To my delight the camera arrived in the original box with everything perfect. I'm having problems putting it down, it was everything I expected and more.Thank-you Amazon!!!Jim Higgins

Nikon D5100 review:My humble opinion is that Nikon has really outdone itself with this camera.All the rave reviews and Ad statements are true.Like a few others, I bought this camera because I sometimes find lugging My D300s and associated equipment cumbersome and somewhat overkill for what I am going to shoot. I was going on a short trip and wanted to bring my camera along and do some fun shooting. I started packing my stuff and realized it would really be a chore carrying this stuff (the temperature was 111 degrees and not going to be getting any cooler for a while). So I decided just to leave it home. The day I got home I ordered the D5100. I had been looking at this camera as a solution and had actually recommended it to a friend who is new to DSLR Photography and got to help her set her camera up. So my interest was really peaked. Anyways, I bought it and I am happy and amazed.I Like:Its light weight and easy to pack and carry.Image quality and sharpness is outstanding.Movie clips easy.The Special effects are really fun.The shutter is really quiet.The pop up flash is not a power monger like on my old D60 so you can actually use it.Also the pop up flash can be put into manual mode (over the default TTL mode) and you can set the power level. In this mode I use the pop up to trip remote/Slave flash units. NB: by the way this option is not covered in the manual.Some not really cons:I'm used to being able quickly change shooting parameters on my D300s with the options on the camera body. On the D5100 you have to go into the menu structure or hit the info button and scroll through and change the parameters on the screen. I'm getting used to it (So, not really bad).I do like to shoot in manual mode and only having a single command dial which changes the shutter speed and having to hold down the exposure compensation button to change the aperture is a little annoying. Have to learn to live with it.Oh and:Using the selective color... you cannot pop the pop up flash. However, if you want (after you have set up your selection and are ready to shoot) you can mount an external flash like the SB400 and the flash will work fine. I used this process to also trigger a remote flash while using the selective color effect.ThanksThat's all folks :)