Цифровой Фотоаппарат Nikon D5100 — 872 отзывов, плюсы и минусы

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 :)

The last thing I needed was another Nikon DSLR but when I saw the specs and the giveaway price I persuaded myself it was just a back-up\ body I was buying to supplement my clutch of pro-bodies, a somewhat ancient D2x and a D2h, that have been weighing me down for the past 5 years or so. Out of the box, and with the almost fully charged battery inserted, I could not believehow little it weighed, and how small it was compared to my old clunkers. I think if you had particularly large hands you may find it a little too small, but I found the fit quite perfect. I tried my everyday Nikkor 17-55mm on the body and it felt very unbalanced with this heavy metalled lens attached. I then put on a Series 1 18-200mm VR Nikkor and it felt much better. In fact I have not removed it over several weeks of solid use, now over 9,000 shutter actuations! And being a Nikon, it hasn't missed a beat -yet!I shoot mainly weddings and other event stuff as well as all the usual friends and family pics that we all do. From the start I found the resolution and image quality quite outstanding particularly when I needed to crank it up to ISO3200 for some shots near dusk.I have to say it just blows away the results I used to get from the D2x in those same or similar lighting conditions. The new generation 16MP sensor is now a generation or two ahead of the 12.2MP sensor aboard the D2x, and boy doesn't it show?For a camera aimed squarely at the lower end of the "enthusiast" sector this offering from Nikon has made me wonder if professional photographers will continue to cough up for the D300s, the D700 and the base model D3. OK the latter two are full frame not DX and I can see the need for these expensive models in certain applications but heck, I can buy 2 D5100 bodies forthe price of a D300s and win on almost every count that I consider is of importance to my work. Higher resolution, better image quality video autofocus and continuous video focus, lower noise at high ISO, Built-in HDR, a lot more dynamic range, significantly better colour depth, flip-out screen, 6400 ISO and better boost to 25,600. It's smaller , lighter and half the price. OK no built in motor for non AF-S lenses, and the 300s scores on speed, battery life and a few other areas over the D5100, which even scoresheavily in an out of league comparison with the mighty D3s!It is well made from high quality plastic, which would probably put off many enthusiasts and pro-users - but I have already put it through the high impact drop test - inadvertently, of course! I dropped it and the 18-200mm zoom on a stone floor from about 1.5meters. The only damage was a broken card door which I can replace for under a fiver in the US. No other damage apart from a slight dent in the lens hood.I haven't shot much video yet but what I have seen so far is of the highest quality imaginable when run at 1080 and 30fps - quite stunning footage I must say. I suppose I miss the easy screen and button based logic of the D2x and there is a certain clumsiness involved with the menu embedded functionality of the D5100 - but when in doubt , or short of time just head for the Auto setting or any one of the prescribed modes on the dial to suit your needs.As you may have guessed, the D5100 is not my back-up at all. I use it all the time now with the D2x just sitting in my bag. Problem is it is so heavy to lug around so I think I will sell it on Ebay, for about the same price as a new D5100 - and send off to Amazon for another one of these little gems!

This is my first DSLR and I came to find it by way of Ken Rockwell's photography site. I don't know a lot about photography but this feels like a great camera to me. It has lots of settings I don't use but also some key ones that I really enjoy. It feels and acts like a professional camera without the super high price tag. If you're like me and want a great DSLR but don't want to spend a ton of money on something that isn't your career - this comes recommended by me.

...from a Canon PowerShot.This is the first DSLR I've bought, and considering the lens the camera came with, I could not be happier. As an amateur just beginning to get into photography for eventual professional use, this camera boasts everything I've ever wanted but never found in cheaper digital cameras targeted at the average consumer. Primarily: incredibly fast snapping speed (especially compared against those cheaper digital cameras I was talking about... which take forever for every picture :/), and an incredibly intuitive interface for configuring everything.I remember I had a real headache just trying to just change ISO settings on an old Canon PowerShot. I don't think I was even able to change shutter speed, much less manually focus the camera - but of course, all of these things that I've wanted to experiment with for years are now finally a snap with this camera. Consequently, every picture I take with this camera is eons ahead of anything any auto-focus camera I've used has ever been able to offer.On a related note, the fact that you also get a heads up within the viewfinder about shutter speed, etc. - is awesome!But if that's all I was looking for, I would've opted for a cheaper D3100. What really differentiated the D5100 was the additional abilitiy to capture full 1080p video. While I'm not aiming to create a film with this camera, I'd recently begun hunting for a cheap digital camcorder to use for motion capture for animation references. The fact that the D5100 was a step-up from the D3100 at the same cost of any decent camcorder sold me on the spot.On a sidenote: I am thoroughly satisfied with the lens the camera comes with, but I'm already beginning to see what other sorts of lenses I want to explore and use. I'm glad the price-point didn't hit the one-thousand-wall because now I have more money to put into lenses later down the line.Since I lack the experience to proffer a more technical review of the camera, let me make my concluding remarks: I am completely satisfied with my purchase and entry into the world of DSLRs. I don't see myself ever turning back, and I can foresee myself using this camera alone for at least several years. While the key distinguishing feature for the D5100 vs. the 3100 was the video capture (the MP increase isn't necessary for my needs), I doubt that's the case for everyone. If you're looking to purchase your first DSLR, not looking for video capture, and the increased megapixel count isn't necessary, I recommend you check out other reviews that make more point-by-point comparisons between the D5100 and D3100 to see if you might be able to save some money. Save it so you can put it into buying lenses, of course.

Excellent price. This camera is great. This is my second Nikon Camera and my first SLR. I am very happy to experience "Reflex World". It is very fast and versatile. I do not exaggerate when I say that I love this camera.

I recently purchased the Nikon D5100 DLSR with the 50mm, 85mm and 18-200mm lenses. After few days of usage, the camera started producing black images. Very disappointed.

Bought this for my 13 year old Granddaughter that is interested in photography. Easy to use as point and shoot but gives her a camera she can grow with as her knowledge in photography grows.

I bought this camera as my first (and only) DSLR. I am not looking to upgrade in the future. I love this camera. I've tried my friends' D40 and D3100, as well as Canon T3, but there's something really nice about this camera.

Buyers may become tempted with the specifications and low price of this camera. Specially I noticed that the flip-out LCD screen is a big deal among novice photographers who want to upgrade from a point and shoot to DSLR... Yes, it has D7000 sensor on it and image quality is better than almost any entry and mid-lvele DSLR on the market (except Nikon D7000 and Sony A77 which share the identical sensor) but this great image quality at this low price comes at a price BUILD QUALITY1. Camera is not weather sealed, means you may not use it outside even in drizzle. You may say it can sustain the drizzle. Internal parts may sustain but chances to ruin the flip-out LCD screen are high. overall if you want to use a camera outside or while travel, this camera is not your best choice.2. Camera has full plastic body and it may be damaged permanently with a single drop. It's DSLR camera, it's not as tough as your everyday point and shoot, even dropping it on a soft surface may permanently damage the internal parts.3. No internal focus motor means you may not use so many used but awesome older Nikon lenses. This may not be a big deal for you as you read this review but I promise that it'll be within the next 2 weeks! Imagine there is a "Made in Japan" used prime lens on Ebay which worth 1000, it's for sale for 150, you want it by your heart but can't buy it because cant use it! It's a big deal. don't underestimate this.4. Camera body is so small. It doesn't give you the feel of a real DSLR, more like an oversize compact.5. Cheap internal parts. This is a real issue. It may stop working after 6 months. well, that's not bad because Nikon takes care of the issue under warranty. but imagine it stops working at day 367! That's a real disaster and it may happen because the internal parts are of lower quality than more expensive DSLRs.Now the conclusion. CHEAP IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE. If you are tight on budget, buy D7000. if you are not tight on budget, still buy D7000. D7000 body is twice as expensive as this camera with kit lens but absolutely worth the price.

I've now had my D5100 a number of months, having switched from a Nikon D300 "professional" camera. The features are far superior, operation is much more simple than the older camera, and photographs are consistently better -- and it's much lighter in weight. I've loaded it up with Nikor lens: 18-200mm 3.5-5.6 zoom, 105mm 2.8 macro, 24-70mm 2.8 medium zoom, and 70-200mm 2.8 VR zoom. I've been very impressed with the photos this camera and lens produce.My only complaints are that the battery charger only operated once or twice. It's a common problem with that charger. Fortunately, the battery itself seems to last forever.Second, complaint is that I wish the camera had a auto power shutoff after a period of inactivity (to save the battery). The old D300 had it. I've read that it draws no power when the switch is on and is inactive, but old habits die hard.Third, the video camera function is useless to me for my purposes. With my AF lens, handheld, it's always adjusting focus and the sound of the focus motors is clearly heard in the audio. Plus there's no anti-shake. Maybe if on a tripod, different lens or fixed focus, .......... But that's not why I bought the D5100. I have a dedicated video camera for that purpose. The D5100 is for stills.

I have been shooting with the Nikon D60 10.2MP DSLR for a year and a half and have been more than satisfied with the results. It originally came with the 18-55 lens and I also got a 55-200 but those were upgraded to Nikon 18-105mm Zoom Lens and Nikon 70-300mm Zoom over the past year. I have now had the D5100 for four weeks, received for a milestone birthday, and I absolutely love it. For me it provided everything I needed without having to reach up to the D7000.The image captures from the D5100 using either the 105 or the 300 are very very high quality. The D5100 has the same image sensor as the D7000, which is a nice benefit. When I go out to shoot, I shoot. It is nothing to snap two or three hundred clicks in very short order. And very few of them do I ever have to delete while still on the memory card in the camera or discard later once downloaded to my pc or laptop.The settings and functions are easy to learn and easy to use. The additional "Scenes" and "Effects" I am still playing with but the ones I have used have delivered as Nikon promises. I still do an awful lot of landscape photography, as well as sunrise and sunset images, and the D5100 executes exceedingly well with both the 105 and 300. Very rarely do I ever end up with an under- or over-exposed image regardless of the setting or function that I use.As mentioned in my D60 review I enjoy the use of a viewfinder and even though the D5100 has liveview I still now prefer the viewfinder. Of course, using the built-in "Selective Color" function means I have to use liveview and that is fine. And, speaking of which, selective color works just great. I have experimented with it on various types of scenes, all hand-held without a tripod, and the results are quite remarkable considering the unit snaps two photos. That, in itself, says much about Nikon's VR capabilities.I greatly enjoy the 3" display, over my D60's smaller one. Not just for the size, but the color clarity is superb. The addition of the articulating display was brilliant on Nikon's part as it assists framing difficult shots with relative ease.The performance of the D5100 in low-light situations, with either the 105 or 300, is outstanding. I have not yet experimented with the "Active D-Lighting" function that works to improve the dynamic range between low and high light, so cannot address that. Once I have done so, I shall update my review.As a final note, I am, at this point, keeping my D60, and have the 105 on one of the cameras and the 300 on the other because I just hate to take the time to change a lens and I do still get great images from the D60. However, depending on what I plan to shoot the D5100 gets first choice of lens and the D60 takes the backseat.For the money I do not think the D5100 can be beat for quality of performance.

Wife uses this camera daily. Don't be fooled by the need to buy more expensive cameras under the guise of megapixels. This camera has plenty of resolution for great pictures with wide angle or zoom lens'. Works great with the 18-200VRII

I won't go into details about the merits of the Nikon D5100. Others have described the camera's capabilities in depth and with thought and passion. Simply put, it is an outstanding camera capable of serving the needs of every amateur photographer. Yes, it is that good. The biggest practical difference between the D5100 and the less expensive D3100 is video capability. If you are not interested in HDvideo, the D3100 is a better value. For normal use, it is impossible to tell the difference between an image made with either camera. The D5100 does offer a bit better low light performance. However it will not benefit most amateur users that much, if at all. That said, either Nikon is superior to any Canon DSLR for flash photography. Nikon's iTTL flash system is better at metering and producing properly exposed images than anything Canon offers, regardless of price. In fact, Nikon's TTL system from 20 years ago is better than anything Canon offers today. If you NEVER use flash, Canon is a wonderful choice. Canon cameras offer rich, saturated colors. All my compact digital cameras are made by Canon, including the wonderful S95. I am not a anti-Canon Nikon fan. I do use Nikon SLR film and digital SLR cameras. Many choose to minimize the benefits of the Nikon flash system. Don't choose a camera system without considering it. Nikon makes the best flash system. Period.For those that want to compare the D5100 to the D7000. Don't. The D7000 exceeds the needs of nearly every amateur. Its biggest practical difference for most users is compatibility with Nikon Ais and AF lenses made since 1977. Unless you already own older Nikkor lenses or plan on buying them now, the AFS lenses made today will more than meet your needs. Too many people buy DSLRs for ego. Don't be one of them. Buy a Nikon DSLR that works with your budget and immediately buy a separate flash, such as the capable and inexpensive Nikon SB-400, and learn and enjoy photography. Only you can make good photographs. The camera has very little to do with it. Don't believe anyone that tells you otherwise. Professionals have far different needs than you and me. I have a Nikon D200, a Nikon 8008, and a Nikkormat FTn. I have been using an slr for 37 years, ever since I was twelve. You will not go wrong with the D3100 or the D5100. And remember, only buy a Nikon flash.

This camera is awesome. I use it mostly for capturing my kids sporting events. I love the continuous shooting mode and it produces very clear pictures we can print later. I really have no complaints with it.

I am an amateur photography enthusiast. My first SLR camera was a Nikon FG-20. As far as DSLR go I have also used a Canon T3 prior to this but have decided to get back to my Nikon roots with this purchase.I felt right at home with this camera, menus and settings felt intuitive. For the camera in this price range, it offers anything an aspiring photographer could need. I am a fan of manual focus and the lack of pentaprism was a bit disappointing but again in this price range, Pentax k-30 is the only camera that offers it. The focus indicator provided is adequate though. For better manual focus tuning there is also the live view.If you want to see the camera in action, go to flickr and type D5100 in the search. Click on the D5100 group and search photos taken with this camera, they are very good.Pros:- size- lightweight- great sensor and picture quality- intuitive menus- same great sensor as the D7000 camera.Cons:- Small viewfinder and no focusing prism.Highly recommend this camera to anyone wanting to experience the charms of shooting photos with a DSLR. And the possibilities offered by interchangeable lens system. For the money you will have a hard time beating the picture quality of this camera.

Love the camera. The settings are a little overwhelming at times for beginner. Would recommend an guide to help explain more.

I was looking for a DSLR that wasn't quite high-end amateur but was better than an entry level DSLR. I am partial to Nikons generally. The D5100 fits the description perfectly as a better-than-entry-level camera that won't completely break the bank. It's a great starter DSLR for someone that you think might have aptitude and interest in this area. There is an automatic setting to start off with, but there are plenty of manual settings that you can play with as you explore the camera's capabilities. The resolution is excellent, and the colors come out crisp and clean.I'm not able to review the video capability of the camera as I'm not a video person, and prefer something like the (now discontinued) Flip cameras for video, anyway, as they are lighter, smaller, and more convenient than a DSLR.For a true starter DSLR, the Nikon D3100 is generally what is recommended in the Nikon line, but for the extra money, I think the D5100 is a better value, as the camera performance is better than the D3100, and the additional functionality means that you won't have to replace it as quickly. Someone just starting out in digital photography can grow into the D5100 and use it for many years before needing to upgrade.Nikon cameras in general are very reliable and high performing. If you're looking for an entry DSLR that you can grow into, the D5100 fits that description perfectly.

I'm a loyal Nikon DSLR user, owning the D50, 560, D5000, and now D5100. I love my Nikon DSLRs, but the D5000 was the only camera I found seriously flawed, both in design and quality. The D5100 has completely remedied all those problems for me and the D5100 now ranks as my favorite yet!D5000 Problems?1.) The Swivel-out display was unusable because it was hinged at the bottom of the camera instead of the side, which means it's ideal only for over the head shots and could not be used with a tripod mount. The D5100 gives us a much more usable side-mounted swivel display which can be used with a tripod and can be articulated in many more useful angles (front view, side view, down view, up view, etc.).2.) Because of its position, the Live-View button could easily be triggered when placing the camera to your face. This has been solved with a MUCH better switch mechanism near the mode-dial, along with a dedicated record button.3.) Live-View auto focusing was extremely slow and often inaccurate, the D5100 has made huge improvements in this area.4.) The D5000 also lacked auto focusing during movie recording, although the D5100 still requires the user to hold down the shutter button to activate AF.5.) The microphone has been improved dramatically with far more user controls6.) Hot pixels are gone! The D5000 had notorious hot pixel issues which I've never seen on my previous DSLRs, I had to send my camera back three times...and the problem persisted and got worse every month, Nikon cameras don't have software to automatically map these pixels out so it has to go back to the manufacturer (this almost forced me over to Canon). Fortunately, the D5100 is flawless!7.) The D5100 camera body has a flat bottom which is flush with most Nikkor lenses, the D5000 was taller because of the position of the hinged screen, which meant the camera couldn't be used on flat surfaces to take photos (as I like to do when I'm not carrying my tripod).8.) Probably one of the most critical improvements has been in the resolution of the display, jumping from 230K to 920k.9.) The diopter now has an easier to use knob instead of a fidgety slider control.10.) Video recording now available in 1080p at 30fps, and without the horrendous rolling "Jelly" effectAnd overall, the camera offers much better low-light performance with a much faster and quieter shutter release. It's also much smaller, lighter and feels much more comfortable to hold because of it's nicer hand grip materials.Needs Improvement. Like all DSLRs, this is still a terrible handheld video camera. It takes great video, but the autofocus is still slow and noisy and the microphone is relatively poor. You are still better off putting this camera on a tripod and controlling the focus yourself for professional results, and using an external mic or recording your own audio. Thankfully the high res display makes accurate manual focusing much easier.Overall, I feel this is one of Nikon's most polished cameras.

I bought my Nikon D5100 in September and wish I had stayed with Canon. My wife has a Nikon CoolpicP510 and it takes wonderful pictures so I thought I would try a Nikon. Wrong thing to do. The pictures were not sharp and clear. I thought it was the lens that came with it so I bought a better one from some one else. The pictures were some better but not good. Took the camera to a professional and he looked at my pictures and tried some in his shop, all were not clear and sharp. Still trying to get in contact with Nikon to see what they will do! Wish me luck. Up date on this review- I contacted nikon and they was very helpful. Told me how to get info and with it I mailed the camera. It was back in two weeks and all I had to do was reset it for what I wanted the camera to do. The pictures are beautiful. Just what I wanted, now I can take better pictures then my wife! But her Nikon Coolpic510 still has a longer telephoto then my 75 to 200 lens and I do borrow it when I don't have time to change to mine or can't reach what I'm trying to take a picture of..

This review is geared for those considering replacing an older Nikon DSLR with the newer D5100. If that's not you, there are other reviews here that are more comprehensive.I'll start by saying video features mean nothing to me personally so I'm speaking to the photography side of the D5100. My reference point for these comments is my trusty Nikon D50 which I still love but decided to replace mostly to see if Nikon has moved their technology forward in the seven years I've owned the D50.Pros: the D5100 is a bit smaller, lighter, quieter and faster. The BIG high resolution screen is a huge help. HDR mode is great for occasional use and was one of the reasons I chose the D5100 over the more expensive D7000. Its huge memory buffer and 4 frames per second are a real treat, at parties w/o flash you can "appear" to take just one picture of your subject, but in reality you took 15 and they don't know it - pick from the best and you usually have the shot. The rotating display with live viewing is a huge plus for holding the camera over your head in a crowd and getting the shot. The ability to "code" all your images with a digital fingerprint invisible to the viewers' eyes (such as your email address) is a big plus. The D5100's enormous memory pretty much only matters to video users or those shooting at full res - I keep mine stepped down to small file sizes but still it's nice to know I could go a whole year without maxing out the camera's memory. The ability to handle contrast is notably better with the D5100. I use Google's wonderful Picasa for all my photos, and previously loved its "I'm feeling lucky" feature for all my work with the D50. Now with the newer D5100, the images are so darned good that even Picasa can't make them prettier. That's impressive. No complaints about the menus, they all make sense.Cons: even with a fairly hot 35mm f1.8 lens the camera's autofocus is slow or inoperative under tough lighting situations - just like about every other autofocus camera I've used so this is not breaking news. There's no way to charge the battery with a USB cable, and to my great surprise this camera's battery life is LOWER than my older D50. The charger is tiny and light but good luck if you forget it on your trip. Nikon says 600 shots per charge and that might be about right - but it's disconcerting to see that after 150 shots the battery meter is no longer pegged to the right. In all the years I owned the D50 I never once had it go dead, but in a mere month with the D5100 it already happened. I'll learn to watch that more closely and it'll be fine, but never the less it was a surprise.If you're still curious about this great camera do yourself a favor and look at what Ken Rockwell has to say about it: (...)

I've been a fairly serious hobby photographer for over thirty years. I had a cheap point and shoot digital camera for snapshots, and a closet full of Olympus SLRs (OM1, OM2, OM4 and all kinds of lenses) for "serious" photography (not to mention a Haselblad for portraits and large prints). I also had a closet full of film, Pan-X and Tri-X for black and white, Kodachrome and Ektachrome for slides, Kodacolor for color prints. Then Kodak starting discontinuing films, when Kodachrome went away I knew I had to join the digital revolution.I was always an Olympus guy, due to the high quality of Zuiko lenses at a lower price than Nikon's Nikkor lenses. Since Olympus has pretty much abandoned the Digital SLR market to Nikon and Cannon, I chose the D5100 for a few reasons. First Nikkor lenses, and second the D5100 features the same sensor as the D7000 at a much more affordable price.I've had the D5100 with the 18-55 VR and 55-200 VR lenses for about a month. I've taken about 500 photos, ranging from a kid's indoor birthday party to a cavern system. I figured being a pretty decent amateur photographer I could just pick up the D5100 and snap away. Turned out I needed to read the manual and learn the scene modes. When I did I am amazed by the quality of photos I was able to take. My cave photos came out as well as anything I've ever done with my OM system film cameras, and the Nikkor lenses are incredibly sharp.I'm glad I gave up 35mm and even more glad that I waited for the D5100.

05 Feb 2012 UPDATE.WORTH THE PRICE I PAID WITHOUT QUESTION!!There was only 1 picture that I took of 345 at Disney World that was not good. OPERATOR ERROR!!The best way to describe this camera is to compare it to a car. You had and older car it had the normal stuff a/c heat,radio. The new ones have buttons to adjust the seat mirrors, temp for one or more drivers. This camera is the same idea..there are many things the camera can do and will do for you that were not available on older cameras. Just like the newer car with all the special features and gadgets.You have to use/play with them to truly understand how they work. There are many "auto" settings where the camera does the work for you, but you can also choose to take some pictures the way you want to.I bought this camera because I wanted to get a picture of my grandson performing at Radio City. His school chorale was pefroming as a "warm-up" for the Rocketts. I wanted get at least one picture of he and his partner dancing.Yes I was able to get a fantastic picture under much less than desiredable conditions. As I stated at the top of the update. This camera is worth every cent.I wanted to get pictures of him while they were doing a dance routine. The conditions for being able to get the idea place for taking picures of them was not the best. Pople were still coming into and getting their seats at the start of their performance23 September 2011.I will be adding to this review in the future.For the best review that I have seen personally (this review was the one that put me over the edge to buy this camera) go to the review that was written by Alan Montgomery on August 17th.My review will be slanted toward a "senior" age level as that is where I am.I have had some experience with SLR as I have a Pentax K1000 35mm film camera.It has taken many great pictures but I felt it was time to move up to digital. In 2007 I bought a Sony DSC-H5, basically for a vacation in Hawaii. It is basically a point and shoot with a great telephoto lens. But being a point and shoot it was somewhat limited, which I did not have a problem with at that time.That is why I now have the D5100, as with grand children, getting involved in difference activities I found myself needing a camera that was capable of taking pictures in low light situations, which the Sony was not that good at handling.For me personally the learning curve on this camera is somewhat intimidating. Again the best way to learn is the old "hands on". The documentaion that came with this package is very informative and definitely gets you headed in the right direction.I will be in Disney World for a week in October and will up date when I have time upon return.

I bought this last year and it was the best purchase I've ever made. It was my first jump to the DSLR world and I'm not looking back. I've taken tens of thousands of photos and taken beautiful HD movies, with film like quality! I don't need an extra HD camcorder. It's all about the lens in movies and photos. The standard lens is spectacular. I even bought a huge Sigma 18-250 lens and while not as good as the original Nikon 18-55 lens that it came with it's pretty good and the zoom is great. The features on the D5100 doesn't stop giving. I love the effects, such as miniature shots and color select. I love the manual mode where I can choose my own settings quickly for creativity. This will be my camera for a very, very long time.

I bought this camera November 2011 after doing some research and talking with other people. It seemed like a great purchase. February I went on vacation, took it out to take pictures, it took a picture but the bottom half was black, a few more shots and it stopped working. The camera would not communicate with the lens. I returned it to Nikon to have it repaired, it took 4 weeks to get it back. It worked great for 7 months until it broke again, same exact problem. I've sent it back to Nikon, they've had it for 4 weeks already and I have not heard from them. The first time it broke I missed a family wedding and now it will be Christmas. I bought it from a distributor and they were unwilling to give me a loaner camera or do anything for me so I'm out of luck. I asked if they can do a trade as this camera has broken twice in one year, obviously defective and the factory can't fix it correctly. They will not work out a deal so I'm out the money if I want to get a new one or I keep paying for repairs now that it will be out of warranty. I will not buy another Nikon as this is a common problem I hear. Next camera will be a Canon.

This was an upgrade from my Nikon D40. I have had many digital cameras over the last 15 years, and a couple film cameras before that.I finally decided to upgrade and go with the D5100. I had a holiday to Florida, and we were going to be on the beach, so I grabbed one. I got good quality but dark photos for the first 25 or so shots (I somehow suppressed the flash by accident!) and then I changed it and the photos were amazing. I got shots at the wildlife park, (turtles, parrots, birds, crocodiles/alligators, little monkeys, fish, and more), got shots of the Dolphins at the Marineland Dolphin Center (moving shots, shots of Dolphins in the air, etc) scenery, and more. Battery life is really good, I can charge it up and get it to last a very long time, over several days. I would recommend another battery just in case.Obviously, it takes great high quality 16mp photos with relative ease. But what did it for me was the video (my older DSLR did not do video, which always annoyed me)Love the HDMI port, SD Slot, rechargeable battery, 1080p video, lcd viewfinder that folds out, picture quality, etcTurning on the video is somewhat awkward, menu takes a little getting used to...Would buy this model again.

Far from a professional, but this camera makes me look good. I still like the kit lens (18-55mm) and the 55-200mm zoom, but with my 70-300mm AF-S VR, this thing is wonderful. Love, love, love the swivel LCD (why doesn't every Nikon have this?) and the 16.2MP is perfect for the size prints I want.

I am definitely an enthusiastic amateur, not a professional photographer by any means. I got the D5100 as an upgrade from my 5 MP point-and-shoot!I must have read every review and every written word about this camera and the D3100 before buying, and a lot of it was over my head. Here's why I chose the D5100 and love it!It's easy to use. As I said, I upgraded from a point-and-shoot. The D5100 has pretty decent "Auto" settings, so I was able to take it out of the box and begin shooting. AMAZING! The speed and quality are incredible! Especially compared to my point-and-shoot! As I'm learning, I'm using more of the customize-able settings, but I really appreciated being able to take the camera out and begin shooting photos immediately. Isn't that what photography is all about?Great built-in flash. I bought (and always use) the SB-400, but before it came in, I was using the built-in flash, and I am impressed. Huge leaps above my point-and-shoot, in terms of light output, color, and lack of red-eye!Amazing in low light. My point-and-shoot wasn't. Low light and night photos may be one of my favorite things from this camera.Articulating screen. I really don't use live view all that often, but as a vacation, family, and pet photographer, the articulating screen has come in handy. I could live without it, but I'm very happy I have it.Ability to use ML-L3 wireless remote. Sounds silly, but this is a feature that sold me on the D5100 over the D3100. Makes family group photos a breeze!Great LCD. To be fair, I haven't actually seen the LCD screen on the D3100 but I had read that it wasn't all it could have been. The screen on the D5100 is fantastic. Of course nothing beats seeing your photos on a nice big computer monitor or printed out, but the LCD is a great tool for previewing photos as you go, and for me, learning as I go! I can critique myself immediately.Filters. People with DSLRs already may not be enthused by this, but as a first time DSLR owner, I'm excited about the different filters that are available to me. My wishlist is growing!So far, the menus and everything have been easy to use, but currently, I am just continually snapping away, and I can get to the technical mumbo jumbo later. I feel like this is a great camera for beginners, but has all the advanced features and quality that I can really grow into and learn to use as I hone my photography skills. Framing and composing pictures in a DSLR is such a different experience than in a point-and-shoot, and the depth of field is amazing. I can't say enough good things about this camera. I was worried it would be too heavy to really carry around (I am never without my pocket point-and-shoot) but that isn't the case, and for the amazing photos I'm getting, I'm willing to carry it with me anywhere!(Also, for other first time DSLR owners, I did upgrade my little 2gb SD card to a 16 gb class 10 card (as recommended by Nikon)).All-in-all an amazing camera purchase and I could not be happier!

I just upgraded a few days ago from D3000 to D5100. What a big difference.1. D5100 picture display is much quicker than D3000. D3000 would take 3 sec process time to display a picture I just captured.D5100 only takes 1 sec.2. It has video capability with tilt screen. Tilt screen let you view the object at any angle.3. Much higher ISO selection.4. It can do auto bracketing, it is very useful for HDR. It only allows to capture 3 exposures. Sometime I need 5 exposures, I have to do 2 of them manually.

Time of use at review - Months (ish)PROs - Bigger and better than anything I've used to date (coming from the D40 and D70)... too many features to list, my suggestion is to go to Nikon's site or read the review of people who know what they're talking about, I'll be busy out shooting this camera!!CONs - Doesn't fly?RATING - 5 stars because there aren't anymore to giveRECOMMEND - YES, I use this camera for everything taking pictures/video of the moon, California beach, road trips, hiking, family functions, holidays... practically everything you take pictures of and learning more every time I take it out.

I purchased this camera before going on a trip to Japan in April 2013.I also purchased a 35mm lens. In Japan I was able to visit the Historical cities of Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Nikko. I only used the 35mm lens and took some amazing photo's. After returning to the U.S. and showing the pictures I took to family and friends they asked questions like..."Did you take photography classes?" and "These photo's look like post cards." I am a beginner when it comes to photography but I was amazed at some of the pictures that I took with this camera.

I am a former point and shoot user, who decided to upgrade to get better quality pictures. I did a few months of research, and realized that the two main contenders to suit my pocket was the Canon T3I and the Nikon D5100.T3I Vs D5100I read every article, watched every video on youtube that spoke about these two cameras and it all comes down to this: if you place your MAIN emphasis on capturing excellent stills, and you love the convenience of video but not into it seriously, then the D5100 is the camera for you. It allows you to take more useable picutes at the higher ISOs than the T3I and you get a longer battery life as well. If however, you want the brilliant pictures, and are a little more serious about videos, the manual controls offered by the T3I gives it the edge as it relates to video.D5100 PROS- Brilliant picture quality- it takes a little bit of tweaking to get it just right, but when you do, the pictures are stunning.- The build quality is good for its price range- personally, after holding both this and the T3I in my hands, i preferred the feel of the D5100 esp around the grip area.- Ease of use- as my first DSLR camera, i found it easy enough to use once you get a hang of the controls- Tilt screen- this is one of my favorite features, because it allows you to capture certain angles without having to lie flat on the ground all the time, or climb a tree- Noise profile- i found that i was able to get useable pictures at ISOs higher than 1600D5100 CONS- No built in autofocus mechanism- i found that this limited the number of lenses that could be used on the camera- No dedicated ISO button- this is such an important feature, i thought that it earned the right to have its own dedicated buttonCONCLUSIONAfter having done all the research, and deciding eventually to buy the D5100 over the T3I, i have not regretted my purchase. i think that the advantages stated above, more than compensates for the challenges faced with this camera. As the camera that has introduced me to DSLR photography, i think i am in capable hands, and have already produced pictures that people feel can easily make it to a magazine. So, as stated before, if videography is not a biggie for you, and you want to take stunning pictures, the D5100 is most definitely the camera for you.

I am disappointed that my Nikon D5100 only produces .MOV movie files and not .AVI. AVI files are standard for PCs with Windows and for Photoshop. For the cost of this camera, Nikon should at least provide a public domain conversion program. Nikon does include a ViewNX2 disk for interfacing a PC withg the camera which I'd give a grade of F+.

The Nikon D5100 was the 4th camera in line of cameras I wanted to get. Initially, I was looking at a D3100 and then realized that I could get a T2i for the same price. After seeing that, I was about to purchase a T2i until the catastrophe in Japan occurred and I was SOL and had to buy a T3i. Okay, fine. I then was about to buy the T3i when I saw the rumored release date/specs of the D5100. After that, i had to wait it out until the D5100 came out. And let me tell you, the D5100 out classes all of them in every single way. The D5100 has so many added features on top of the expected ones that it really makes shooting with this camera fun and exciting.The body feels very comfortable in the hand and if it were any smaller, it would be hard to hold but at the same time if it were any bigger it would likely result in a cumbersome body. The controls have been moved all over the place because of the articulating display, which is actually pretty awesome. I didn't really think i needed an articulating display until I realized how many more shots are easier now that I don't have to have my face directly to the viewfinder all the time. I also really enjoyed all of the special effects in the camera as well as the 11 auto-focus points which is more than its Canon competitors.The camera's overall button layout is pretty nice and since I've never used a Nikon before and haven't really gotten used to say the D3100 or D7000 layout, it makes me happy and I've gotten pretty good at pressing whats needed within a reasonable amount of time. Some people have griped about this, but coming from someone that hasn't owned a DSLR in years its quite decently laid out.When shooting video, there's nothing too fancy it basically lets you do whatever you can do when shooting stills. You get a wide range of resolutions and frame rates between 720P and 1080P from 24FPS to 30FPS. Its smooth and easy to do, and the capture limit is 20 minutes, and there's a tilt-shift effect which is really cool and I recommend everyone try it out.So far, the pop-up flash hasn't been used much by me but in the situations where its needed I've been pretty satisfied with the amount of light and lighting options. Futhermore, the battery life of the actual camera is halfway decent. I wouldn't say its fantastic, but I also wouldn't say it horrid. Its somewhere in the middle and if you do a lot of shooting you're going to need atleast one backup battery.The Kit lens definitely leaves more to be wanted, but it is a kit lens there really isn't much you can expect from it. My recommendation is to buy a 35mm or 50mm prime as well as a telephoto lens as well, those two lenses in combination with the kit lens are the perfect combination and will likely set you back about $500.The nice thing about this camera that I didn't realize is that it actually comes with the USB cable that you need to connect it to the computer which apparently the D3100 is missing(WTH?). Needless to say, I'm quite happy with this camera so far and hope to keep enjoying this all day every day.