Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens Kit (16.2MP) 3 inch LCD (discontinued by manufacturer)

Product Information

While the camera is being used in live view mode it’s possible to record movies, and here too the new model has received a boost over its predecessor, with the ability to record at 1920 x 1080 pixels, at 24 or 25fps (plus 30fps for NTSC regions). The D5000 could only record at a maximum 720p. The D5100’s improved abilities put it, on paper at least, in the same league as the Canon EOS 600D and Sony A580, with the Pentax K-r trailing behind somewhat with a maximum setting of 1080 x 720p at 25fps. The D5100’s movie files are recorded in the H.264 format It is nice that the Live View button is now eliminated and replaced with a lever on the top of the camera. The lever felt much more intuitive when I needed to focus using contrast-detect or when shooting video; plus, it pretty much eliminates chances of accidentally triggering Live View via a button. The negative side to the new Live View lever, is that the video record button is now located on the top of the camera. This is probably something video enthusiasts will not like. When I was shooting videos of bears in Yellowstone, I had to look at the top of the camera to locate the record button, which was very inconvenient, since I had the Nikon 200-400mm f/4 VR mounted on my tripod at full length. I would rather have the live view lever together with the record button located in the same spot, just like on the Nikon D7000. NIKON D5100 + 24mm f/1.4 @ 24mm, ISO 400, 1/15, f/8.0 Can be used in mode M, but exposure meter does not function; electronic range finder can be used if maximum aperture is f/5.6 or faster The D5100 is without doubt one of the most compelling products in its class, and offers an excellent mixture of straightforward handling, a well-targeted feature set, and excellent video and still image quality. As we'd expect from a camera with such a solid lineage, the D5100 is responsive and reliable in operation, and produces excellent images with a minimum of fuss. It is only the second Nikon DSLR to feature an articulated LCD screen and we much prefer the more conventional side-hinged design to the D5000's more awkward bottom-hinged effort. The side-hinged screen is much more versatile, as well as being considerably easier to use with the camera mounted on a tripod. Despite many of the buttons moving around, one thing that remains very much in the D5100’s favour is the straightforward menu navigation system. Nikon has always excelled at simplifying menu navigation and the D5100 is no exception. This makes the D5100 really easy to use. While the main Menu button to the left of the viewfinder is used to access more complicated settings, the handy button to the right of the viewfinder can be called upon to access a single-screen menu of the most regularly used settings – from ISO to AF mode via Picture Controls and Metering mode. With all the options displayed clearly on the monitor, accessing and changing these key settings with the D-pad proves both easy and intuitive, becoming almost second-nature before long.

Please note that the D5100 has been discontinued, and the newest model in this lineup is the D5600. We do have some concerns though, mostly as regards the arrangement of the D5100's second-tier controls. Some of the control points appear to have been positioned almost at random and, with the exception of the articulated LCD screen, we're not convinced that the operational and ergonomic changes that Nikon has made compared to the D3100 add any value to the camera. In fact, the contrary might even be true, especially as regards the redesigned live view switch. Judged on its own merits though, the D5100 does its job very well indeed. A novice-friendly feature set and (relatively) wallet-friendly asking price belie an extremely capable sensor and AF system. We are left with a lingering worry, though, that the D5100's entry-level ergonomics might not prove quite so adaptable to the evolving needs of a first-time DSLR buyer as a camera like the Canon EOS 600D/Rebel T3. Elsewhere, things are very much as one might expect of an advanced entry-level DSLR from Nikon -¬ the full suite of Program, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority and Manual shooting controls are present, as is a fully automatic mode, a forced flash-off mode and a selection of scene modes. One thing new addition to the shooting mode dial is the Special Effects option. This is basically a range of digital filters ¬– such as the aforementioned ‘Night Vision’ extended-ISO option – that can be selected to give your images a unique look. We’ll have more to say about these later in the review. Because of the way viewfinders are measured (using a fixed lens, rather than a lens of equivalent magnification), you also need to take the sensor size into account, so the numbers in the diagram below are the manufacturer's specified magnifications divided by the respective 'crop factors'.

The Nikon D5100 is equipped with a variety of features that can help during photography sessions spanning a range of conditions and situations. Functions like the Horizontal Swing mode add a level of flexibility to the abilities of a photographer.

In Live View mode the D5100 is generally a very agreeable companion, but things aren't completely trouble free. The D5100 inherits the D7000's (relatively) fast contrast-detection AF, ISO sensitivity 100 to 6400 and up to 25600 with boost. With monochrome Night-vision up to ISO 102400 equivalent. DSLR newcomers trying to gain a better understanding of what all the various features and functions do are well catered for too, with a simple tap of the ‘?’ button bringing up short snippets of easy-to-understand information on what each of the selected settings and functions does. It’s not quite as simplified as the Guide Mode of the D3100, but still a useful addition.

The D5100 is a smaller and (we think) more attractive camera than its predecessor the D5000. It is less bulbous, and closer to the D3100 and D7000 in terms of styling. The most significant design difference is the addition of a side-hinging LCD screen in the D5100, as opposed to the bulkier (and more awkward) bottom-hinged LCD used in the D5000. Since the arrival of the D3 and D300 in 2008, Nikon has deservedly gained a reputation for producing DSLRs able to shoot in low-light at high sensitivities while delivering images largely free of intrusive, image-degrading noise. The professional-grade D3s currently leads the way here with a top (expanded) ISO setting of 102,400, but models further down the line are increasingly benefitting from Nikon’s expertise in this field. A convenient lever is placed at the top of the DSLR which lets you switch to Live Mode with one easy move. The Video Record button is placed next to the shutter release for easy access to record those sudden yet fleeting moments. This SLR camera has a rechargeable Li-Ion EN-EL14 battery with which you can take 660 shots when completely charged. As for storage, you can use SD, SDHC or SDXC memory cards to store your photos and videos on the camera. In terms of handling, the D5100 balances quite well with light lenses such as the kit Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR and Nikon 35mm f/1.8G prime lens, and not so well with lenses that are much heavier than the camera body. Despite its small size, the camera fits nicely and feels good in hands. The location of the new buttons and controls won’t take much time to get used to, although I personally prefer the older layout with the buttons located on the left side of the LCD.

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless ( Infrared) and MC-DC2 wired remotes. [11] Third party remotes are also available. [12] We thoroughly enjoyed using the new screen. Not only is it very sharp and detailed enough for composing and reviewing images on, we also found that the flexibility of movement it offers actively encouraged us to try new and unconventional angles while we were out shooting. These changes resolve two rather awkward aspects of Nikon's existing lineup: if the D5100 and D7000 end up being neighboring models it will avoid the inelegant overlap that existed between the D5000 and D90. It also ensures a more elegant appearance to the models themselves (the D5000 was many things, but pretty wasn't one of them).

which goes a long way towards making the mode more generally useful for everyday shooting, but it's still nowhere near as fast and seamless as competitors like the Sony A55 and Panasonic G2 that are designed specifically for compact-camera style live view usage. The Nikon D5100's viewfinder magnification is 0.78x, putting it in-line with its immediate peers once the crop-factor has been taken into account. This is not bad for an optical viewfinder at this price, but is much smaller than the 1.1x electronic viewfinder in Sony's competing A55 (Which would appear as 0.73x on this diagram). The D5100 offers a sensitivity range that stretches from ISO 100-6400 in standard mode, stretching to a maximum extended setting of ISO 25,600. If that’s still not quite enough, you can also call upon a ‘Night Vision’ option that pushes the sensitivity up to ISO 102,400, although these images can only be recorded in monochrome and are, as you might expect, super grainy in appearance. The viewing screen of the camera is designed in such a manner that it allows for a variable angle of swing. This gives you ample opportunities to take pictures no matter how and where the subject is located.

sharpest optic ever produced by Nikon, it does provide very good value for money and should prove more than adequate for general use and certainly as a starting point for first-time DSLR users. The ISO sensitivity of the Nikon DSLR ranges from 100 to 6400. You can extended up to a whopping 25600 equivalent to give you better results in dim light situations. The four noise reduction settings give you the freedom to shoot good pictures in any lighting. The shutter speed ranges from 1/4000 - 30 sec in, and also includes bulb setting for long exposures. The Nikon D5100 DSLR has built in pop up flash with several sync modes and a hot shoe for external flash.

Light Room 3 now supports tethered capture for Nikon D7000". Blog GlamourPhotography.co . Retrieved 2011-09-26. [ permanent dead link] The Nikon D5100, is a member of the popular series meant for the entry level enthusiastic photographer. You can not only take great pictures with it, but you can also record videos in Full-HD mode at 1920 x 1080 p. Automatic correction of lateral chromatic aberration for JPEGs. Correction-data is additionally stored in RAW-files and used by Nikon Capture NX, View NX and some other RAW tools.