Nikon D3100 (with 18-55mm lens, Black)

• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 24 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 10 stars

  Small, fun and perfectly capable

  by GilbertoMoore on September 25, 2011

  Pros: Excellent Image Quality
  The HD video mode is also impressive
  Battery life is superb
  Menu screen are intuitive and easy to navigate
  Great feel and ergonomics

  Cons: Noisy in video mode

  Summary: I bumped up to a DSLR after owning a Fuji S9600 bridge camera which was pretty close to the real thing anyway. Not being particularly flush at the time, I ...

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  Summary: I bumped up to a DSLR after owning a Fuji S9600 bridge camera which was pretty close to the real thing anyway. Not being particularly flush at the time, I was careful about making the right choice of camera as well as a relatively cheap choice. I was in two minds as to whether to purchase this camera or the more expensive Rebel T1i, but after hearing that the Nikon produced slightly better images, I made my choice and haven't looked back since!
  
  If you're considering buying this camera, I'd always advise having a hands-on trial in a high-street shop first as you'll be surprised at how small it is! I have relatively nimble hands, so is perfect for me, but slightly heavier mits might struggle to get a good grip. With the kit lens, it's a nice weight and well balanced, though anyone moving up from a super zoom like me will be opting for a tele-zoom as you'll miss the extra reach. The buttons are well laid out and the main functions in the menu screen are intuitive and easy to navigate quickly when needed.
  
  If you're a beginner, the D3100 has many features which will ease you into the advanced features over time though if you are a more intermediate user like me, you can switch these off. You'll notice you'll get impressive images straight away with the 14mp CMOS sensor with some rich, vivid colours. I tend to take a lot of outdoor photography so was impressed with the greenness of the grasses and blue of the skies etc.
  
  The HD video mode is also impressive for an entry level camera, though the sound is only what can be expected from an onboard microphone and no external mic can be attached. Saying that, as long as you keep the auto focus off (it's very noisy in video mode, sounds like an imp scratching inside) you can get some passable sound quality if you're recording Youtube vids etc.
  
  Battery life is superb and a far cry from the rechargeable AA's I used to use in my old bridge camera. Best stick to the one and only upgrade to two batteries if you really think you'll be hitting the battery life hard as you'll get a good few hundred shots out of it before it needs a charge.
  
  Despite my initial reservations price-wise (you can see best deal for this camera at " bestmerchant.blogspot.com/2011/09/best-merchant-for-nikon-d3100.html "), I haven't at all regretted buying this camera. It'll see me through a good few years of quality photography.

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  9 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 9 stars

  Great for Cinematic looking HD video

  by hurricaneandy on October 5, 2010

  Pros: Manual Control of ISO, F-stop, Shutter speed, White balance in video mode (by using AE-Lock)
  Manual Focus
  Subject Tracking Auto Focus (useful for steadicam)
  21mbps (so far, might be able to push it higher)
  Improved ISO, less noise in lower light

  Cons: Jello Video Effect (Though it's not any worse than any other CMOS censor utilizing video if you understand how to operate a camera)
  No microphone input (isn't an issue if you use a separate recorder)

  Summary: I produce independent television and short films utilizing DVX100b and HVX200a cameras. I decided to move into DSLR video production specifically due to this camera. I've shot still photography ...

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  Summary: I produce independent television and short films utilizing DVX100b and HVX200a cameras. I decided to move into DSLR video production specifically due to this camera. I've shot still photography for years on Nikon with beautiful results. With this camera I can now get those looks on video without buying overly expensive 35mm adapters for video cameras. I've seen a lot of complaints elsewhere about the "jello effect" this camera supposedly has. I don't see any more than you'd get on normal CMOS censors as long as you aren't a moron and know how to operate video/film cameras. I've gotten bit rates up to 21mbps, which for some people is too low, but if you're like me and shooting with HDTV or the web in mind I think it's an appropriate bit rate. You ARE able to use manual controls for shooting, you just have to lock them with the AE-Lock button before you move into live view. All exposure functions (ISO, F-stop, Shutter, White balance) can be locked giving you for all extents and purposes full manual control in video mode. Manual focus and Exposure compensation are available to tweak while recording. Subject Tracking AF is useful for tracking and steadicam shots, but outside of that I wouldn't really consider using automatic features, not because they're not good, just because it's unprofessional. It doesn't have microphone inputs, but I record to a separate audio recorder anyways.
  With Nikon's 35mm F1.8 DX prime lens this camera is capable of some really stunning cinematic HD video. Against Canon cameras in a similar price range the D3100 appeared much more cinematic in quality, whereas the Canon had more of a video look to me.

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  3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 4 stars

  Biggest flaw in D3100's Auto ISO settings.

  by kgvenky on January 1, 2011

  Pros: 1. soft / cool colored pictures
  2. Extra button for single, continues picture
  3. Light weight

  Cons: Apart from WORST AUTO ISO logic, which is making this camera useless for casual photographers,
  1. Live View is OK. Very slow AF
  2. Video is just OK, very difficult to use zoom. many time AF is not working, blur / out of focus videos
  3.Slow AF

  Summary: I recently purchased Nikon D3100 to replace my Nikon D60.
  I did research for more than a month going through all the reviews in the Internet. Generally, review on this ...

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  Summary: I recently purchased Nikon D3100 to replace my Nikon D60.
  I did research for more than a month going through all the reviews in the Internet. Generally, review on this Camera is good. I purchased this Camera for its Full HD Video capability, Live View and SD-XC (up to 64 GB) memory card compatibility.
  
  I am not a professional photographer, but have passion to photography, So, I bought this entry level D-SLR camera for better quality image than POINT-AND-SHOOT camera.
  I have read lot of books on D-SLR settings like ISO, F-Number, Aperture, Exposure compensation etc, in actual shooting; I end up using AUTO mode.
  
  THE PROBLEM WITH NIKON D3100 (I use with NIKON SB-600 External Flash Unit)
  In AUTO mode, Nikon D3100 selects only "AUTO ISO SENSITIVITY"
  
  WITH FLASH UNIT: In indoor shooting; it selects very high ISO Sensitivity (mostly ISO 3200). So the image quality is not good. In the same condition Nikon D60, selects ISO value of 200, whereas, Nikon D3100 selects ISO 3200. I mean, the Nikon D3100 is not considering the Flash Unit and is not adjusting the ISO accordingly.
  
  WITHOUT FLASH IN CLOUDY MORNING TIME: Even in outdoor daylight shooting, Nikon D3100 uses wide variety of ISO sensitivity (100 to 1600) whereas D60 used between ISO 100 to 400, in the same lighting condition. The image quality of the D3100 is not good in AUTO mode and it is only comparable to any POINT-AND-SHOOT camera.
  
  You can check this in dpreview site; in D3100 (in pg 14 of review) photo of the reviewer taken with built-in flash has ISO 3200, whereas for D60 (in pg 21 of review)photo of the reviewer taken with built-in flash has ISO 100. In the review they have not mentioned about this, but for curiosity, I downloaded the images and checked the EXIF information.
  
  Even the reviewer in dpreview.com has not noticed this biggest flaw!!! It's actually a casual shot with built-in flash, the end result is grainy ISO 3200 picture.
  
  Also, try with PASM mode, by setting SOME max ISO value. In flash mode with Auto ISO, it sets this MAX ISO. The only option we have with camera is setting ourselves an ISO value. D3100 selects high ISO values in AUTO ISO setting and the resulting in high grain pictures, which prevents you to use this entry level D-SLR for Casual photography.
  
  I am just back from 15 days vacation, with more than 1500 pictures taken, out of which 90% taken in AUTO mode. only 3 pictures are in ISO 100. All other in ISO 400 to 1100 in daylight, and ISO - 1100 to 3200 in flash mode.
  
  If you are owner of D3100, please check / review your own photos.
  
  Nikon D3100 has biggest flaw in Auto ISO logic, which prevents you to use this entry level D-SLR for Casual photography. Also Live View and Video is not meeting expectations. My D60 is much better than D3100. I am going to sell D3100 and retain my D60. (If Nikon can fix this in firmware, I like to retain D3100, I have written to Nikon, awaiting reply)
  
  If you want to buy an entry level D-SLR Camera to use like POINT-AND-SHOOT, Nikon D3100 is NOT the ONE.
  
  (Nikon D3100 may produce excellent images with Pro Modes like P,S,A & M, but certainly not in AUTO mode)

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 8 stars

  Excellent DSLR, video letdown. Sony a55 better

  by masters86 on November 30, 2010

  Pros: excellent still pictures, great auto white balance, low noise, ergonomics

  Cons: video is so-so, with slow and noisy AF. mono mic, no mic input

  Summary: This camera is very good, takes excellent pictures, the automatic white balance works better than any DSLR I've tried. The video, however, is a let down; quality is excellent, ...

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  Summary: This camera is very good, takes excellent pictures, the automatic white balance works better than any DSLR I've tried. The video, however, is a let down; quality is excellent, provided you don't move and that your subject does not move much. Autofocus is in fact slow and noisy. Audio is mono. No mic input. For about the same price ($100 or more), you can get the Sony a33 or a55. Much better deal
  http://www.zephanos.com/2010/11/what-is-hottest-video-dslr-of-this-2010.html

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  1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 8 stars

  Not too bad for the price tag

  by Mnikgun on January 8, 2013

  Pros: Better picture quality, Cheep and user friendly

  Cons: No AF motor in body

  Summary: It's a good entry level camera for the beginners.

  Summary: It's a good entry level camera for the beginners.

• 1 stars

  Over priced!

  by tansnout on October 16, 2012

  Pros: Great quality of pictures when its not broken! Easy to use.

  Cons: Quality, quality, quality! Our camera broke after a year and a half. Shutter issued is not covered under warranty. Extra $170 to fix! Customer service is a joke!

  Summary: Bought to capture our son growing up. Paid $800 and the camera lasted a year and a half! A broken shutter due to poor quality will set you back another $...

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  Summary: Bought to capture our son growing up. Paid $800 and the camera lasted a year and a half! A broken shutter due to poor quality will set you back another $170. Stay away from Nikon! Don't learn the hard way as I did!!!!

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• 9 stars

  Best value for money for entry level D-SLR segment!

  by parth_pandit on January 5, 2012

  Pros: - Excellent image quality, even in high ISO
  - Guide mode for entry level people
  - Rich set of post-production features
  - Light weight
  - Ease of use
  - Superior battery life

  Cons: - No flip screen
  - No slot for external microphone
  - Slow burst rate - 3/sec

  Summary: The clear winner for entry level D-SLR, especially if your budge is less than $600. It is undoubtedly better than Canon T2i. But it lacks some features as compared to ...

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  Summary: The clear winner for entry level D-SLR, especially if your budge is less than $600. It is undoubtedly better than Canon T2i. But it lacks some features as compared to Canon T3i, although no compromise in image quality. But you pay around $100 more for T3i.
  
  D3100 has real nice video capturing abilities with full HD 1080p at 24f/sec. Which turns out quite good. The video is although a bit noisy in low light condition.
  
  In-short, I have no regret for my decision of buying Nikon D3100 after a research of almost 2 months. I still love the camera and the images it gives me. It is a best value for money option under $600. People planning to buy high-end point-to-shoot cameras with mega zoom, should consider this option, which may give far superior images than a point-to-shoot camera.

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• 10 stars

  Brilliant for beginners & people on a shoestring budget

  by iamelwoodblues on September 6, 2011

  Pros: Easy to use
  Plenty of accessories and compatible lenses to use
  I love the noise reduction
  Battery lasts for hundreds and hundreds of shots
  Feels solid, well built and ergonomic
  Both kit lenses (the 18-55mm and the 55-200mm) are sharp, accurate, fast and v

  Cons: I would've enjoyed a higher res LCD screen but this one is sufficient
  Video is OK and the settings are more flexible than the Canon equivalent (things like shutter aperture and ISO settings can be manually set)
  Lacks some of the features that come higher

  Summary: I really can't fault this camera! It's my first DSLR and from the moment I fired it up and took my first shots with it I felt at ...

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  Summary: I really can't fault this camera! It's my first DSLR and from the moment I fired it up and took my first shots with it I felt at home with it and haven't really needed to hit the manual to work things out! It's seen me progress from Amateur to Intermediate photographer and has accompanied me to many different occasions in all circumstances; it hasn't left me wanting for a moment!
  I had a look at some of the 3 word 1 star reviews of this kit and I can't understand why, the pictures are brilliant and tack sharp, the menus make sense and even the video (which isn't what an SLR camera is really designed for) is OK; I'm gonna assume that people giving poor reviews just haven't taken the time to work this camera out and find what the best settings are or how to use it properly. I think there's a reason Flickr rates this as the 3rd most popular Nikon camera in its database, it's just that good and easy to use!
  
  Cons ive listed above but for a cheap, good quality SLR this one is perfect!
  P.S. if you wanna have a look at some of the photos I've taken with this camera as proof of what I think of it and its performance...have a look here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/62178886@N05/

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• 10 stars

  Awesome camera, affordable, great for beginners

  by joemav57 on May 23, 2011

  Pros: Great photos, got a great package deal, very affordable. Great camera for DSLR beginners. Decent battery life. Easy to handle and light weight.

  Cons: No mic input. No internal memory, so you'll need to purchase an SD card.

  Summary: This is my first DSLR camera. I am astonished at the photo I have taken. Truly awesome. The price was too good to pass up. Great for pros and beginners. ...

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  Summary: This is my first DSLR camera. I am astonished at the photo I have taken. Truly awesome. The price was too good to pass up. Great for pros and beginners. Light and easy to hold. Having now graduated from a point-and-shoot, I have this camera fairly easy to use. There is some learning curve if you're new to DSLR, but you will soon learn it is not that hard. Looking forward to years of great photos. While it shoots HD video, I have not yet to uncover that aspect of the camera.

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• 10 stars

  over all good!

  by FOTOGRAFO_1975 on March 26, 2011

  Pros: i love the pictures and the video is perfect to up load to you tube and more

  Cons: for me none

  Summary: I take photography at weddings and more and that camera has been a very good complement to my work easy to carry lightweight comfortable giving a break to the hands ...

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  Summary: I take photography at weddings and more and that camera has been a very good complement to my work easy to carry lightweight comfortable giving a break to the hands and wrists and Acquisitions tremendous family use.

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