Nikon D5100 16.2 Megapixel Digital SLR Reviews Roundup
On April 5 2011, Nikon announced the new D5100 DSLR camera. It features the same DX-format 16.2 Megapixels CMOS sensor as the D7000, EXPEED 2 image processing, an improved vari-angle screen, special effects mode and ISO sensitivity range of 100-25600. The D5100 can capture still images at a rate of 4 fps (frames per second), and can record high definition HD video at resolutions up to 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, using MPEG-4 AVCHD / H.264 compression format. Full-time autofocus is available in the D5100's live view and video modes, including a face detection function which can locate up to 35 faces in a scene simultaneously. Other key features of the D5100 include an 11-point AF system, High dynamic range (HDR) imaging capability, Active D-Lighting and seven different special effects for stills and movies. The selection of effects available includes what Nikon is calling Night Vision mode, which allows shooting at ISO sensitivities up to 102,400 equivalent, with a limitation that the resulting image or movie is monochromatic. The Nikon D5100 ships in the US market from mid-April 2011, priced at around $800 body-only, or $900 in a bundle with the AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens. Nikon D5100 Sample Photos on Flickr
Nikon D5100 Camera Reviews Roundup
| DPI: "The Nikon D5100 is a digital SLR that offers plenty to satisfy the needs of buyers looking to get a big sensor interchangeable lens camera for a relatively affordable price (under a thousand bucks/Euros). The D5100 has a 16 megapixel APS-C sized CMOS sensor, 3 inch swivel LCD (that's both sharp and great in viewability) and is compatible with Nikon's full range of modern AF-S type F-mount lenses. The camera can also..." - Jan 28 2012 More » | |
| NeoCamera: "The D5100 has a reliable and generally accurate exposure system. With most scenes, exposure compensation is not required and burnt highlights are rare. The metering system is not entirely conservative, so negative EC is sometimes needed to avoid blown out areas in backgrounds. There are 6 Picture Control styles, each can be modified in terms of sharpness, contrast, brightness, saturation and hue. The Standard s..." - Aug 24 2011 More » | |
| RegHardware: "Image quality comes very close to that of the D7000 with pictures showing very good level of detail and wide dynamic range. Colours are natural yet rich, with beautiful saturation and punch. Metering was mostly spot on, although the camera has a tendency to slightly over-expose skies in certain situations, as the prevalently light colours massage-scene test image shows. I found the D5100 exceptionally well-suited to..." - Aug 06 2011 More » | |
| PhotographyBay: "From a prosumer perspective, the D5100's movie mode is a failure. It lacks any sense of intuitive controls or true manual exposure control. While there are tricks to get the exposure settings close to where you want it, reliability repeating those settings is an operational nightmare. For example, the aperture cannot be adjusted while recording or during live view mode. If you are recording a..." - Jul 19 2011 More » | |
| Imaging Resource: "When we reviewed the preceding D5000 model two years ago, we found a lot to like, with a combination of great image quality and a fairly rich feature set, but we found ourselves questioning Nikon's choice of a bottom-mounted LCD articulation mechanism for several reasons. While it made shooting over your head or low to the ground much more feasible than in SLRs with a fixed screen (even those with wide viewing angle..." - Jul 15 2011 More » | |
| GearGuide: "Two years in the making, the Nikon D5100 isn't a revolutionary change to its predecessor, but in this rare case, just on image quality alone, and especially with the addition of the excellent 921K vari-angle LCD, the D5100 sure seems like a much, much better camera. One of the things that always bothered us about the D5000 was the poor LCD and and not so great live view magnification system, which when combined with..." - Jun 23 2011 More » | |
| pdn: "The Nikon D5100 (5.0 x 3.8 x 3.1 inches) is even smaller than its predecessor, the D5000, and most pros will find its build just too flimsy and toy-like to use as a main camera. This is really a DSLR for an aspiring photographer, a student, or your mom and dad if they've suddenly decided to become more than just the family shutterbug. Having said that, I'm still impressed with the technology behind the D5100 an..." - Jun 16 2011 More » | |
| MacWorld: "The D5100 produces excellent still images, particularly when manual controls are used and the appropriate Picture Control settings are selected and tweaked. Natural-looking but well-saturated colors are the norm, and exposures, even under challenging conditions, are almost always accurate with good dynamic range. The latter is often made even better by implementing Nikon's D-Lighting. Even with the bump in mega..." - Jun 15 2011 More » | |
| Digital Camera Info: "In many ways the Nikon D5100 is what the Nikon D5000 should have been: an evolution of the D90, made lighter and cheaper, with video recording capabilities that stretch beyond gimmickry. While the D7000 is more closely the direct replacement for the D90, the D5100 offers the same image sensor, with improved full-time live view autofocus, and a flip out LCD that improves greatly on the design of the D5000's screen. A..." - Jun 05 2011 More » | |
| Digital Camera Resource Page: "Camera performance was solid in most respects. The D5100 is ready to start taking photos as soon as you flip the power switch. Autofocus speeds when shooting with the viewfinder were quite good, only crossing the one second mark when the camera had to use its AF-assist lamp in low light situations. Live view AF is another story -- you'll wait for 1 - 3 seconds for the camera to lock focus, and in low light, the D510..." - Jun 02 2011 More » | |
| Camera Labs: "As I said at the top of this page, the Nikon D5100 represents a decent upgrade over its predecessor, and while it lacks the manual movie exposure control of the D7000, the choice of multiple 1080p frame rates, live special effects and fully articulated screen arguably make it the company's most confident and flexible movie-making DSLR to date. Certainly if your priority is filming video and you want a Nikon DSLR, th..." - May 31 2011 More » | |
| Trusted Reviews: "Despite using the cheaper metering module of the D3100, the D5100 remains reliable in all lighting conditions, with no tendency to either over- or under-expose. When faced with high-contrast scenes beyond the spectrum of its dynamic range, Nikon's proprietary Active D-Lighting technology can be engaged to preserve more highlight detail. There are four steps in total from 'low' to 'extra high', along with 'automatic'..." - May 12 2011 More » | |
| PhotoReview Australia: "Still images from the review camera were characteristic of Nikon's DSLRs. Exposure metering was consistently competent, regardless of the metering pattern selected and exposures were usually well-positioned. The Active D-Lighting function ensured highlight and shadow details were recorded adequately in most JPEG shots, although the auto setting was unable to compensate fully for strong backlighting. Colour rend..." - May 09 2011 More » | |
| Pocket-lint: "The ISO settings run from 100-6400, followed by "Hi" settings which will see you up to ISO 25,600. There is an option for high ISO noise reduction in the menu. There is a fair difference between Off and High HR, but ultimately the smoothing does remove some detail from your shot and at the highest levels noise is still very obvious. Auto ISO is in place for Auto, no flash and the Night vision effect and we..." - Apr 28 2011 More » | |
| Photography BLOG: "The Nikon D5100 successfully bridges the gap between the beginner-friendly approach of the D3100 and the more complex D7000, with the latter's fantastic 16 megapixel sensor being the icing on the proverbial cake. The D5100 does have a few minor handling issues, most notably the positioning of the Live View switch and the secondary controls on the rear, and it could also be seen as being neither simple enough for com..." - Apr 27 2011 More » | |
| dpreview: "Image quality is definitely the D5100's trump card. It offers effectively the same image quality as the higher-end D7000, at a lower cost, and it's hard to argue that this is not a good thing. Since we're comparing the D5100 to the D7000, it is also worth noting that of the thousands of frames that we've shot with the D5100, we haven't seen the same overexposure problem that bothered us with the D7000 in some condit..." - Apr 26 2011 More » | |
| TechRadar: "Nikon is aiming the D5100 at novice photographers who want to take their hobby more seriously and want a versatile camera that will enable them to take more creative images. The Nikon D5100 is a great choice for these users, but it is also worthy of consideration by more experienced photographers as well. There's plenty of control available over the appearance of images and the 16.2Mp sensor is a higher perform..." - Apr 22 2011 More » | |
| NikonRumors: "My first impressions of the Nikon D5100: the camera is very compact - it handles like a big point and shoot model (think Coolpix P500). The viewfinder is small, it appears even smaller than other DX bodies like the D300s for example. The AF points are actually dots, good that they are illuminated otherwise they will be hard to see. High ISO performance is very good for an entry level model. The new direct LV a..." - Apr 19 2011 More » | |
| pixiq: "Image quality looks damn similar to the D7000, which is to say great. But I what I really really love about this camera is the small size AND the articulating screen. It wasn't until I started using it that I discovered how useful it can be, and for shooting video, that screen is a joy. It makes doing floor level shots, flying a camera on a stabilizer, and doing hail mary angles----useful for stills but absolutely n..." - Apr 12 2011 More » | |
| CNET US: "The back controls are laid out in a typical fashion. The information edit button--not to be confused with the info button on the top--brings up the interactive information display where you adjust most of your shooting settings. My only gripe: there's no way to lock the navigation switch. Since I shoot in single-point area AF mode, I frequently moved the AF point by accidentally pressing the switch. Nikon offer..." - Apr 08 2011 More » | |
| PhotoRadar: "Like other manufacturers, Nikon has a habit of using the same sensor in a number of its cameras. This means that users can be confident of getting the same image quality with different DSLRs and they just need to choose the range of features and level of control they wish to have. The Nikon D5100 has the same 16.2 million pixel CMOS sensor and EXPEED 2 processor as the D7000, but it has the same white balance, meter..." - Apr 06 2011 More » | |
| CNET UK: "The D5100 shoots 1080p high-definition video at up to 30 frames per second. Video clips can be up to 20 minutes long and are stored in the H.264 format. There's an HDMI output so you can watch videos and photo slide shows on your hi-def TV. Nikon has introduced a separate stereo microphone alongside the D5100 to make sure the sound quality matches up to the video quality. The ME-1 mic slots into the hot shoe at..." - Apr 06 2011 More » | |
| Amateur Photographer: "Nikon appears to be taking video very seriously across the range and the D5100 includes a mic input to allow the use of their new ME-1 external microphone that has also just been announced. In terms of features the D5100 shares the D-lighting functionality from the D3100. There are also six settings in picture controls, a new HDR mode, which combines two images with +/-3EV control and in-camera editing for both..." - Apr 06 2011 More » | |
| dpreview: "With the D5100, Nikon has introduced what it's calling 'Effects' mode - a series of special effect filters that can be applied to both stills and video. In this respect they are a lot like the 'Art Filters' introduced by Olympus back in November 2008. There are seven options that, as is often the case with such things, vary in terms of how useful/attractive they are. The Effects can only be accessed when shooting in..." - Apr 06 2011 More » | |
| ePhotoZine: "The camera's ISO ranges from ISO100 to ISO3200/6400 with Hi modes of 12800 and 25,600 available in normal use, and up to ISO102,400 setting available in the Night Vision scene mode (not a typo!). This should enable shots to be taken at night of wildlife or in other situations where you simply would not have otherwise been able to get a photo without using flash or alternative lighting methods. The camera does switch..." - Apr 06 2011 More » | |
| Trusted Reviews: "DSLR video enthusiasts are well catered for with an improved movie mode that offers 1920x1080 Full-HD recording at up to 30 frames per second, in H.264 MOV format. Autofocus remains operational while recording is in process and it's possible to attach a stereo microphone using the connection panel on the side of the camera. Mindful of the increasing popularity of DSLRs for video work, Nikon has also announced the in..." - Apr 06 2011 More » |
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User Review of the camera - Nikon D5100
Graduation Gift, Brenda
Arrived with no issues, got a "Dummy" book to go with it, the camera was a graduation gift from college
Great camera, Jamie D
Love this camera. It's my first DSLR. It takes a bit to get used to since there a lot of controls and stuff you can do but you can get some awesome pictures. I'm still learning more about all the manual modes, but I've gotten better at my picture taking with this camera. It's helped me a lot. If you're more of a beginner photographer, this camera will be great for you. I don't think you need to spend $1,000 or more on a camera when this one is perfect enough.
The product wasn't in the subscribed condition, Andrey Popovich
I bought a camera from this seller. I asked him a few questions about the camera before I bought it. This person said the camera was in perfect condition with no scratches. After I got it the camera had a lot of scratches on the screen and on the side by usb and some other ports. The price could be a little lower I guess
Good camera - beginner photographer, Madees
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.
Beware!, Dimon
Nikon D5100 is notoriously known for the stuck shutter problem. Mine died after 3000 actuations.
Poor quality control, such a shame :-(
D5100 over all its nice for my Girl she loves it, cito
give it a 3 very good low noise i high iso better than my old sony A65 at 1600 iso minus one star for build quality but should be expected on a low end camera minus another star for focus point very limited to focus where i want.
Really good!, @jh_sanchez
For a semi professional DSLR camera this is just awesome. Easy to use for a beginner user like me. Extremely recommended for everybody.
A review just on it's ease of use, and quality, Avid Collector
I bought this product for my wife, who has a good eye, but has never learned about photography, and is only sort of interested in the qualities of light, contrast, color, etc. She primarily likes to have a product that she can use. Like a car - she wants to be able to drive it, she is not really interested in how powerful the engine is, or what kind of electronics are in it.
She loves this camera. She is able to take pictures in a variety of settings and light conditions, and has great success in getting good pictures. Her primary target is my tennis playing son, so she needs to be able to capture motion, and have him be in focus. The sports setting on the camera does a great job with that. She has this paired with the 18-200 Nikon lens, and finds that to be perfect. For those wondering about the need for an external flash (I have one), she has not run into many situations that the internal flash has not been adequate for most things, although there is a problem with red-eye (which should be expected).
Set up is quick, simple, and intuitive. She has no problems with transferring pictures, and getting what she needs in the settings. As she has progressed, and wants to be able to take pictures in more "difficult" settings (for instance at a person with a bright light source in the background), she has been able to read, and learn how to do this, so the camera has grown with her.
I would consider myself a advanced amateur, and also find this camera to be a joy to use, although I do miss some settings that I have on my D90.
I would recommend this camera to anyone from beginner (that wants a camera they can grow with, not just a point and shoot - it does a great job, but probably a waste of money - there are many cheaper options that would do fine for that) to an advanced amateur. The camera is easy to use, and able to take high quality pictures in a variety of settings. The program modes are exceptional in their ability to do as they are supposed to most of the time. Build quality is great, and weight / ergonomic aspects are very good. My wife has normal size hands for a woman and she finds it quite comfortable. For the tennis tournaments, I did convince her to use a monopod, and she agrees she gets much better pictures now.
Great camera, George Houde
I intend to use this for video interviews and general photography. My only complaint is short battery life for video and no AC plug in. Also no headphone jack for monitoring audio. Otherwise a very good camera.
Nikon D5100 2 MP CMOS Digital SKR Camera, Robert Wintermeier
Excellent but I still haven't learned how to use all its features. Still trying to load software to enhance pictures.
Great Video Tool., Wesley C. Brooks
Great Video Tool. I produce and host a local cable TV Show and we use a few of these in making our video for the show. Works so much better than I had expected. Looking to pick up a few D7100's next to work with these.
Amazing Camera, Sherwin Roach
Im just getting into the photography and I always hear the big names photographers talking about SLR Cameras so I decided that I had to get one for myself as well. Now i know why they talk so much about that camera. The quality is very clean (16MP) and the zoom on the lens is fantastic for beginners. I have been using it for just about 1 month and I have no regrets and loving it more and more each time I use it
awesome, Vitin
I bought it for a friend new startinf photography business and she is in love with her new camera, perfect for shootings and street photography
Love this camera!, Fox
If you just want to shoot and not fuss around all day with your settings, this is a great camera. I'm used to a larger, heavier camera, so this one seems very light and about a finger's width too small; I was able to remedy that with a battery grip. Be aware that if your lenses aren't AF-S type, they will work with this camera but you will be limited to manual focus.
good choice!, R. Kearney "history lover"
I bought this for a friend, who is extremely pleased with the store and the product. The movable screen, the movie capabilities, it's got it all.
Not as good as the 3100, Catherine M. Smith "Marie"
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.
Smile!, T-Virus
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 give
RECOMMEND - 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.
Great Lens, Julie Nemecek
Very versatile lens with exceptional ease of use. The vibration reduction helps minimize the blurring that sometimes comes with telephoto lenses. The only drawback is the f 4.5 maximum aperture (I couldn't afford the much more expensive lens). But for the price it is a great lens
Love it!, Anne M. Thomas
This is a great camera for a novice photog and filmmaker. The ONE disadvantage is when filming YouTube videos you can hear the camera lens when it is trying to focus. It can sometimes take a while to autofocus. A fix to that is the mic I bought for it and just film editing! I won't write too much since there are a gazillion reviews on here!
Check out FroKnowsPhoto on YouTube for a great in-depth review. I find his videos helpful!
Wow What Photos!, Richard
I have been using a Lumix with a Leica lens for a few years. When I got this, I can't believe the difference! It has a lot of manual features that I"ll use later after I become more accustomed to this camera. For now, I have been using the auto mode and love the results!