Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens

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!

I sold my D3100 and purchased the D5100. I really liked my D3100, but there are 2 features I wanted that the D5100 has: 1.) bracketing function and 2.) ISO 1/3 increments. I like HDR photography, and the 3 exposure bracketing mode makes it easier to do on the D5100 (although I wish it had a 5 exposure bracketing mode). I take a lot of night photos, and the D3100 would only go from 800 to 1600 to 3200. The D5100 will let you shoot at ISO 1000, 1250, 2000, etc. The high ISO performance on the D3100 is very good, but it is outstanding/phenomenal on the D5100. I have taken quite a few ISO 5000 and 6400 photos on the D5100 that come out awesome with almost no noise, even with the stock lens. I recently took a photo at ISO 5000 and posted on flickr that looks like ISO 200 on almost any other camera I have ever used, including my Panasonic GH1. I will share it on Amazon. I believe the incredible low light, high ISO performance is because the D5100 shares the same sensor as the D7000. So this is a big upgrade from the D3100 as far as the sensor in low light environments. I have taken about 500 photos so far, and pictures come out tack sharp with the stock lens. Combined with the 35 mm F1.8 Nikon lens, the camera takes as fantastic of pictures as I could possibly imagine. Battery life is incredible--after 500 pics the battery indicator still showed the full 3 bars. I also like the adjustable swivel screen for when I am shooting on a tripod or above my head. The one thing I do not like about the camera are the placement of the buttons and settings. There is not a button for ISO; you have to press the "i" button then scroll down on the screen and change it. You could assign ISO to the Fn button (which is in a difficult location on the left side of the camera), but then you can't set the camera to a 2 second self-timer without going through the menu. I use the 2 second timer a lot for shooting on a tripod at night, so I didn't change the Fn button. On the D3100, the self timer was on a switch on the top; not sure why they removed that. Overall the controls are somewhat cumbersome in the dark without looking at the camera. I am getting used to them, but they could make it easier. Finally, the D5100 does not autofocus on older Nikon lenses like the D7000 does. But I think the picture quality of the D5100 is probably equal to the D7000 because they use the same sensor. Other than the controls/button placement issue, I love this camera and highly recommend it. I think it is certainly worth the 200 dollars more than the D3100 if you are considering between the 2.

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

that Nikon camera works great. arrived item earlier more than expected, well package, great value, an old model has good condition, no damage, heavy weight and thicker as a camera, good for traveling, great pictures in HD, no need touchscreen or 4k or 8k, better viewfinder, better Sutter speed, better controls, better suitability for beginners, enjoyment, etc.. love it, thank you.

I've always been interested in photography as a hobby but I've never had more than a compact point-n-shoot and usually resorted to using my iPhone 4s, which only produces decent images up close and in good lighting. I primarily enjoy landscape photography, especially sunrises and sunsets, as well as photographing nature in general (storms, animals, plants), all of which the iPhone is awful for. So I decided to get a DSLR and I knew that Nikons were pretty good. After much research I decided on this one and so far I love it. The D5100 has incredible value and bang for your buck. It's somewhere in between the D3100 and D7100 in terms of quality, but it's only a little bit more expensive than the D3100 (while offering a lot more, including significantly higher picture quality) and MUCH less expensive than the D7100, which is only slightly better. If you're looking for a high quality, non-professional camera at a reasonable price, this is the one to get. Canons are great as well, but a Nikon of equal quality tends to be a bit less pricey. I really have no complaints about this camera. The grip is nice, the design is intuitive, and it feels very sturdy and of high quality. The interface is fairly easy to pickup, with the question mark button available to anyone who isn't sure what something means (though it's not always the greatest description). My pictures almost always turn out sharp and colorful and if they don't it's usually because of user error (i.e. I didn't use the best settings for the occasion). The battery lasts surprisingly long if you turn it off when you're not using it (I've been on 5-6 hour hikes and taken over 1500 pictures with the battery still going at 2/3 bars, though I am not using the flash). A few suggestions to someone who was new to DSLR. First, the manual is your friend. I suggest learning to use M/A/S modes, as the auto modes on this can be pretty awful (e.g. the sunset one, which tends to mess up the colors). I also suggest buying a few accessories if you don't have them - obviously a memory card, a lens cleaner and cloth (really a must), a lens hood if you photograph outdoors, and possibly an inexpensive UV filter to protect the lens. In conclusion, I've had a lot of fun with this camera and it takes fantastic pictures. It's even more amazing with a higher quality lens (I suggest trying a 55-200 or 55-300 to complement the lens that the camera came with).

I take thousands of close up macro pictures always using a 35 inch high copy stand. It was challenging for decades using SLR cameras because I had to gaze down into a viewfinder with one eye. Focusing was difficult. I've used Nikon Nikon D100 6MP Digital SLR Camera , Nikon D70S 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera , Fujis, Sonys, Panasonic, and others going back to the 1980's. Because of uncertainty of exposure caused by back lighting, I've made three sets of triple bracketed photos for each item. Recently some photos were needed using the copy stand where the camera needed to be over 3 feet high above the table of the copy stand. I had reached my limit as I used a ladder to be able to gaze down on the subject. There had to be a better way. My Panasonic DMC-FZ150K 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom (Black) just does not cut it for back-lit photos, but it has an LCD screen which swivels out and I would not have to climb the ladder. But the FZ150 does not work well with back lighting. Then I saw the reviews here of the D5100. It had the articulating LCD screen and was a Nikon SLR! But did it have bracketing of exposure? It does! With such a screen maybe I would not have to use one eye looking down on a ladder. I could not order the D5100 fast enough. While waiting a day for my D5100 to arrive I watched a video Blue Crane Digital zBC141 Introduction to the Nikon D5100 : Basic Controls several times to learn about the camera. Now for my experience with the D5100: It is much better than expected! The spot focusing actually works, even with back lit objects. I never could auto focus before for these photos. The AF-S stock lens is constantly focusing in auto focus mode, so I don't have to press the shutter button half way every time I want to focus. That method did not work well for macro close up shots with the older Nikons. With the D5100 use spot metering/focusing option, and move the little box around the screen for the exact spot to focus on. The auto exposure on aperture priority actually works too. I bracket anyway, but only have to take one set of 3 pictures for each item rather than three. The articulating screen is highly functional, and with the convenient position of the "live view" lever it's fast to go into that mode. The AE+- functions works in live view, so I can adjust the exposure while seeing the results on the LCD screen instantly before the picture is taken. The included 18-55mm lens does work for close-up work, and I can still use my old beloved Micro Nikor 60mm AF but without auto focus. Same with my Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro, also without auto focus. The exposure functions work perfectly though. But it's just a matter of time that I get more an AF-S micro lens such as Nikon 85mm f/3.5G AF-S DX ED VR Micro Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras for this camera. The battery life is so long I'm not using an AC adapter, which is a first for me. In summation, for production macro close up work using a copy stand: Great swivel LCD screen with Live View Auto Exposure Control that works in difficult conditions Auto Focusing on close up objects that works well in real time using spot focusing Battery life that goes on and on Convenient buttons Real time exposure control in LCD screen Ultra sharp photos Takes old lenses (no auto-focus) Accurate white balance (after calibrating preset, see pdf manual) Brackets 3 photos quickly, no shutter lag Probably a great point and shoot too, but I prefer to not change all my macro settings for that such as white balance, bracketing, exposure, so I use my Panasonic DMC-FZ150K 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom (Black) with the Leica Lens for that...

Hi everyone, I am new in the DSLR world and Nikon D5100 is my first camera of that kind. Like many, I guess - I did a lot of research before I buy this camera. I was looking for something that will meet my needs, something for my level of “professionalism” and something that will be easy to learn. And I am glad that I did the right choice. This camera is that and so much more. One of the first things that will help you to understand your camera is the menu. Is simple and self-explanatory. As well as the manual. I am type of person who doesn’t want to shoot at “auto” mode (that was the reason I switched from point-and-shoot cameras), so I am playing a lot with the Professional modes (M,A,S, P). Do understand all this modes better; I was using the book “Nikon D5100 – From Snapshots To Great Shots”, by Rob Sylvan. Although the manual that comes with the camera, as I said, is doing a great job – this is also a “must have book” for this camera. It’s free to download in PDF version. It’s not easy to adjust the proper settings at various situations, tough…but with good practice, your Nikon will deliver excellent photos. I purchased this camera together with 18-55 kit lens. And I expected to be heavier that they actually are, but no…the camera body fits perfectly in your arms. The photo quality is excellent (I put my setting to shoot large files) and the HD Video as well. I was really surprised by the microphone – I guess I am used to my microphone from point-and-shoot cameras, so I was happy to find that this one actually records perfect audio. The truth is, I cannot compare this camera with any other from this kind. Like I said, it’s my first. But for the money wise, quality of photos and the kit lenses – it’s just perfect. Also, the flip screen was one of the reasons I decide for this camera ( I found out that not many cameras have this) – which is very helpful when shooting from ground level (which I do) As you will read in many books and magazines (which I highly recommend when buying this kind of camera) – the camera itself will not make you better photographer. Playing with it, practicing and spending time behind it, however – it will. I hope my review helped to someone who is in dilemma what to buy. When I will became an expert in few months & years, I will write again :) Cheers!

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 believe how 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 for the 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 scores heavily 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 1.5 meters. 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!

I am amazed by the service of Buy and Save. This product faced some difficulties in Canadian region and "Buy and Save" instantly informed me about this situation. So, I canceled my order and again, "Buy and Save" returned my money back into account within very short period of time. I will be glad to do business with Buy and Save again.

Did not come with with a camera strap, flash card or owner's manual, i purchased the strap and card from Amazon and got the manual online. At the extremely low price i paid it was no issue. Great camera. Takes wonderful photos.