Nikon 5100
Rating:
The Nikon D5100 is a difficult DSLR to categorise. It sits somewhere in between the mid-upper level D700 and the entry level D3100. The ergonomics are similar to the D3100 and it shares the powerful 16MP CMOS sensor possessed by the D700O. It has a few tricks of its own chucked in however, such as the new ‘Effects’ modes, and the articulated LCD screen.
The D5100 has a 921,000 dot vari-angle 3 inch LCD screen which allows for versatile video recording. You can record from all sorts of angles, be it ground level, overhead or self-portrait.
There’s plenty of special effects included to use with still photos or recorded movies. With the Selective Color you can isolate any color in the scene, and the Night Vision can capture the details that you can’t see in the darkness with human eyes. Other modes include the Miniature Effect which can make the scene appear like it’s on a miniature scale, and the Color Sketch which can craft outlines of the subjects and play them back as still slides in a slideshow.
The CMOS sensor offers a wide ISO range of 100 to 6400 with reduced noise. This lets you shoot with quicker shutter speeds and reduce blurring.
You can currently buy the Nikon D1500 from Amazon.com with a $50 discount. Click here for more information.
Nikon D5100: Technical Details
- 3-inch, 921,000-dot Vari-Angle LCD Monitor
- In-camera Special Effects Mode
- In-camera HDR (High Dynamic Range)
- 1080p HD Movies with Full-Time Autofocus
- 16.2 MP DX-format CMOS sensor
The Nikon D5100 is considered one of the companies’ “high end enthusiast” DSLR’s, meaning that it shares the D7000′s images sensor but it doesn’t have some of the other high-end features. Having said that, the D5100 offers similar image quality to the D7000, and can do a few tricks that the D7000 can’t.
When compared with the lower-priced D3100, the D5100 has better image quality, resolution and speed, as well as higher resolution articulating display. This happy-medium position makes this model hit the sweet spot for Nikon’s consumer DSLR products.
The low-light performance is simply outstanding. The level of detail captured, even at high ISO’s is very impressive. It’s best to capture at RAW and RAW+JPEG if you’re going to want to come back and fine-tune the exposure of your photos. The Active D-Lighting is a very effective for improving the dynamic range of an image to equalize differences between low-light and high-light areas.
The improvement in image quality over the former model the D5000 is not massive, yet it is noticeable. The D5100 gives higher resolution for better cropping, and 14 bit RAW images give a better dynamic range for improving flexibility after taking a picture.
Overall Rating: 4 stars
Nikon D5100 Buyer Quotes
“D5100 superior low light excellent image quality and loving it more, I have returned my D3100 and keeping Nikon D5100 instead “
“This is a fantastic new offering from Nikon. You get most of the best parts of the D7000 for 1/3 cheaper. If you are looking for a starter camera or a back up body to the D7000 this is it.”
For full information or to buy the Nikon D5100, click here. Most orders are eligible for free shipping.
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