Nikon D3100 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm VR, 55-200mm Zoom Lenses (Black) (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

I am a photography teacher in NYC and online. (See my Amazon profile for my website.) I teach beginner and intermediate photography students every week. Ive also been a professional photographer for the last five years with images published in The New York Times, GQ, New York Magazine, Womens Wear Daily, The New York Observer, The Village Voice and Time Out New York. (This review is for beginner photographers.) If youre a beginner, youre most likely asking yourself: Nikon or Canon? Really, I feel confident in saying that you cant go wrong with either. Ive used both brands cameras extensively and find that they both offer amazing image quality with well-built, solid cameras that, if taken care of, will last decades. There are two differences between the cameras, though, that can be taken into consideration. The user-interface: If cameras were computers, Nikons would be PCs and Canons would be MACs. PCs are built for people not afraid of technology whereas Macs are built for people who want things super-easy. Nikons excel at customization options which means youll see so many more options with the Advanced features of a Nikon than you will with a Canon. Canons, on the other hand, excel at ease-of-use for beginners. Canons offer less advanced options and can be easier to learn on. This can be frustrating down the line, though, once youve learned a lot about photography. At that point you may want all of the options that Nikon offers and be frustrated with your Canon. If youre someone who really likes to delve deep into your hobbies or if youre intent on becoming a professional photographer, Id say a Nikon would be your best bet. If youre someone who wants to learn the basics of photography and only imagine yourself being a hobbyist, Canon would be a better option for you. Where Nikon excels: Flash photography. I often find myself in situations where Im shooting event photography (weddings, movie premiers, benefits and galas) where I need to use a lot of flash. For this kind of photography, Ill always prefer to be shooting with a Nikon. Nikons flash metering (how the camera magically decides how much light to fire out of the flash) is much more consistent than Canons. You can take a Canon and shoot the same scene three times in a row with flash and all three images will be at different brightness levels. You can do the same thing with a Nikon and all three images will be wonderfully the same. If youre somebody who plans on shooting a lot with flash (indoor photography, event photography, etc.) youll want to consider going with Nikon. Where Canon excels: Richness of colors. Ive been in numerous situations where Ive been on the red carpet taking the exact same picture as the photographer next to me. Ill have a Canon and the person next to me will have a Nikon. This has provided quite a few opportunities to compare the images side-by-side. What Ive found is that the colors on the Canons images look richer and make the image pop more. If Im doing fine art photography (anything Id like to someday hang in a gallery), Ill always want to be shooting with a Canon for this reason. If youre set on Nikon, there are three cameras you should be considering and it all comes down to what your budget is: D7000 $1,400 without lens D5100 $750 without lens D3100 $600 only available with lens (current prices as of 2/19/11) Heres what you get for spending extra money (each camera compared to the one below it): D3100 vs. D5100: The D3100 is an EXCELLENT camera so if you only have $550 to spend total on camera and lens then go out and buy this camera. You wont regret it. If youre considering spending more money, heres what youll get from the D5100 in comparison: -Better performance in low light situations. -A higher resolution screen on the back of the camera so you can see your images more clearly and make out if they actually turned out well. -An external mic jack. (If youre planning on shooting video with an external mic, youll want the D5100 over the D3100.) -A flip out screen (handy if you want to put your camera anywhere but at your eye level and be able to see what your camera is about to capture before you shoot it) -Faster continuous shooting. If youre often shooting sports or any fast moving subject, continuous shooting allows you to capture multiple images in a single second. The D3100 shoots at three frames per second whereas the D5100 shoots at four frames per second. -Higher ISO options. The D5100 offers one more stop of ISO than the D3100 does. If you dont know what ISO means (or what a stop is) just know that this allows you to more easily shoot images in low-light situations. -Longer battery life. The D5100s battery will last 20% longer than the D3100 The two advantages of the D3100 over the D5100 are: less expensive and less weight. Whenever a camera is less expensive, it means youll have more in your budget for the lens. The D3100 weighs 10% lighter and is 10% smaller than the D5100. D5100 vs. D7000: The D5100 is Nikons latest and greatest and is even newer than the D7000. Phenomenal camera! If youre stuck, though, between the D5100 and the D7000, heres what youll get by spending more money on the D7000: -More focus points. When using auto-focus, the D7000 will have an easier time focusing on what you want it to focus on. -60% longer lasting batteries. -Faster continuous shooting. If youre often shooting sports or any fast moving subject, continuous shooting allows you to capture multiple images in a single second. The D5100 shoots at four frames per second whereas the D7000 shoots at six frames per second. -Weather sealed. This means you can shoot with the D7000 in the rain. -Two memory card slots. This is really a cool feature. The D7000 has two memory card slots which means youll be less likely to find yourself standing in front of a gorgeous scene with no more memory left. -Faster shutter speed. The fastest shutter speed on the D5100 is 1/4000th of a second; on the D7000: 1/8000th of a second. To be honest, I cant think of any practical reason why this would benefit you unless youre planning on shooting some really bright scenes like directly into the sun. Advantages of the D5100 over the D7000: -A flip out screen (handy if you want to put your camera anywhere but at your eye level and be able to see what your camera is about to capture before you shoot it) -Smaller and lighter: The D5100 is 10% smaller and 30% lighter than the D7000. This is something to consider if you plan on carrying your camera around with you a lot. -Less expensive so you can spend more on your lens! If I can clarify any of this, please email me! -JP Pullos, photography teacher, NYC and online (see my Amazon profile for my website)

Show more

For the cost of this camera, I dont think you can get anything better. The low light performance is off the charts. As a wedding photographer I regularly shoot with Nikons high end professional equipment and I was amazed how close this camera is to a pro camera. Now let me get specific. In order to compare I took a look at 100% files out of each camera I own. Which camera excels Nikon D3100($Cheap) VS. D300($1600) VS. D700 ($2,700): * Lens = The D3100 is the only camera that comes with a lens at its normal price * ISO Performance = Tie between D3100 and D700! (It could be Nikons new processing but the JPEG looks fantastic I was shooting D3100 on 6400iso with very little noise at all) * Low Light Focusing = D700 * Focus Speed = D700 * External Buttons & Controls for Pros = D700 * Menu Navigation = D3100 * Ease of Use = D3100 * Megapixel = D3100 (14.2) * Sensor size = D700 (Much more important than megapixels but I wont get into this) * Can use older lenses with functionality = D700 & D300 * Video = D3100 of course! 1080P video looks amazing. * Frame Rate = D300 at 6 photos a second * Weight = D3100 (light as a feather) * Ergonomics = D700 (big enough for all my finger) Lens: The lens is a kit lens, it will work outside but not so great in low light. The Vibration Reduction will help indoors but Vibration Reduction cant stop a child or pet in motion indoors. Consider buying a 35mm 1.8dx AFS for around $200 and you will be super happy with this camera. Video: I purchased the 3100 specifically to shoot video, so I put on Nikons brand new 85mm 1.4g Nano lens and shot video with it. The lens costs more than double the camera but I wanted to see how the 1080P video looked. It has the look of a cinematic movie. After the 85mm, I put on Nikons 50 1.2 manual focus lens and was able to take very cinematic video in manual mode. In order to make it brighter or darker you either need to use a really old lens like the 50mm 1.2 and hit the AE-L (auto exposure lock) and twist the aperture to change exposure. Or you can hit the AE-L button when you get the exposure you like. Its not a perfect system but it works well for me. Inside the menu options you can change the AE-L button to hold the setting until you reset which is helpful. Jello Cam (Whats not so great): This camera still suffers from the "Jello Cam" look in video if it is not on a tripod and you are shaky. The video can look like jello if moved too quickly. Use a monopod or tripod when shooting to avoid this. Im not sure if a faster video frame rate 60fps would help - but at 24 and 30 it can suffer badly. Conclusion: This is an amazing deal! Unless you make most of your income from photography or have a stockpile of old lenses (this camera can only autofocus with AFS lenses) then this camera is the must have camera of the year. If you have good composition skills and an eye for light you can take photos worthy of a magazine with this. Seriously, you wont regret buying this camera. When you do, do yourself a favor and buy an additional Nikon AFS lens that has a maximum aperture of 2.8, 1.8 or 1.4. These lenses will take better portraits and deal better in low light than the kit lens.

Show more

I purchased the camera 7 years ago on Amazon. I just realized that I did not write a review at that time. You are probably not looking for this camera because it is "out-dated" as far as markets go but I am still using it and there has not been a single problem since I purchased it. I have used it in different countries as well. Okay, so this is not so much a product review but my appreciation of the Nikon brand. I would recommend a Nikon camera any day simply because mine has gone so many years without a single problem.

Show more

I love this new Nikon camera it is the perfect camera for beginning photography which I bought it for my new photography business I did a lot of research on this camera and many others and found this one was the best one for the price. This camera came with the camera interchangeable lens you can buy other lenses for even better quality photos it also came with a camera strap two lens covers a Microsoft photo editing and video editing software it also came with a step-by-step Dvd to show you how to use the camera.it also came with HDMI cords and USB cords. A rechargeable lithium battry. I was very satisfied with the seller my camera I ordered it on Friday the 22nd he came here on Monday the 24th My expected delivery date wasnt even until the 29th it was shipped via FedEx ground and it was packaged very nicely I was very very pretty. Thank you Angel seller!!! I highly recommend this nikon and this seller.

Show more

I have owned my Nikon D-3100 for several years and even though it’s been discontinued I still love it and use it on a regular basis. I often use this camera for low-light, nighttime photography and I have found that it is excellent in that regard. I particularly like that this camera is small and light weight. It has many settings that you can tweak to fit your needs, as expected in any D-SLR at this price point. It’s an awesome entry-level D-SLR that takes great photos and has many options and accessories available that can make it even better. As far as the battery is concerned, I have used the same battery in the camera (recharging it of course) for four years now and it is still going strong and holding a good charge. I highly recommend this camera, especially now that it’s discontinued and can be purchased at a much lower price.

Show more

I ordered a Nikon, and it came sooner than listed. It was in very near perfect condition - better than expected. Ive taken some pictures and it seems to be in good working order (as far as I can tell, Im an amateur), no lens scratches at all, not on the screen either. Good battery/charger, strap and had both caps as well. Very happy with my purchase. Im so glad I went for the 3100 and saved myself the several hundred dollars it would have been to get something else. All I had to buy was a cord to my computer and an SD card. This is definitely going to be way more helpful to learn how to take pictures than my phone. Its already so much fun!

Show more

The specification is in the product listing for everyone see, so I wont review that, other than to say that this camera is a good specification for the price. Ill aim this review towards detailing my experience with using this camera. People looking at this model are likely comparing it to the similarly priced Canon model. Both brands are quite comparable, so at this level of the market it is really a matter of personal preference as to which brand you choose - and the current deals and discounts on offer. I choose the Nikon D3100 camera with the kit 18-55mm lens over the Canon model because I got a large discount off the second lens I wanted - the 55-200mm. (I see now that Amazon sells the camera with this lens in addition to the 18-55mm as an option, but this wasnt an option back when I bought then.) I thought with these two lenses I would have an adequate kit to get started in DSLR photography, although either a 35mm or 50mm prime FX lens is next on my wishlist. (FX lenses work fine on a DX body such as the D3100, although with a 1.5x effective focal length boost so I can somewhat future proof my lens purchases in the event I eventually upgrade to a better camera body.) I bought my camera and lenses back in April 2013 and decided to use it for several months before I reviewed them. I was heading on a trip a month later that I wanted this camera to accompany me on, and also wanted time to get to grips with the step up from many years of just using point and shoots before I offered a public opinion. I had wanted a DSLR for years, but couldnt justify the cost to myself, (I have kids and feel guilty spending money on myself), and so I had already read several books that explained the science of taking photos in a fully manual mode with a DSLR but I had never so much as picked up a DSLR before buying one. From using both film camera and digital point and shoots I was already fairly experienced and proficient in the composition aspect of taking a photo as well as in using image processing software such as Lightroom, Photoshop (Elements) and Paint Shop Pro to improve my photos. Of course, with a point and shoot or a scanned film photo I was forced to edit lossy JPG files - and now with a DSLR I can process native RAW files, (.NEF format on the Nikon), and the results from this change alone are phenomenal! I was amazed by just how much detail can be found in a RAW file using Adobe Lightroom 5 from what looks like a flat white or black area in an over/under exposed area. Ill never shoot in JPEG again if I have an option to shoot in a native RAW format. When I had received the camera I read the manual from cover to cover while the battery fully charged. I then jumped in my car and headed off on a drive to somewhere fairly scenic but local(ish) to test out my new purchase. I was determined that I would rarely use the fully AUTO mode unless I wanted to take an unplanned rush shot of something Id miss photographing otherwise. My several hours that day out taking photos was a very educational (and fun) time for me, and certainly cemented my enthusiasm to learn more about photography that I had hoped I would have when taking the jump up to a DSLR. I toyed around taking photos of things with differing apertures in Aperture Priority mode until I was comfortable controlling the depth of field, (as best I could with the kit lens.) took photos of things both close, and the mountains far away, at varying focal lengths, confirming for myself various aspects of photography I had read so much about but hadnt been able to practice and experiment with before fully, (e.g. bringing the background scenery closer while keeping a foreground subject a constant size.) Back home that evening I went out in the back yard and mounted my new camera on an old tripod I have with the 55-200mm lens and took photos of the moon and my house in the dark until I better understood shutter speed settings and how different ISO settings affect the photos I take. Again, this was all stuff Id read about, but never really fully had practical experience with regard to my own photographs before. My kids were also willing models so I could experiment with portraiture.photos using different settings until I achieved the effects I wanted or could achieve with just the kit lens and its lack of a large aperture (small f-stop). Over the next few weeks before the family trip I planned to take this DSLR on with me, I picked the camera up and experimented daily. I took better photos every day and started to instinctively know what settings to use in full manual mode - my first guesses became increasingly correct, or were otherwise a pretty good starting point to fine tune when I had set the camera incorrectly for the conditions or photo I wanted. This is a tremendous camera to learn with and takes fabulous photos. My family went on the trip overseas. I took close to 3000 photos in the weeks we were traveling. Granted, I used the camera in a continuous shooting mode almost exclusively -- taking several photos of the same scene to try to guarantee a good shot - especially when photographing movement or people, so the total figure was bumped up somewhat. If Im taking photos left, right and center, I do now cheat a little and use Aperture Priority mode quite a lot so I just control the depth of field and let the camera do most of the rest, (although I retain control of the ISO as the camera seems to do a poor job in auto mode sometimes.) If I am planning a photo that I want to be proud of, I will still switch to full manual mode for the satisfaction that I am "making" a photo rather than just "taking" a photo. Oftentimes though, when out and about, one of the semi-manual modes (Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority modes) are all that is required to get the shot wanted and are a time-saver to use. Okay, I admit it - I sometimes use Auto-mode now too... I hope others decide to take the plunge from a point-and-shoot camera to a DSLR and ignite a similar passion for photography. Im very happy with my purchase.

Show more

Quite a number of years ago I had experience with 35mm SLRs, and just didnt have patience to wait several days for my photos to be processed. Over the past 6 months I was casually reviewing options for DSLR cameras. I wanted the ability to take photos of fast moving objects and to generally take "better" photos than standard point-and-shoot cameras. I looked at several Nikon and Canon "entry" DSLRs. Specifically I looked at the Nikon D3000 and D5000 - the D3000 had poor reviews on several photography sites. The D5000 seemed to be more than a "starter" camera, and more camera than I needed. I briefly looked at the Canon, however based on previous experience I didnt care for their menu system. Ive now had the D3100 for several weeks and am completely satisfied. I took the camera on a family trip and was able to take exceptional photos essentially "out of the box". For a DSLR beginner (or SLR for that matter) the guide mode is fantastic. Guide Mode walks you through "English" (or your native language) menus of the type of picture you want to take. Once in guide mode, you arent locked into preset settings (Aperture and ISO) you can customize these further - again using language descriptions of what you want to accomplish. This capability, combined with the scene modes (portrait, landscape, kids, etc) and full programming modes should last most beginners (like me) for quite a while. Pros: - Excellent pictures (duh) - great battery life (full day, 200+ shots) - light weight, lighter than the D5000 Cons/FYI: These arent necessarily negatives about the camera or kit, just more of general FYIs: - Short focal length lens. The 18-55 lens is common on most kits and works fine for indoor or wide-angle shots. However youll quickly want to add a lens that will focus out beyond the 55mm capability. I purchased the 55-200 Nikon VR lens and am completely satisfied. Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR [Vibration Reduction] Nikkor Zoom Lens - No SD card included. I purchased the Transcend 8GB class 10 card and so far it has worked flawlessly. Transcend 8GB Class 10 SDHC Card (TS8GSDHC10) - Youll need a camera bag/case. I would recommend skipping the Nikon starter bag as it is only useful if you intend to carry your camera kit like a briefcase. If youre going to be on the move, look into a camera backpack. I picked up the Lowepro Fastpack 100. It stores the camera, extra lens and still has room for several small items. If you need to carry a tripod, you may need something bigger. Lowepro Fastpack 100 (Red)

Show more

First off, Im a beginner with DSLR photography....or any photography for that matter. I dont count my old point and shoot pics as "photography" ...because well, they just dont compare. This camera is amazing. It has so may options that you can get some of the sharpest, coolest pictures. Granted, you have to actually try to learn how to use it. It isnt a point and shoot camera, and requires a little more work to master. But once you learn the basics of Aperture, ISO and Shutter speed, you should be armed with everything you need. The lens that it comes with is great. It doesnt zoom too far though, so I bought the 55-200mm lens as well. Im actually kicking myself for that decision now though, as I would really have loved to try out a Prime lens ("non zoom-able" for you newbies like me) since they are faster and able to shoot in lower light, with larger aperture. If you search on Flickr, you can actually filter pictures that use certain lenses, so you can get an idea of what you want. Once you get the hang of it, the camera takes such beautiful pictures, youll start to think you are a professional. Now, everywhere I go, I find myself thinking, "oooo that would be a cool shot".

Show more

This is the first time I have ever bought a used camera "sight-unseen", it arrived on time and was as advertised, and I am not disappointed with it. Despite my reservations about battery life, this camera is good for about 5 hours of continuous random shooting with the OEM battery, and having come with a 32GB card already in it, I can get about 300 pictures before I have to recharge the battery (1.03A/hr) and still have plenty of room left over before I use up the memory. I have since bought two additional batteries and the charge time from dead to full charge is short enough where I can use another battery and the old one is recharged before the new one goes flat. As these are Lithium Ion batteries, I can also recharge a partially drained battery after a shoot and not have to worry about battery memory problems. Having the ability to work fully manual or automatic is nice as well, although frequent use of autofocus and shooting in raw .jpeg files significantly reduces the battery life and the number of shots per charge - but raw jpegs can give exceptional results. This is a trade-off that did not pertain to film cameras. Interchangeable lenses is also a big plus as I do a lot of macro-photography and, contrary to normal lenses - which have a curved depth of field - macro lenses have a depth of field that is more like two flat planes making it a lot easier to deal with depth of field issues when photographing small objects. In the past, I have owned a Hasselblad 500, Rolleiflex, Pentax Spotmatic, Canon F-1, AE-1, Olympus OM-1, OM-2 - all with multiple lenses - and a D-500 digital - and all were excellent performers. With the exception of the Olympus D-500 all were film type cameras and after every photo shoot, I would have to spend hours in the darkroom developing slides, mounting them and then have to edit them over a lightbox with a magnifier and cotton gloves and canned air. With this camera, which is fully compatible with Linux Ubuntu and GIMP Image Editor, all I had to do was buy a USB cable (Which I feel should be supplied - sheesh!), or remove the memory card and insert it into my laptop, download and edit, delete and save my images as desired. I can also delete images, from the computer, using the file management utilities inherent in Linux. Yes I would recommend this camera and vendor to others. I am getting high enough quality images for both printing and internet and other digital formats and rarely go over 8"X10" on prints, which have the same quality as prints from 35mm inter-negatives from Kodachrome 25 or prints from normal 35mm negatives. While the D3200 has about 4 more MB of pixels, the format of this is large enough where I generally reduce the image size to the standard formats and I can go as high as 500pixels per inch in jpeg formats so the image quality is not a factor. My shooting method has always been to shoot a larger background than I need to allow me more freedom in cropping the final photo as I can increase the pixels per inch in the process and not lose any image quality. All-in-all a 5-star performer. To quote Bogie..."This may be the start of a beautiful friendship."... Two cons I should mention. The camera came to me with a lot of photos in the memory. I would think that the prior owner or the seller should have formatted the card prior to selling the camera. It only takes seconds to reformat the card. Just a heads up for anyone contemplating selling their camera and the vendor I bought this from. I really do not need, or want, someone elses work on my camera. I am also a bit miffed that this requires a plug-in remote shutter release that plugs into a port instead of the old style shutter cables. Meh... Progress marches on. Maybe the Smithsonian would be interested in my old shutter cables. But this is more of a matter of personal preference anyway - and is only a handicap when shooting wildlife where I set upon a tripod and work from a blind. The manual shutter releases do not require a battery and the cordless do - and are subject to RFI.

Show more