Nikon D5100 Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens Kit (16.2MP) 3 inch LCD (discontinued by manufacturer)

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The viewing screen of the camera is designed in such a manner that it allows for a variable angle of swing. This gives you ample opportunities to take pictures no matter how and where the subject is located. Matrix :3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses) The most obvious difference between the D5100 and its predecessor is the addition of a side-hinged, fully articulated LCD screen. The D5000's LCD screen was articulated, but slightly awkwardly, via a hinge at the base of the camera's rear. This caused problems in some shooting positions, especially when the camera was mounted on a tripod. The D5100's screen is hinged in a more conventional way, along its side, which allows it to fold out from the left hand side of the camera. It is fully articulated, which means that the display can also be folded inwards, for protection. Body The Nikon D5100 weighs 509 g, with dimensions of 129 x 97 x 79 mm. The camera is compact and has a rounded firm hand grip. The camera has an eye level pentamirror optical viewfinder with 0.78 x magnification and a 95 percent field of view.

Photography is all about creativity and self expression, which is a fact as seen by the images that get captured by passionate lensmen. The Nikon camera can also augment the pictures with a host of special effects that can be configured on it through the special effects mode. Some of these effects can be, Selective Color, Color Sketch and also the Miniature Effect. Although the D5100 is listed as having an Expeed 2 processor, it's worth remembering that Nikon doesn't use this naming system to denote any specific components, so the actual chunks of silicon and capabilities aren't necessarily the same as those in the D3100 or D7000. However, in addition to a similarly specced 16.2MP sensor, the D5100 offers the same ISO settings as its big brother - extending up to an equivalent of ISO 25,600. It also inherits 14-bit Raw shooting - one of the factors that helps give the D7000 its impressive dynamic range - which is something Nikon used to offer only on its more expensive models. Side by side Likewise, the D5100 is wrapped in the same polycarbonate casing of cheaper Nikon models, rather than the magnesium alloy cage of the D7000 and above. This plastic outer shell is finished with a slight mottled effect to give it a metallic look. 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’ and ‘off’ options. The technology works well and often proves useful, although some caution is advised with the ‘extra high’ setting as it can produce unrealistic-looking images. Despite many of the buttons moving around, one thing that remains very much in the D5100’s favour is the straightforward menu navigation system. Nikon has always excelled at simplifying menu navigation and the D5100 is no exception. This makes the D5100 really easy to use. While the main Menu button to the left of the viewfinder is used to access more complicated settings, the handy button to the right of the viewfinder can be called upon to access a single-screen menu of the most regularly used settings – from ISO to AF mode via Picture Controls and Metering mode. With all the options displayed clearly on the monitor, accessing and changing these key settings with the D-pad proves both easy and intuitive, becoming almost second-nature before long.

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As with all recent Nikon DSLRs the D5100 offers the full range of Picture Controls that allow you to choose how JPEGs will be processed by fine-tuning individual elements such as saturation, sharpness, brightness and contrast. While the default settings are limited to a choice of: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome and Portrait, all of these can be individually edited, with a further option to add your own custom profiles if you like. DSLR newcomers trying to gain a better understanding of what all the various features and functions do are well catered for too, with a simple tap of the ‘?’ button bringing up short snippets of easy-to-understand information on what each of the selected settings and functions does. It’s not quite as simplified as the Guide Mode of the D3100, but still a useful addition. Nikon ML-L3 Wireless ( Infrared) and MC-DC2 wired remotes. [11] Third party remotes are also available. [12]

has a very typical viewfinder specification for its class of camera. It offers 0.78x magnification and a 95% field of view, which is pretty standard. As you can see from the illustration below, the D5100's viewfinder is pretty much the same size as the Canon EOS 600D/Rebel T3i and Canon's entry-level EOS 1100D/Rebel T3. Viewfinder size The arrival of the D5100 appears to signal the completion of Nikons refresh of its non-pro DSLR lineup. Its feature set and pricing mean that it sits very comfortably between the beginner-friendly D3100 and the high-end D7000 - it's clearly aimed to attract the attention of enthusiast photographers without cannibalizing sales of is sister models. A camera maker can judge the success of its market positioning by seeing how many people are wondering 'which model is right for me?' on discussion forums - and we think a D3100/D5100/D7000 progression would minimize such doubts. The official line is that the D90 maintains its position in the range, but both its naming and overlap with other models suggest that its role is now more one of historical interest than future significance. Even more disappointing is the fact that two of the best things about the D3100 - the conveniently placed integrated live view and movie control and the physical drive mode switch - are absent in the D5100. The live view switch is now positioned on the camera's top plate, divorced from the movie button, which sits up by the shutter release (and is completely redundant except when the camera is put into live view mode). Not only is this switch more awkwardly placed on the D5100 than the D3100, it takes the place of the drive mode switch that we like so much on the D3100. The Final Word Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian,Fun as they might be, it’s worth bearing in mind that the special effects are no real match for what can be achieved using advanced image-editing software. And unlike like-minded offerings on competitor models such as the Canon 600D and Pentax K-r, the D5100’s filters cannot be individually tweaked either. It was something of a disappointment that the D7000 doesn't have an articulated screen, but Nikon has not made this mistake with the Nikon D5100. Unlike the D5000, however, which had the articulation join at the bottom on the screen, the D5100's screen is hinged on the left. This makes the screen easier to use when the camera is on a tripod. While general handling, ease-of-use and AF performance all score valuable points for the D5100, image quality remains the camera’s trump card. With the editable Picture Control settings it’s possible to dial in as much (or as little) saturation, contrast and sharpness as you want to get your images looking exactly how you want them to, with the D5100 proving consistently accurate in its calculations. AF still a little sluggish in live view mode, full-time AF not very effective in live view or movies