Review of a Nikon D3100

The very latest entry level is the Nikon D3100 which is the first SLR which is able to record a full 1080p HD video. In comparison to the even popular D3000, the D3100 has a 14.2 CMOS sensor as well as a three inch LCD screen. You are able to do live video shooting and the camera has a wider ISO range as well as a host of small revisions. This article is a review of a Nikon D3100 which will become available shortly to customers. The D3100 comes with an 18 to 55mm VR lens and for a full preview you can go online and view the camera’s abilities.

The Nikon D3100 is easy to use and comes with HD video. This D3100 now comes in place of the D3000 which was one of the popular selling models. The Nikon D3100 offers 14.2 mp, improved ergonomics, new improved AF modes and full HD movies. Included is a guide mode and will show you sample images of what a photographer is able to achieve when using certain of the settings. For instance if you change the aperture or shutter speed the camera will show you the results you are able to obtain.

The Nikon D3100 is an ideal camera for amateurs and keen photographers who don’t have to worry about settings, but can still obtain quality. This simple SLR D3100 has been especially designed with beginners in mind, as one does not have to worry about any complicated settings and functionality. The camera does all the work, the only thing you need do is take the pictures, as the camera has a range of automatic settings. The auto selector will automatically adjust to any situation.

The scene recognition feature affords a sharply defined image as the camera analyses the scene and then in turn optimizes before the shutter is released. In order to get the exact picture you want you can use the step by step guide. The review of a Nikon D3100 shows that the camera comes with an eleven pint autofocus system ensuring your picture is focused correctly and will capture the finest movements or expressions.

You are able to focus precisely in order to capture the image quickly and with complete easy. So yes you are guaranteed to take the very best pictures like a professional. The live view feature comes with a scene auto selector is the best way of taking pictures and is especially god for those that have used a compact camera. By using the LCD screen it makes taking pictures easy. The scene auto selector will automatically select the right mode for the item you want to capture and in addition the full time servo AF mode keeps items in complete focus without having to press the release shutter button.

The live view feature will automatically recognize as many as thirty five faces at any one time even if the people are moving around the Nikon D3100 will continue focusing as well as tracking the items or people. This 14.2 mp CMOS image sensor and the powerful ex-speed two processing engine as well as the wide range of lenses will deliver a superb picture as well as give you fine quality detail each time.

The Nikon D3100 also comes with the ISO 100-3200 sensitivity with a boosting ISO of up to around 12800. This feature reduces the risk of any burred images while taking a picture. You are able o switch to video mode but just pressing the movie record button on the Nikon D3100 and at the same time you will be able to record which will produce a D movie clip with sound.

The Nikon D3100 has a large image sensor and offers good image quality and the range of lenses help to create cinematic effects. My review of a Nikon D3100 shows that one can do simple edit as you are able to delete scenes as well as save specific image. In addition the D3100 is HDMI compatible and the camera can be connected to an HD TV which will allow you and the family to view all your clips taken.

 

Type	Single-lens reflex digital camera
Lens mount	Nikon F mount (with AF contacts)
Effective angle of view	Approx. 1.5 x lens focal length (Nikon DX format)
Effective pixels
Effective pixels	14.2 million
Image sensor
Image sensor	23.1 x 15.4 mm CMOS sensor
Total pixels	14.8 million
Dust-reduction system	Image sensor cleaning, Airflow Control System, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)
Storage
Image size (pixels)	• 4,608 x 3,072 [L] • 3,456 x 2,304 [M] • 2,304 x 1,536 [S]
File format	• NEF (RAW) • JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8), or basic (approx. 1:16) compression • NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats
Picture Control System	Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape; selected Picture Control can be modified
Media	SD (Secure Digital), SDHC and SDXC memory cards
File system	DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif 2.21 (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras), PictBridge
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Eye-level pentamirror single-lens reflex viewfinder
Frame coverage	Approx. 95% horizontal and 95% vertical
Magnification	Approx. 0.8 x (50 mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, -1.0 m-1)
Eyepoint	18 mm (-1.0 m-1)
Diopter adjustment	-1.7 to +0.5 m-1
Focusing screen	Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VII screen
Reflex mirror	Quick return
Lens aperture	Instant return, electronically controlled
Lens
Compatible lenses	• AF-S and AF-I: All functions supported. • Type G or D AF NIKKOR without built-in autofocus motor: All functions except autofocus supported. IX NIKKOR lenses not supported. • Other AF NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II. Lenses for F3AF not supported. • Type D PC NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and some shooting modes. • AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II. • Non-CPU: Autofocus not supported. Can be used in exposure mode M, but exposure meter does not function. Note: Electronic rangefinder can be used if lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster.
Shutter
Type	Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Speed	1/4000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 EV, Bulb
Flash sync speed	X=1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/200 s or slower
Release
Release mode	(single frame),(continuous),(self-timer),(quiet shutter release)
Frame advance rate	Up to 3 fps (manual focus, mode M or S, shutter speed 1/250 s or faster, and other settings at default values)
Self-timer	2 s, 10 s
Exposure
Metering	TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor
Metering method	• Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses) • Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8-mm circle in center of frame • Spot: Meters 3.5-mm circle (about 2.5% of frame) centered on selected focus point
Range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20°C/68°F)	• Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0 to 20 EV • Spot metering: 2 to 20 EV
Exposure meter coupling	CPU
Exposure modes	Auto modes (auto, auto [flash off]); scene modes (portrait; landscape; child; sports; close up; night portrait); programmed auto with flexible program (P); shutter-priority auto (S); aperture-priority auto (A); manual (M)
Exposure compensation	-5 to +5 EV in increments of 1/3 EV
Exposure lock	Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button
ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)	ISO 100 to 3200 in steps of 1 EV; can also be set to approx. 1 EV above ISO 3200 (ISO 6400 equivalent) or to approx. 2 EV above ISO 3200 (ISO 12800 equivalent); auto ISO sensitivity control available
Active D-Lighting	On, Off
Focus
Autofocus	Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points (including one cross-type sensor), and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5 to 3m/1 ft. 8 in. to 9 ft. 10 in.)
Detection range	-1 to +19 EV (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F)
Lens servo	• Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); continuous-servo AF (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A); predictive focus tracking activated automatically according to subject status • Manual focus (MF): Electronic rangefinder can be used
Focus point	Can be selected from 11 focus points
AF-area mode	Single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, auto-area AF, 3D-tracking (11 points)
Focus lock	Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
Flash
Built-in flash	Auto, Portrait, Child, Close up, Night portrait: Auto flash with auto pop-up P, S, A, M: Manual pop-up with button release
Guide number	Approx. 12/39, 13/43 with manual flash (m/ft, ISO 100, 20°C/68°F)
Flash control	• TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 420-pixel RGB sensor are available with built-in flash and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-400 (i-TTL balanced fill-flash is available when matrixor center-weighted metering is selected) • Auto aperture: Available with SB-900/SB-800 and CPU lens • Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-80DX, SB-28DX, SB-28, SB-27, and SB-22S • Distance-priority manual: Available with SB-900 and SB-800
Flash mode	Auto, auto with red-eye reduction, fill-flash, auto slow sync, auto slow sync with red-eye correction, and rear curtain with slow sync
Flash compensation	-3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV
Flash-ready indicator	Lights when built-in flash or optional flash unit such as SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, SB-400, SB-80DX, SB-28DX, or SB-50DX is fully charged; blinks for 3 s after flash is fired at full output
Accessory shoe	ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock
Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)	Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with SB-900, SB-800, or SU-800 as commander; Flash Color Information Communication supported with built-in flash and all CLS-compatible flash units
Sync terminal	Sync Terminal Adapter AS-15 (available separately)
White balance
White balance	Auto, incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual, all except preset manual with fine tuning.
Live View
Lens servo	• Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); full-time-servo AF (AF-F) • Manual focus (MF)
AF-area mode	Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF, subject-tracking AF
Autofocus	Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected)
Scene Auto Selector	Available in auto and auto (flash off) modes
Movie
Metering	TTL exposure metering using main image sensor
Metering method	Matrix
Frame size (pixels) and frame rate	• 1,920 x 1,080 (24p): 24 fps (23.976 fps) • 1,280 x 720 (30p): 30 fps (29.97 fps) • 1,280 x 720 (25p): 25 fps • 1,280 x 720 (24p): 24 fps (23.976 fps) • 640 x 424 (24p): 24 fps (23.976 fps)
Maximum recording time	10 min.
File format	MOV
Video compression	H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding
Audio recording format	Linear PCM
Audio recording device	Built-in monaural microphone
Monitor
LCD monitor	7.5-cm/3-in., approx. 230 k-dot TFT LCD with brightness adjustment
Playback
Playback function	Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images or calendar) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, slide show, histogram display, highlights, auto image rotation, and image comment (up to 36 characters)
Interface
USB	Hi-Speed USB
Video output	NTSC, PAL
HDMI output	Type C mini-pin HDMI connector
Accessory terminal	• Remote cord: MC-DC2 (available separately) • GPS unit: GP-1 (available separately)
Supported languages
Supported languages	Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Power source
Battery	One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL14
AC adapter	AC adapter EH-5a; requires power connector EP-5A (available separately)
Tripod socket
Tripod socket	1/4 in. (ISO 1222)
Dimensions / weight
Dimensions (W x H x D)	Approx. 124 x 96 x 74.5 mm (4.9 x 3.8 x 2.9 in.)
Weight	Approx. 455 g / 1lb. (camera body only); Approx. 505 g (1lb. 1.8 oz.) with battery and memory card but without body cap
Operating environment
Temperature	0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)
Humidity	Less than 85% (no condensation)
Accessories
Supplied accessories (may differ by country or area)	Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL14, Battery Charger MH-24, Eyepiece Cap DK-5, Rubber Eyecap DK-20, Camera Strap AN-DC3, Accessory Shoe Cover BS-1, Body Cap BF-1B, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM, Ferrite Core (2 types)

Source: nikon