Let me first say that this is my first DSLR. I take about 10,000 pictures a year and I figured it's time for me to upgrade to a decent SLR.I always cringed at SLRs since I never want the burden of carrying it around. I figured that a camera wouldn't do me any good if didn't want to take it anywhere. That being said, although I still use a very nice point-and-shoot for many quick trips with my kids, for birthday parties and other big events, I want the crispest, most colorful, pictures I can take. Here's why I love this camera:
-PICTURES-
Since it uses the same sensor as the Nikon D7000, which costs significantly more, the pictures are incredible for its class. You literally cannot buy a camera that takes better pictures at this price point. Compared with the Canon T3i, which is a direct competitor, I believe these pictures are better indoors and in low light. Also, a quick tip: for most pics, JPEG basic setting (~400kb) is fine for 4x6 and JPEG normal setting (~1mb) is fine for 8x10.
-VIDEO-
I don't use this for video often but it captures HD video. I prefer to use an HD camcorder for video but from time to time when I only have this, I'll take a few short vids and they look great.
-SIZE/FORM-
The Nikon D5100's body is slightly smaller than the Canon T3i's. Although my hands are on the larger side, I prefer the smaller body and it fits well. I use with the camera and it feels like it's an extension of my hand. A side note: If you choose that hand strap, you'll need to cut a notch off the bottom to allow you to swing the screen out (I have a review there that details how I got that hand strap to work for me).
-SPECIAL FEATURES (HARDWARE)-
A 3" swing out screen! That's what initially led me to choose the D5100 over the D3100. This is great to capture different angles and ideal for self-shots that I take with my kids. As a bonus, you can also "close" the screen to protect it if you're going to use the viewfinder. Of course, now that I have this model, I'm thrilled that I have better pictures.
-SPECIAL FEATURES (SOFTWARE)-
Lots of special effects on here! My kids love the Selective Color (B&W pic with a color highlight) and Color Sketch (cartoonish look) options. Personally, I use High Key a lot for dark situations when I don't want to use the flash. After the shot, I also occasionally crop the pics right on the camera.
-USER-FRIENDLINESS-
I consider myself slightly more knowledgeable than a beginner but I can even set it up for my wife to use. Simply use as many or as few of the features as you need. If you're ready to learn, the Nikon D5100 is an amazing, somewhat intuitive tool.
-RECOMMENDATION-
If you can afford it, the Nikon D5100 is a great high-end starter camera. You will grow into it and for the majority of us (non-pros), this will be more than adequate for our needs for the long term so you won't need to upgrade to another SLR. My only regret is that I didn't have this when each of my kids were born!
Review by Gabriel Young
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