Buying my first DSLR, Nikon D5100

[xDarek]

Hi guys, I'm going to buy a Nikon D5100 and I want to hear some opinions about it, it's my first DSLR camera so I buy something cheaper.

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[goodguy]

Had the Nikon D5100 for about 6 months, totally good camera, good sensor and basic yet effective auto focus system.
I assume you are buying it use right ?
What lens will you be getting with it ?

 

[alv]

my 1st ,and still in use have fun al

 

[xDarek]

Had the Nikon D5100 for about 6 months, totally good camera, good sensor and basic yet effective auto focus system.
I assume you are buying it use right ?
What lens will you be getting with it ?

I get it with a standard lens 18-55mm VR2

my 1st ,and still in use have fun al

Thx

 

[greybeard35 7]

I used a 5100 for about a year before I got my 7000. Very solid well thought out camera. The one I used came with the famous 18-55 3.5-5.6. Since then I've owned the kit 18-105, a Tamron 16-50 f2.8, and my present nikon 16-85. These may have been faster or have more zoom range but, to be honest, the pictures the 18-55 took looked just as good as the ones from the other Nikon lenses and better than the ones from the Tamron. The Tamron was very soft on the edges and had to be stopped down to 5.6 to look as good as the Nikon's did at 3.5. So, don't be afraid of the little, rattley, plastic mount 18-55 3.5-5.6 kit lense that comes with the d5100, it really is tough and expensive to beat.

 

[xDarek]

I used a 5100 for about a year before I got my 7000. Very solid well thought out camera. The one I used came with the famous 18-55 3.5-5.6. Since then I've owned the kit 18-105, a Tamron 16-50 f2.8, and my present nikon 16-85. These may have been faster or have more zoom range but, to be honest, the pictures the 18-55 took looked just as good as the ones from the other Nikon lenses and better than the ones from the Tamron. The Tamron was very soft on the edges and had to be stopped down to 5.6 to look as good as the Nikon's did at 3.5. So, don't be afraid of the little, rattley, plastic mount 18-55 3.5-5.6 kit lense that comes with the d5100, it really is tough and expensive to beat.

Thanks you very much for your feedback, you helped me a lot, thanks.

 

[goodguy]

Had the Nikon D5100 for about 6 months, totally good camera, good sensor and basic yet effective auto focus system.
I assume you are buying it use right ?
What lens will you be getting with it ?

I get it with a standard lens 18-55mm VR2

my 1st ,and still in use have fun al

Thx

Well if the price is right just get it, the sensor has very good dynamic range and good low light performance very close to new APS-C cameras.
Work with it, if you fall in love with photography you can add more lenses as they are far more important then the camera, there is nothing the new D5500 does that the D5100 cant.
Nikon 18-55mm lens is really a good solid kit lens, it will surprise you how sharp it is.
What I might add is the Nikon 50mm 1.8G, used or new for portrait shots and low light shots. This is a whole lot of lens for little money.

Good luck

 

[xDarek]

Had the Nikon D5100 for about 6 months, totally good camera, good sensor and basic yet effective auto focus system.
I assume you are buying it use right ?
What lens will you be getting with it ?

I get it with a standard lens 18-55mm VR2

my 1st ,and still in use have fun al

Thx

Well if the price is right just get it, the sensor has very good dynamic range and good low light performance very close to new APS-C cameras.
Work with it, if you fall in love with photography you can add more lenses as they are far more important then the camera, there is nothing the new D5500 does that the D5100 cant.
Nikon 18-55mm lens is really a good solid kit lens, it will surprise you how sharp it is.
What I might add is the Nikon 50mm 1.8G, used or new for portrait shots and low light shots. This is a whole lot of lens for little money.

Good luck

Thank you, you guys encouraged me to buy this camera, I really apreciate the pozitive reviews, I can't wait to to have the camera and to shot some photos with it.

 

[Derrel]

I payed $4,995 for a Nikon D2x pro camera in May of 2005; the sensor in the D5100 is ***substabntially better****. Seriously--wayyyyyyy better sensor in the D5100. It can make terrific photos if you just point it the right direction, and click at the right time.

The capabilities of the D5100 are far higher than what early-gen pro d-slr cameras like the Nikon D1 or Canon 1D (original) had.

You also have the cool flippy screen, and can shoot video clips with the D5100. It CAN use old, cheap pawn-shop type lenses that retail for $29-$49. it will not autofocus these old lenses, but it WILL mount them, and shoot them!!!

The "baby Nikons" like the D3000 and D5000 series LACK the Ai Coupling system of higher-end Nikon bodies, which makes these "baby Nikons" also able to use Realllllllllly "obsolete" lenses like what KEH.com sells as "non-AI or Pre-AI" Nikon lenses....these 1959 to 1976-era lenses are often VERY inexpensive. The 55mm f/3.5 PRE-AI Micro~NIKKOR macro lens for example, can be had for $29 to $37 or so in BGN grade from a place like KEH. This specific lens has a small front element located wayyyyyyyyy, deeeeep down inside the filter thread ring, so it is its own lens hood, and protector! The outside barrels of a BGN 55/3.5 Pre-AI will look like rubbish: yet, the way this lens was built and designed, it will usually still focus silky-smooth! This is actually a "feature" of the D5000-class cameras: they can use OLD, low-cost, Pre-Ai or Non-AI Nikon mount lenses, in full-manual-only mode of flash,and full-manual-only settings over f/stop and shutter speed, this holds true also for the D40,D3000,D60,and D5000-class "baby Nikon" bodies!

There are millions of these pre-Ai lenses for sale-dirt cheap! Great for experimenting and for FUN! ALSO: 135mm f/3.5 or 135mm f/2.8 pre-AI era teles are often very sharp, very good lenses.

 

[xDarek]

I payed $4,995 for a Nikon D2x pro camera in May of 2005; the sensor in the D5100 is ***substabntially better****. Seriously--wayyyyyyy better sensor in the D5100. It can make terrific photos if you just point it the right direction, and click at the right time.

The capabilities of the D5100 are far higher than what early-gen pro d-slr cameras like the Nikon D1 or Canon 1D (original) had.

You also have the cool flippy screen, and can shoot video clips with the D5100. It CAN use old, cheap pawn-shop type lenses that retail for $29-$49. it will not autofocus these old lenses, but it WILL mount them, and shoot them!!!

The "baby Nikons" like the D3000 and D5000 series LACK the Ai Coupling system of higher-end Nikon bodies, which makes these "baby Nikons" also able to use Realllllllllly "obsolete" lenses like what KEH.com sells as "non-AI or Pre-AI" Nikon lenses....these 1959 to 1976-era lenses are often VERY inexpensive. The 55mm f/3.5 PRE-AI Micro~NIKKOR macro lens for example, can be had for $29 to $37 or so in BGN grade from a place like KEH. Tis, specific lens has a small frotn element located wayyyyyyyyy, deeeeep down inside the filter thread ring, so it is its own lens hood, and protector! THe outside barrels of a BGN 55/3.5 Pre-AI will look like rubbish: yet, the way this lens was built and designed, it will usually still focus silky-smooth! This is actually a "feature" of the D5000-class cameras: they can use OLD, low-cost, Pre-Ai or Non-AI Nikkor lenses, in full-manual-only mode of flash,and full-manual settings over f/stop and shutter speed, on the D40,D3000,D60,and D5000-class "baby Nikon" bodies!

There are millions of these pre-Ai lenses for sale-dirt cheap! Great for experimenting and for FUN! ALSO: 135mm f/3.5 or 135mm f/2.8 pre-AI era teles are often very sharp, very good lenses.

Wow, I didn't know that, thanks for the informations Derrel, always there with the good information. Apreciated.