Upgrading to DSLR - Current choice: Nikon D3100

[smag4life]

Hi,
I'll be upgrading to a DSLR from point and shoot very soon. In fact, from a monetary perspective, I'm ready to buy now. Up until a few moments ago, I had the Nikon D3100 picked out and in my Amazon cart. I've heard it's a very good camera with enough features to grow into for a while and I've seen reviews from pro and semi-pro photographers who say they use it either as their primary or backup, which was good news for me since the price is right given what appears to be a very nice feature set. Now I'm hearing there are better options for only slightly more or even cheaper than the D3100. I was wondering if anyone knows a camera that outperforms the D3100, but at the same or cheaper price. Btw, my budget it around $800-900 USD. I am very excited about this upgrade and the opportunities it will open up for me, but I want to make sure I'm getting the most bang for my buck. Also, I don't care about shooting video, so that shouldn't factor into any recommendations for an otherwise great camera. Thanks.

-AJ

 

[dnavarrojr]

AJ,

If you ask a hundred people their opinion on something you'll likely get 100 opinions (not much different that the reviews you've bee reading). And not a single person here can tell you what the best choice for YOUR camera is. All we can do is give you opinions on the equipment we own (or have used).

I have never used the D3100, so I can't comment on it. I can tell you that I have a Canon EOS Rebel T2i and I love it. I bought it to shoot video and I find it excels at that task. I also started shooting stills with it and found that I enjoy that as well. While I have no experience with Nikon DSLRs, I can tell you they have a reputation as having much better performance (ie, less noise) in low light than my Canon. And the Nikon brand is solid.

What I would suggest is that you go to a local camera store, or department store that sells cameras and hold them. Get a feel for them. I have held a number of cameras, including some Nikons and the others I have held didn't feel right to me. How a camera feels in your hand makes a big difference.

If you have a local camera store that will rent DSLRs, rent 1 or 2 that you like and give them a try. I won't spend more than $300 on a camera or lens without trying it first for myself. Our local camera stores don't rent, so I use a online service called BorrowLenses.com to rent equipment for a weekend and try it for myself. And I'm glad because several expensive lenses that I really wanted turned out to not be as good as I had hoped, while others were a pleasant surprise.

 

[karatava]

After one month research, I bought Nikon D3100 from Amazon (had a deal on with lens bundles).

Recommend the camera strongly for its price.

 

[djacobox372]

The D3100 has a sensor that is just about identical to the D5000, D90, and D300

If you want to outperform the image quality of a D3100 you'll be looking at a D7000 ($1300) or a D700 ($2200)

If image quality isn't absolutely everything to you, you might consider a used D200. It's sensor isn't as good as the D3100, but it has other pro-level features and much better build quality.

 

[smag4life]

Thanks for the quick replies. Image quality is very important to me and I have held the D3100 at a local dept store. I really like the feel of it and it feels like it sits well in my hands. I think I'm going to go with the D3100. Thanks again for the advice and hopefully I'll be able to start posting some nice pictures soon. Cheers!

-AJ

 

[frank-in-toronto]

Do you want live view? with fast af? sorry. Sony is tops still. do you want articulating lcd? optical viewfinder? i.e.: what features are you used to that you like and what ones are you hoping to get? do you shoot jpeg? 16:9? Holding a few is a good test. You'll see right away that some are too small, some too big, some shaped wrong, some have the shutter button awkwardly positioned for your hands. if you can eliminate some in your budget bracket, the right one may just fall out. then you have a decision to make.

 

[xjoewhitex]

Thanks for the quick replies. Image quality is very important to me and I have held the D3100 at a local dept store. I really like the feel of it and it feels like it sits well in my hands. I think I'm going to go with the D3100. Thanks again for the advice and hopefully I'll be able to start posting some nice pictures soon. Cheers!

-AJ

Good choice! and as far as I know these are equipped with a guide button to show new SLR users how everything works. Which would be great for someone like you coming from a p&s. Enjoy your new Nikon. =D

 

[djacobox372]

Thanks for the quick replies. Image quality is very important to me and I have held the D3100 at a local dept store. I really like the feel of it and it feels like it sits well in my hands. I think I'm going to go with the D3100. Thanks again for the advice and hopefully I'll be able to start posting some nice pictures soon. Cheers!

-AJ

Of course the IQ of a d200 or D80 is also damn good, just not quite as good as a d3100.

One thing you should understand when buying a D3100... it does NOT have an AF motor. Which means you are limited to AF-S lenses.

If you see yourself buying some short prime lenses in the future (20,24, or 50mm), then you should know that the availability of these lenses in AF-S is limited and much more expensive.

I've known many people that spend more on a d3100 in the long run then they would have on a d90, because of the extra $$ they had to spend on lenses.

 

[smag4life]

Well, I took the plunge and ordered my D3100 yesterday with the 18-55mm kit lens and a 55-200mm lens both of which are AF-S and VR. Thanks to all for the advice. I look forward to learning what photography is really about and sharing pictures with you soon.

-AJ