Nikon D5100 Pro Reviews

The D5100 is evidence of Nikon fine-tuning its entry-level range for a users that demand increasingly more complex, all-round DSLRs but expect greater ease of use and creative extras too. While I thoroughly enjoyed shooting with the D5100, the camera is by no means perfect. Lack of some of the most useful physical controls such as the a depth of field preview button may disappoint some users. Yet the D5100’s good battery life, versatility and ability to deliver virtually the same image quality of the D7000, adds up to a DSLR that is pretty good value for money.

The D5100 succeeds in delivering top image quality from an affordable mid-level body, married with ease of use and a series of improvements over other Nikon DSLR cameras. Nikon D7000-like quality for less cash and a more advanced live view focusing mode than seen before from the brand are big plus points, as is the high quality movie mode. It's tricky to pick holes as to where the camera comes up short, but it's in what's missing that more advanced users may feel let down: no remote commander in the body holds the camera just shy of its full potential; no Depth of Field Preview button and an LCD screen that doesn't top the competition are all relatively minor quibbles depending on what's most important to your photography. The Effects modes certainly have a place, but they're not entirely unique and lack a fully-adjustable series of options that would set them apart from the competition. As a D5000 upgrade the D5100 is on the money - just don't misplace it as a D90 replacement as that it isn't. All in all the D5100 is well-priced, strongly-specified and decent performing bit of kit that delivers great quality pictures.

The Nikon D5100 shows considerable improvement over its predecessor with the larger sensor, restructured LCD, improved ISO range, HDR imaging and Full HD movie capability. Picture quality is excellent and this should be an ideal intro for DSLR newbies.

When compared to its predecessor, the Nikon D5100 also makes a very worthwhile step forwards in image quality. That's perhaps not surprising; the SLR market as a whole has made quite an improvement in the last couple of years. It bears noting, though, that the D5100 is based around the same image sensor and EXPEED 2 image processing algorithms that featured in the popular D7000 prosumer SLR. Of course, there are many other points that differentiate the two cameras, but it's great to see very similar levels of image quality on offer at a much more affordable price point, one that's easily within reach of many consumers.

If you’re in the market for a new DSLR you can hardly wrong with the Nikon D5100. It takes solid photos and videos, offering the response shutterbugs demand as they move from point-and-shoots to “real” cameras. We weren’t too thrilled with the kit lens, however. It’s an OK starting point but get ready — you’ll soon realize it really doesn’t serve the camera well. When that happens, you’ll end up tapping the credit line for more glass. That’s part of the “fun” of owning a DSLR.

With HD video recording, great image quality, and a solid selection of lenses, the Nikon D5100 and Canon T3i are on the top of a lot of wish lists out there.

The Nikon D5100 represents a decent upgrade over its predecessor, and while it lacks the manual movie exposure control of the D7000, the choice of multiple 1080p frame rates, live special effects and fully articulated screen arguably make it the company's most confident and flexible movie-making DSLR to date. Certainly if your priority is filming video and you want a Nikon DSLR, the D5100 is the model to go for, even if you'll probably disable its headline-grabbing continuous AF capabilities for most of your footage.

The Nikon D5100 is a solid option for photographers looking for a highly-capable yet (fairly) user-friendly sub-$1,000 DSLR. Although it doesn’t have all the bells, whistles, and speed of the D7000, the D5100 delivers an excellent feature set and image quality that rivals or exceeds the competition. Current D5000 users may very well want to step-up to the new model thanks to a number of notable improvements. The D5100 is available body only for $800, or packaged with a kit 18-55mm lens for $900.

The Nikon D5100 is a solid option for photographers looking for a highly-capable yet (fairly) user-friendly sub-£700 DSLR. Although it doesn’t have all the bells, whistles, and speed of the D7000, the D5100 delivers an excellent feature set and image quality that rivals or exceeds the competition. Current D5000 users may very well want to step up to the new model thanks to a number of notable improvements.

The Nikon D5100 offers a fantastic mix of still-image and video-recording quality, along with plenty of features including top-notch in-camera effects. This well-rounded shooter is an easy Editors' Choice for under-$1,000 D-SLRs.

Overall, the D5100 remains a great camera to use that’s capable of delivering stunning images. If you’re in the market for an advanced entry-level DSLR be sure to add it to your shortlist.

Ultimately the Nikon D5100 easily overcomes its few real weak points, offering a compelling mix of great image and movie quality, precise and quick auto-focusing, accurate metering and a fantastic LCD screen, all in a format that most users will find intutive and enjoyable to use. This is precisely what a DSLR that's competitively priced for the mass-market should deliver, and judged on that criteria, the Nikon D5100 is a very worthy winner of our Highly Recommended award.

The Nikon D5100 is a excellent camera, updating it’s predecessor and offering a competitive alternative to the Canon rival at a similar price and spec. The Canon offers, we feel, more direct control (including on-board wireless flash control), but the Nikon on-screen information is excellently presented. The Canon trumps the Nikon’s screen too, however both are excellent quality and we couldn’t push the minor differences in resolution as a reason to pick one over the other.

Great for both enthusiasts and novices looking to take the next step forward, the Nikon D5100 offers a lot of versatility, opportunity for creativity and quality results.

The Nikon D5100 is the latest digital SLR from Nikon and significantly updates and improves upon the D5000, including improved swivel screen, new effects, and full HD video mode. Here's an overview of the camera plus sample photos from a production Nikon D5100 Digital SLR and kits lens.

The D5100 looks like a another solid entry into the Nikon DSLR range. Its headline specifications make it an instantly attractive proposition, while premium features such as the hi-res tilt-and-swivel LCD monitor and Special Effects are sure to bolster its appeal. Our only real reservation based upon what we have seen so far is that in a attempt to reduce the camera’s physical size, Nikon may have made it too slight for folks with large hands. As ever, keep an eye on TrustedReviews as we’ll be bringing you a full review as soon as possible

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.