Introduction
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. A camera maker can judge the success of its market positioning by seeing how many people are wondering 'which model is right for me?' on discussion forums - and we think a D3100/D5100/D7000 progression would minimize such doubts. The official line is that the D90 maintains its position in the range, but both its naming and overlap with other models suggest that its role is now more one of historical interest than future significance.
The D5100 has a very similar 16.2MP CMOS sensor to the excellent one seen in the D7000 but, understandably, loses out on that camera's high-end build and feature-set. So there's no wireless flash control, magnesium alloy build or 39-point AF system but the underlying image quality is all but identical.
Although the D5100 is listed as having an Expeed 2 processor, it's worth remembering that Nikon doesn't use this naming system to denote any specific components, so the actual chunks of silicon and capabilities aren't necessarily the same as those in the D3100 or D7000. However, in addition to a similarly specced 16.2MP sensor, the D5100 offers the same ISO settings as its big brother - extending up to an equivalent of ISO 25,600. It also inherits 14-bit Raw shooting - one of the factors that helps give the D7000 its impressive dynamic range - which is something Nikon used to offer only on its more expensive models.
Side by side
The D5100 is slightly smaller than the Rebel T3i/EOS 600D - probably its nearest competitor. Both are slightly larger than the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2, which is built around a smaller sensor, and of course lacks an optical viewfinder assembly (instead using a high quality electronic finder). Ergonomically, the G2 is the most 'involved', and has the most physical control points and a touch-sensitive LCD screen, but overall the three cameras are physically quite similar.
Nikon D5100 Key Features
- 16.2 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor
- Side-articulated 3.0" LCD monitor (920,000 dots)
- 11 AF points (with 3D tracking)
- IS0 100-6400 range (Up to 25,600 equivalent when expanded)
- HD movies (1080p, 720p or WVGA)
- 4 fps continuous shooting
- In-camera effects filters in both stills and video modes
Compared to D5000
Compared to D5000
Key Differences
- Higher resolution sensor (16.2MP vs. 14MP)
- 1080p video mode
- Wider ISO range (100-25,600 equivalent)
- Full-time AF mode (AF-F in live view)
- Dual IR receivers (front and rear)
- Side-articulated LCD screen (as opposed to bottom-articulated)
- 921k dot LCD screen
- 14-bit NEF (Raw) mode
- Effects modes
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