Nikon D3100 14.2 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ 18-55mm Lens)

Best price I could find anywhere! Probably not the best review of it though but here goes.

Why?
I really wanted to upgrade from my Fujifilm S5700 to a DSLR and this was highly recommended as a first from many sources.

Pictures
Picture quality is very good and Nikon's RAW picture format is Nikon's own .NEF file that can be converted. Will save in JPEG too.

Videos
HD video 1080p will record at 24fps but 720p will record at 30fps suitable for higher speed footage. It records in h.264 as a Quicktime .MOV file. Auto focus on video is a bit noisy (can be heard on the video playback) and slow but don't worry, you can put it in manual focus mode.

Lens
The included lens is also very good. I'm looking to get a 55-200mm one for a longer distance. The 18-55mm lens included gives a very good depth of field making things in front and behind the point of focus very blurry keeping the subject center of attention.

Camera tools
The camera has some basic tools built in to it such as it can tell you when every setting on the camera does just by pressing the "?" button. It also has editing software built in to trim the length of videos, straighten up photos, colour correct photos and loads more that can be done on a computer.

Viewfinder
The viewfinder is very clear and views straight through the lens. So everything you see in front of you you'll see in the viewfinder. It also has a head-up display telling you if it is recommended to use the flash, what the current shutter speed/aperture is, low battery, focus points and more.

Screen
The screen is clear, large and shows everything you'd expect.

The included disc.
The software that comes on the disc should be updated before actually using it. Comes with some smart little tools such as a bitrate calculate for video.

The movie editor software is very basic. Only really suitable for cutting the video, no effects.

Picture software is good but any other effects that it won't do can be done using free software such as Google Picasa.

I hope this review was helpful, and see this photo I took with it: http://sno.ms/ppq

Thanks for reading,
Simon.

This camera was given to me as a replacement for my broken D40. I am a novice photographer moving from the compact cameras into the world of DLSR's and this is a fantastic entry level camera, one that I would recommend to anybody who wishes to get a bit more serious about photography but is a little nervous about all the extra's the higher value DLSR's have to offer.

This camera is lightweight and compact. The quality of the photos are great and being able to use the four basic features such as manual or AP is a great way to start your hobby.

I shall admit that I have not used the film setting as that does not interest me, but I am convinced this camera is worth investing in if you are a beginner.

Istopped using SLR Cameras about 30 tears ago with the advent of the automatic. Just bought one of these for each of the family and let them get on with it. I lost interest in the subject but still provided myself with a simple box - Fuji etc for the odd occasions when I was expected to provide photos for some event or other.
a couple of months ago I realised I was completely frustrated trying to use these to get a decent shot and decided to return to SLR. It was my good luck to return via the Nikon 3100. Simole, easy to use, all the features I needed, lightweight and not expensive. A great decision as it is perfect for the serious photographer also. I would reccomend it to anyone thinking of buying.

First let me just say that this review is from the perspective of an amateur who has not yet discovered everything that the Nikon D3100 has to offer. I am by no means an exceptional photographer, but this camera has the ability to fool you into thinking otherwise.

Every picture is a gem in natural lighting, but even in artificially lit environments the user is allowed a great deal of control over aperture/shutter settings to achieve excellent results.

The standard 18-55mm lens works well for landscape/scenery use, and is quite competent for macro shots as long as you don't get to within a few inches or it doesn't take the photo. Physically the lens+body are well constructed, and although the lens is bulky overall it is a very mobile. The LCD is nice and big for selecting options or viewing your pictures. I also find it very easy to navigate the menus and delete photos due to the intuitive interface and smart positioning of buttons.

The battery life is surprisingly long. In fact I have yet to exhaust it in a single shoot of several hours.

Once again I remind you that I am an amateur, yet this piece of kit makes every photo look exponentially more professional than cameras of a similar resolution from a lower price bracket. Money well spent.

I'd been looking for this specific camera for a number of months before I found it with this seller on ebay. I couldn't believe the price! It was amazing value! Besides, I was very specific what I wanted it with so I decided to go for body only and then purchase the camera lens I wanted separately. This is by far the least expensive I found the camera for so I went for it. I can't tell you how impressed I am! Even though it was body only, it still came with everything such as charger, instructions etc whereas I'd seen it for nearly twice the price without all those extras in the box. I am a keen photographer (although I have never had any professional training) and this camera has so many different options so that you get the perfect picture each and every time - and since it is easy to use and navigate the buttons I would recommend it even to a beginner. The image quality is perfect - just what I wanted so that I could create my own canvasses.
I couldn't have asked for a better camera and I'd highly recommend it! :)