Camera Labs

Hi,

Thanks a LOT Gordon!!

An interesting thing I noticed:
This camera can set the Auto ISO limit, and manual ISO options are available in 1EV steps. With the D5000 and D90, I believe manual ISO options are available in 1/3EV steps. However the D3100 can use "in-between" ISO values when shooting in Auto ISO. What would be the reason we can't choose those "in-between" values manually like on the D5000?

Jinay.

_________________
A picture is worth a thousand words, but a photograph should make you say just one - "WOW!"

Canon EOS 550D + 18-55mm Kit Lens + Canon 75-300mm III USM + Filters.
Panasonic Lumix FZ35

My Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdm_01/

To make you buy the higher end cameras? We are not Nikon, but this is just marketing. And Auto ISO is not "in between" ISO, it is equivalent ISO. If you look in the exif you can find the weirdest numbers. Those 1/3EV or 1/2EV steps on other cameras is only convenience, not necessary to make good photos.

Mostly in winter my cam is on ISO 400, in summer on ISO 200. Rarely I go above 1600 (last of the calibrated ISO's on my D80).

_________________
- Wout -
Nikon D80 with 18-70 DX, 70-300 VR, 35 1.8 DX
Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with 488RC0 midi ballhead
Lowepro CompuRover AW and Nova 200 AW

Hi everyone !

This is my first post ! so a brief intro... (i know it's not the place to introduce myself but we won't mind about that )... So I'm on the brink of buying my first digital reflex, and this site has been soo helpful !... The reviews are very complete and the videos really do show how the camera works... (I'm not able to try all the possible cameras I might buy because of where I live in)...

So I think the best buy for me is gonna be the d3100, but I'm still not sure and I've been looking forward to the complete review for quite some time now...

I don't mean to sound bossy but do you think you guys will have the complete review sometime soon (like before black friday? lol... )


Thanks for all the effort and the passion !


A.

_________________
Canon F-1 | Olympus OM-2

He is probably writing it as we speak. So should be there in the next week or so. I know Gordon won't let us down, although holiday season is the busiest moment of year for reviews of new cameras!

_________________
- Wout -
Nikon D80 with 18-70 DX, 70-300 VR, 35 1.8 DX
Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with 488RC0 midi ballhead
Lowepro CompuRover AW and Nova 200 AW

Does this camera have E.V bracketing?
Or Image stabalization?
Does it auto-focus when in movie mode?

It doesnt do auto bracket
Image stabilization is in the lenses
Yes it does auto focus in movie mode (was the first Nikon SLR to have full time Auto Focus in movie mode even)

_________________
- Wout -
Nikon D80 with 18-70 DX, 70-300 VR, 35 1.8 DX
Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with 488RC0 midi ballhead
Lowepro CompuRover AW and Nova 200 AW

Excellent !... I'm sure it's not easy... so I'll wait patiently



I think those are the kind of things you can learn just by reading the specs on nikon's website...

And as far as I know, image stabilization usually comes on the lens on the nikon models, not on the body...

_________________
Canon F-1 | Olympus OM-2

Hi everyone, I just finished my Nikon D3100 review!

Hope you find it useful...

Nice work Gordon, well done and great review as per....

_________________

Aidan Hill. com
Nikon D7000 | Nikon 70-200MM f/2.8G VR II | Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM | Tokina 11-16mm F2.8| iMac 27" | MacBook Pro 13" | Crumpler 6 Million Dollar Bag |

Great work Gordon - Excellent job at knocking out review after review and still maintaining high quality info.

...interesting comparo with the 500D/T1i. Now, if you could find a 550D/T2i for the same price as the D3100...

Super !

Loved the review... just finished reading the whole thing

Thank you so much... I'm guessing there's not gonna be a video review right?... The review is quite complete but the video always adds up...

Anyway, excellent job and thanks again, now I'm pretty sure I'm getting a d3100

_________________
Canon F-1 | Olympus OM-2

Hello guys, I am new here and I have AN URGENCY: I bought past week a D90 with 18-105 VR lens kit. I have been testing and shooted around 1.000 pictures indoor, outdoor with all types of lighting conditions.
The camera, as a machine, is really wonderful, superb handling, great viewfinder, etc. But I am not totally convinced about IMAGE QUALITY. I am just an enthusiast, not pro.

I have just three days for turning back the camera and change it.

SHOULD I CHANGE IT FOR A D3100??? Please help me. I DON´T CARE ABOUT VIDEO. PLEASE, HELP ME JUST FOCUSING ON STILL IMAGE.

My goal is doing great nature -birds overall- pictures.

If the D3100 makes better images I would sacrife the superb handling of the D90, the lcd panel, smaller viewfinder, etc and change for it with a bigger lens at same price.

Note: I have tried retouching all parameters. Sharpening, etc. I don´t find crisp images, at low light I am really deceptioned about NOISE -greys indoor noise at bokehs is very high-.

3fps is great for me, no need 4,5fps. Just think about a picture taken, not the rest of features. I thought the bigger sensor of the D90 was going to be better. Forget about the machines itselves, just the IMAGE.

I had the D3100 18-55 +55-200 kit in my hands but at the end changed it. I´m going crazy... :s :s

Thanks a lot.

Rafael

Those are the topics I read, that I need to reply on.

First answer NO, you shouldnt change, your lens will do much more for your image quality! Remember, you only have an 18-105VR kit lens. It is meant to be cheap, has a big zoom range and small apertures. What you need is something more expensive (are these the bigger lenses you talk of?), like the primes, or convenience could be the f/2.8 zooms. So stick with the D90, and buy lenses.

The D90 has a marginal bigger sensor, its not comparing apples to oranges in size with the D3100, both are 100% DX, the difference is not even a mm on either side.
D3100: 23.1 x 15.4 mm CMOS sensor
D90: 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor

_________________
- Wout -
Nikon D80 with 18-70 DX, 70-300 VR, 35 1.8 DX
Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with 488RC0 midi ballhead
Lowepro CompuRover AW and Nova 200 AW

If you're worrying about image quality on a modern day DSLR, chances are (no offence) that its your fault the images are coming out the way they are and not the cameras. The image quality of cameras nowadays is incredible if you know what you're doing.

I agree with Wout, money spent on lenses will do much more for IQ than buying another camera.

Could you specify what you mean when you say the image quality isnt what you want it to be? As in the resolution? Or the ISO noise? Or the sharpness? Using the cheapest lenses on the market you cant really expect top notch results, but still the lens you mention is very good (as is the D90)

_________________
Nikon D5000 and D300 with 12-24mm, 35mm f1.8, 50mm f1.4, 60mm f2.8 Macro, 18-200mm, 17-55mm f2.8 (all Nikon)

The D90 is a great camera and the 18-105 is a great lens for what it is. If your images are not to your liking with this combo, the D3100 will not fix that. Even if you do believe that the camera makes a difference, the D90 is by far the better body.

_________________
Graham
Flickr