Nikon D5100 Camera

The Nikon D5100 adds a full vari-angle LCD screen and new Effects modes to Nikon’s DSLR fold. How well does the D5100 walk the line between beginner and mid-level enthusiasts?

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The Nikon D5100 updates the D5000 model, but continues to sit alongside the D90 in the range – quashing rumours that this latter model was to be replaced. The D5100 straddles the beginner and mid-level consumer market, merging entry-level ‘fun’ features such as Effects modes along with an image sensor pulled directly from the D7000 and many other features adopted from the D3100.

Nikon D5100 Features

The D5100 Nikon has a number of modes and features that Nikon is keen to shout about: First of all it’s got an LCD screen mounted on a bracket for 360 degree positioning at more unusual angles – an ideal accomplice for videographers looking to use the 1080p Full HD movie mode to best effect. Secondly is the new Effects mode that opens up seven specific options for immediate in-camera results: Night Vision; Color Sketch; Miniature; Selective Color; Silhouette; High Key and Low Key. Their appeal is leaned more towards the mass market, where companies such as Olympus have seen some success, though the balance of such ‘fun’ options inside a rather well-specified piece of kit may cause some more serious photographers to question the camera’s main focus.

Fear not, then, that the Nikon D5100 Camera is rather like a head-on collision between the current D7000 and D3100 models. The same 16.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor as found in the D7000 makes its way into the D5100 body alongside the EXPEED 2 image processing engine for top-flight image quality. Metering is taken care of by the same 420-pixel RGB sensor as found in the D3100, where the same 11-point AF system and Li-ion battery are also imported to the D5100′s spec.

But it’s far from copy and paste: The D5100′s left-side mounted vari-angle LCD screen is certainly a new approach from Nikon, while other features such as live view get a makeover for faster focusing than any other Nikon DSLR. The 1080p movie mode also sees the inclusion of 30/25/24fps adjustable frame rates.

Nikon D5100 Design

The fundamental difference between the D5100 and any other Nikon DSLR is that the vari-angle screen depends on a left-aligned bracket that renders it impossible for the usual four or five button array featured in other Nikon models to rest in its usual place. The result is more or less for the control buttons to be staggered towards the right hand side, but this does make for a busier layout that will seem less immediate to existing Nikon users – though nothing to worry about for those new to the system.

Unlike the D90, the D5100, as per its D5000 predecessor, has no top LCD panel for reviewing settings. Instead you’ll need to toggle the rear LCD’s display on using the ‘Info’ button and access the Quick Menu using the ‘i’ button. A better naming system could have been employed here to avoid two apparent ‘Info’ buttons in close proximity (though the design and naming is the same as in other Nikon models).

The Quick Menu itself is easy to navigate to change options and includes a short worded prompt to the top of the screen to detail what each mode is for.

When outside of this Quick Menu the d-pad adjusts the single-point AF position (if this mode is selected) to target any of the 11 AF-points. It’s easy to use, but if the rear display isn’t on and the d-pad is knocked then the AF-point can be accidentally adjusted as there’s no lock or visual prompt.

Also lacking is a Depth of Field Preview button to the front of the camera, something competitor models such as the Canon EOS 600D feature.

Nikon D5100 Camera Performance

The D5100 Nikon is great to use for a variety of tasks. We tested it with the 18-55mm kit, 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6 and 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VRII lenses and this was testament to how well the 11-point AF system coped for a variety of situations. Although not a professional body, pop a pro-spec lens on the front and the two team up very well indeed. The continuous autofocus is successful at residing on the single AF point setting for accurate subject focusing. There’s not the same degree of predictive 3D tracking that’s found higher up the range, but we were pleased as punch with the results throughout and the two most horizontally (landscape) set AF points add that extra degree of reach to the system for Wide AF usage too.

Flip into live view mode using the new Lv switch that surrounds the main mode dial and there’s an immediate change: although focusing isn’t nearly as quick as when using the viewfinder, it’s a darn sight quicker than any other Nikon DSLR live view system we’ve ever used. The focusing box can also be positioned anywhere across the entirety of the screen using the d-pad to allocate the focusing position. It’s not faster than Sony’s Quick AF Live View system and doesn’t outdo the likes of Panasonic’s ‘Light Speed’ contrast-detection system as seen in the GH2 – but the D5100 does give a strong push forward here that’s been much needed from Nikon.

The new Effects modes are a bit of a mixed bag. When previewing some of the modes in real time on the LCD screen, such as Color Sketch (that outlines subjects in a posterised, outlined, cartoon-like form – unlikely to be a common use for many serious photographers), the screen lag can become frustrating. While it’s possible to use the viewfinder, there are options such as Selective Color whereby making those pin-point selections to isolate colour will require a live view preview. Miniature mode works well for fake tilt-shift effects and Night Vision (black and white at ISO 102,400) is a unique touch. But the fact an original Raw file cannot be shot in tandem with any of the modes and the overall lack of customisation renders these point-and-shoot options as less impressive then they could be. Certainly not the biggest draw for everyone, yet other companies such as Olympus and Panasonic have shown some success in this area that it seems Nikon wants a piece of.

More advanced modes such as the 4fps continuous shooting option are able to snap away at up to 10 frames when in Raw + JPEG mode (using a Panasonic Class 10 Gold Card). It’s areas like this that the D5100 outshines the likes of the Canon EOS 600D with its smaller buffer and ever so slightly slower 3.7fps burst.

However, where the 600D excels is by offering a built-in wireless commander for controlling external flashguns – Nikon’s D5100 can only do so with the inclusion of the SU-800 commander (sold separately for around £215 or more). Also consider the lack of a Depth of Field Preview button and there are some omissions from Nikon’s offering that would have further strengthened its overall offering for the more demanding user.