Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Camera 18-55mm VR Lens Kit Black

Firstly, I am not one of those techno buffs, I don't really know what ISO is, and what the apeture does... Well, I kind of do but not enough to explain it to you. But I think this is captured by the D3100, as it is an entry level SLR your not supposed to know all that. It teaches you with its built in guide mode.This is my first DSLR and I am so glad I bought it.It is a tie between buying the D3100, the D5000 or splashing out on the new D5100. But I decided to go for this baby; its reasonably priced and full of fancy features, for instance; full 1080p HD movie recording (10 minute intervals,) HDMI connectivity, A well detailed, informative manual and simple OS.But lets forget all that and start of with what people want to know....Does it take good photos? YES! The picture quality is excellent, it gives sharp clear photos with minimal input from your brain.Is it simple to use? YES! The nikon GUIDE mode is very simple, it gives you a whole range of types of photo, it then explains what the camera is doing so you can do it by yourself next time!Is it a professional camera? No, it is an entry level Digital SLR. You should not expect the best from it. It is not a D3. Its a D3...100. You cannot expect pro quality from an entry level camera.The camera is fantastic for anyone thinking of joining the world of DSLRs, it is reasonably priced for what you get... But one thing I did want was a rotating screen (which you get on the D5000 and D5100) But that is a sacrifice. I am very happy with what I got and I would recommend the camera to anyone!This is my first proper review.. Please give me feedback on if it was helpful for you. If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I will do my best to answer!Thanks for reading!

I thought I should add my voice to the chorus of praise for this camera. I learnt the principles of photography back in the 70's when cameras were proper cameras and you had to carry a light-meter and understand the relationship between film & shutter speed, aperture and focal length to get your pictures exactly how you wanted. My trusty old Pentax SV (and later a P30) and selection of lenses served me well until I was reluctantly seduced by the convenience of a digital camera. Digital SLR's were, until recently, well beyond the means of lesser mortals and I had been perfectly happy with my Canon Powershot S3 bridge camera until the shutter finally became permanently stuck. The repair bill here in France was so close to the price of a new, higher spec camera that I decided to up the budget and go for this entry level DSLR offering from Nikon (I assume the price had been heavily discounted due to the release of the D3200), unarguably the best name in still photography for innovation, reliability and build & picture quality since the groundbreaking introduction of the Nikon F in the late 50's.Anyway, enough of the history lesson. I love this camera and paradoxically, given the stupendous level of technology crammed inside, it takes me right back to those simpler Pentax days. Yes, of course it has a range of fully automatic modes for those point and shoot moments or sudden photo opportunities, but its real strength lies in the incredible level of control you have over the auto-focus (and, when all else fails, proper lens-ring manual focus - how I've missed that!), metering modes and in the simplicity of use of the program & aperture and shutter priority modes. Also, unlike `standard' digital cameras there is none of the annoying lag between pressing the button and the shutter releasing - hoorah!The user interface presented on the bright & clear rear screen is intuitive and every camera option can be controlled by a simply navigated menu system. Mind you, I did spend a whole day working through the book of words and the reference manual on CD but really it is very easy once you've had a bit of a play. Despite not being made of brass like my old SV, the camera has a solid, well balanced feel and the somewhat chunky 18-55mm lens (equivalent to a 35mm 22-82.5mm zoom) sits nicely in the left hand. The auto-focus is rapid and accurate & the results are pin-sharp and distortion & vignette free. Manual focus on close-ups (although the auto mode works perfectly anyway) is easy thanks to the clear, bright viewfinder. I even experimented with the vibration reduction system built into the lens by taking hand-held pictures at slow shutter speeds and, yes, it does make a difference.For those digital camera traditionalists, the `live-view' mode provides a screen-based viewfinder and a load of clever variations on the standard `viewfinder' framing focus options (e.g. face recognition & tracking). This mode also allows movie recording but I haven't experimented much beyond the basic as it isn't something I'm particularly interest in doing.I'm extremely happy with this camera and although another lens would be useful (either the Nikon 55-200mm or the Sigma 70-300mm macro) for wildlife stuff I certainly can't justify the expense and I'm perfectly content with what I have for the time being.There are a couple of essential accessories: A clear filter to protect the front lens element (I bought the Hoya 52mm Pro-1 Digital Protector Screw in Filter which is excellent) and a protection film for the rear screen (I bought the atFoliX FX-Antireflex screen-protection film for Nikon D3100 although on reflection (ha-ha) I should have got the clear equivalent).

As the first time stepping in the D-SLR market I needed something that was affordable but offered value for money, and was greatly put off by the large cost of the higher range Nikon, and Canon cameras, and this camera looking at its features and specifications, it literally ticked all the boxes and more.It arrived on time, and everything I expected when first opening the box, only quirk really is the lens it comes with doesn't come with an actual backplate just a white generic packaging cap, so I recommend you don't throw it away until you pick up a Nikon F-Mount rear lens cap from here or your local camera store as soon as possible, perhaps before it arrives to save the hassle.The camera is a decent 14MP camera capable of great things, with a full range of features for the novice, right up to the advanced professional, the scene selection and guided modes it offers, compliment it greatly, allows the camera to do all the hard work with focus and white balance and allows you to just worry about your shot, and zoom. The flash pops up automatically in low light conditions too.The good thing about the guided mode is it actually tries to teach you what settings you have to adjust to prepare for a shot to produce that chosen effect. It shouldn't be used as a short-cut, but something you could learn from\remind yourself stuff you have forgotten how to do. I tend to read about the settings I need to change then switch to manual and try make those changes myself.But I do recommend you white balance the camera manually like any D-SLR, for optimal photographs.Images come out really well and vibrant, there is a little noise when zooming in on the outputted RAW. But that's not an issue when printing or outputting to a smaller file for use on the web.Overall a very good entry-level D-SLR, ideal for me to pick up the paces and progress onto amateur and eventually professional photography, and anyone looking to do the same.