Testseek.com have collected 137 expert reviews of the Nikon D5100 and the average rating is 83%. Scroll down and see all reviews for Nikon D5100.
April 2011
(83%)
137 Reviews
Average score from experts who have reviewed this product.
Users
(91%)
40 Reviews
Average score from owners of the product.
830100137
The editors liked
Like
Image quality is excellent. The kit lens
Though looking and feeling as though it has been made down to a price
Is nevertheless quick to focus and produces sharp
High resolution images. The camera sits well in the hand and is responsive. Auto expo
Hiresolution articulated monitor
Easy to use
Much improved live view AF
Well-rounded feature set
Top notch image quality (still and video)
Excellent low light/high ISO performance
Beautiful 3-inch
High resolution articulated LCD
New special effects
Full time AF in Live View and Video
Very versatile
Great in low light
Articulated screen encourages creativity
Excellent photo quality with a good noise profile
A streamlined shooting design for both photo and video
And a broad
Practical feature set contribute to the Nikon D5100's strengths
The editors didn't like
Dislike
The pennypinching omission of an autofocus drive from the camera body limits the range of lenses that can be used in AF mode. This has been an annoying characteristic of entry level Nikons in the past. Sony
Pentax and Canon don't skimp in this w
Special Effects a bit limited
No wireless flash control/DoF preview
No dedicated ISO button
Requires AF-S lens with built-in AF motor
Live View and video AF aren't lightning fast
Special Effects parameters must be set in Live View
Body only
$1049
With lens kit
$1199
Few controls over image parameters
No depth of field preview
No exposure control in Special Effects
While it's fast
Some aspects of the D5100's performance still lag behind its class
Published: 2011-04-09, Author: Lori , review by: cnet.com
Excellent photo quality with a good noise profile, a streamlined shooting design for both photo and video, and a broad, practical feature set contribute to the Nikon D5100's strengths
While it's fast, some aspects of the D5100's performance still lag behind its class
Though it doesn't rank first based on any individual aspect of the camera, the Nikon D5100 delivers a solid combination of image quality, performance, features, and design that puts it out in front if you're looking for a well-rounded option under $1,...
Abstract: The D5100 is a refreshed . It retains the swivel screen and does movies. Also New: ME-1 Stereo Microphone Engineered specifically for a D-SLR, and powered directly through the camera Attaches to the hot shoe and has noise dampening c...
Very low image noise, Excellent whitebalance, Reliable metering, Good dynamic range, Accurate autofocus system, Quick shutterlag, Great shottoshoot speed, Instant poweron and off times, Quick to record and stop video, Full HD video with autofocus, Good bu
Mostly slow autofocus, Uneven color response, Slight image softness, Noisereduction even when disabled, LCD glare when settings are changed, LiveView not exposurepriority, Microphone records camera noise, Difficulty to setup video framing, Limited externa
The Nikon D5100 is the upper-entry-level camera in the Nikon DSLR lineup. Slotting itself just above the D3100 Nikon D3100, it produces superior-quality images using a similar design with a less efficient interface. Above it, the D7000 Nikon D7000 shares ...
Abstract: With its 16.2 MP sensor, image quality at high ISO sensitivity and the excellent definition of the rear screen, the Nikon D5100 allows beginners to learn about the quality of a true reflex and more experienced users to have a very complete camera at a...
Excellent image quality, Unintimidating interface, but with plenty of manual control, Articulated, high-res LCD screen, Sophisticated AF system for the price, Easy manual selection of off-center AF points, Unusually fast Live View AF for a low-end DSLR (but still relatively slow compared to mirrorless competitors), Effects modes are fun and beginner-friendly, Much improved continuous shooting p
Sub-optimal placement of some second-tier controls (like live view switch), Movie shooting button 'orphaned' from live view switch, Buggy Live View / Movie Mode (movies aren't necessarily recorded at set aperture), No live histogram in live view, AF still a little sluggish in live view mode, full-time AF not very effective in live view or movies, Only direct external ISO control is via slightly
Conceptually, the D5100 perfectly fills the gap in Nikon's line-up between the entry-level D3100 and the much more enthusiast-orientated D7000 - marrying the ease-of-use of the former with the image quality of the latter. It also throws in a video-fri...
Very versatile, Great in low light, Articulated screen encourages creativity
Few controls over image parameters, No depth of field preview, No exposure control in Special Effects
The only real downside for enthusiast photographers is that there are few direct controls over image parameters. However, most features such as the white balance, drive mode and sensitivity settings are just a couple of clicks away via the Information Di...
Angle-adjustable LCD; built-in effects filters for JPEG shooting; solid build; large, well-labelled controls; good ergonomics
Manual focusing required in video mode
Sitting just behind the shutter release is a dedicated movie record button, with a springy lever for switching on Live View. We get Full HD 1080p too, with frame rates of 24, 25 or 30fps (frames per second). Under the rubber side flap hiding HDMI output t...
The D5100 is evidence of Nikon fine-tuning its entry-level range for a users that demand increasingly more complex, all-round DSLRs but expect greater ease of use and creative extras too. While I thoroughly enjoyed shooting with the D5100, the camera ...
