dmarie211

Hello, my name is Donna and I have been practicing photography for quite a while now. I have slowly updated my digital cameras, but now I am ready to take my photography to the next step. I had an old Nikon and it took amazing photos. I no longer have it but I still have a passion for Nikon Cameras. I have been reading user and expert reviews and think I am interested in the Nikon D3000 Black SLR Digital Camera Kit w/ 18-55mm Lens.......Any thoughts, recommendations, or helpful advice is welcomed. Thanks everyone!!!!

snowbear

I understand the 18-55 is one of the sharpest kit lenses. What camera do you have now?

ddfs12 Loc: saint clair shores mich

i have the Nikon d7000 that came with a 18-105 zoom, very good lens and versatile too. came as a kit

RLK Loc: New Castle, PA/Stafford, VA

I have the D5000 w/18-55 mm and it is an excellent lens

RParker Loc: Orlando

Avoid the D3000- Google reviews on it, hang on...

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d3000.htm

I shoot Nikons- lots of good ones to be had.... :thumbup:

Greg Loc: Maryland

At this point, I would forego the 3000 in favor of the 3100, or 5100 if you are willing to spend a bit more. They are a bit more versatile for not much more money. If money is no object, I would start looking at the 7000 and up.

simontam Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

Hi donna would recommend the d7000 try to get a camera with a focusing motor built into the body it gives you more flexability when choosing lenses.all the d series lenses work perfectly for example i just bought a 80 to 200 2.8 afd lens for 1100 dollars the 70 to 200 afs lens is 2300 dollars

MtnMan Loc: ID

Hi, Donna

I bought the D5100 from Costco about a month ago. My daughter-in-law bought the D3100 at the same time. We both bought them in kits with two zoom lenses. Mine are 18-55 mm and 55-300mm. Her short lens is the same but her telephoto is only up to 200 mm. Her kit was about $750 and mine $1,000.

I found this website great for comparing options: http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-T3i-vs-Canon_EOS_Rebel_T2i

You can put in any cameras you want. It rated the D5100 at 95 and the D3100 and Canon T3i at around 70. But you may not agree with the criteria. I do not see that much difference between the Nikon D3100 and D5100.

We are both delighted with our purchases. I start a class next week so have been diving into the instructions and playing with it...a lot.

The main differences I see, other than the lens options in the kits, are that the D5100 has a rotatable screen and the D3100 has a "Guide" mode that gives helpful instructions. There are other minor technical differences; e.g. sensor size and ISO range that I don't think matter much. She has less experience than I and thus really appreciates the Guide mode. I would have found it wastefull afer initial orientation. I am pretty sure most people would be equally happy with either camera...or the equivalent Canons.

I have been taking pictures a long time with many different cameras. I still have my old 35mm which I now realize was a simple manual-only camera. All it has electronic is a built in light meter that you had to set things to get a needle horizontal...usually by twisting the f-stop ring. The things you can do with these new cameras are amazing.

Its going to take me several years to learn how to exploit the incredible options on this machine. I have already been taking far better pictures than I have for the last forty years. I am really excited about it.

I also have a relatively new "point and shoot"...Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7. Interestingly it has many of the same features so I am learning more about it as I learn how to operate the D5100. It of course is much smaller and lighter and thus more suitable for some situations. It has a gps which is really cool...but there are $50 non-Nikon GPS options to plug a gps into the D5100/3100. I have one on my list.

So I already have this list of options to add on to the D5100, including the above. The first one I will get is a flash. (Well, second...I have a remote release on its way...$13). I have already found that there are a mind-boggeling array of options for just the flash. Its like buying a flat screen TV. ;-( I don't plan to spend the money Nikon wants for theirs. I'd appreciate any input on that.

Next will be a polarizing filter.

Anyhow, hope these thoughts may help in your decision some small way.

Regards,
Larry Leach

dmarie211

Thanks everybody.....I currently have the Nikon Coolpix S220 which has 10 Megapixels, 3X Zoom, Vibration Reduction, 2.5 inch LCD 6.3-18.9 mm and 1:3.1-5.9. Its a GREAT little beginner camera. I do not want something overly complicated, yet I need something with better quality and most importantly VIBRATION REDUCTION because I do have tremors (always have). Anyways.......any other advice or recommendations are welcomed!!!! Thanks!!!!

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

I think Ken Rockwell gives the best advise. He said that you should buy the D3100 unless you have a feature that you want and need in the more expensive cameras. I would go to the D7000. It has a focusing motor in the body and the old motorless lenses are going cheaper and cheaper on Ebay and I have the older style lenses. If you need VR lenses these old lenses wont work for you so you might as well go with the D3100 unless you have some other feature you want on the more expensive cameras. - Dave

johnniejack Loc: Casper, Wyoming

Perhaps you could think about E-bay to test out pricing when you decide. I have acquired much stuff and never had a problem. But, as for advice, two things: (1), I have researched and would put my money on NIKON equipment. They engineer lenses for only Nikon and have the great reputation of total lens interchangeability ("F"-mount): (2)I am an older shooter with some awards sucess. I carry a NIKON D80 in my bag, with an 18-200mm VR lens, a 105mm manual lens and a Tokina 12-24 wide-angle super lens. Until you establish what empahsis you want to pursue, This could well be all you will need to shoot all forms - landscapes, macro, portraits, motion blur/sports shots, etc. Always add a UV or skylight filter to all lenses, and a circular polarizing filter. Good luck with you choice and check out pricing levels through E-bay. -- johnniejack

simontam Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

Keh camera is a great source for new and used if its photography related they probably have. also they sell all brands and offer an iron clad 6 month warranty on all used equipment. ive dealt with them for 20 plus years with out a problem. they can be reached at 1-770-333-4200 or keh .com

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

It's my understanding from what I've read that the new D5100 is very much the same (not the same) internally as the D7000 but at a lower price. It is not as much an upgrade of the D5000 as it is the little brother of a D7000. I'm sure someone will chime in if that's not true. But I would go in that direction if I were going Nikon. Higher megapixel, more features, newer internal technology, etc.

snowbear

The D7000 has more/better features features than the D5100. Some of them are: 6 vs. 4 frames per second in burst mode, uncompressed RAW format, mirror lockup (D5100 MLU is only for sensor cleaning), two memory card slots, fastest shutter speed is 1/8000 sec. vs. 1/4000, 39 vs. 11 Auto Focus points, better battery life (1050 vs. 660 shots), finer white balance tuning, built-in flash command mode and metering with older AI lenses.

source: nikonusa.com

simontam Loc: Cincinnati Ohio

the d7000 also has a focusing motor in the body the d5100 does not so you have the option of using d series lenses with 100% compatability with the d7000. the are some incredible deal on d series pro glass for example i just purchased a 80 to 200 2.8 d series lens which buy the is still made to this day my lenns in like new condition cost 1000.00 dollars a new 70 to 200 mm 2.8 afs lens is priced at 2299.00 dollars the d5100 has no focus motor in the body and will require the more expensive afs lens and the d7000 has the 2012 pixel RGB color sensor even the d3s at 7900.00 bucks only has the 1008 pixel sensor so you can see there is quite a difference between the 7000 and the 5100