The Nikon D3100
is an entry-level digital SLR camera boasting a newly designed 14-megapixel DX format sensor, a quick-access Live View mode, one-touch Full HD video recording with auto focus, plus an interactive Guide mode, a sensor dust buster and an 11-point auto focus module. With a sensitivity range of ISO 100-3,200, expandable to ISO 12,800, the Nikon D3100 is well suited to most lighting conditions.
is an entry-level digital SLR camera boasting a newly designed 14-megapixel DX format sensor, a quick-access Live View mode, one-touch Full HD video recording with auto focus, plus an interactive Guide mode, a sensor dust buster and an 11-point auto focus module. With a sensitivity range of ISO 100-3,200, expandable to ISO 12,800, the Nikon D3100 is well suited to most lighting conditions.Compared to the one-year-old D3000
, Nikon has managed to simultaneously increase the pixel count and improve quality at high sensitivity settings, with the D3100 enjoying at least one stop of advantage over its predecessor.
In terms of handling, there are a few welcome enhancements - most notably the inclusion of an ingenious drive mode lever, a separate movie record button and a spring-loaded Live View switch. All of these have brought about enhanced functionality as well as handling improvements - the available drive modes now include the Quiet mode first seen on the D5000, which allows you to delay the mirror return until you let go of the shutter release; while the movie record button and Live View switch provide access to features absent from the D3000. As to the implementation of these features, we definitely see room for improvement: the Live View mode desperately needs a live histogram and a higher-resolution live feed, while the movie mode is not complete without full exposure control, not to mention a truly well-working full-time AF feature.
As regards the Nikon D3100's ergonomics as a traditional DSLR camera
, it's not bad at all, but we would have liked to see separate buttons for ISO and WB, both of which can be mapped onto the handy Fn button, but alas not at the same time. Focusing speed and accuracy - especially in low light - could also be improved, as neither was optimal with the kit lens.
That said, the Nikon D3100 is a surprisingly well-featured and complete package for an entry-level digital SLR camera, and it also represents good value for the money.
, Nikon has managed to simultaneously increase the pixel count and improve quality at high sensitivity settings, with the D3100 enjoying at least one stop of advantage over its predecessor.In terms of handling, there are a few welcome enhancements - most notably the inclusion of an ingenious drive mode lever, a separate movie record button and a spring-loaded Live View switch. All of these have brought about enhanced functionality as well as handling improvements - the available drive modes now include the Quiet mode first seen on the D5000, which allows you to delay the mirror return until you let go of the shutter release; while the movie record button and Live View switch provide access to features absent from the D3000. As to the implementation of these features, we definitely see room for improvement: the Live View mode desperately needs a live histogram and a higher-resolution live feed, while the movie mode is not complete without full exposure control, not to mention a truly well-working full-time AF feature.
As regards the Nikon D3100's ergonomics as a traditional DSLR camera
, it's not bad at all, but we would have liked to see separate buttons for ISO and WB, both of which can be mapped onto the handy Fn button, but alas not at the same time. Focusing speed and accuracy - especially in low light - could also be improved, as neither was optimal with the kit lens.That said, the Nikon D3100 is a surprisingly well-featured and complete package for an entry-level digital SLR camera, and it also represents good value for the money.
Specifications
| Type | Single-lens reflex digital camera |
| Lens mount | Nikon F mount (with AF contacts) |
| Effective angle of view | Approximately 1.5x lens focal length (Nikon DX format) |
| Image sensor | 23.1 x 15.4 mm CMOS sensor |
| Effective pixels | 14.2 million pixels |
| Total pixels | 14.8 million pixels |
| Dust-reduction system | Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required) |
| Image size (pixels) | 4,608 x 3,072 (L); 3,456 × 2,304 (M); 2,304 × 1,536 (S) |
| File format | NEF (compressed RAW); JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1 : 4), normal (approx. 1 : 8), or basic (approx. 1 : 16) compression; Simultaneous recording of compressed RAW and JPEG fine image possible |
| Media | SD (Secure Digital) , SDHC , SDXC , and Eye-Fi memory cards |
| Picture Control System | Can be selected from Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Landscape, Portrait; selected Picture Control can be modified |
| Viewfinder | Eye-level pentamirror single-lens reflex viewfinder |
| Frame coverage | Approx. 95% horizontal and 95% vertical |
| Magnification | Approximately 0.8× (50mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, -1.0 m-1) |
| Eyepoint | 18 mm (-1.0 m-1) |
| Diopter adjustment | -1.7 to +0.5 m-1 |
| Focusing screen | Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VII screen |
| Reflex mirror | Quick return type |
| Lens aperture | Instant return, electronically controlled |
| Compatible lenses | AF-S or AF-I NIKKOR : All functions supported. Type G or D AF NIKKOR without built-in autofocus motor: All functions except autofocus supported. Other AF NIKKOR without built-in autofocus motor: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II. IX NIKKOR and F3AF: Not supported. Type D PC lenses: All functions supported except autofocus and some shooting modes. AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II. Non-CPU: Autofocus not supported. Can be used in exposure mode M, but exposure meter does not function. Electronic rangefinder can be used if lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster. |
| Shutter Type | Electronically controlled, vertical-travel focal-plane shutter |
| Shutter Speed | 1/4000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 EV, bulb |
| Flash sync speed | X=1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/200 s or slower |
| Release mode | Single frame, continuous, self-timer, quiet shutter release |
| Frame advance rate | Up to 3 fps (manual focus, mode M or S, shutter speed 1/250 s or faster, and other settings at default values) |
| Self-timer | 2 s, 10 s |
| Metering | TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor |
| Metering method | Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses); Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8-mm circle in center of frame; Spot: Meters 3.5 mm circle (about 2.5 % of frame) centered on selected focus point |
| Range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20 °C/68 °F) | Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0 to 20 EV; Spot metering: 2 to 20 EV |
| Exposure meter coupling | CPU |
| Mode | Auto modes (auto, auto (flash off); scene modes (portrait, landscape, child, sports, close up, night portrait); programmed auto with flexible program (P); shutter-priority auto (S); aperture-priority auto (A); manual (M) |
| Exposure compensation | -5 to +5 EV in increments of 1/3 EV |
| Exposure lock | Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button |
| ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index) | ISO 100 to 3200 in steps of 1 EV; can also be set to approx. 2 EV above ISO 3200 (ISO 12800 equivalent); auto ISO sensitivity control available |
| Active D-Lighting | Can be selected from on or off |
| Autofocus | Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 auto focus sensor module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points (including one cross-type sensor), and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5–3 m/1 ft. 8 in.–9 ft. 10 in.) |
| Detection range | -1 to +19 EV (ISO 100 at 20°C/68°F) |
| Lens servo | Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); continuous-servo AF (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A); predictive focus tracking activated automatically according to subject status. Manual focus (MF): Electronic rangefinder can be used |
| AF-area mode | Single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, auto-area AF, 3D-tracking (11 points) |
| Focus lock | Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button |
| Built-in flash | Guide number of approximately 12/39, 13/43 with manual flash (m/ft, ISO 100, 20°C/68°F); Auto, portrait, child, close up, night portrait: Auto flash with auto pop-up; P, S, A, M: Manual pop-up with button release |
| Flash control | TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 420-pixel RGB sensor. i-TTL balanced fill-flash is available with built-in flash and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-400 when matrix or center-weighted metering is selected. Standard i-TTL is available with built-in flash and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-400 when spot metering is selected (Flash mode can be set using Speedlight controls with SB-900, SB-800, and SB-600). Auto aperture: Available with SB-900/SB-800 and CPU lens. Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-80DX, SB-28DX, SB-28, SB-27, and SB-22S. Distance-priority manual: Available with SB-900 and SB-800 |
| Angle of coverage | Sufficient to illuminate the angle of view of an 18 mm lens. Picture edges may be slightly dark depending upon conditions, such as the lens used and the aperture setting. |
| Flash mode | Auto, portrait, child, close up: Auto, auto with red-eye reduction, off available with built-in flash; Fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional flash units. Night portrait: Auto slow sync, auto slow sync with red-eye reduction, off available with built-in flash; Slow sync and slow sync with red-eye reduction available with optional flash units. Landscape, sports: Fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional flash units. P, A: Fill-flash, rear-curtain with slow sync, slow sync, slow sync with red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction. S, M: Fill-flash, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction |
| Flash compensation | -3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV |
| Flash-ready indicator | Lights when built-in flash or optional flash unit such as SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, SB-400, SB-80DX, SB-28DX, or SB-50DX is fully charged; blinks for 3 s after flash is fired at full output |
| Accessory shoe | ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock |
| Sync terminal | AS-15 sync terminal adapter (available separately) |
| Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) | Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with SB-900, SB-800, or SU-800 as commander. Flash color information communication supported with built-in flash and all CLS-compatible flash units |
| White balance | Auto (TTL white balance with main image sensor and 420-pixel RGB sensor); incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual, all except preset manual with fine tuning. |
| Live View - Lens servo | Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); full-time-servo AF (AF-F). Manual focus (MF) |
| Live View - AF-area mode | Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF, subject-tracking AF |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected) |
| Scene auto selection | Available in auto and auto flash off modes |
| Movie recording | File format: MOV |
| Movie recording | Frame size/rate: 1920 × 1080, 24 fps; 1280 × 720, 30 fps |
| Movie Recording | Video compression: H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding |
| Movie Recording | Audio recording format: Linear PCM |
| Movie Recording | Audio (Sound): Monaural microphone built in. Can be set to on or off. |
| Movie Recording | Metering: TTL exposure metering using main image sensor |
| Monitor | 3-in. (7.5cm)., approx. 230k-dot TFT LCD with brightness adjustment |
| Playback | Full-frame playback; Movie playback; Thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images or calendar) playback; Slide show; Histogram display; Highlights display; Auto image rotation; Image comment (up to 36 characters) |
| Retouch functions | D-Lighting, red-eye correction, trim, monochrome, filter effects, color balance, small picture, image overlay, NEF (RAW) processing, quick retouch, straighten, distortion control, fisheye, color outline, perspective control, miniature effect, edit movie |
| USB | Hi-Speed USB |
| HDMI output | Type C HDMI connector |
| Accessory terminal | Remote cord: MC-DC2 (available separately); GPS unit: GP-1 (available separately) |
| Supported languages | Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish |
| Battery | One rechargeable Li-ion EN-EL14 battery (supplied) |
| AC adapter | EH-5a AC adapter; requires EP-5A power connector (available separately) |
| Dimensions (W × H × D) | Approx.124 × 96 × 74.5 mm (4.9 × 3.8 × 2.9 in.) |
| Weight | Approx. 505 g (1 lb. 1.8 oz.) with battery and memory card but without body cap |
| Durability | Body and shutter unit both durable up to approximately 100,000 cycles. |
