Showing posts with label Nikon D3100. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nikon D3100. Show all posts
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D5100... What to Buy? (Viewer Question)
Viewer wants to know which camera to buy... the Nikon D3100 or the Nikon D5100. Here's my thoughts on why you'd buy the Nikon D3100 or the Nikon D5100.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Nikon D5100 - Why to Buy the D5100 Over the Nikon D3100
With the Nikon D5100 on the market, many folks aren't sure whether they should buy the D5100 or the Nikon D3100. Here's why you might want to buy the Nikon D5100 over the Nikon D3100.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
My Choice for a Nikon DSLR Digital Camera for Life - Nikon D3100 D5000 Nikon D7000 D700 D3s D3x
Following up on our discussion of Thom Hogan's DSLR Digital Camera for Life question, here's my choice if I had to pick a Nikon DSLR Digital Camera for Life out of the current Nikon DSLR line-up ( Nikon D3100 Nikon D5000 Nikon D7000 Nikon D700 Nikon D3s Nikon D3x )
Click play on the video above to watch.
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Monday, March 14, 2011
Pick a Nikon DSLR Digital Camera for the Rest of Your Life - Nikon D7000 D700 D3s D3x D3100 D5000
Discussing Thom Hogan's "Camera For Life" question that was posed to him. A reader asked Thom if he had to choose a camera right now that would last him for the rest of his life, what would he choose. Bear in mind, Thom shoots Nikon DSLR digital cameras, so we're only talking Nikon here. He rules out 4/3 and compacts right away because of image quality, and then we're left with the current Nikon offering... the Nikon D3100, Nikon D5000, Nikon D7000, Nikon D700, Nikon D3s, and Nikon D3x. Here's what he chose...
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Blender Oatmeal in the Vitamix 5200 (shot with the Nikon D3100)
Nikon D3100 Video with the Nikon 35mm f1.8G
Here's my own recipe for making Blender Oatmeal in the Vitamix 5200. Tastes great, easy to make, good for you, and the kids love it!
Shot with the Nikon D3100 and Nikon 35mm f1.8G. A mix of video and still photos. Edited in Sony Vegas.
Nikon D3100 Low Light Video Test Indoors with the Nikon 35mm f1.8G
Nikon D3100 Video with the Nikon 35mm f1.8G
Ella was gracious enough to let me film her having lunch, so I took the opportunity to test the Nikon D3100 video indoors in lower light.
Shooting with the Nikon 35mm f1.8G you get the advantage of f1.8 to get a boatload more light to the sensor which allows you to keep your ISO down.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Nikon D3100 Review: 1080 HD Video
I've been putting the new Nikon D3100 through it's paces as I continue to evaluate it to see if I'll keep it in my bag. In doing so, I've shot some video with it to see how it measures up.
The new Nikon D3100 is capable of 1080HD just like it's big brother, the amazing Nikon D7000. The D3100 video quality is VERY good, which is quite impressive for a DSLR at this level.
The big difference between the D3100 and the D7000 where video is concerned is that the D3100 doesn't have the more advanced options like manual controls and an external mic input.
This isn't a big deal if you're not planning on doing anything more than making some family movies of your kids at the park or in the tub, but it is a big deal if you planned on doing some more professional quality video or movies.
The in-ability to control exposure is a HUGE handicap for more advanced movie making. With the Nikon D3100 you're basically stuck letting the camera control the exposure, which means you can often see the exposure changing in your video as the camera makes metering adjustments.
The lack of an external mic input is a biggie for those wishing to get better quality audio for their video. With the D7000, as well as Canon DSLR's like the T2i and 60D, you can plug in an external mic like the Rode Shotgun mic or a Sony lavalier mic and get MUCH better sound. You can't do this on the Nikon D3100.
The D3100 is also limited to 10 minute video clips, whereas the Nikon D7000 can do 20 minute clips. Not a big deal, especially for the market the D3100 is aimed at, but a limitation none-the-less.
Now before you go thinking these are big knocks on the Nikon D3100, let's remember what we're talking about here. The D3100 is Nikon's ENTRY LEVEL DSLR, and it's only a little over $500! Canon doesn't even have a DSLR at this price point that does video.
For the price, the Nikon D3100 is a great camera. You can't expect everything on a $500 entry level camera. If anything, I'm amazed you get SO MUCH for your money with the D3100.
As I mentioned earlier, the D3100's video quality is very good. It has very little (if any) of the negatives that people observed with the Nikon D90 video. The color is great, and the dynamic range is impressive.
The D3100 also features the new Nikon AF-F continous autofocus in movie mode. I was pretty excited about this feature when it was first announced and had high hopes for it. A DSLR that could focus as well as my Canon HF200 Camcorder would be fantastic!
Alas, that was not to be. The AF-F auto focus, while impressive on paper, is near useless in reality. Focus is intermittent at best and totally lost at worst. You can also hear a lot of noise from the lens focusing in the audio. Perhaps the AF-F auto focus will be ok for the casual user making home movies, but for myself, I find it to be pretty much unusable.
Over-all, the Nikon D3100 video is very good for a DSLR at this level and price point. If you're just planning on filming the kids and home movies type video, you'll probably be happy with the D3100's video abilities.
If you think you'll be wanting to do more advanced video and require exposure control and more advanced audio ability, then you'll probably want to step up to the Nikon D7000 or consider the Canon T2i or 60D.
Here's a couple of quick sample videos I put together from Nikon D3100 shooting with AF-F Auto Focus and Face Priority mode. Note the intermittent focusing as well as the sound of the lens on the audio.
Nikon D3100 Review: Auto Focus AF-F Face Priority with the Nikon 18-105mm VR
Nikon D3100 Review: Auto Focus AF-F Face Priority with the Nikon 35mm f1.8G
The new Nikon D3100 is capable of 1080HD just like it's big brother, the amazing Nikon D7000. The D3100 video quality is VERY good, which is quite impressive for a DSLR at this level.
The big difference between the D3100 and the D7000 where video is concerned is that the D3100 doesn't have the more advanced options like manual controls and an external mic input.
This isn't a big deal if you're not planning on doing anything more than making some family movies of your kids at the park or in the tub, but it is a big deal if you planned on doing some more professional quality video or movies.
The in-ability to control exposure is a HUGE handicap for more advanced movie making. With the Nikon D3100 you're basically stuck letting the camera control the exposure, which means you can often see the exposure changing in your video as the camera makes metering adjustments.
The lack of an external mic input is a biggie for those wishing to get better quality audio for their video. With the D7000, as well as Canon DSLR's like the T2i and 60D, you can plug in an external mic like the Rode Shotgun mic or a Sony lavalier mic and get MUCH better sound. You can't do this on the Nikon D3100.
The D3100 is also limited to 10 minute video clips, whereas the Nikon D7000 can do 20 minute clips. Not a big deal, especially for the market the D3100 is aimed at, but a limitation none-the-less.
Now before you go thinking these are big knocks on the Nikon D3100, let's remember what we're talking about here. The D3100 is Nikon's ENTRY LEVEL DSLR, and it's only a little over $500! Canon doesn't even have a DSLR at this price point that does video.
For the price, the Nikon D3100 is a great camera. You can't expect everything on a $500 entry level camera. If anything, I'm amazed you get SO MUCH for your money with the D3100.
As I mentioned earlier, the D3100's video quality is very good. It has very little (if any) of the negatives that people observed with the Nikon D90 video. The color is great, and the dynamic range is impressive.
The D3100 also features the new Nikon AF-F continous autofocus in movie mode. I was pretty excited about this feature when it was first announced and had high hopes for it. A DSLR that could focus as well as my Canon HF200 Camcorder would be fantastic!
Alas, that was not to be. The AF-F auto focus, while impressive on paper, is near useless in reality. Focus is intermittent at best and totally lost at worst. You can also hear a lot of noise from the lens focusing in the audio. Perhaps the AF-F auto focus will be ok for the casual user making home movies, but for myself, I find it to be pretty much unusable.
Over-all, the Nikon D3100 video is very good for a DSLR at this level and price point. If you're just planning on filming the kids and home movies type video, you'll probably be happy with the D3100's video abilities.
If you think you'll be wanting to do more advanced video and require exposure control and more advanced audio ability, then you'll probably want to step up to the Nikon D7000 or consider the Canon T2i or 60D.
Here's a couple of quick sample videos I put together from Nikon D3100 shooting with AF-F Auto Focus and Face Priority mode. Note the intermittent focusing as well as the sound of the lens on the audio.
Nikon D3100 Review: Auto Focus AF-F Face Priority with the Nikon 18-105mm VR
Nikon D3100 Review: Auto Focus AF-F Face Priority with the Nikon 35mm f1.8G
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G RAW Comparison Using Nikon ViewNX 2 vs Lightroom 3.3 RC
I have to admit, I jumped a little in my chair when I saw that Lightroom 3.3 RC was out, then I downloaded it as fast as I could.
Nikon ViewNX 2 has been just awful to work with for processing RAW files from the Nikon D3100. It's kinda like having someone poke you in your left eye with a hot poker while at the same time twisting your arm up behind your back until it feels like it's going to pop out of the socket.
Sure, ViewNX2 yields some nice results, but the pain you have to endure to get them almost intolerable.
So, yeah... I was more than a little excited to see Lightroom 3.3 RC come out with support for the Nikon D3100.
The next thing on my mind was how they compare... not so much for workflow as I know Lightroom is the best software out there for RAW processing workflow, but I wanted to see how close the image quality was.
A while back I wrote a piece called Lightroom vs Nikon Capture / View comparing Lightroom to Nikon Capture and Nikon View. I figured it was time for an update to see if there was anything had changed, and if there was any reason to keep this clunky, piece of crap software, ViewNX 2, on my computer.
The short answer is, no.
Lightroom 3.3 RC handles the Nikon D3100 RAW files beautifully. When you set the camera profiles to match those used in camera, you pretty much can't tell the difference. The odd file is slightly different, but not in a bad way... just not exactly identical as the one from ViewNX 2.
Maybe 1in a 100 images might turn out just ever so slightly nicer out of ViewNX 2, but even then it's so close as to be hardly worth mentioning.
I did a photowalk around the house with my Nikon 35mm f1.8G on my Nikon D3100 and shot random images of my kids at different settings and ISO values to run some tests between Lightroom 3.3 RC and Nikon ViewNX 2.
I then ran the RAW files through both pieces of software and compared the results. With the camera profiles set to match the file as shot, Lightroom is practically indistinguishable from ViewNX 2 for color and look.
In fact, if there was any minor difference, I usually preferred the Lightroom file.
Images were saved as High Quality in ViewNX 2 (once setting below the top), and to 60% in Lightroom 3.3 RC which works out to about equal compression settings.
So, my conclusion... Lightroom 3.3 RC ROCKS for processing Nikon D3100 RAW files! I'll probably still keep ViewNX2 on my computer, but I doubt I'll use it much if at all. It's just WAY TOO BAD for workflow. ViewNX 2 has got to be one of the worst, if not the worst, piece of imaging software I've ever used.
Here's some photo samples for you to see for yourself how Lightroom 3.3 RC measures up against Nikon ViewNX 2. Click on the photos to see the full size file.
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Nikon ViewNX 2
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Lightroom 3.3 RC
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Nikon ViewNX 2
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Lightroom 3.3 RC
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Nikon ViewNX 2
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Lightroom 3.3 RC
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Nikon ViewNX 2
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Lightroom 3.3 RC
More over at the Lightroom 3.3 RC vs Nikon ViewNX 2 Flickr page.
Related posts...
Lightroom vs Nikon Capture / Nikon View
Lightroom vs Canon DPP
Lightroom Workflow : Import Photos : How To Get Your Photos To Look Like They Did On Your Camera LCD
Lightroom Tutorial - Renaming Photo Folders During Import
Nikon ViewNX 2 has been just awful to work with for processing RAW files from the Nikon D3100. It's kinda like having someone poke you in your left eye with a hot poker while at the same time twisting your arm up behind your back until it feels like it's going to pop out of the socket.
Sure, ViewNX2 yields some nice results, but the pain you have to endure to get them almost intolerable.
So, yeah... I was more than a little excited to see Lightroom 3.3 RC come out with support for the Nikon D3100.
The next thing on my mind was how they compare... not so much for workflow as I know Lightroom is the best software out there for RAW processing workflow, but I wanted to see how close the image quality was.
A while back I wrote a piece called Lightroom vs Nikon Capture / View comparing Lightroom to Nikon Capture and Nikon View. I figured it was time for an update to see if there was anything had changed, and if there was any reason to keep this clunky, piece of crap software, ViewNX 2, on my computer.
The short answer is, no.
Lightroom 3.3 RC handles the Nikon D3100 RAW files beautifully. When you set the camera profiles to match those used in camera, you pretty much can't tell the difference. The odd file is slightly different, but not in a bad way... just not exactly identical as the one from ViewNX 2.
Maybe 1in a 100 images might turn out just ever so slightly nicer out of ViewNX 2, but even then it's so close as to be hardly worth mentioning.
I did a photowalk around the house with my Nikon 35mm f1.8G on my Nikon D3100 and shot random images of my kids at different settings and ISO values to run some tests between Lightroom 3.3 RC and Nikon ViewNX 2.
I then ran the RAW files through both pieces of software and compared the results. With the camera profiles set to match the file as shot, Lightroom is practically indistinguishable from ViewNX 2 for color and look.
In fact, if there was any minor difference, I usually preferred the Lightroom file.
Images were saved as High Quality in ViewNX 2 (once setting below the top), and to 60% in Lightroom 3.3 RC which works out to about equal compression settings.
So, my conclusion... Lightroom 3.3 RC ROCKS for processing Nikon D3100 RAW files! I'll probably still keep ViewNX2 on my computer, but I doubt I'll use it much if at all. It's just WAY TOO BAD for workflow. ViewNX 2 has got to be one of the worst, if not the worst, piece of imaging software I've ever used.
Here's some photo samples for you to see for yourself how Lightroom 3.3 RC measures up against Nikon ViewNX 2. Click on the photos to see the full size file.
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Nikon ViewNX 2
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Lightroom 3.3 RC
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Nikon ViewNX 2
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Lightroom 3.3 RC
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Nikon ViewNX 2
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Lightroom 3.3 RC
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Nikon ViewNX 2
Nikon D3100 + Nikon 35mm f1.8G processed with Lightroom 3.3 RC
More over at the Lightroom 3.3 RC vs Nikon ViewNX 2 Flickr page.
Related posts...
Lightroom vs Nikon Capture / Nikon View
Lightroom vs Canon DPP
Lightroom Workflow : Import Photos : How To Get Your Photos To Look Like They Did On Your Camera LCD
Lightroom Tutorial - Renaming Photo Folders During Import
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sony NEX-5 vs Nikon D90 Comparison Contradicts DXOMark Nikon D3100 Test Results
Following my previous post Nikon D90 Beats Nikon D3100 at High ISO where I discussed the DXOMark test results of the D3100 vs the D90, a reader posted this Cameralabs comparison of the NEX-5 vs the Nikon D90 showing conflicting test results.
In the Cameralabs tests of the Sony NEX-5 vs the Nikon D90, the NEX-5 clearly beats the Nikon D90 at higher ISO settings.
Considering the Nikon D3100 uses a similar sensor to the Sony NEX-5, this adds to my thoughts that something is out of whack with the DXOMark test results.
If anything, the Nikon D3100 will perform better than the NEX-5 as Nikon has always delivered superior image quality compared to the Sony DSLR cameras.
Factor in Thom Hogan's and my own initial findings that the Nikon D3100 is better than the Nikon D90 at high ISO settings, and the evidence is piling up against the DXOMark results.
The question is why?
In the past, I've always found the DXOMark results to be quite accurate and reflective of my own findings, so I'm curious why that isn't the case with the D3100.
If you come across any other NEX-5 or Nikon D3100 high ISO tests or comparisons, please post them in the comments section as I'd like to see them. Thanks!
Related posts...
New Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D3100 Over the Nikon D90
Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100
Nikon D3100 Auto Focus First Impressions
Nikon D3100 at ISO 3200 with Bounce Flash Dialed Down
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
In the Cameralabs tests of the Sony NEX-5 vs the Nikon D90, the NEX-5 clearly beats the Nikon D90 at higher ISO settings.
Considering the Nikon D3100 uses a similar sensor to the Sony NEX-5, this adds to my thoughts that something is out of whack with the DXOMark test results.
If anything, the Nikon D3100 will perform better than the NEX-5 as Nikon has always delivered superior image quality compared to the Sony DSLR cameras.
Factor in Thom Hogan's and my own initial findings that the Nikon D3100 is better than the Nikon D90 at high ISO settings, and the evidence is piling up against the DXOMark results.
The question is why?
In the past, I've always found the DXOMark results to be quite accurate and reflective of my own findings, so I'm curious why that isn't the case with the D3100.
If you come across any other NEX-5 or Nikon D3100 high ISO tests or comparisons, please post them in the comments section as I'd like to see them. Thanks!
Related posts...
New Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D3100 Over the Nikon D90
Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100
Nikon D3100 Auto Focus First Impressions
Nikon D3100 at ISO 3200 with Bounce Flash Dialed Down
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Nikon D90 Beats Nikon D3100 At HIGH ISO!
I was surfing around the photo world online last night and was surprised to see DXOMark has the test results for the Nikon D3100 up already.
I was even more surprised to see that when I ran the Nikon D90 against the Nikon D3100, the D90 kicked the D3100's butt by a significant margin at HIGH ISO. This morning I see 1001 Noisy Cameras has done a similar comparison stacking up the Nikon D3100 against the Nikon D5000, Nikon D90, Nikon D3000, and Nikon D300s.
The DXOMark test results surprised me as it isn't what I've been seeing from my tests. Thom Hogan has also said that from his testing, the D3100 "seems to beat the old 12mp sensor cameras in my low light tests (but only by a small amount)."
So what is going on here?
Why are mine and Thom's initial findings on the Nikon D3100 not jiving with the DXOMark sensor evaluation?
Could it be software related? I don't think so as I've been processing both D90 and D3100 photos I've been using for comparison in Nikon ViewNX2.
I'm drawing a blank at the moment for other possible reasons. Thought about bit depth, but that shouldn't be a factor. Thought about noise reduction, but again, not a factor as shot in RAW and processed with the same software.
The good news is that the Nikon D90 is holding it's own very nicely.
The bad news is that these aren't the same observations I've seen when shooting my Nikon D3100 against the Nikon D90.
I'm hoping Thom will comment on this as he's sure to see the DXOMark results and be questioning them as well.
I was even more surprised to see that when I ran the Nikon D90 against the Nikon D3100, the D90 kicked the D3100's butt by a significant margin at HIGH ISO. This morning I see 1001 Noisy Cameras has done a similar comparison stacking up the Nikon D3100 against the Nikon D5000, Nikon D90, Nikon D3000, and Nikon D300s.
The DXOMark test results surprised me as it isn't what I've been seeing from my tests. Thom Hogan has also said that from his testing, the D3100 "seems to beat the old 12mp sensor cameras in my low light tests (but only by a small amount)."
So what is going on here?
Why are mine and Thom's initial findings on the Nikon D3100 not jiving with the DXOMark sensor evaluation?
Could it be software related? I don't think so as I've been processing both D90 and D3100 photos I've been using for comparison in Nikon ViewNX2.
I'm drawing a blank at the moment for other possible reasons. Thought about bit depth, but that shouldn't be a factor. Thought about noise reduction, but again, not a factor as shot in RAW and processed with the same software.
The good news is that the Nikon D90 is holding it's own very nicely.
The bad news is that these aren't the same observations I've seen when shooting my Nikon D3100 against the Nikon D90.
I'm hoping Thom will comment on this as he's sure to see the DXOMark results and be questioning them as well.
New Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D3100 Over the Nikon D90
Following up on my previous Video Post, Why to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100, here's the flipside.
I'm still getting lots of people writing in to ask about which camera they should buy... the Nikon D3100 or the Nikon D90. Hopefully these video posts will help make the choice a little easier.
Related posts...
Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100
The Nikon D90 - The Perfect DSLR For Just About Everyone
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 High ISO Shoot-Out
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Nikon D90 Replacement by Mid-September
Thursday, October 14, 2010
New Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100
I'm getting lots of people writing to ask about whether they should buy a Nikon D3100 or Nikon D90.
While I've written about this previously in my post 3 Reasons to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100, it seems many are still up in the air about choosing between the two.
So I decided to do a video explaining why you might want the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100!
Related posts...
New Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D3100 Over the Nikon D90
The Nikon D90 - The Perfect DSLR For Just About Everyone
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 High ISO Shoot-Out
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Nikon D90 Replacement by Mid-September
While I've written about this previously in my post 3 Reasons to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100, it seems many are still up in the air about choosing between the two.
So I decided to do a video explaining why you might want the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100!
Related posts...
New Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D3100 Over the Nikon D90
The Nikon D90 - The Perfect DSLR For Just About Everyone
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 High ISO Shoot-Out
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Nikon D90 Replacement by Mid-September
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 High ISO Shoot-Out
I shot the Nikon D3100 against the Nikon D90 to see how the high ISO noise and image quality compares side by side.
I shot the Nikon D3100 with my Nikon 50mm f1.4G, and my Nikon D90 with my Nikon 50mm f1.8D. Shot them both at f2.8, as both lenses are tack sharp and virtually identical for sharpness by f2.8.
Lighting is fairly low, from overhead compact flourescent bulbs. I've left the images with the color as shot out of camera. No color correcting for white balance has been done.
The conclusion from these samples and all the shooting I've been doing in the last couple weeks... the Nikon D3100 is about a stop better at high ISO. Maybe not quite a full stop, but bear in mind the D3100 has an extra 2 megapixels on the D90, so close to a stop better is VERY impressive.
Also, at the higher ISO settings I find myself liking the image color better out of the D3100. The color from the Nikon D3100 at higher ISO settings seems to hold together a little better than the D90 colors.
Here's some side by side composite images I put together from D3100 and D90 images at ISO 800, 1600, 3200, and 6400. The full size images are over at my Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 Flickr page.
The images are all processed in Nikon's ViewNX2 as Lightroom 3 doesn't support the D3100 at this time. Images are all as shot, no editing done, and saved at the High Quality JPG setting. They were cropped at full resolution, and as you can see, no re-sizing has been done, so the D3100 images are a little bigger than the D90 images.
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 @ ISO 800
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 @ ISO 1600
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 @ ISO 6400
Here's the full stack of ISO 800 through 6400 from the D3100. Feel free to download it from the Flickr page and compare it as you will against the D90 stack below.
Here's the full stack of ISO 800 through 6400 from the D90.
These images are cropped from the full size image. The full size images on the Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 Flickr page have more in the photo to compare if you want to do further pixel peeping.
Related posts...
Sony NEX-5 vs Nikon D90 Comparison Contradicts DXOMark Nikon D3100 Test Results
Nikon D90 Beats Nikon D3100 at High ISO!
New Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D3100 Over the Nikon D90
Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100
Nikon D3100 Auto Focus First Impressions
Nikon D3100 at ISO 3200 with Bounce Flash Dialed Down
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
I shot the Nikon D3100 with my Nikon 50mm f1.4G, and my Nikon D90 with my Nikon 50mm f1.8D. Shot them both at f2.8, as both lenses are tack sharp and virtually identical for sharpness by f2.8.
Lighting is fairly low, from overhead compact flourescent bulbs. I've left the images with the color as shot out of camera. No color correcting for white balance has been done.
The conclusion from these samples and all the shooting I've been doing in the last couple weeks... the Nikon D3100 is about a stop better at high ISO. Maybe not quite a full stop, but bear in mind the D3100 has an extra 2 megapixels on the D90, so close to a stop better is VERY impressive.
Also, at the higher ISO settings I find myself liking the image color better out of the D3100. The color from the Nikon D3100 at higher ISO settings seems to hold together a little better than the D90 colors.
Here's some side by side composite images I put together from D3100 and D90 images at ISO 800, 1600, 3200, and 6400. The full size images are over at my Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 Flickr page.
The images are all processed in Nikon's ViewNX2 as Lightroom 3 doesn't support the D3100 at this time. Images are all as shot, no editing done, and saved at the High Quality JPG setting. They were cropped at full resolution, and as you can see, no re-sizing has been done, so the D3100 images are a little bigger than the D90 images.
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 @ ISO 800
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 @ ISO 1600
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 @ ISO 6400
Here's the full stack of ISO 800 through 6400 from the D3100. Feel free to download it from the Flickr page and compare it as you will against the D90 stack below.
Here's the full stack of ISO 800 through 6400 from the D90.
These images are cropped from the full size image. The full size images on the Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90 Flickr page have more in the photo to compare if you want to do further pixel peeping.
Related posts...
Sony NEX-5 vs Nikon D90 Comparison Contradicts DXOMark Nikon D3100 Test Results
Nikon D90 Beats Nikon D3100 at High ISO!
New Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D3100 Over the Nikon D90
Video Post: Why to Buy the Nikon D90 Over the Nikon D3100
Nikon D3100 Auto Focus First Impressions
Nikon D3100 at ISO 3200 with Bounce Flash Dialed Down
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Nikon D3100 AF-F Continous Video Auto Focus... Not So Good
I've had a chance to play around a bit now with the Nikon D3100 video. Specifically, I was interested to see how the AF-F continous video auto focus (full-time-servo AF) stacks up.
The short answer is, not so good.
It's choppy and intermittent. It struggles to maintain focus, often losing focus and having to hunt to regain it. Basically, I consider it close to useless.
That said, these results are from indoor tests, not dark but somewhat subdued lighting. To quantify, we're talking normal indoor lighting that my Canon HF200 camcorder has zero problems with. The D31oo doesn't even come close to performing on the level of my HF200 for auto focus.
Perhaps the Nikon D3100 AF-F is better outdoors in bright light, but indoors, I won't be using the AF-F auto focus. It stinks.
The question now that comes to mind is whether the Nikon D7000 will have better AF-F full-time-servo auto focus???
It's likely that Nikon is not equipping their low end DSLR with the best of the best of their new AF-F auto focus. Perhaps the D7000 will shine in this area. Let's hope so!
So, Nikon, I love ya, and while my D3100 is a fantastic little DSLR, the AF-F just doesn't cut it. I'm giving you an F in this department. Hopefully you'll blow me away when my new Nikon D7000 arrives.
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 Auto Focus First Impressions
Nikon D3100 at ISO 3200 with Bounce Flash Dialed Down
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
The short answer is, not so good.
It's choppy and intermittent. It struggles to maintain focus, often losing focus and having to hunt to regain it. Basically, I consider it close to useless.
That said, these results are from indoor tests, not dark but somewhat subdued lighting. To quantify, we're talking normal indoor lighting that my Canon HF200 camcorder has zero problems with. The D31oo doesn't even come close to performing on the level of my HF200 for auto focus.
Perhaps the Nikon D3100 AF-F is better outdoors in bright light, but indoors, I won't be using the AF-F auto focus. It stinks.
The question now that comes to mind is whether the Nikon D7000 will have better AF-F full-time-servo auto focus???
It's likely that Nikon is not equipping their low end DSLR with the best of the best of their new AF-F auto focus. Perhaps the D7000 will shine in this area. Let's hope so!
So, Nikon, I love ya, and while my D3100 is a fantastic little DSLR, the AF-F just doesn't cut it. I'm giving you an F in this department. Hopefully you'll blow me away when my new Nikon D7000 arrives.
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 Auto Focus First Impressions
Nikon D3100 at ISO 3200 with Bounce Flash Dialed Down
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Monday, October 4, 2010
Nikon D3100 Auto Focus First Impressions
I've been shooting a lot with my new Nikon D3100 over the last few days to get a feel for it, how it performs, and whether or not it's going to meet my needs as a light-weight prime camera.
So far, I'm fairly impressed with the venerable little Nikon D3100. Image quality is second to none for a crop sensor DSLR. ISO 6400 is usable. For a $500 DSLR, the D3100 is incredible.
That said, my first impressions on the auto focus aren't as good as I was hoping.
Let me qualify that. From the specs, it would seem the Nikon D3100 inherits the excellent Nikon D90 11 point Auto Focus system, hence I expected the D3100 to be on par with the D90's excellent auto focus performance.
Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.
The D3100 hunts more than my D90 when focusing, especially indoors and in lower light situations. Obviously this type of observation is very hard to quantify. I can't stand there and shoot the same subject with both cameras at the same time, so I'm the first to admit my observations are subjective.
That said, I've shot thousands of images with my Nikon D90, and I'm intimately familiar with it's auto focus performance in all lighting situations. I've now shot over 500 images with my Nikon D3100, and I'm getting a good feel for how the auto focus performs. My initial impressions are that the D3100 is slower to focus than the D90 in all but the best of lighting conditions. Indoors in lower light situations, this is even more pronounced.
I've been shooting the Nikon D3100 exclusively with my Nikon 50mm f1.4G AF-S lens to this point. Prior to getting the D3100, in the last few weeks I've shot my D90 exclusively with the same Nikon 50mm f1.4G AF-S lens, so I have a very good feel how the lens performs on both cameras.
I've been thinking about why the D3100 would be slower to focus when on paper it should be the equal of the D90, and I think it might be battery related. The bigger 1500 mah battery in the D90 may be deciding factor. The D3100 battery is only 1030 mah so it may not be able to drive the AF-S motor in the lens as fast and sure as the D90's bigger battery can. Just a guess, but all else be equal, it's the only explanation that comes to mind.
Don't get me wrong though folks... the D3100 auto focus is VERY good. It's better than my Canon T2i in every lighting situation, and almost as good as my D90 in most lighting situations.
The Nikon D31oo auto focus is likely best in class. I'm making comparisons to a whole different class of camera, and keep in mind these are my first impressions.
Stay tuned for more on the Nikon D3100 as I continue to put it through it's paces!
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
So far, I'm fairly impressed with the venerable little Nikon D3100. Image quality is second to none for a crop sensor DSLR. ISO 6400 is usable. For a $500 DSLR, the D3100 is incredible.
That said, my first impressions on the auto focus aren't as good as I was hoping.
Let me qualify that. From the specs, it would seem the Nikon D3100 inherits the excellent Nikon D90 11 point Auto Focus system, hence I expected the D3100 to be on par with the D90's excellent auto focus performance.
Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.
The D3100 hunts more than my D90 when focusing, especially indoors and in lower light situations. Obviously this type of observation is very hard to quantify. I can't stand there and shoot the same subject with both cameras at the same time, so I'm the first to admit my observations are subjective.
That said, I've shot thousands of images with my Nikon D90, and I'm intimately familiar with it's auto focus performance in all lighting situations. I've now shot over 500 images with my Nikon D3100, and I'm getting a good feel for how the auto focus performs. My initial impressions are that the D3100 is slower to focus than the D90 in all but the best of lighting conditions. Indoors in lower light situations, this is even more pronounced.
I've been shooting the Nikon D3100 exclusively with my Nikon 50mm f1.4G AF-S lens to this point. Prior to getting the D3100, in the last few weeks I've shot my D90 exclusively with the same Nikon 50mm f1.4G AF-S lens, so I have a very good feel how the lens performs on both cameras.
I've been thinking about why the D3100 would be slower to focus when on paper it should be the equal of the D90, and I think it might be battery related. The bigger 1500 mah battery in the D90 may be deciding factor. The D3100 battery is only 1030 mah so it may not be able to drive the AF-S motor in the lens as fast and sure as the D90's bigger battery can. Just a guess, but all else be equal, it's the only explanation that comes to mind.
Don't get me wrong though folks... the D3100 auto focus is VERY good. It's better than my Canon T2i in every lighting situation, and almost as good as my D90 in most lighting situations.
The Nikon D31oo auto focus is likely best in class. I'm making comparisons to a whole different class of camera, and keep in mind these are my first impressions.
Stay tuned for more on the Nikon D3100 as I continue to put it through it's paces!
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Nikon D3100 @ ISO 3200 with Bounce Flash Dialed Down
Here's some more samples from the Nikon D3100. These are shot at ISO 3200 with some bounce flash off the ceiling or wall.
The flash is the Nikon SB-400 and is dialed down to create a more subtle mix with the ambient.
Over-all, the image quality I'm seeing from the Nikon D3100 is superb. ISO 6400 is quite usable. I'd say the D3100 is about a stop or more better than the Nikon D90 at high ISO.
For a $500 crop sensor DSLR, the Nikon D3100 is really amazing!
Click on any of the images below for a larger photo. Full size jpgs at my D3100 Flickr page.
Ella at large - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella biting football - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella holding football - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella crushing football - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella watching Baby Einstein - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Lilly watching Caillou - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella pausing - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Lilly playing kitchen - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella eating Cheerios - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella standing - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
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The flash is the Nikon SB-400 and is dialed down to create a more subtle mix with the ambient.
Over-all, the image quality I'm seeing from the Nikon D3100 is superb. ISO 6400 is quite usable. I'd say the D3100 is about a stop or more better than the Nikon D90 at high ISO.
For a $500 crop sensor DSLR, the Nikon D3100 is really amazing!
Click on any of the images below for a larger photo. Full size jpgs at my D3100 Flickr page.
Ella at large - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella biting football - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella holding football - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella crushing football - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella watching Baby Einstein - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Lilly watching Caillou - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella pausing - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Lilly playing kitchen - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella eating Cheerios - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Ella standing - Nikon D3100 & 50mm f1.4G at ISO 3200
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, & 12,800
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Nikon D3100 Comparison of ISO 1600 3200 6400 & 12,800
One of the big things I'm curious about with my new Nikon D3100 is how the high ISO noise levels and image quality stack up.
Lightroom 3 doesn't support the D3100 files yet, so we're left with RAW conversions from ViewNX2 or jpgs straight out of the camera.
Still, even though I'm dying to see how Lightroom 3's new advanced noise reduction handles the Nikon D3100 RAW files, things are looking very good using ViewNX2 and OOC jpgs.
Here's some random shots from around the house to compare the D3100 high ISO noise at ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, and 12,800.
Click on any of the photos to see a larger image. Full size jpgs are available at my D3100 Flickr page.
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 1600
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 12,800
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 1600
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 12,800
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 12,800
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 1600
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 12,800
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Stay tuned for more as I continue to put my new Nikon D3100 through it's paces...
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Nikon D3100 Gamechanger
Nikon D3100... the Perfect Prime Camera?
Lightroom 3 doesn't support the D3100 files yet, so we're left with RAW conversions from ViewNX2 or jpgs straight out of the camera.
Still, even though I'm dying to see how Lightroom 3's new advanced noise reduction handles the Nikon D3100 RAW files, things are looking very good using ViewNX2 and OOC jpgs.
Here's some random shots from around the house to compare the D3100 high ISO noise at ISO 1600, 3200, 6400, and 12,800.
Click on any of the photos to see a larger image. Full size jpgs are available at my D3100 Flickr page.
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 1600
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 12,800
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 1600
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 12,800
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 12,800
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 1600
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 3200
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 12,800
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 with Nikon 50mm f1.4G @ ISO 6400
Stay tuned for more as I continue to put my new Nikon D3100 through it's paces...
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Nikon D3100 Gamechanger
Nikon D3100... the Perfect Prime Camera?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Nikon D3100 High ISO Wedding Images
I had the Nikon D3100 with me at last Saturday's wedding.
It was a great chance to try it out in low light indoors, not to mention mixed, less than ideal lighting.
Shot some candid and detail photos during the reception using the Nikon 50mm f1.4G on the D3100.
Here's a few (click on the image to see larger)...
Nikon D3100 @ ISO 1800
Nikon D3100 @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 @ ISO 3200
You can see the full-size jpgs at my Nikon D3100 Flickr set.
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Nikon D3100 Gamechanger
Nikon D3100... the Perfect Prime Camera?
It was a great chance to try it out in low light indoors, not to mention mixed, less than ideal lighting.
Shot some candid and detail photos during the reception using the Nikon 50mm f1.4G on the D3100.
Here's a few (click on the image to see larger)...
Nikon D3100 @ ISO 1800
Nikon D3100 @ ISO 6400
Nikon D3100 @ ISO 3200
You can see the full-size jpgs at my Nikon D3100 Flickr set.
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Nikon D3100 Gamechanger
Nikon D3100... the Perfect Prime Camera?
Monday, September 27, 2010
Nikon D3100 Unboxed
Nikon D3100 & Nikon 50mm f1.4G
My Nikon D3100 came in! Here's it is unboxed with the Nikon 50mm f1.4G AF-S on it, which is the lens that will likely stay on it.
I'm curious to see if the Nikon D3100 is going to make the grade as a prime camera.
It's small and light.
It has the same excellent 11 point auto focus system as the Nikon D90.
The big bonus... the D3100 appears to have even better high ISO image quality than the D90 despite it having 2 more megapixels (from all initial reports and sample images I've seen).
So... here we go. Time to put my new Nikon D3100 through it's paces.
(of course, my Nikon D7000 should be here in a couple of weeks, and that is on my mind too so my Nikon D3100 has got to make the grade or it'll get dropped in favour of a 2nd D7000)
Related posts...
Nikon D3100 vs Nikon D90
Nikon D3100 Gamechanger
Nikon D3100... the Perfect Prime Camera?
The Nikon D90 - The Perfect DSLR For Just About Everyone
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