Nikon D3100

In summary

Nikon’s new entry-level DSLR features a 14.2-megapixel sensor and 1080p video recording. The D3100 steps into the entry level position in Nikon’s line-up featuring a new sensor with higher resolution than its predecessor’s and an expanded sensitivity range. It also adds Live View shooting plus Full HD video recording. Autofocusing is supported in Movie mode and the Guide mode settings from the D3000 have been ported into the new model and enhanced with extra functions. The D3100 is also compatible with Nikon’s GP-1 GPS Unit, which is sold separately. . . [more]

Full review

The D3100 steps into the entry level position in Nikon’s line-up featuring a new sensor with higher resolution than its predecessor’s and an expanded sensitivity range. It also adds Live View shooting plus Full HD video recording. Autofocusing is supported in Movie mode and the Guide mode settings from the D3000 have been ported into the new model and enhanced with extra functions. The D3100 is also compatible with Nikon’s GP-1 GPS Unit, which is sold separately.

Because the D3000 was still listed on Nikon’s website when this review was written – and also available through many retail outlets – we’ve produced a table comparing the three models at the start of the company’s DSLR range. Note: RRPs shown are those applying when the camera body was first released and apply to the body alone.

	D3100	D3000	D5000
Sensor type/size	CMOS/23.1 x 15.4 mm	CCD/ 23.6 x 15.8 mm	CMOS/23.6 x 15.8 mm
Effective resolution	14.2 megapixels	10.2 megapixels	12.3 megapixels
Image sizes	4608 x 3072 [L], 3456 x 2304 [M], 2304 x 1536 [S]	3,872 x 2,592 [L] 2,896 x 1,944 [M] 1,936 x 1,296 [S]	4,288 x 2,848 [L] 3,216 x 2,136 [M] 2,144 x 1,424 [S]
Image formats	NEF.RAW plus JPEG [3 levels Fine (1:4), Normal (1:8) Basic (1:16)]
Video	1920 x 1080 at 24 fps; 1280 x 720 at 30 or 24 fps, 640 x 480 at 30 or 24 fps	No	1,280 x 720 at 24 fps, 640 x 424 at 24 fps, 320 x 216 at 24 fps
Picture Control/ Optimize Image	Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape (all adjustable)	Normal, Softer, Vivid, More Vivid, Portrait, Custom, Black-and-white	Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape plus 9 Custom Picture Controls
LCD monitor	3.0-inch, 230,000-dot, low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD	2.5-in., 230,000-dot, LCD with brightness adjustment & up to 170-degree wide-angle viewing	Vari-Angle 2.7-in., 230,000-dot, LCD approx. 100% frame coverage, 170-degree viewing angle and rightness adjustment
Live View Modes	Face priority AF, Wide area AF, Normal area AF, Subject tracking AF	No	Face priority AF, Wide area AF, Normal area AF, Subject tracking AF
Viewfinder	penta-Dach mirror with 95% FOV coverage, 0.8x magnification; -1.7 – +0.5 dpt adjustment	Pentamirror with 95% coverage, 0.8x magnification; -1.7 – +0.5 dpt adjustment	Pentaprism with 95% coverage, 0.78x magnification; -1.7 – +0.7 dpt adjustment
Autofocus system	Nikon Multi-CAM 1000	Nikon Multi-CAM 530	Nikon Multi-CAM 1000
AF areas	11	3	11
AF modes	Single-servo AF, Continuous servo AF, Auto predictive AF tracking , Manual (M)	Single Area AF, Dynamic Area AF Dynamic-area AF with closest subject priority	Single-servo AF, Continuous servo AF, 3D tracking AF, Auto Area AF using 11 points, Manual (M)
Focusing screen	Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VII screen with superimposed focus brackets	Type-B BriteView Clear Matte Screen Mark II with superimposed focus brackets	Type-B BriteView Clear Matte Screen Mark II with Superimposed focus brackets and On-Demand grid lines
Depth-of-field preview	No	No	No
White balance	Auto (TTL white balance with 420-pixel RGB sensor), Six manual modes with fine-tuning, Preset white balance	Auto (TTL white balance with 420-pixel RGB sensor), Six manual modes with fine-tuning, Colour temperature setting (Kelvin), Preset white balance	Auto (TTL white balance with 420-pixel RGB sensor), Six manual modes with fine-tuning, Colour temperature setting (Kelvin), Preset white balance, white balance bracketing
ISO sensitivity	100 to 3200 in steps of 1 EV, plus HI-1 (ISO 6400) and HI-2 (ISO 12800)	100 to 1600 in steps of 1 EV plus Hi-1 (3200 equiv.)	200-3200 in steps of 1/3EV, LO 0.3, 0.7, 1.0; HI 0.3, 0.7 ,1.0
Exposure modes	7 Digital Vari-Programs, P, A, S, M, Guide mode	7 Digital Vari-Programs, P, A, S, M, Guide mode	5 Advanced Scene modes, Auto- Flash off, Auto, P, A, S, M
AE bracketing	No	No	2 to 3 exposures in increments of ±1 EV plus 2 exposure D-lighting bracketing
Active D-Lighting	1 level	1 level	4 levels and Auto
Custom functions		11	23
My Menu	No	Yes	Yes: with customization
Max. burst rate	3 fps	3 fps	4 fps
Shutter speeds	30 to 1/4000 second in steps of 1/3 EV plus Bulb	30 to 1/4,000th sec. in steps of 1/3 EV	30 to 1/4000 sec. in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV, Bulb
Flash GN	12 (m/ISO 100)	Approx. 16.7 (m/ISO 200)	Approx. 18 (m/ISO 200)
Flash modes	Front-curtain sync, Red-eye reduction, Slow sync with red-eye reduction, Slow sync and rear-curtain sync
Auto FP High-Speed Flash Sync	N/A		1/4000 second
Flash output adjustment	-3 to +1 EV in 1/3 EV steps		-3 to +1 EV in 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps
Retouch menu	Correction, Trim, Monochrome, Filter Effects, Colour balance, Small Picture, Image Overlay, NEF (RAW) processing, Quick retouch, Straighten, Distortion control, Fisheye, Colour outline, Perspective control, Miniature effect, Edit movie, Before/after comparison	D-lighting, Red-eye Correction, Trim, Monochrome, Filter Effects, Small Picture, Image Overlay, NEF (RAW) processing, Quick retouch, Stop-motion movie	D-lighting, Red-eye Correction, Trim, Monochrome, Filter Effects, Colour balance, Small Picture, Image Overlay, NEF (RAW) processing, Quick retouch, Straighten, Distortion control, Fisheye, Colour outline, Perspective control, Stop-motion movie
High ISO Noise Reduction	1 level + off (covers both situations)	1 level + off	3 levels + off
Long Exposure Noise Reduction		Yes	Yes
Battery	EN-EL14 (approx. 550 frames/charge)	EN-EL9 (up to 500 frames/charge)	EN-EL9a (up to 510 frames/charge)
Interfaces	USB 2.0 (Hi-speed), HDMI, Video (PAL/NTSC); GPS (GP-1 unit), SD / SDHC / SDXC card slot	USB 2.0 (Hi-speed); Video (PAL/NTSC), SD card slot;	USB 2.0 (Hi-speed); Video (PAL/NTSC & HDMI); GPS (GP-1 unit), SD card slot;
Dimensions (W x H x D)	Approx. 124 x 96 x 74.5 mm	Approx. 126 x 94 x 64 mm	Approx. 127 x 104 x 80mm
Weight (body only)	Approx. 455 g	Approx. 495 g	Approx. 560g
RRP on release (body only)	$949	$799	$1199

The review camera was supplied with the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G VR kit lens. We reviewed this lens in April, 2009. Click here to read the review.

Build and Ergonomics
Like its predecessor, the D3100 is small and light for a DSLR camera, thanks to its largely polycarbonate body. Its stainless steel F-mount accepts DX Nikkor lenses. Build quality will meet expectations for Nikon buyers at this level – and for such a light camera.

All seams fit smoothly and the camera feels secure and well-balanced in the hands. The body is a comfortable match for the 18-55mm kit lens supplied with the camera for our review (which isn’t up to the camera’s build quality standard).

The grip is generous and slightly deeper than the D3000’s and a rubberised cladding gives it a comfortable feel. The embedded IR receiver for the remote control is gone but, otherwise, the layout of the front panel is unchanged.

Front view of the Nikon D3100 with the 18-55mm kit lens. (Source: Nikon.)

The LED lamp between the grip and flash doubles as an AF-assist light, self-timer lamp and red-eye reduction lamp. On the opposite side of the lens mount is the lens release button and, above it, two buttons controlling the flash and Fn buttons, which face the left side of the body.

Nikon has removed the self-timer from the Fn button and now provides a simple ‘release mode’ (drive) selector under the mode dial on the top panel, making these settings much faster to access. Four drive options are available: single-frame, continuous, self-timer and quiet shutter release (a feature ported from the D5000).

The mode dial and release mode selector on the D3100. (Source: Nikon.)

The latter delays moving the mirror down until the shutter button is released. This does away with the conventional ‘mirror slap’ but you can still hear the sound of the mirror going up and down again, although you can control when the latter occurs. (Neither movement is particularly quiet.)

The rear panel has the same 3-inch LCD monitor as the D3000. It’s non-adjustable and has a relatively low resolution of 230,000 dots. This screen is used for menus, replaying images and displaying shooting information as well as Live View shooting and recording video clips. A lever beside the upper right hand corner of the screen switches Live View shooting on and off and the camera will automatically revert to viewfinder mode – usually after 30 seconds.

Rear view of the Nikon D3100 with the Guide menu displayed. (Source: Nikon.)

Ranged along the left side of the monitor are five buttons that access the Playback, Menu, Thumbnail playback/Zoom out, Zoom in and Information edit functions. Unlike the D3000, the D3100 separates the zoom in and zoom out in playback mode, making both easier to use.

Right of the monitor is the arrow pad multi-selector, which has a central OK button. It’s used only for navigating through the camera menus. Below the arrow pad is the delete button, while above it and close to the top panel are the AE-L and AF-L button plus the single command dial for adjusting camera settings.

The viewfinder is essentially the same as on the D3000; it’s a penta-mirror (rather than a heavier and more robust pentaprism) with 95% field-of-view coverage, 0.8x magnification and an eyepoint of 18mm. Dioptric adjustment of -1.7 to +0.5 dpt is available via a knurled knob on the right hand side. However, the AF points are smaller and there’s no grid superimposition. The illustrations below show the differences between the D3000 (top) and D3100 (below) finder screens.

The top panel carries the mode dial, which is divided into four sections. Among them is the Guide mode, which enables novice users to adjust camera settings with the aid of an on-screen guide. The P, S, A and M modes are grouped together, as are the two auto modes: Auto and Auto (flash off). The remaining settings are scene pre-sets covering the Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close-up and Night portrait modes.

Top view of the D3100 without a lens. (Source: Nikon.)

Otherwise, the top panel is the same as on the D3000. The memory card compartment is located half-way down the right hand side, while a single, lift-up rubber cover on the left side protects four interface sockets, covering (from the top) the accessory terminal (for GPS ), USB mini-B, HDMI (Type C mini-pin) and A/V out ports.

The metal-lined tripod socket is located in the base plate and sits centrally to the lens axis. The battery compartment is positioned under the grip. The D3100 will be offered as body-only (RRP $949), as a single-lens kit with 18-55mm lens (RRP $1,049) and as a twin lens kit with 18-55mm and 55-300mm lenses (RRP $1,449).

Sensor and Image Processing
The CMOS sensor in the D3100 is the smallest DX sensor used so far in a Nikon DSLR. Designed by Nikon it has approximately 14.8 million photosites and supports an effective resolution of 14.2 megapixels. Despite having smaller photosites than the D3000 or D5000 sensors, it offers a higher sensitivity range than its predecessor, with normal sensitivity settings up to ISO 3200 and extension to ISO 6400 (Hi 1) and ISO 12,800 (Hi 2).

According to Nikon specialist, Thom Hogan (www.bythom.com) the D3100’s sensor is ‘clearly fabbed by someone other than Sony’. This could mean Fujitsu since Fujitsu has a chip foundry and Nikon launched a joint venture business with Fujitsu to develop camera software last year. But Nikon hasn’t released details thus far.

Coupled to the sensor is a new EXPEED 2 mage-processing engine, which is a refinement of earlier technologies. It provides faster processing to support video capture and includes noise-suppression for both stills and video recordings.

The D3100 supports three sizes for JPEG files, each with three quality levels. NEF.RAW capture is provided at the largest file size (4608 x 3072 pixels) and RAW+JPEG capture enables raw files to be recorded with Large/Fine JPEGs. The table below shows typical file sizes.

Image Quality		Pixels	File Size	Max. Burst
JPEG	Fine	4608 x 3072	6.8MB	100 frames
	Normal		3.4MB
	Basic		1.7MB
	Fine	3456 x 2304	3.9MB
	Normal		2.0MB
	Basic		1.0MB
	Fine	2304 x 1536	1.8MB
	Normal		0.9MB
	Basic		0.5MB
NEF.RAW		4608 x 3072	12.9MB	13 frames
RAW+JPEG		4608 x 3072	19.8MB	9 frames

Live View and Video Shooting
Turning the Live View lever to the right switches on live viewing and enables video recording to take place. Live View is only available in 30-second bursts and a countdown timer is displayed to show you how long until the camera defaults to normal (viewfinder) viewing mode.

The user manual recommends you pre-select the recording mode and set the lens aperture when shooting in A or M mode. You should also set the AF area mode (Face-priority, Wide-area, Normal-area or Subject-tracking) frame the opening shot and focus the subject before pressing the button in the centre of the Live View lever to start recording movies.

Face detection is a new addition to Live View mode. It enables the camera to detect up to 35 human faces, compared with only five for the D3000 and D5000 models. The camera focuses automatically on the closest subject but users can shift the focus with the arrow pad buttons.

Four quality settings are supported for the PAL format used in Australia. Clips are limited to a maximum of 10 minutes and you can record monaural soundtracks or switch sound recording off. The table below shows the options available and maximum file sizes. (Unfortunately, Nikon doesn’t provide memory card recording capacities.)

Movie resolution	Frame rates	Max. File size
1920 x 1080	24 fps	1400MB
1280 x 720	25 fps	800MB
1280 x 720	24 fps	640MB
640 x 480	24 fps	3405MB

A new AF-F focus mode is available for movie recording. It enables the camera to re-focus continuously while clips are being shot without users having to half-press the shutter-release button. The contrast-based AF system is slower than the phase-detection system used for shooting still and this is detectable in recorded clips. Exposure levels are also adjusted automatically by the camera’s metering system using a new exposure compensation algorithm that provides greater flexibility.

Refined Functions
Apart from the Live Video and D-Movie additions, no new functions have been added to the D3100. However, a number of functions carried over from the D3000 have been refined to improve their utility and performance.

Thanks to the success of the Guide mode in the D3000, this feature has been expanded in the D3100. It now includes displays of ‘assist images’ that show the effect of different camera settings.

The Guide mode still carries text explanations for selected functions, as shown in the two screen grabs above. (Source: Nikon.)

When Soften backgrounds is selected (as shown above) and an aperture value is specified, the new assist image displayed in the monitor changes to show the effect the new aperture setting will have on images. This allows users to confirm that images will appear as they intended prior to shooting and reduces the number of unsuccessful shots.

The illustrations above show the new ‘assist images’ displays in the Guide mode. (Source: Nikon.)

Other new features built into Guide mode include:
– Selection from three shooting techniques: Use the viewfinder, Use live view and Shoot movies;
– Bring more into focus and Show water flowing options have been added to the Advanced operation shooting menu;
– The Set Up menu is expanded to include Movie settings, HDMI, Flicker reduction and Eye-Fi upload (requires compatible Eye-Fi memory card)

The Scene Auto Selector function, which was originally developed for Nikon’s Coolpix digicams, is now supported for Live View shooting, allowing novice users to match camera settings to the scene without having to adjust them manually. It’s only available in the Auto and Auto (flash off) modes and with autofocusing and will choose from Portrait, Landscape, Close up or Night portrait pre-sets.

For more experienced photographers, the remaining user controls resemble those on the D3000. The limitations on those functions remain. There’s still no AE bracketing and Active D-Lighting can only be switched on or off. You can attach image comments to the metadata in individual files – but you can’t embed copyright information and you need Nikon ViewNX (supplied) to read the comments.

Separating the ‘i’ (information edit) button from the magnify button makes it easier to adjust settings like the white balance, ISO, focus mode, AF-area, metering and Active D-Lighting. But they still involve a bit more toggling than we’d like.

Like other current Nikon DSLRs, the D3100 comes with Nikon’s Integrated Dust Reduction System, which combines vibration of the low-pass filter in front of the sensor with an Airflow Control System that redirects dust. Sensor cleaning is initiated by default when the camera is switched on and off. It can also be activated at will.

For stuck-on dust, users can acquire reference data showing its position and use this to remove the spot with the Image Dust Off processing in the optional Capture NX raw file conversion software. The system can eliminate blemishes from individual shots and multiple image files.

Playback and Software
Nothing much has changed on either of these fronts since the D3000. Playback facilities have been extended with the addition of facilities for playing back movies and a couple of movie-related basic editing functions.

The arrow pad is used to advance, rewind and pause movie playback and you can adjust audio volume with the playback zoom buttons. Pressing the AE-L/AF-L button takes you to the editing co trolls, where you can trim the ends off individual clips and save selected frames as still photos.

For post-capture editing of still photos, the D3100 provides much the same Retouch menu as the D3000, with the addition of a Fisheye effect and Perspective control adjustment but without the Stop-motion movie option. As in the D3000, edited images are saved separately as copies with the initial ‘C’ (instead of ‘D’) marking them as edited files.

Some in-camera editing options (clockwise from top left): Sepia, Cyanotype, Colour Outline, Fisheye.

Nikon’s bundled software has always been on the stingy side and, although the standard ViewNX2 has been updated it remains pretty basic and less powerful than the software provided by other manufacturers with their raw-enabled cameras. We also found it slow to install – and use.

Essentially, ViewNX2 offers the same basic functions as the older ViewNX with the addition of a few movie editing functions. The browser interface has been updated and displays thumbnails for stills (JPEG and raw files) and video clips in shooting order.

The browser interface in ViewNX2.

The editing interface lets you crop and straighten still photos, auto-correct red-eye in flash shots apply ratings to individual pictures. A small range of adjustments for brightness, contrast, highlights and shadows is provided, covering both JPEG and raw image files. Image display options include a range of thumbnail sizes, thumbnail listing and full-screen viewing (including slideshow playback).

The editing interface in ViewNX2.

Raw files can be converted into TIFF (8- or 16-bit) or JPEG format and adjustments can be made to exposure levels and white balance before processing. Picture Control adjustments can also be applied and custom Picture Control settings can be created and saved. Automatic correction of lateral chromatic aberration is also available.

The video editing interface in ViewNX2.

Video editing facilities are very limited. You can trim the start and end of clips and save a specified frame as a still image – but that’s about it. Frame grabs are saved as JPEG images with the same pixel count as the original movie frame.

Saving a selected frame as a JPEG image in ViewNX2.

Performance
Pictures from the review camera and lens were up to expectations. Exposures were better positioned than with the D3000 so we found less highlight clipping in JPEG shots. Colours were recorded with a natural-looking balance under most lighting types and in-focus images were sharp and detailed.

Provided lighting was adequate, the review camera’s autofocusing system was fast and accurate for stills photography. In low light levels the AF system found it difficult to focus and often failed altogether. Accurate manual focusing in dim lighting was made difficult by the combination of a relatively slow lens with the pentamirror viewfinder, which transmits less light than a pentaprism

Focusing was also slow when shooting video clips but more accurate and better at tracking moving subjects than some cameras we’ve reviewed – provided you focused on the subject BEFORE pressing the record button. Trying to refocus an out-of-focus subject part-way through a recording was an exercise in futility.

Imatest showed resolution to be slightly below expectations for a 14.2-megapixel camera for both JPEG and NEF.RAW images, although the latter were closer than the JPEGs to the resolution the sensor should produce. This could be due to the raw file converter. Unfortunately, because Adobe Camera Raw doesn’t yet support the D3100 we were forced to convert raw files to TIFF format with ViewNX2, which yields lower resolution. Best results were obtained with the shorter focal lengths on the kit lens.

High ISO performance was well above average in our Imatest tests and for both available light test shots and shots taken with flash. The graph below plots the results of our Imatest tests.

Long exposures at night showed little evidence of noise right up to ISO 3200 and 10-second exposures taken at ISO 12800 were only slightly noise-affected. However, swapping to P mode – which reduces exposure times to less than one second – resulted in shots that appeared grainy and posterised by comparison. Interestingly, flash exposures at high sensitivities showed little apparent noise right up to the Hi2 (ISO 12800) setting.

Colour reproduction was consistently good and lateral chromatic aberration ranged between negligible and low in our Imatest tests. Coloured fringing was negligible, even in strongly backlit shots.

The review camera’s auto white balance performance was slightly better than the D3000’s. Shots taken under fluorescent lighting were close to colour-neutral, while subjects photographed under incandescent lighting showed a slight orange bias. Both in-camera pre-sets over-corrected slightly but manual measurement produced natural colour rendition under both types of lighting. In-camera controls made it possible to correct these colour casts before taking shots.

Video quality was good, but not outstanding and we only found slight evidence of the ‘rolling shutter’ problem that causes verticals to lean in the direction of pans. If all production units handle this problem as well as the one we reviewed we suspect few users will notice the leans – except in over-fast pans. Soundtracks were OK but not outstandingly clear and commanding.

The review camera powered up almost immediately and we measured a consistent shot-to-shot time of 0.75 seconds, which is slightly faster than the D3000. Autofocusing lag averaged 0.2 seconds but was eliminated by pre-focusing. It took an average of 2.3 seconds to process each Large/Fine JPEG file, 2.8 seconds for each NEF.RAW file and 3.8 seconds for each RAW+JPEG file. All are improvements on the D3000’s processing times.

In the continuous shooting mode, the review camera recorded 10 Large/Fine JPEG frames in just under four seconds, which is faster than the specifications claim. It took 12.2 seconds to process this burst. The review camera could only manage six NEF.RAW files in two seconds before slowing considerably. It took 12.8 seconds to process this burst.

Swapping to RAW+JPEG capture reduced the burst size to four frames and marginally slowed the capture rate. It took 12.2 seconds to process this burst.

Buy this camera if:
– You want an easy-to use DSLR camera that will help you to use and understand common shooting controls.
– You want a wide range of post-capture, in-camera image adjustments.
– You require superior high-ISO performance.
– You’d like the option of shooting raw and RAW+JPEG files.
– You want a camera than can record HD video clips.

Don’t buy this camera if:
– You want fast and accurate autofocusing in low light levels.
– You require fast continuous shooting speeds plus a large buffer memory for raw files.

[Featured Catalogues:
Latest specials from your local Australian photo retailer – click here.]
IMATEST GRAPHS
JPEG image files

Raw image files converted into 16-bit TIFF format with View NX2.

SAMPLE IMAGES

Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.

Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.

18mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/160 second at f/6.3.

55mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/250 second at f/8.

55mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/500 second at f/9.

S-mode; 30-second exposure at ISO 100; 24mm focal length, f/5.

S-mode; 20-second exposure at ISO 800; 24mm focal length, f/8.

S-mode; 13-second exposure at ISO 3200; 24mm focal length, f/13.

S-mode; 10-second exposure at ISO 12800; 24mm focal length, f/20.

P-mode; 1/4-second exposure at ISO 12800; 24mm focal length, f/3.8.

Flash exposure; 55mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/60 second at f/5.6.

Flash exposure; 55mm focal length, ISO 800, 1/60 second at f/5.6.

Flash exposure; 55mm focal length, ISO 3200, 1/60 second at f/7.1.

Flash exposure; 55mm focal length, ISO 12800, 1/60 second at f/10.

Backlighting; 34mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/200 second at f/7.1.

Flare (minimal); 24mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/320 second at f/11.

Still frame from 1080p HD video clip shot with the camera panning to keep pace with the subject.

A second frame from a couple of seconds later in the same clip showing the absence of ‘rolling shutter’ effects.

Still frame from 720p HD video clip.

Still frame from VGA video clip.

 

Specifications

Image sensor: Nikon DX format (23.1 x 15.4 mm) CMOS sensor with 14.8 million photosites (14.2 megapixels effective)
A/D processing: 12-bit
Lens mount: Nikon AF-S, AF-I
Focal length crop factor: 1.55x
Image formats: Stills – NEF.RAW, JPEG (Exif 2.21), Fine & Standard compression; Movies – MOV movie (H.264/MPEG-4 compression format with monaural sound)
Image Sizes: Stills – 4608 x 3072 [L], 3456 x 2304 [M], 2304 x 1536 [S]; Movies: 1920 x 1080 at 24 fps; 1280 x 720 at 30 or 24 fps, 640 x 480 at 30 or 24 fps
Image Stabilisation: Lens-based
Dust removal: Image sensor shift; Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX2 software required)
Shutter speed range: 30 to 1/4000 second in steps of 1/3 EV plus Bulb; X-synch at 1/200 sec.
Exposure Compensation: -5 to +5EV in 1/3EV steps
Exposure bracketing: No
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay
Focus system: TTL phase detection by Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 AF module with AF-assist (range approx. 0.5-3m); 11 focus points
Focus modes: 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) can be selected
Exposure metering: 3D colour matrix metering II (type G and D lenses), colour matrix metering II (other CPU lenses), Centre-weighted (weight given to 8-mm circle in centre of frame), Spot metering (meters 3.5-mm circle centred on selected focus point)
Shooting modes: Digital Vari-Program (Auto, Auto [Flash Off], Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close Up, Night Portrait), Programmed Auto [P], Shutter-Priority Auto [S], Aperture Priority Auto [A], Manual [M], Guide mode
Picture Style/Control settings: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape (all adjustable)
Colour space options: sRGB, Adobe RGB
ISO range: Auto, ISO 100 to 3200 in steps of 1 EV, plus HI-1 (ISO 6400) and HI-2 (ISO 12800)
White balance: Auto (TTL white-balance with 420-pixel RGB sensor), Incandescent, Fluorescent, Direct sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, White balance preset
Flash: Pop-up flash GN 12 (m/ISO100) with Front-curtain sync, Red-eye reduction, Slow sync with red-eye reduction, Slow sync and rear-curtain sync modes
Flash exposure adjustment: -3 to +1EV is 1/3 EV steps
Sequence shooting: Max. 3 fps for 100 JPEGs, 13 NEF.RAW files or 9 RAW+JPEG
Storage Media: SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards
Viewfinder: Eye-level penta-Dach mirror with built-in dioptre adjustment (-1.7 to +0.5m-1), Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VII screen, approx. 95% FOV coverage and approx. 0.8x magnification
LCD monitor: 3.0-inch, 230,000-dot, low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD
Live View AF modes: AF-S and AF-F modes supported with Normal, Wide, Face priority and Subject tracking area modes; manual focusing available
Data LCD: No
Playback functions: Full-frame, Movie Playback, Thumbnail (4/9/72, calendar) playback, playback zoom, Faces detected during zoom, Slide show, RGB histogram display, Highlight alert, Auto image rotation, Image comment; Delete of: Single image, Selected images, images taken on a selected date, All images (except protected images)
Interface terminals: USB 2.0 (High-speed), Video output, HDMI output (Type C mini-pin connector)
Power supply: EN-EL14 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 550 shots/charge
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 124 x 96 x 74.5 mm (body only)
Weight: Approx. 455 grams (body only)

 

Retailers

 

CamBuy

 

www.cambuy.com.au
Digital cameras, lenses and accessories with 100% genuine Australian manufacturer’s warranties.
Ph: (02) 9029 2219

Camera House

 

www.camerahouse.com.au
Ph: 133 686
The largest speciality photographic retail chain in Australia.

Camera Pro

 

www.camerapro.net.au
CameraPro Pty Ltd
Suite 607, 180 Queen St, Brisbane 4000
Tel: 07 3333 2900
Australian owned and run company based in Brisbane.

Camerasdirect

 

www.camerasdirect.com.au
Retailer of digital camera equipment and more.
Secure online shopping and delivery across Australia.
Ph: 1300 727 056

Camerastore.com.au

Camerastore.com.au
Ph: 1800 155 067

Camera-Warehouse

 

www.camera-warehouse.com.au
Comprehensive range of digital cameras and accessories online (www.camera-warehouse.com.au) and an online print service (www.royalexpress.com.au).

Digital Camera Warehouse

 

www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au
174 Canterbury Road 367 High Street
Canterbury Northcote
NSW 2193 VIC 3070
Ph: 1300 365 220

Electronics Warehouse

 

www.electronicswarehouse.com.au
1300 801 885
Australian retailer of Vapex rechargeable batteries offering factory direct prices and fast, free shipping Australia wide.

<

 

Photographic Equipment & Supplies – Retail & Repairs. Click here for list of stores.

Ted’s Cameras

 

www.teds.com.au

1800 186 895
Big range of cameras and photographic products with stores in most states and online.

Rating

 

RRP: $949 (body only); $1049 (as reviewed with 18-55mm lens)

Rating (out of 10):

• Build: 8.5
• Ease of use: 8.5
• Autofocusing: Stills – 8.5; Video – 8.0
• Image quality: Stills – 8.5; Video – 8.0
• OVERALL: 8.5

Buy