Looking at a D5100. Is it worth it?

[Lazarus52980]

I am tired of taking crappy photos with my cell phone and I have decided to try to get into photography a little bit (I have lots of kids, and want to do a better job with their photos.. Plus, I need a new hobby :whiste

I have found a few craigslist listing for a "body only" Nikon D5100 for around $350 or so, but I would also need to purchase a lens or two.

What I am looking for here is advice. I know NOTHING about photography, so ANY advice/wisdom in which DSLR to purchase, which lens to purchase with it, and where to learn about using them and editing photos would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you in advance!!

 

[Anteaus]

The important thing is to buy what you need but not go overboard initially. The D5100 is a great starting point. For lenses, I would just look toward getting a decent zoom for your first lens and once you know how to use your camera you will be able to better choose your next step. The 18-55mm, 18-105mm, and 18-200mm are all good starting points. The 18-200 is the most expensive but is the most well rounded, however just buy whichever you can afford. The 35mm 1.8G prime is also a great lens, however if this is your first DSLR the fixed Focal length might feel to restrictive as a beginner but definitely take a look at it.

The harder part is finding books that don't spend too much time focusing on fluff. Most of the DSLR books I've seen are trash because they spend more time talking about processing and less about exposure.

One book I really like alot that covers the basics is the BetterPhoto Guide to Exposure by Sean Arbabi. You can find it at B&N and Amazon. Everyone has their favorites but this is mine because it gives the "whys" along with the "hows" without getting all techy.

 

[jhansman]

The D5100 is a great starter dSLR. With it you can learn what you need to get serious about digital photography. For books, I recommend any of Bryan Peterson's. You might start with Understanding Exposure; know that he (like many of us) is not a fan of Auto mode on cameras, so once you know your way around yours and feel you are ready to tackle manual mode, his book can teach you the basics of exposure in a way that others seem to miss. Also, Lynda.com has some great courses in exposure.

As for lenses, you can go with Nikon's kit lenses, which are good quality, but you also might consider something like an 18-200/300 all-in-one from makers like Sigma, Tamron, or Tokina. All three have upped their game and are now making excellent glass.

 

[CuriousMike]

I have 3 kids, currently 18/15/9.

It wasn't until a few years ago that I went from a P&S to a DSLR (D5000).

Holy crap do I wish I had done it earlier.

Whichever camera you end up with, I implore you to spend a few evenings getting the basics down - understand shutter speed, aperture and ISO.

Learning those basics, and a DSLR in your hand will give you the capabilities to create fantastic photos.

Learning composition is a whole 'nother topic.

edit: Speaking of books, I found David Buschs book on the D5000 to be pretty good.

 

[biostud]

I bought one with a 35mm F/1.8 prime, for the exact same reason. It has no zoom, so it you have to move around to compose your picture, which also can be a great exercise learning to shoot a good pic. The lens is really fast (good for low light situations) and really sharp.



Here's my thread about choosing a lens, including some sample pics.:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2314983&highlight=d5100

Some extra pics:

 

[blastingcap]

A d5100 is a very, very competent camera that has stellar image quality. It lacks some advanced features that beginners are unlikely to need. By the time you outgrow a d5100, the price of higher-tier cameras will have fallen so you can get, say, a d7100 or d600 a few years from now for cheaper than their prices today.

 

[Lazarus52980]

Alright, here is what I have been offered and the price. Please tell me if this is worth the $$:

Nikon D5100 Body with a battery grip
4 Nikon brand batteries
2 chargers
1 - 18-55 lens
1 - 55-200 lens
1 - 16 GB SD card
1 - "small bag" to hold everything

Total cost: $500.00


This SEEMS like a good deal, and I saw the camera working this weekend and I liked how it worked, but I wanted some opinions from the people here if they are willing to give them.

Should I pull the trigger on this?

 

[biostud]

yes, go for it. But why do you get all these extra chargers and batteries? Does it come with a receipt?

 

[Lazarus52980]

yes, go for it. But why do you get all these extra chargers and batteries? Does it come with a receipt?

Well, I had been looking into a D5100 (as you can tell from the from the fact that I created this thread) and when we had a cub scout event this weekend, one of the scouting activities was photography. I asked the person who came to preset to the children about a D5100, and he said he had one with him that he had been looking to sell.

I double checked with the cub master and other leaders who knew this guy and they say he is legit, so I thought I would post the offer he made me.

Suffice it to say, this is not a "new" D5100.

Still worth it?

 

[randomrogue]

It sounds like a fair deal. The batteries and chargers are overkill but that's ok.

For a first DSLR it's a great one to learn on. By the time you outgrow it you'll have gotten your money's worth.

I would see how many shutter iterations there are though. There are multiple ways to do this so just google how. The shutter is rated for 150,000 pictures so as long as it's nowhere near that you're fine. Keep in mind you're paying $500 for a camera that you'll have zero warranty with.

 

[Lazarus52980]

It sounds like a fair deal. The batteries and chargers are overkill but that's ok.

For a first DSLR it's a great one to learn on. By the time you outgrow it you'll have gotten your money's worth.

I would see how many shutter iterations there are though. There are multiple ways to do this so just google how. The shutter is rated for 150,000 pictures so as long as it's nowhere near that you're fine. Keep in mind you're paying $500 for a camera that you'll have zero warranty with.

I sent an e-mail asking for the shutter iterations. We'll see what he says back.

You say as long as it is "nowhere near that (150,000 shutter iterations)". At what # or more do you think I should choose not to purchase this camera?

 

[randomrogue]

I sent an e-mail asking for the shutter iterations. We'll see what he says back.

You say as long as it is "nowhere near that (150,000 shutter iterations)". At what # or more do you think I should choose not to purchase this camera?

Well think of it this way. I think I took 40,000 pictures with my D3000 over a period of a few years. As an amateur just traveling a lot. I think I took 5000 pictures just in Africa over a period of 3 months but that was including safaris. If I shot a wedding I might shoot 1500 images on a camera if I went crazy and if I was a hard core wedding photographer I might do 50 weddings a year. To get anywhere near the 100,000 (it's 100K for the 5100 not 150K) you'd have to be using it as a professional work horse for several years. It would pay for itself of course but it's highly unlikely that you'll find a camera like this. So I think a far more reasonable number to look at would be around 10,000 per year owned. I gotta say that most people don't take anywhere near this. Not even close. So if you buy a D5100 (released 2 years ago) and it's got more than say 25,000 iterations I would think twice.

 

[Lazarus52980]

Well think of it this way. I think I took 40,000 pictures with my D3000 over a period of a few years. As an amateur just traveling a lot. I think I took 5000 pictures just in Africa over a period of 3 months but that was including safaris. If I shot a wedding I might shoot 1500 images on a camera if I went crazy and if I was a hard core wedding photographer I might do 50 weddings a year. To get anywhere near the 100,000 (it's 100K for the 5100 not 150K) you'd have to be using it as a professional work horse for several years. It would pay for itself of course but it's highly unlikely that you'll find a camera like this. So I think a far more reasonable number to look at would be around 10,000 per year owned. I gotta say that most people don't take anywhere near this. Not even close. So if you buy a D5100 (released 2 years ago) and it's got more than say 25,000 iterations I would think twice.

Got it. Thank you for the advice.

If I end up buying it, I will post a few photos on here for fun!

 

[Lazarus52980]

The plot thickens!

I just received an e-mail back from the person and he said he did not know the shutter iterations on the camera, so he used a program called Photome and loaded the last image he shot into the program. The reading it gave him was 147,201...

Based on what was said here earlier, is that even possible??? Could he have almost used up the whole camera in 2-3 years?

Or, is this reading how many are LEFT?

I will look into this, but has anyone used this "photome" program?

 

[biostud]

Tried the same software with with my camera (D5100), I got 526 which is the amount of pictures I have taken. But 147,201 on three years doesn't sound plausible. Then he would have taken ~150 pictures every day for 3 years. So either he's a very busy photographer or he has had the camera for a longer time. Or maybe he also bought it used.

 

[Syborg1211]

You can ask him to send you a jpg straight off the camera, and you can try reading it yourself. Using Opanda exif reader, it's the row called Total Number of Shutter Releases for Camera.

I would be pretty shocked if it really is 147k. I think ~10k per year is a reasonable estimate for amateur usage, maybe 15k if you're click happy, but to average over 50k a year is just unfathomable in my mind.

 

[CuriousMike]

I ran the same piece of software just now on my D5000 (bought in May 2010)
- my last photo was shutter count 18,708.


147k seems inconceivable !

 

[blastingcap]

147k sounds like he is reading the wrong number or something. Ask for a sample photo and get the info yourself, as suggested by Syborg1211.

 

[randomrogue]

Yeah that can't possibly be right. The camera is at most 28 months old. He would have to be doing some extremely rigorous work to get a shutter count that high. What exactly did he use the camera for? Is this guy a professional photographer. For him to actually send that number to you is boggling. He must either be really bad at math or that camera is highly over priced.

Shutter ratings are not an exact science. The shutter can die at 1, 150K, or more. A D4 is rated to 400K, a D800 to 200K though to give you a range.

 

[Lazarus52980]

I got him to send me one of the more recent photos he took with the camera, and it did not seem to actually have the shutter count on it...

Just in case I am doing it wrong, here is a link to my skydrive and the photo he sent me:

http://sdrv.ms/1aazzye
(I think this will let you download it.. please let me know if it does not)

Do I need to ask him for a raw photo?

(He said he had "all metadata intact" on this jpeg if that makes a difference).

 

[tenthumbs]

Based on your experience as a photographer, save some money and get a new/used D3100 or D3200. Absolutely nothing wrong with either of these cameras for entry level shooting. No question the D5100 is a better camera but it's the experienced photographers that will notice the difference. Get the cheaper camera, learn how it works, save your money, buy up later.

 

[Lazarus52980]

Based on your experience as a photographer, save some money and get a new/used D3100 or D3200. Absolutely nothing wrong with either of these cameras for entry level shooting. No question the D5100 is a better camera but it's the experienced photographers that will notice the difference. Get the cheaper camera, learn how it works, save your money, buy up later.

I can go online and look at a comparison between the two, but realistically, what am I "losing" to go with the D3200 over the D5100?

 

[tenthumbs]

You should first look at what your photography goals are and then pair that with a camera that will allow you to reach those goals. All the talk about sensors, built in motors, megapixels, etc. mean nothing if you don't utilize them. Like I said, there is no question the D5100 is a better camera. But your potential new hobby requires a great deal of learning in order to benefit from the amount of money it will cost. The D3100 or D3200 or even the older D90 will serve you well if you're only taking pics of the kids. You can pick up a couple lenses, perhaps a tripod or whatever and not be out a ton of money. If you get the bug and decide you need more bells and whistles, you can jump up to a D7000 or D7100. In time you'll find it's better to have quality lenses than a body with features you don't understand or will never use. BTW...That D5100 from Craigslist seems a bit fishy. If that shutter count is accurate, don't buy it.

 

[Syborg1211]

I got him to send me one of the more recent photos he took with the camera, and it did not seem to actually have the shutter count on it...

Just in case I am doing it wrong, here is a link to my skydrive and the photo he sent me:

http://sdrv.ms/1aazzye
(I think this will let you download it.. please let me know if it does not)

Do I need to ask him for a raw photo?

(He said he had "all metadata intact" on this jpeg if that makes a difference).

I checked out the file you linked. You are correct that it does not have the shutter count on it. It appears to have been resized through some post-processing program. A lot of programs will strip out certain exif info during this process unless otherwise told not to. What you need is a jpeg STRAIGHT off the camera's memory card.

 

[blastingcap]

You should first look at what your photography goals are and then pair that with a camera that will allow you to reach those goals. All the talk about sensors, built in motors, megapixels, etc. mean nothing if you don't utilize them. Like I said, there is no question the D5100 is a better camera. But your potential new hobby requires a great deal of learning in order to benefit from the amount of money it will cost. The D3100 or D3200 or even the older D90 will serve you well if you're only taking pics of the kids. You can pick up a couple lenses, perhaps a tripod or whatever and not be out a ton of money. If you get the bug and decide you need more bells and whistles, you can jump up to a D7000 or D7100. In time you'll find it's better to have quality lenses than a body with features you don't understand or will never use. BTW...That D5100 from Craigslist seems a bit fishy. If that shutter count is accurate, don't buy it.

Based on your experience as a photographer, save some money and get a new/used D3100 or D3200. Absolutely nothing wrong with either of these cameras for entry level shooting. No question the D5100 is a better camera but it's the experienced photographers that will notice the difference. Get the cheaper camera, learn how it works, save your money, buy up later.

Nah, the price difference isn't that big, and D5100 has a swivel screen which is a godsend sometimes. I agree with you in principle, but unless he can get a LOT lower price on a D3100 (like $125+), forget it, get the D5100. The D3200 I would get over the D5100 only if it saved me at least $75.