Nikon D3000 was an awesome entry level Digital SLR camera; it was also Europe's best selling Digital SLR during the beginning half of year 2010. But some great things have to end, recently D3000 was becoming old with it lacking in Live View, comparatively low resolution 10.2MP CCD sensor and video capture capability.
The radical upgrade to this is the D3100, based on new 14.2 Mega Pixel CMOS sensor which in terms of resolution out does most of professional cameras offered by Nikon, including the D700, D300s and D3s.
Nikon D3100 Digital SLR has a better image processing engine (EXPEED 2), that promises to produce enhanced quality images as well as a larger sensitivity range. While Nikon D3000 featured light sensitivity to ISO 100-1600 with the standard range, Nikon D3100 has light sensitivity to ISO 100-3200, the extended modes boost this to ISO 6400, ISO 12800.
Additional features are the Live View function that comes with Scene Auto Selector feature which selects automatically the picture mode that is optimum for subject being captured in the photograph, while also offering wide-area, normal-area, continuous tracking of subject and face-priority autofocus. More brilliantly, continuous autofocus comes available in video capture mode; D3100 boasts 1080p full HD at 24fps as well as 720p at 30fps or 24,25.
With the D3100 DSLR you are also able to do basic edits in camera to video clips, you can cut scenes or save an individual frame as an image.
With shooting photos, there is a variety of retouching features available in-camera, which include D-Lighting after-shot adjustments enabling you to control dynamic range, colour balance, perspective control, distortion correction (accessible also whilst shooting), straightening, trimming, red-eye reduction, and filter effects.
Nikon D3100 DSLR camera also has chromatic correction for chromatic aberration which it inherits from other new Nikon cameras, this is very effective in improving utilization of lenses that have colour fringing as an often occurring problem, as happens with Nikon 18-200mm VR.
For a camera with this price, the body feels solid, rugged and robust. There is no sign of flexing or creaking when using it, all dials, switches and buttons feel tactile as well as precise. The same is true for catches and covers that are part of the flaps for external connection panel, memory card insertion slot, and battery bay.
The Nikon D3100 DSLR Camera comes with a new battery pack (EN-EL 14 Li-Ion) that has enough power to shoot 550 photos in between recharging, memory card slot has compatibility for Eye-Fi Cards, SDXC, SDHC and SD cards, and external connection compatibility includes A/V out, USB 2.0, HDMI (Type C) and GPS.
If you liked this review then checkout my more in depth review, Nikon D3100 Digital SLR Review
