Nikon D5100 Review

by Lori Grunin
April 2011

CNET's Lori Grunin posted her review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR, rating the camera 3.5 out of 5 stars. Grunin was impressed by the ergonomic layout of the camera's buttons, particularly the video record button. She noted that shooting with the camera "feels fast and fluid." Grunin said, "The Nikon D5100 delivers a solid combination of image quality, performance, features and design."

Gear Patrol's 20 Best Travel Gadgets

Gear Patrol's Eric Yang included the Nikon D5100 D-SLR in their list of 20 Best Travel Gadgets. Yang noted that the editors have grown fond of the D5100 because of its combination of portability and robustness among other features. He explained that the winning products, "earned our stamp of approval for a combination of price, approachability, and something we like to call the U-factor: U for everyday Usability."

April 2011

Nikon D5100 Review

by Barnaby Britton with Richard Butler and Andy Westlake
April 2011

DP Review's Barnaby Britton posted his review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR. Britton liked the effects mode, as well as the resolution and noise performance of the camera when shooting stills and HD video. He said, "The D5100 is without doubt one of the most compelling products in its class, and offers an excellent mixture of straightforward handling, a well-targeted feature set, and excellent video and still image quality." He added: "Effective and easy-to-use features make the D5100 ideal for everyday photography/videography." The D5100 received a dpreview.com Silver Award, which represents a camera recommended by the website.

Nikon D5100 Review

by Kevin Wong
April 2011

Engadget posted Kevin Wong's review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR on its website, saying, "...The D5100 can certainly shoot along with the bog boys of consumer cameras." Wong was impressed with the resolution of the camera, its still and HD video capabilities, articulated LCD design and in-camera effects. He concluded by saying, "The D5100 is a winner in our books..."

Nikon D5100 Review

by Phil Ryan
May 2011

Pop Photo's Phil Ryan posted his review of the D5100 D-SLR camera, touting the high overall image quality and full HD video capture. He reminisced: "Nikon kickstarted a revolution in the photography world when it included video recording in the D90..." He explained that the D5100 finesses the combination of still and HD video even further. Ryan said, "After running the D5100 through the Popular Photography Test Lab, we can say that the camera's images look great. In fact, the D5100 earned an Extremely High rating in overall image quality. He also noted that the camera offers "great full-HD video."

Nikon D5100 D-SLR Review

by TJ Donegan
June 2011
TJ Donegan posted a review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR to the Digital Camera Info website, touting the camera as “arguably the best sub-$1,000 D-SLR we have tested yet.” Donegan was impressed with the camera’s still image color accuracy, as well as its combination of manual controls, creative modes, and ergonomic design. Donegan also said, “… the D5100 feels well-built,” adding, “The camera has a fair amount of heft, offering good stability without feeling overly weighty.”

Nikon D5100 D-SLR Review

by Theano Nikitas
June 2011

Macworld/PCWorld’s Theano Nikitas posted her review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR, awarding it four out of five stars. Nikitas was impressed with the excellent still images produced by the camera as well as the HD video quality. “The D5100 delivers an excellent feature set and image quality that rivals or exceeds the competition,” she said. Other features that were noted by Nikitas included the excellent low light/high ISO performance, beautiful 3-inch, high resolution articulated LCD, and new special effects.

Nikon D5100 D-SLR Review

by Mark Holder
September 2011

Mark Holder posted his review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR on the Videomaker magazine website. He began by stating, “The Nikon D5100 DSLR camera is jam-packed with some very nice features, great in-camera effects and produces gorgeous images to boot. It definitely packs plenty of punch and the average consumer or enthusiast will surely be left pleasantly pleased.” Holder was impressed by the overall design of the camera, the quality of audio capable from the built-in microphone and inclusion of an external mic port.

Nikon D5100 Review

by Shawn Barnett
July 2011
Shawn Barnett posted his review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR on the Imaging Resource website, touting it as an easy choice for a “Dave’s Pick.” He said, “[the D5100] offers an approachable design that couples a great feature set with excellent image quality.” He found the camera easy and fun to use, with its still and Full HD video capabilities and variety of built-in effects, especially the integrated HDR mode. Regarding the HD video, Barnett noted: “Capturing movies with the Nikon D5100 is almost as simple as you could make it.”

Nikon D5100 Review

by Eric Reagan
July 2011

Eric Reagan posted his review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR on Photography Bay, praising a number of the camera’s features including its low light performance and fast auto-focus, as well as its overall design and feature set. “It’s an easy-to-carry and easy-to-use entry-level D-SLR,” Reagan said. “The D5100 shines among the entry-level D-SLR ranks,” he added.

Nikon D5100 Review

by David Elrich
August 2011

David Elrich posted his review of the Nikon D5100 D-SLR on the Digital Trends website, calling the camera a Digital Trends Editors’ Choice. Elrich was impressed with the accurate colors the camera produced, as well as its high ISO range. He explained that the camera is meant to be used out of its auto setting, stating: “Once you get the hang of the controls, this camera was meant for exploration—no matter if it’s exposure compensation, white balance, ISO and lots more.” Elrich added, “[The Nikon D5100] takes solid photos and videos, offering the response shutterbugs demand as they move from point-and-shoots to 'real' cameras."

Camera of the Year

The Digitalcamerainfo.com staff announced that the Nikon D5100 D-SLR has been named Camera of the Year. Out of the dozens of cameras tested, the website's staff chooses the very best the industry has to offer. According to the website, "The D5100 blew us away by getting the simple things right." Touted features included the D5100's "phenomenal color accuracy, expanded dynamic range, and above-average performance in nearly every category." The D5100 also received honors as the Best Budget DSLR.
November 2011

IF Product Design Award 2012

The Nikon D5100 D-SLR has been honored with the iF Product Design Award 2012 from the International Forum Design GmbH of Hanover, Germany. The iF design awards have been awarded since 1953; to products exhibiting superior design. In selecting recipients, product aspects including quality of design, functionality, degree of innovation, simplicity of operation and environmental impact are considered for the product design award. Features to note include the D5100's ease of use and high quality still images and Full HD video.
November 2011

PCMag.com Best of the Year 2011 Gold Winner

The Nikon D5100 D-SLR has been awarded the honors of PCMag.com's Best of the Year 2011 Gold Winner in the D-SLR category. Each year PCMag.com reviews thousands of devices and only the best of the best make it to the Best of the Year. PCMag.com's editors said, "Nikon's D5100 was our favorite D-SLR of the year." The editors noted such features as the camera's 16-megapixel resolution, articulating LCD, high ISO capabilities and its ability to autofocus while recording Full HD movies as reasons why the D5100 was deserving of the honors. The editors also explained that the camera's image quality, optical finder and NIKKOR optics "make it an excellent value."
November 2011

Nikon D5100 Review

by Kevin Pereira and Candace Bailey
December 2011
Kevin Pereira and Candace Bailey reviewed the D5100 D-SLR for G4 TV's Attack of the Show. The reviewers found the D5100 to be ergonomically designed, with excellent noise reduction, and a very quiet AF, sharp images with vivid colors. Pereira and Bailey gave the D5100 a 5 out of 5 rating, noting that the camera offers incredible value.

Nikon D5100 Review

by Jack Neubart
February 2012
Shutterbug magazine posted Jack Neubart's review of the D5100 D-SLR on its website. Overall, Neubart was impressed with the camera. He noted that Live View and camcorder users will "love the camera's vari-angle monitor." He also found that continued use of the LCD did not cause a battery drain. Neubart liked some of the camera's Effects modes, including Color Sketch and Selective Color. He found the Auto White Balance to work very well, "AWB ably handled a variety of lighting situations, especially mixed lighting, and proved to be my go-to white balance setting." He was also impressed with the quality of the kit lens that came with the camera. "In the end, the D5100 and 18-55mm VR combo very nicely handled practically anything I threw at it," he added.

2012 TIPA Best D-SLR Entry Level Award

The Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) awarded the Nikon D5100 with the 2012 TIPA Best D-SLR Entry Level Award. The camera was chosen due to its image quality, high ISO, Vari-Angle LCD, and convenient placement of photographer controlled settings. TIPA awards are given to the best imaging products; selected by the editors of member camera and imaging magazines from around the globe.
April 2012