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Nikon D5100 · Nikon USA product photograph with AF-S DX 18–55mm VR lens; lens is not part of body specifications

Nikon D5100
Photo 1 of 9

Nikon D5100 · Nikon USA product photograph with AF-S DX 18–55mm VR lens; lens is not part of body specifications

Nikon · Nikon DSLR

D5100

Released April 2011

A 16.2-megapixel DX DSLR with a side-hinged vari-angle screen, Full HD video and two-exposure HDR.

Type
DSLR
Sensor
APS-C
Megapixels
16.2
Lens
Nikon F mount
Video
1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Body weight
510 g

What reviewers say

Both praise image quality, high-ISO results and the flexible screen, but find live-view focusing slow. Photography Blog likes the quiet shutter yet criticises rearranged controls and movie autofocus. Photo Review finds its sample's shutter louder and sluggish, while valuing video quality and processing improvements. Both caution owners of older autofocus lenses about the missing body motor.

From photographyblog.com and photoreview.com.au

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Image and sensor

Camera type
DSLR
Sensor format
APS-C
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor dimensions
23.6 × 15.6 mm
Effective resolution
16.2 MP
Largest image
4928 × 3264
RAW recording
Yes
Standard ISO range
100–6400
Sensor detail
Nikon DX CMOS with 16.2 million effective and 16.9 million total pixels; approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; sensor cleaning, Airflow Control System and Image Dust Off reference data
Image formats
Compressed 14-bit NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; maximum 4928 × 3264 pixels; customisable Picture Controls and in-camera RAW processing
ISO detail
ISO 100–6400 in one-third stops, expandable up to ISO 25600 equivalent; Auto ISO; Night Vision is a separate monochrome special effect
Image processor
EXPEED 2

Lens and shooting

Lens mount
Nikon F mount
Stabilisation
Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst
4 fps
Lens detail
Autofocus with AF-S and AF-I lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses. Non-CPU lenses require manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported
Autofocus
Multi-CAM 1000; 11 phase-detection points including one cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A, single-point, dynamic, auto-area and 11-point 3D tracking. Contrast-detection live view supports face, wide, normal and subject-tracking areas
Shutter
1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third or half stops, Bulb and Time with optional ML-L3 remote; flash sync 1/200 second
Burst detail
Approximately 4 fps with manual focus, S/M exposure, 1/250 second or faster and remaining settings at defaults; quiet release and interval-timer shooting
Stabilisation detail
Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation
Flash
Built-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 12 m at ISO 100, 20°C, or 13 at manual full output; accessory shoe
Exposure controls
P/S/A/M, Auto, scene and special-effects modes; 420-pixel RGB matrix, centre-weighted and spot metering; ±5 EV compensation; three-frame exposure/white-balance bracketing, two-frame Active D-Lighting bracketing and two-exposure HDR

Video

Highest video resolution
1920 × 1080 at 30 fps
Video detail
H.264 MOV at Full HD 30p/25p/24p, 720p 30p/25p/24p or 640 × 424 at 30p/25p; actual NTSC rates 29.97/23.976; maximum approximately 20 minutes or three minutes with Miniature Effect. Photography Blog's 1920 × 1280, Motion JPEG AVI and five-minute passages differ from Nikon's technical sheet
Audio
Built-in mono microphone with adjustable sensitivity; external stereo microphone through 3.5 mm input; linear PCM audio

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder
Optical
Screen size
3″
Screen dots
921,000
Tilting screen
Yes
Display detail
Side-hinged 3-inch vari-angle TFT, approximately 921000 dots globally, rounded to 920000 in Japan; 170° viewing angle and 100% coverage; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detail
Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage, 0.78× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 17.9 mm eyepoint

Connections and design

Battery life (maker's claim)
660 photographs
Body weight
510 g
Release detail
Nikon Japan records first sale on 21 April 2011; global announcement on 5 April 2011
Recording media
One SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot; MMC unsupported
Ports
Hi-Speed USB, HDMI Type C, NTSC/PAL analogue video output, 3.5 mm external microphone input and accessory terminal for optional MC-DC2 remote or GP-1 GPS; optional ML-L3 infrared remote
Wireless connections
No integrated wireless networking; optional GP-1 GPS unit
Battery life detail
EN-EL14 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; approximately 660 CIPA photographs per charge
Charging
External MH-24 charger; optional EH-5b adapter with EP-5A power connector
Dimensions
Approximately 128 × 97 × 79 mm
Weight detail
Approximately 510 g body only or 560 g including battery and SD card, excluding body cap
In the box
EN-EL14 battery, MH-24 charger, AN-DC3 strap, EG-CP14 audio-video cable, UC-E6 USB cable, DK-5 eyepiece cap, BS-1 shoe cover, DK-20 eyecup, BF-1B body cap and ViewNX 2 CD-ROM

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Side-hinged 3-inch vari-angle screen
  • 14-bit RAW and two-exposure HDR
  • External stereo microphone input

Cons

  • Autofocus requires lenses with their own motors
  • Contrast-detection live-view autofocus
  • Single control dial and no dedicated ISO button

Closest rivals

Model
TypeSensorMegapixelsLensVideoBody weightReleased
SonyAlpha DSLR-A560
DSLRAPS-C14.2Sony A-mount1920 × 1080 at 25 fps599 gJan 2011
SonyAlpha DSLR-A290
DSLRAPS-C14.2Sony A-mount–456 gJul 2010
SonyAlpha DSLR-A390
DSLRAPS-C14.2Sony A-mount–497 gJul 2010

Sources

  1. nij.nikon.com/products/lineup/slr/d5100/spec.html
  2. nij.nikon.com/products/lineup/slr/d5100
  3. nikonusa.com/p/d5100/25476/overview
  4. nikon.com/company/news/2011/0405_d5100_01

Photo: Nikon USA product photograph with AF-S DX 18–55mm VR lens; lens is not part of body specifications

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