There is now a dedicated lever to enter Live View, with a red button to start recording video.

With the addition of live view and movie recording, the back of the camera went through some changes. The camera handles very similarly as its predecessor and the earlier models like Nikon D40 and D60 and the lightweight Nikkor 18-55mm kit lens balances perfectly with it. With the exception of the metal lens mount, the Nikon D3100 is mostly plastic. With a weight of only 455 grams without the lens, the Nikon D3100 is 30 grams lighter than its predecessor – the Nikon D3000, which also makes it the lightest Nikon DSLR camera. If you have ever handled a heavy pro-level DSLR like Nikon D3s, you will quickly realize how tiny this camera is in comparison. NIKON D3X 150mm, ISO 100, 10/600, f/20.0 Camera Construction and Handlingīeing an entry-level DSLR, the Nikon D3100 is built to be a compact and an ultra-lightweight camera, with dimensions of 124x97x74mm, making it the smallest DSLR in Nikon’s current line of cameras. Please note that the Nikon D3100 has been replaced by the Nikon D3200. Please note that the sample images provided below are “test” shots that have not been heavily modified in post-processing. I get plenty of comments and emails from our readers asking about the D3100 and whether they should buy it over the older Nikon D3000 and Nikon D5000 cameras, so I decided to post a review of the camera with some sample images and comparisons with other Nikon DSLRs to hopefully make it easier for our readers to make the right choice. Thanks to its excellent 14.2 MP DX CMOS sensor that is capable of great image quality, full HD video recording capabilities and a solid autofocus system, the D3100 is a worthy camera to consider.

The Nikon D3100 is an entry-level DSLR with plenty of features and functionality for those who want to get into photography.

Nikon d3100 live view