Went into a camera shop and bought......... oh, wait a minute!

[Martyn]

I've been scrimping and saving for a camera for a while now and finally have enough money to start seriously looking. I went into a local camera shop and looked at the Canon 1100d and the Nikon D3100, I really liked the feel of the Nikon with it's nicer grip and the thumb scroll wheel. The salesman said that it was worth looking at the Nikon D5100 which was on special offer, a bit dearer but worth it for the impressive image quality, tilty flippy hi res screen and extra shooting modes; I looked and I liked. The the salesman said this weeks managers special offer was the D5100 with an upgraded lens, 18 - 105 as opposed to the 18-55 which comes in the kit; I looked and I liked. This would mean using the credit card or saving up a little longer!

 

The words I keep telling my wife came into my head, "buy it now instead of going home and wishing you'd bought it, then finding it's gone when you finally go to buy it (shoes and tops usually)" So I plumped for the Nikon D5100 with the 18 - 105 lens. "Sorry sir we don't have one in stock". But I've got it in my hand! "Sorry, the body is part of a kit and the lens is part of another kit, we can get you one for next Friday." Ok, what about the D5100 with the 18 - 55 lens? "Sorry we don't have one of those either, but we can get one for next Friday." What about the D3100 then? "Yes we have those in stock right now, would you like it?"  Er, no! You've just spent the last half hour talking me out of buying it and now it's all you have. I'll come back next Friday if I can't get one somewhere else! 

 

 

 

 

[NannyFerret]

Have you thought of Amazon or https://www.buyacamera.co.uk/home.asp, Martyn. It might be worth a look as they usually have some good offers on.

[Black Pearl]

Worth the wait it is a fantastic body and the AF-S 18-105mm lens is MASSIVELY better than the 18-55mm.

 

Where did you go and what price were you offered?

[bugmeister]

Have you thought of Amazon or https://www.buyacamera.co.uk/home.asp, Martyn. It might be worth a look as they usually have some good offers on.

Especially since you've already had it in your hands and like how it handles and feels.

[Leon]

no wonder high street shops are closing!!!!

[NannyFerret]

They have the same deal here  and some others including a twin lens kit. I don't know what the price at the camera shop was but maybe you would like to compare. https://www.buyacamera.co.uk/search.asp?searchtype=model&      Also check Amazon and see which off the best deal.

 

[NannyFerret]

no wonder high street shops are closing!!!!

It's a case of doing what's best for me as far as prices go.

No way could I afford high street prices now.

I always used to shop in Jessops when they did the deals such as the price match but even they started to bump their prices up and not many people went in the Coventry shop. It used to be absolutely packed at one time.

People just haven't got the money these days, and I wouldn't use the camera shop which is left in Coventry centre now. You only have to read some of the reviews on their service to find out how rude they are to their customers.

Edited July 17, 2013 by NannyFerret

[Black Pearl]

Mixed reviews about them - some people saying the camera they got was a grey import.

[Martyn]

The shop was one in the Wilkinson chain. The D5100 with the 18 - 105 was a penny short of £450. I suppose there's no harm in waiting 'till next Friday or even visiting another branch (probably best to ring first and check stock). May still even ring the shop in Lancaster again and tell them to get me one in.

 

Today didn't start well when I went into Superdrug for a pack of Mach3 razor blades. I picked a pack off the shelf and queued up to pay for what seemed like an eternity, when I got to the till they told me they had sold out and all the boxes were dummies.

 

Anyway, at least I get a cooling off period before I make my final purchase. I'm off out Appalachian style clog dancing now so I'll see you guys tomorrow! :jig: :jig:

 

 

 

[colinb]

Martyn - as you have not posted a 'price' I thought this might be of interest (well you hadn't 'onest)

 

http://www.portusdigital.com/cameras/dslr-cameras/nikon-d5100-dslr-camera-18-105mm-kit.html

 

I have used these people in the past and always received good service.

 

What I will say is I think you are wise to go for the D5100 rather than the 3100

Edited July 17, 2013 by colinb

[Guest DaveW]

I would buy your camera "body only" as you can with most detachable lens cameras, then buy the lens you want separately if you can, but not necessarily both from the same firm.  Body plus kit lens is a way to get you started, but only if that lens really the one you want. If not the extra you pay over "body only" for the lens could go to the lens you want.

 

Afraid I have not kept up with Nikon models and prices in recent years, but found these:-

 

http://bestprices247.com/products/Nikon%20D510/

 

23 page review of the camera here:-

 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond5100/

[Black Pearl]

My advice - get the kit as there is very little extra cost over the body only price for what is actually a very good all-round lens: http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests/634-nikkor181053556vr

[NannyFerret]

I started with the body and standard kit leans and then added my 55-200VR and later the Sigma 70-300.

My son has a Canon and bought the 18-200mm lens at the same time. This was enough for his use and he doesn't have to keep changing the lens either.

[Martyn]

I rang the shop today to check the price on the web, the manager was not aware of the reduction but said he was ok to honour it. I called into the shop on the way home from work and picked up the Nikon D5100 and 18 - 105 kit. Got home only to discover there is no battery in the kit. Rang the shop and told them, they're sending a member of staff out with a battery. I'm sat here twiddling my thumbs!!!!! 

Edited July 19, 2013 by Martyn

[NannyFerret]

I hope they dropped the battery of to you, so you can have a play with your new camera over the weekend, Martyn.

[Martyn]

Not yet, still waiting! I've got a BBQ for one of my Granson's birthdays tomorrow. I'm dancing at a music festival on Sunday and I'm dancing with two different groups on Monday. Hopefully there will be loads of pics; if the battery turns up!

[Phil]

Not yet, still waiting!

 

That must be sooo frustrating! 

[Martyn]

Yay, the guy from the shop just turned up with my battery, he was again very apologetic! The problem has been raised by the shop manager as a non conformance, I am told there will be a lot of stern emails flying around the Wilkinsons company tomorrow!

 

Battery now on charge! 

[fuzzyedges]

On the positive side it gave you time to dribble over the manual and fondle and pet your new toy

 

Happy clicking

[Martyn]

Oh yes the manual; I got three of those in the box along with the cds, I gave some back to the guy from the shop. I had already downloaded the manual from the web and been reading it all day. Also had a play with the View NX2 software from the Nikon site, ok for free I suppose but I'm sure there's better available.

[JohnP]

Martyn... welcome to the world of DSLR... now let the fun begin... 

[Leon]

good for you

 

really good when you have a new toy

[NannyFerret]

I'm glad your battery turned up. It's like Christmas all over again, when you get something new for your hobby.

Happy shooting, Martyn.

[Black Pearl]

If you haven't already - http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond5100
 
The D5100 has a 16mp Sony sensor that is one of the very best 1.5x crop sensors....ever!
The D7000 uses it, the Pentax K5 (K5II) and K30 (which I use) uses it as do the Sony NEX5 & 5n bodies and a few of the SLT bodies. It has amazing dynamic range, fantastic high ISO capabilities, the HD video is superb and I love the colours. In a D5100 you have the perfect mix of sensor and features to last you for years and to build an all round system upon.
 
Charge it.
Play with it.
Learn it.
Go wild with it.
Bend it.
Post the results from it.
 
Love it.
 

Image Quality
Image quality is definitely the D5100's trump card. It offers effectively the same image quality as the higher-end D7000, at a lower cost, and it's hard to argue that this is not a good thing. At low ISO settings, the D5100 is on a par with the best of the competition, but at the higher ISO settings, it produces some of the best image quality that we've ever seen from an APS-C camera. Noise levels are impressively low, and default noise reduction does a good job of controlling chroma noise while still preserving detail. The D5100's 16MP sensor is one of a new generation with an impressively low noise floor, and as such, a huge amount can be drawn out of both its JPEG and RAW files. JPEG shooters will love the ability to shoot with Active D-Lighting turned on with little penalty in noise levels (or continuous shooting performance) and more advanced users will enjoy the malleability of its NEF files.