Is the Nikon 5100 worth it for the video function?

R

rc444

Well-known member
Hi there,

Is the Nikon 5100 worth it for the video alone?

A very good review I read said that the Canon 600D and 550D offered manual video over the 5100, it's competitor.

The review said that the 5100 was excellent for stills but limited in it's ability re: video due to its lack of manual in that department.

Are there any film directors or DOPs on this page you have shot with the Nikon 5100 and enjoyed it's auto focus? I hear the Nikon auto focus is actually really good.

Help me decide! I'm stuck between the Nikon 5100 or Canon 60D. I prefer the look of the Nikon but not sure if it's worth it for the video aspect.

Cheers
David:)
 
Although the Nikon D5100 does not provide completely manual control of exposure when shooting video, there is a way to preset both its aperture and shutter speed in advance. Using this technique, you preset the camera's minimum and maximum ISO range, and take advantage of its auto-ISO feature to select the correct exposure for each shot.

In the ISO Sensitivity Settings sub-menu:

Auto ISO Sensitivity Control: ON
ISO Sensitivity: 100 (set to lowest ISO you want the camera to use)
Maximum Sensitivity: 3200 (set to max ISO you want the camera to use)
Minimum Shutter Speed: 1/60 (preset to your desired shutter speed)

The twist here is that you use Minimum Shutter Speed to manually preset the video shutter speed you want the camera to use. Since I always shoot video at 1/60 second, I've only needed to set this once. The camera then uses its light meter to automatically set exposure with an ISO between the (minimum) ISO Sensitivity and Maximum Sensitivity presets.

However, if the required ISO for a scene lies outside your preset ISO range, the camera will override your Minimum Shutter Speed preset. In lighting conditions where the shutter speed drops too low, I use the Exposure Compensation button to lower exposure until the shutter speed is boosted back up to my preset speed. Once all settings look good, I use the Exposure Lock button to keep the exposure fixed while filming.

While this may sound convoluted, it gives you more convenient control over exposure than Manual mode would. Here's how you use it in practice:

1. Set your desired aperture in Aperture Priority mode.
2. If you prefer, adjust focus in the viewfinder.
3. Enter Live View mode and confirm focus.
4. If needed, use Exposure Compensation to set desired shutter speed.
5. Press Exposure Lock button.
6. Press Video Record button to start filming.
 
I like the D5100 better than any Canon I have used including the 5D2 and VideoCams.
I use it for HD1080 @30fps "Home Movies" + Church Services and shoot AF-S.
The D5100 will shoot good Video high ISO 6400 and has a really good Articulating LCD.

Yes, you need AF-S or HSM lens to AutoFocus but the new DX lens are all AF-S, very good, and very cheap.

You might also consider the V1, The FullTime AutoFocus is very fast and accurate
 
Last edited:
Hi,

I don't own the camera, so I'm somewhat hamstrung in the response, but I do know a little about Nikons, and what this camera is missing and what it has.

The articulating LCD is a plus, and I wish it was on my D7000, but you will miss the internal focusing motor on the D5100. It requires that all lenses on the D5100 be AFS for the auto focusing to work in the camera. That may or may not be important to you, but it should be something to be aware of in your decision. Some of the lenses in my collection that goes back 40 years wouldn't work in it, for example.

While most of the modern lenses in the pool are AFS, some aren't and a lot of the used lenses aren't, and that might make a difference.

Of course, the newer lenses are quite good, reason enough to buy the camera. :laugh:

My best,

Mike
 
My wife has the 5100. She never has taken video yet but it sure takes good pictures
 
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