Should I get a D5100?

C

ChipThome

Well-known member
Here's the scoop.

I have a just sold a GH1 and have some cash in my Paypal. I have used the GH1s for stills and other than the 2X crop factor I am ok with them. I am trying to set up a home studio, so that 2X crop factor really comes into play in this small space. I was looking to the Nikons for their 1.5 crop hoping to pick up enough to use a 50mm lens without being in the next room over. The D3100 doesn't seem to be good enough, the D7000 is out of the price range. That leaves the D5100 or Canons and I don't like Canons, so they are out.

I went out and did my required reading, and found some reviews that just slaughtered the D5100. If I were to generalize, stuff people wrote started at "ok" and it went downhill from there.

I need to still shoot three camera video, and still have a pair of hacked GH1s. So whatever I buy has to fit in and work with those, most likely as a locked wide shot cam.

So that's where I am sitting, what do you guys think ???
 
ChipThome said:
Here's the scoop.

I have a just sold a GH1 and have some cash in my Paypal. I have used the GH1s for stills and other than the 2X crop factor I am ok with them. I am trying to set up a home studio, so that 2X crop factor really comes into play in this small space. I was looking to the Nikons for their 1.5 crop hoping to pick up enough to use a 50mm lens without being in the next room over. The D3100 doesn't seem to be good enough, the D7000 is out of the price range. That leaves the D5100 or Canons and I don't like Canons, so they are out.

I went out and did my required reading, and found some reviews that just slaughtered the D5100. If I were to generalize, stuff people wrote started at "ok" and it went downhill from there.

I need to still shoot three camera video, and still have a pair of hacked GH1s. So whatever I buy has to fit in and work with those, most likely as a locked wide shot cam.

So that's where I am sitting, what do you guys think ???
Click to expand...

I started off with the same situation. I have a GH13 and I wanted to buy something with a larger sensor but not break the bank.

The D5100 sensor makes a huge difference to me but yes a lot of people are trashing this cam. I am not sure why since there are work arounds for every situation that they are complaining about with the exception of moire and aliasing. I think a lot of people aren't understanding how to work the cam and it is not documented very well. For every post that is true there seems to be 10 that aren't.

Anyhow, the best way to find out is to stop in at a shop and give it a go. If you need help with anything then let me know...

Good luck.
 
thanks Mojo for your help here. I went over to Best Buy today to put one of these in my hands and get some idea of what it is. I was kinda disheartened that it appears to be in a D3100 body. I am not sure it's an exact copy of the D3100 body but it sure looked like it or real close. That wouldn't have been so bad, had I not grabbed a D7000 then....kinda screwed myself doing that. :-(

Anyway I am still on the fence here so if anyone has more input, I am all ears !!!
 
Just buy a D7000. Do people really need somebody else's opinion to buy something? Go back to Best Buy and shoot a few takes of video and stills. That is what I do at Adorama when I want to check a camera, all by myself. Then make a decision all by myself.
 
Keep in mind the D5100 does not give you proper full manual control.

If you are planning on shooting this camera as a locked-off wide cam, then why would you pair it with a 50mm? Why not something much wider, even the kit lens? It seems bizarre that you would upgrade your camera to a larger sensor, only to use it with a moderate telephoto lens and lose the wider FOV advantage.

Going from a GH1 to a D5100 for video is definitely a downgrade. And even going to Canon would only be a sideways move. What do you not like about the Canon's? Is it something to do with the functionality or the ergonomics or the quality? Or is it purely because you don't like the brand? Because I can honestly tell you, for video purposes, anything you don't like about the Canon's will be just as bad or worse with the D5100.

What about one of the smaller handycams as an alternative? Something like the Panasonic SD700?
 
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deltoidjohn said:
Keep in mind the D5100 does not give you proper full manual control.

If you are planning on shooting this camera as a locked-off wide cam, then why would you pair it with a 50mm? Why not something much wider, even the kit lens? It seems bizarre that you would upgrade your camera to a larger sensor, only to use it with a moderate telephoto lens and lose the wider FOV advantage.

Going from a GH1 to a D5100 for video is definitely a downgrade. And even going to Canon would only be a sideways move. What do you not like about the Canon's? Is it something to do with the functionality or the ergonomics or the quality? Or is it purely because you don't like the brand? Because I can honestly tell you, for video purposes, anything you don't like about the Canon's will be just as bad or worse with the D5100.
Click to expand...

I have no problem shooting manual with my D5100 but prefer autofocus.
The controls are there if you want to find them.
My D7000 is easier to use but does not have articulating screen or HD 1080 at 30fps.
I too prefer Nikons and have been disappointed in Canon products (3 strikes and they are out for me).
I am very happy that I got rid of my 5D2 which is without doubt the best Canon for video.

I suggest that he go back to Best Buys and have them bring out a D3100, D5100 and D7000 to compare.
After that if in doubt wait for the D400. At the very least the others will be cheaper then, especially used.

As for a fixed lens, try the 35mm f/1.8 DX it is excellent for video and stills.
 
Hey guys,

I really do appreciate you all taking the time to give me your thoughts. As far as why no Canons, 20 years ago when I made my first investment in a camera, one option was the Canon Rebel which against the Nikon or the Yashica that I bought, was a toy. Cheap looking, very plasticy, stupid name like a high school football team and was mass marketed everywhere and anywhere. Canon made a very poor first impression with me, and it stuck.

As I said in the OP, whatever I buy has to do double duty of both stills and close enough for video to match my GHs. That's why I figured it being "odd man out" it might work for the locked wide "insurance shot" if colors etc might have been "close enough". With my GH1 hitting in the low 40s, I knew there was no way either Nikon was going to be close enough to be a "direct hit" on the comparison.

The Nikons, either of them, is going to do far better than my GHs for stills, that's a given. Not being able to assure some decent compatibility for video though, RRRodger's suggestion of hanging pat for now and seeing what's on the horizon it what I picked.

In the mean time, I'll keep peaking in here to see what's going on and I do appreciate everyone's input.
 
Why not just buy a Panasonic 20mm or 14mm lens and use it with your GH1? The 20mm lens on a GH1 will give you a wider angle than a 50mm lens on a Nikon 5100.
 
Hi Sumfun,

I have the 20mm, and the 14-45 and the 14-140. Last night I bought a Gh2 on Ebay to use in the interim or possibly to begin replacing the Gh1s with. I recently sold a 8mm Rokinon Fisheye and while doing some test shots in my kitchen in the afternoon I notice a fair amount of noise. Same with some other images I had shot before. In lower light it's just not real hot for stills. As much as I don't like a Canon, I like the Panasonic, but have to face the fact that for stills, Nikon kicks it's butt. If the checkbook was nice and fat, which it isn't, I'd have a Nikon dedicated just for stills.
 
I attended my first group photo shoot last night. I was shadowing one of the more experienced photogs for my first time out. He was shooting some Canon AEx or some such thing with a stationary screen. He had the model set up and from the angle I had, there was too much crap in the background. I flipped the screen out and around, pivoted it down and shot almost straight down from over my head. My shooting partner commented about "oh you are going to sky it", guess he liked the idea. Later on he grabbed a chair to stand on, to try and do the something similar with his fixed screen Canon. :-)

a big +10 for the articulating screen !!!!
 
And the D5100 articulating screen is very good in all but the brightest light.
I used mine on a Slik movie TriPod Sunday to shoot the Race thru Redwoods.
The center section jacks up an extra two feet over the heads of the crowding spectators.
Without that LCD, I would not have been able to get my Video.
 
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