The Nikon D3100 and D5000 DSLRs go head to head

It’s a fairly common question I get asked on the photography courses I run, “What is the best DSLR camera to buy?” This usually gets asked when a student runs up against limitations with their point ‘n shoot or bridge camera.

More often than not we’re looking at an entry-level DSLR to fit the budget of the student. And in most cases an entry-level DSLR will do the job just fine. OK, if the student is hoping to capture fast-moving objects, or has a requirement for excellent quality images in very low light situations without using flash, then a more expensive model will be needed.

Back to the matter in hand. A couple of weeks ago a student had done her research and had narrowed her choice of camera down to either a Nikon D3100 or a Nikon D5000. And she wanted my opinion as to the best choice.

Now, when deciding on a camera remember it’s just a tool to get the job done, so you need to look at what is important to you as regards your own requirements. For example, if a camera has an amazing auto-focus tracking system but you only take still life shots this feature shouldn’t be high on your list of requirements – makes sense?

OK, which model would I choose? These two cameras are very similiar. So probably the best way of going about this is to ignore the specifications that are identical and concentrate on the differences.

First off, the newer D3100 has a 14.2 megapixel sensor and the D5000 has a 12.3 megapixel sensor. Contrary to what the marketing boys would have you believe, all other things being equal, if the sensor is the same size I would choose the camera with the lower megapixel count. The reason for this is that the more pixels (photo sites) you have on the same size sensor the smaller those light-gathering photo sites (pixels) are going to be. And therefore they can’t gather so much light; this adversely affects the quality of the image, particularly in situations where you’ve needed to use a higher ISO setting because there isn’t enough ambient light.

However, the sensor sizes of these two cameras are not identical. The D3100 sensor is 23.1 x 15.4mm and the D5000′s sensor is slightly larger at 23.6 x 15.8mm. Taking the combination of the D5000′s lower megapixel count and it’s larger sensor size should mean the D5000 will produce better quality images, particularly in low-light situations.

Well, so much for the theory. When I tested these two cameras I took shots at 800 ISO and 1600 ISO and I couldn’t detect any noticeable difference. Now, it could be that the D3100 used a more aggressive noise reduction  algorithm, which should have meant a less detailed image, but again I couldn’t detect this.

So, for practical purposes, the ISO performance isn’t going to be a deciding factor. However, the D3100 had greater jumps in ISO settings compared to the D5000. What this means is you may not have to push the ISO setting up so high on the D5000 compared to the D3100, which should mean your image quality will be better as a result. A point in favour of the D5000.

I must just mention that the D3100′s ISO settings do go up to 12800 with boost and the D5000′s only goes up to 6400 with boost. But bearing in mind that I wouldn’t use either camera at 1600 ISO I think that point is fairly academic.

Continous shooting mode: D3100 3 frames per second. D5000 4 fps. Another point in favour of the D5000.

The performance of the video according to the specs comes out in favour of the D3100, but at these price points I wouldn’t go expecting too much from either camera’s video capabilities.

Another small point is that the LCD screen is slightly larger on the D3100 at 3″ as opposed to the D5000′s 2.7″.

Dimensions-wise the D3100 is 124 x 96 x 74.5 mm and the D5000 is 127 x 104 x 80 mm, but both felt comfortable to hold. I don’t have large hands, but if you do then neither camera is likely to feel right for you. If in doubt try them.

Weight-wise the D3100 is 455g without battery and the D5000 is 560g without battery. Again, no deal breaker bearing in mind pro camera bodies can weigh twice this amount. Pick up a pro camera and you’ll know what heavy means!

Finally, and for me, this is a deal breaker. The D3100 has no exposure bracketing and the D5000 does have it. Exposure bracketing allows the photographer to take a series of images at different exposure levels to ensure getting the right exposure in tricky lighting situations where the camera’s lighting meter can be fooled.

Nikon have a habit of leaving this feature out on their lowest priced entry-level DSLRs and I really think they are doing their customers a big dis-service.

So for this reason I have to say I wouldn’t buy the D3100 even though in many respects it is a great little camera. Add to that the D5000′s smaller ISO steps and faster continuous shooting speed and it’s a clear-cut decision – the Nikon D5000 wins the day.

Excellent value for money tripod

First of all, I’ve been using this tripod for the last year or so, and in the last 6 months on an almost daily basis for up to 6 hours at a time.

And I can honestly say for £54.95 this Heavy Duty Professional Aluminium Camera Tripod with Pro Ball Head
really is superb value for money. Although I would question why the distributor designates the ball head as ‘professional’ and I’ll come back to that later. But the tripod is a very sturdy one, which you would expect to pay two or three times more for the same quality from, say, Manfrotto or Gitzo.

On Amazon there are, at the time of writing, 70 reviews of this tripod. It has scored 58 five stars, 9 four stars, 1 three star, 1 two star and 1 one star.

The tripod itself is made of sturdy aliminium, so it’s steady even in windy conditions. Now I see many tripods on the photography courses I run and I find it’s not uncommon for students to have paid £35.00 for a quite flimsy tripod when for £20.00 more they could have had a much more rigid and sturdy one. Of course, the more flimsy ones are lighter, but if you want rigidity and lightness you’re looking at upwards of £200.00 for a carbon fibre affair without a head.

Also, what you won’t find on the cheaper tripods are things like foam covers on the legs to keep your hands from getting cold in winter. I know, because these last few days I’ve been working in -7C conditions and even with gloves on if I got hold of the metal part of the leg the cold transfered through my gloves instantly; this really is a usual feature.

The ends of the legs have rubber feet, which swivel allowing the tripod to settle on uneven ground very steadily. The feet also retract to reveal spikes where these would be more suitable for the terrain.

The tripod also comes with a carry bag whereas you’ll find most manufacturers will charge extra for this – £20-£30 extra.

Inside a pocket on the outside of the bag you’ll find an extra camera mounting plate, another useful item that you’d normally pay extra for.

Finally, the ball head. It works, it’s not the smoothest of heads, but it does the job. But in no way would I call it a ‘professional’ ball head. It is the weakest link in what is, quite frankly, an amazing bit of kit for the price. And if I wasn’t using the tripod all day, every day I’d have stuck with it. But I’m using heavy, professional grade camera bodies and lenses and I’m under constant time pressure, so I did change the head for a Manfrotto 322RC2 ball head, which gives me much quicker, smoother and more precise postioning, but at nearly twice the price of this complete tripod. So unless you find yourself in a similiar position to me the original ball head that comes with the tripod should work out just fine.

I don’t think you’ll find another tripod like it for the price and expect to double the price if you’re looking elsewhere for the same features and quality.

As a result of a number of clients who have received tuition from me asking for advice on purchasing anything from a lens to a DSLR camera, I have decided to add a review section to my website.

In the next few days you can expect to see the first of these reviews being posted here.

I’m open to suggestions for photo equipment to be reviewed, so please either email me or leave a comment if you have an item you’d like to see reviewed and I’ll see what I can do.