Nikon D3100

The Nikon D3100 is a 14.2-megapixel DX format DSLR Nikon F-mount camera announced by Nikon on August 19, 2010. It replaced the D3000 as Nikon's entry level DSLR. It introduced Nikon's new EXPEED 2 image processor and was the first Nikon DSLR featuring full high-definition video recording with full-time autofocus and H.264 compression, instead of Motion JPEG compression. It was also the first Nikon DSLR to provide high-definition video recording at more than one frame rate.^[4]

Nikon D3100^[1]

Nikon D3100 with the Nikon 18-55mm zoom lens.
Overview
Type	Digital single-lens reflex
Lens
Lens	Interchangeable, Nikon F-mount
Sensor/medium
Sensor	23.1 mm × 15.4 mm Nikon DX format RGB CMOS sensor, 1.5 × FOV crop, 4.94 μm pixel size
Sensor maker	Nikon[2]
Maximum resolution	4,608 × 3,072 (14.2 effective megapixels)
Film speed	100–3200 in 1/3 EV steps, up to 12800 as boost
Recording medium	Secure Digital, SDHC and SDXC compatible
Focusing
Focus modes	AF-A (Auto-servo AF); AF-S (Single-servo AF); AF-C (Continuous-servo AF); MF (Manual focus).[3]
Focus areas	11-area AF system, Multi-CAM 1000 AF Sensor Module
Exposure/metering
Exposure modes	Auto modes (auto, auto [flash off]), Guide Mode, Advanced Scene Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Close-up, Night Portrait), programmed auto with flexible program (P), shutter-priority auto (S), aperture-priority auto (A), manual (M), (Q) quiet mode.
Exposure metering	TTL 3D Color Matrix Metering II metering with a 420-pixel RGB sensor
Metering modes	3D Color Matrix Metering II, Center-weighted and Spot
Flash
Flash	Built in Pop-up, Guide number 13m at ISO 100, Standard ISO hotshoe, Compatible with the Nikon Creative Lighting System
Flash bracketing	2 or 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 or 2 EV
Shutter
Shutter	Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Shutter speed range	30 s to 1/4000 s in 1/2 or 1/3 stops and Bulb, 1/200 s X-sync
Continuous shooting	3 frame/s
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical 0.80x, 95% Pentamirror
Image processing
White balance	Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Preset
General
LCD screen	3.0-inch 230,000 pixel TFT-LCD
Battery	Nikon EN-EL14 rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery
Weight	Approx. 455 g (1.003 lb) without battery, memory card or body cap
Made in	Thailand
Chronology
Predecessor	Nikon D3000
Successor	Nikon D3200

Use is assisted by two Guide Modes: Easy Operation and Advanced Operation tutorial. On April 19, 2012, the D3200 superseded the D3100 as Nikon's entry-level DSLR.^[5]

Features

• Nikon's 14.2-megapixel Nikon DX format CMOS sensor with 12 Bit Resolution.
• Nikon EXPEED 2 image processor.
• Active D-Lighting.
• Automatic chromatic aberration correction.
• Sensor cleaning and airflow control system.
• 3.0-inch 230,000-dot resolution fixed TFT LCD
• Continuous Drive up to 3 frames per second.
• Live view mode. Live view AF modes: Face priority, Wide area, Normal area, Subject tracking
• Full High Definition video recording (1080p for 10 minutes at 24 frames per second in H.264 codec), additionally 720p30/25/24 and 480p24
• Full-time autofocus in movie mode.
• 3D Color Matrix Metering II with Scene Recognition System.
• 3D Tracking Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus sensor module with 11 AF points.
• ISO sensitivity 100 to 3200 (6400 and 12800 with boost).
• Nikon F-mount lenses.
• i-TTL flash exposure system without built-in, but support for external wireless flash commander.
• Extended In-camera retouching: D-Lighting, Red-eye reduction, Trimming, Monochrome & filter effects, Color balance, Small picture, Image overlay, NEF (raw) processing, Quick retouch, Straighten, Distortion control, Fisheye, Color outline, Perspective control, Miniature effect, Edit movie
• File formats: JPEG, NEF (Nikon's raw, 12-bit compressed)
• Compatibility with SDXC memory cards

Like Nikon's other consumer-level DSLRs, the D3100 has no in-body autofocus motor, and fully automatic autofocus requires one of the currently 162 lenses with an integrated autofocus-motor.^[6] With any other lens, the camera's electronic rangefinder can be used to manually adjust focus.^[7][8]

Can mount unmodified A-lenses (also called Non-AI, Pre-AI or F-type) with support of the electronic rangefinder and without metering.^[9]

Optional accessories

The Nikon D3100 has available accessories such as:^[10]

• Nikon GP-1 GPS Unit for direct GPS geotagging. Third party solutions partly with 3-axis compass, data-logger, bluetooth and support for indoor use are available from Solmeta,^[11] Dawn,^[12] Easytag,^[13] Foolography,^[14] Gisteq^[15] and Phottix.^[16] See comparisons/reviews.^[17][18][19]
• Battery grip third party solutions are available.^[20][21]
• Nikon CF-DC1 Soft Case.
• Third party solutions for WLAN transmitter are available.^[22]
• Various Nikon Speedlight or third party flash units^[23] including devices with Nikon Creative Lighting System wireless flash commander or support for SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander.

Third party radio (wireless) flash control triggers^[24] are partly supporting i-TTL,^[25][26] but do not support the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS).^[27][28] See reviews.^[29][30]

• Common Optional Lens: AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D. Note: Lenses without an internal autofocus motor can only use manual focus on the Nikon D3100.
• Other accessories from Nikon and third parties, include protective cases and bags, eyepiece adapters and correction lenses, and underwater housings.

Reception

The D3100 has received many independent reviews^[31][32] and image comparisons at all ISO speeds.^[33]

The D3100 is the only known Nikon DSLR with an image sensor interface^[34] integrating analog-to-digital converters not made by Nikon: The result is a dynamic range only at the level of competitors like the (higher priced) Canon EOS 600D;^[35] lower than other current Nikon DSLRs.

See also

• List of Nikon compatible lenses with integrated autofocus-motor