Price / performance can hardly be better

I started in 2012 with a Fuji bridge camera reinzuschnuppern in the advanced photography and am then changed to a used Olympus E520 which was unfortunately stolen in early December.

After I spent a few hours with research and compare various Nikon and Canon entry-level models. Canon difference due to the often-mentioned poorer value for money at this price soon made. Finally, it was a gut decision for the D3100 with the Double Zoom Kit and against a used D5000.

APPEARANCE
After unpacking me both size and weight have surprised. I do not have big hands, in so far as the size goes ok, they may in no case be less but more. It is in any case well in hand. The processing immediately looked very good. The same applies to both lenses.

SERVICE
Here I was very excited and had the largest concerns since Nikon is apparently known for an unconventional use. In part that's true. However, the most important settings can change very quickly. Aperture and shutter speed anyway, ISO is with me on the Fn button and the white balance and other settings are changed within seconds via Menu.

Why one has but the already existing pad not occupied with more features is not clear to me. A few things you must have the higher models reserved for prices justified.

The use of lenses is actually very good. Who is like me but like to have to use this in any case already at low light pictures with manual focus or not completely satisfied. When 55-200 indeed too easy but after a short adjustment period still easy to operate, the focus ring when 18-55 is poorly placed and very small. Manual focus does not make me there a lot of fun.

The optical viewfinder is absolutely sufficient for my taste. Are certainly bigger, but certainly also to other prices. In addition, he also has a diopter compensation.

FUNCTION
To stay right the focus: Maybe I'm used to from the E520 much worse, but contrary to repeatedly read criticism of something to slow autofocus I consider him for this price range for excellent. Noticeably slow he is only at significantly low light conditions and when you want to focus on very close to remote or vice versa. I tested it this weekend at a rally extensively and in the sequential shots were almost all sharp. Even a photographer friend with a bold and top Canon 70-200 Obj has hardly less blurry images.

Due to the very bad weather (cloudy, rain constantly) "allowed" I also test the same ISO values. Here I am really surprised at the positive, the relatively large sensor so you can tell;) everything is in the green zone until ISO800 and even at ISO1600 obtained very good results. That my e520 has produced already at ISO400 noise clear - properly. The image size but I have almost immediately asked after unpacking medium -> a good tip for probably almost all cameras. The smaller the sensor, the more important!

Speaking of rain: It was pretty wet. Actually, I wanted it in the rain not unpack, but then could not resist but and they've brought out repeatedly under the jacket ... Contrary to my two Canon cameras colleagues my Nikon has works perfectly with light to medium heavy rain. : P

####################
UPDATE April 30, 2013
After I have photographed with some friends in early February on the WRC in Sweden, I can again only good things. Because of the cold, the camera provided certain one day wrong charging levels of the battery or the battery itself has a strike, but I am very satisfied. We were but a few times really "snowed" by the WRCs, the camera was running and absolute top. My friends had the same battery problem as I - but from nearly every day time to time - and also with higher class cameras from Nikon and Canon.
####################

SCREEN
Not swivel and relatively modest image quality.

IMAGE QUALITY
Of course I'm not a professional. I do not see my pictures to the smallest detail on whether there are distortions, unwanted vignette or whatever. If the image at 100% on the PC what hermacht, then adjusts the)

For me and my experience makes them even with the default settings pretty good pictures. By changing color saturation and sharpness a little, you get really good pictures. Rework unnecessary.

As I said, the noise performance is very good, up to ISO 800 hardly noticeable.

VIDEO
Not tested.

GUIDE mode
Not tested.

LIVE VIEW
Not tested.

CONCLUSION
For my claims as amateur photographer (both natural and sports photography, mainly ERC and WRC rallies) this camera is very satisfactory. Autofocus is fast and reliable, settings can be changed fast and the final product is very convincing.

++ Image quality
++ Weight
++ Price
++ Processing
+ Noise performance
+ Autofocus
+ Kit lenses
+ Operation
~ Size
- Manual focus at 18-55
- Screen

= Absolute buy recommendation for beginners and amateur photographers DSLR, but certainly as a slight second camera or camera for travel professionals suitable.