The introduction of entry level DSLRs was arguably the best improvement made by the whole camera making fraternity. Manufacturers realised that people are actually waking upto the whole idea of learning what the various settings in the camera means, as to what affects the picture about to be taken and the likes. Nikon was the first one to think in the lines of a DSLR that a larger section of the society could afford, when it introduced the D40 model. This trend was continued with D3000 and D5000. Going one step further, this imaging giant comes up with the Nikon D3100, which is a 14.2mp entry level DSLR.
Design and FunctioningThough its dimensions are strikingly similar to its predecessor, the D3000, it does come with some refreshing changes in its modeling and some extra buttons on its rear panel. There are also revisions made to the feature-teaching, hand-holding 'Guide Mode' and an additional autofocus mode to allow better focusing in live view and autofocus during video shooting. Guide mode has been refined to make most camera operations even easier, from shooting to image playback and editing to the application of camera settings, regardless of the user's skill level. Nikon’s Active D-Lighting effectively combats problems of contrast in light and dark areas when shooting in bright sunlight by preserving important details in shadows and highlights. Apart from the usual ISO levels of 100 to 3200, the camera also provides for two High ISO stops for better pictures during adverse conditions – wherein the ISO can be increased to a maximum of 12800. Another user friendly function that this camera comes with is the Live View mode. When Live View is activated and new full-time-servo AF (AF-F) is selected, the camera keeps subjects in focus without having to press the shutter-release button, which could prove to be extremely convenient for shooting videos. This camera is compatible with SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.
